By Valerie Sartor
In late 2007 China's Foreign Language Press published a Beijing city tourist guide called: Streetwise Guide – Beijing. This 5 by 8 inch 300 plus page guidebook is extremely handy and well organized the ten districts are color-coded and addressed individually compared to the Insider's Guide to Beijing, which I personally find clunky and too heavy to lug about, this small, bright and very useful book is a treat to consult.
Publisher: Foreign Languages Press
Author: Glenn Alexander and Ouyang Weiping
Beijing is a very big, populous and diverse metropolis. By dividing the city into ten regions, each prefaced with a separate map, with each region displaying outstanding highlights the city become understandable and manageable. Each district proceeds to outline sightseeing attractions for tourists. Bus and metro routes are clearly listed, along with interesting nuggets of trivia only a local would know, as well as historical information and bargains for sightseeing, transport and eateries. Each of the ten areas contains a food and entertainment section, with directions, prices and a quick but valid restaurant review. Additional zoom maps are provided to help travelers find these eateries. Shopping, accommodations (with hotels rated and priced), more itinerary information, and extensive bus route and bus stop information end each section. The names of transport, places and locations are clearly designated in English and in Chinese characters.
The latter half of the book also provides a "travelers' survival guide" for Beijing newcomers and tourists. Vital basic information covering visas, insurance, budgets, packing and itineraries from outside are covered. A second section called "getting around" instructs guests about the airport shuttle, the metro, taxi and bus systems, as well as how to rent and ride a bicycle around Beijing. The last section of this guide offers banking, communications, etiquette, religious, shopping and security tips. The top ten budget tips are great, as well as the listing for useful telephone numbers and the concise but practical language guide.
A passel of experienced ex-pats from home countries around the world in conjunction with long time Beijing residents wrote this guide. The 2007 version is the first edition and now it has been revised with New Olympic Insert/Map. At 80RMB it's a great bargain as well as a good read. Catchy, unusual and very appealing pictures adorn this little book; reading it you will sense the thoughtfulness of all of the people who contributed to creating this book. It's not just a guide: Streetwise Guide – Beijing is the way the Foreign Language Press has attempted to warmly welcome foreign guests to the capital city of China.
How to buy it:
Buy it on amazon.com.
In Beijing, you can purchase the Streetwise Guide to Beijing at the following retail locations. Or you can place an order through phone calls at 010-68995842, or by sending emails to streetwiseguide@flp.com.cn.
Free delivery anywhere within Beijing's Fourth Ring Road. Orders from other parts of China can be made with additional postal charges. Readers in North America can purchase online at www.chinabooks.com.
Beijing Foreign Languages Bookstore
No. 235 Wangfujing Street, Beijing
北京外文書店 - 北京市王府井大街235號
The Bookworm
No.4 Building, South Sanlitun Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing
"書蟲 - "北京朝陽區南三里屯路4"號樓
Capital Airport
首都機場
Xidan Bookstore
Third Floor, Xidan Book Building
西單圖書大廈三層
O2Sun
First Floor, Unit 4, No. 3 Building, Tianshuiyuan Beili, Chaoyang District, Beijing
光合作用 - 北京市朝陽區甜水園北里3號附樓四門底層
Baiwanzhuang Foreign Languages Bookstore
No. 24 Baiwanzhuang Road, Xicheng District
外文書苑 - 百萬莊路24號
Forbidden City Bookstore
Imperial Garden, Palace Museum, Beijing
北京故宮御花園書店 - 北京故宮御花園內
Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
East of the Old Qianmen Train Station, Qianmen, Beijing
北京規劃展覽館 - 北京前門(老前門火車站東側)
Beijing Guanzi Culture & Media Co. Ltd
D09-17, 798 Art District, No.2 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
北京罐子文化傳媒有限公司 - 北京市朝陽區酒仙橋路2號798藝術區D09-17
Dangdang Online Bookstore
Fourth Floor, Sanli Plaza, No.208 Andingmenwai Street, Beijing
當當網上書店 - 北京安定門外大街208號三利大廈四層
Beijing Foreign Languages Bookstore Distribution Center
Taihu, Tongzhou, Beijing
新華書店物流中心 - 北京通州臺湖
Beijing Xinhua Bookstore Distribution Center
No. 15 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing
北京市新華書店圖書批銷中心 - 海淀區學院路15號
China International Book Trading Corporation
No. 35 Chenggongzhuang Xilu, Beijing
中國國際圖書貿易總公司外文書刊部 - 北京車公莊西路35號
Out of Beijing:
Shanghai Foreign Languages Bookstore
No.390 Fuzhou Road, Shanghai
上海外文圖書公司(外文書店) - 上海市福州路390">號
Shanghai Shangtu Bookstore
No.1555 Huaihai Zhonglu, Shanghai
上海上圖書店 - 上海市淮海中路1555號
Shanghai Wenyuzhai Bookstore
Room D22, Shanghai Pudong International Airport
上海文語齋書店 - 上海浦東國際機場機景觀墻D22室
Zhejiang Xinhua Bookstore
No. 7, Cuibai Road, Hangzhou
浙江省新華書店 - 杭州市翠柏路7號
Jiangsu Xinhua Bookstore
No. 98, Xianxin Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
江蘇省新華書店 - 江蘇省南京市仙新路98號
Inner Mongolian Xinhua Bookstore
No.94 Zhongshan Road, Hohhot
內蒙古新華書店圖書大廈 - 呼和浩特市中山路94號
Shanxi Foreign Languages Bookstore
No.167 Jiefang Road, Taiyuan, Shanxi
山西省外文書店 - 山西省太原市解放路167號
Guangdong Xinhua Distribution Corporation
No. 161, Changfu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
廣東新華發行集團股份有限公司 - 廣州市天河區長福路161號
(China.org.cn May 30, 2008)
