September 19, 2025

What Should Foreigners Prepare Before Visiting Beijing 2025

What Should Foreigners Prepare Before Visiting Beijing 2025? 2025 is the year Beijing feels truly open again. Flights are back, visa-free entry has expanded, and digital payments are now easier than ever for foreigners. But a real guide to Beijing should go beyond the basics. At Our Beijing, we believe travel is about experiencing life the way locals do: balancing adventure and chill, diving into history, and discovering the city’s hidden rhythm.

This is not just another “China travel guide 2025.” This is your Beijing 2025 foreigner’s guide — designed to help you live, feel, and explore the capital like a true insider.

1. The Basics You Need in 2025

  • Visas & Entry: Visa-free stays have expanded for many countries in 2025. Always check the latest policies before flying.
  • Payments: Foreign bank cards can now link directly to Alipay and WeChat Pay. Yes, you can buy jianbing (煎饼) in a hutong using your Apple Pay.
  • Transport: The Beijing Subway app offers English, QR-code entry, and easy recharge. For taxis, Didi now accepts foreign cards.
  • Connectivity: Many apps (translation, maps, travel) now offer English versions. Some foreigners still use VPNs, but for daily life, most essentials are accessible.

👉 This is enough to get you around — but not enough to understand Beijing. That’s where the real guide begins.

2. Living the Real Beijing in 2025

Beijing is not just the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. It’s also:

  • Hutong Cafés & Coffee Culture: From Nanluoguxiang to Fangjia Hutong, small cafés like Excellent Coffee are redefining Beijing’s taste. Expect coconut Viennas, guava fruit brews, and local dogs greeting you at the door.
  • Cycling Through History: More and more locals and expats explore the city on two wheels. Our Hutong Cycling Tour takes you past hidden courtyards and everyday street life.
  • Weekend Nature Escapes: Forget the crowded tourist Great Wall. Beijing’s edges hide gems like Wolongtang, a short hike with views over the Ming Tombs Reservoir — a perfect adventure and chill autumn outing.
  • Street Food & Night Markets: In 2025, food is more creative than ever. Beyond Peking duck, think spicy skewers at Shichahai or fruit-topped ice cream at Sanlitun’s late-night markets.

3. The Feeling of Being Here

Beijing in 2025 is both ancient and modern. One moment you’re climbing stone steps built in 1958 to protect a reservoir; the next, you’re paying with your iPhone for a coconut latte in a minimalist café.

It’s in the small moments that you feel the city:

  • Waving back to children while cycling a hutong alley.
  • Watching autumn leaves fall across the Ming Tombs Reservoir.
  • Learning to order dumplings in Mandarin and realizing you got it right.

This is what we mean when we say beyond the expected.

4. How to Experience It with Our Beijing

At Our Beijing, we design experiences that combine adventure and chill — because the best way to know Beijing is to balance motion with pause. Some of our most loved activities include:

  • 🏯 Wild Wall Hike — untouched Great Wall sections far from tourist crowds.
  • 🚲 Hutong Cycling Tour — discover hidden courtyards, markets, and daily life.
  • 🍜 Foodie Walk — taste authentic Beijing snacks with local stories.

❓ Q&A for 2025 Travelers

Q: Can foreigners really use Alipay and WeChat now?

A: Yes — link your Visa/Mastercard and you’re set. No more cash struggles.

Q: Is English common in Beijing?

A: In tourist areas yes, but daily life is smoother with a few Mandarin basics. Don’t worry — smiles and translation apps go a long way.

Q: What’s the best time to visit Beijing in 2025?

A: Spring (March–May) for blossoms, autumn (Sept–Nov) for hikes and crisp air. Summer is hot, winter is magical but cold.

Q: How can I join an Our Beijing experience?

A: Easy — check our website or DM us on Instagram @our_beijing.

🚀 Final Call — Make Beijing Yours in 2025

Beijing 2025 is waiting for you: ancient walls, modern cafés, hidden hikes, and unforgettable flavors. Don’t just read about it — come live it.

✨ Join us at Our Beijing to book your next adventure, and follow @our_beijing for weekly tips, guides, and stories.

With Our Beijing, your 2025 trip won’t just be about checking boxes — it will be about feeling the city, balancing adventure and chill, and going truly beyond the obvious.

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