SHOPPING in BEIJING

Update: February 19, 2008

There is a unique feeling about shopping in Beijing that cannot be found anywhere else. Despite the rapid modernization drive encroaching almost everywhere, some of the old, unusual and exciting Hutongs with their mysterious Siheyuan(courtyards) remain intact in this splendid city.

Strolling around the old streets, just let your imagination run wild with how the scene must have looked like in ancient times, when camel caravans arrived at the city gates and unloaded exotic spices and other goods brought from faraway places.

Today, the camels are long gone and almost anything, Chinese or Western, is available for a price. The joint venture hotels, shops and boutiques are full of soft cashmere and silk, while a wide variety of Chinese arts and crafts beckon to be purchased, At the same time, sidewalk vendors peddle everything from pots to suits. Although prices for some items may see high, there are still bargains to be found by the shrewd.

There are various places to go for shopping, depending on what buyers expect and the prices they are prepared to pay.

Wangfujing Street, Xidan Commercial Area, Dong Si Commercial Area and Qianmen Dajie are four of the city's largest shopping districts. Silver Street for Western-style outlets. Shopping centers and designated tourism-administration stores usually have a better environment than the above mentioned places.

Shopping centers are scattered throughout the city. Around them are usually other service facilities. In recent years, amid fierce competition, most shopping centers have improved their interior decoration and design, and tend to have longer opening hours. The SCITECH Plaza, for instance, stays open until 9:30 in the evening.