Beidaihe May 15 (1 Viewer)

[Pitta Patter]

A mate and I are looking at going here next year for a couple of weeks. Hoping to do things fairly cheap. Does anyone have any tips on where to stay? How easy is it to get around? Etc. Maybe open to a couple more people joining us if any1 is interested?

 

[johnraven]

Theres plenty of hotels there, as it is a summer vacation spot. We just turned up in early May and got a nice room for 200 yuan with a bit of haggling.
very few birders there though, in may 2010. Dont expect something like the scillies in the 1980s.
Dont expect much english either. Take a translation book that has chinese symbols for key phrases like can I have a room please. Im sure if you stay in a posh gaff they will speak english though.
Not hard travelling mind, quite easy once u get used to communicating in some way

 

[johnraven]

Theres a very good train their from Beijing. Once there, plenty of local buses. We just cruised around on foot, as distances not great. Taxis are fairly reasonable. Be very polite is you bump into the army near their camp at the point, but I found them to be very friendly and unconcerned, and some squaddies spoke good english.

 

[johnraven]

We stayed by main beach, where most hotels are. People thought we were Russian. The few birders I met (3) were staying in more expensive places nr the point. I imagine thats where bird tour groups would stay.
Birds turned up anywhere. I had nice eyebrowed thrush in a car park. The point is good.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Be very polite is you bump into the army near their camp at the point, but I found them to be very friendly and unconcerned, and some squaddies spoke good english.

When I was there in August we got chucked out of there, despite some politeness. I think this may have been a result of there being 'dignitaries' staying nearby at the time. Some caution is undoubtedly required though.

The areas of forest near the river mouth were very good and productive in August, as well as that area being excellent for waders and gulls.