Pollution in Beijing

[PCH (Paul)]

Hey guys,

I know we have people here who frequent China and probably Beijing from time to time. I'd love to visit myself sometime, but according to this article ... (second city down - after New Delhi) if it's like that all the time, it would be impossible to go as my Mrs is an asthma sufferer and wouldn't make it out alive.

Any thoughts please anyone?

Cheers gang

[Poita (Peter)]

My daughter just came back from there, and all of her pictures from China look like they were taken during a heavy fog, even out at the wall and other areas. She said you usually couldn't see the sky

[Kunama]

I flew over Beijing in daytime but although there was no cloud you could not see anything on the ground, just a brown haze.

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

I googled Beijing and it said "Did you mean Greyjing?"

Yeah. Bring a face mask.

[Astro_Bot]

I visited in 2002 and it wasn't too bad - have some nice shots of the Great Wall and Summer Palace, etc., with reasonably clear sky. Still, that was 12 years ago.

[PCH (Paul)]

Thanks guys,

- it sounds very much like I may have missed my opportunity.

I'd be ok, though the visual experience on offer seems far from ideal, but my missus is coughing and barking like a dog if someone lights a cigarette up closer than a few metres !

Hmmm -

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

I was there about a 6 weeks ago. Their "best" day is like Sydney's worst. Out of 7 days, 3 were abysmal (visibility 1km), 2 were bad (visibility 5kms) and 2 were OK (visibility 15-25kms)

Attached is Beijing on a good day.

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

It is bad but looks worse than it is. I was there before the Beijing Ollympics in July 2008. You may recall a lot of media coverage prior to the olympics.

There is a fog component due to the humidity which makes visibility particularly poor in the mornings when a lot of pics of the "pollution" are taken. Some mornings, visibility was only a few hundred metres. But this is a fog.

The pollution is bad. I remember blowing my nose and getting "black snot"

I can't comment on how any of this might affect your asthma.

cheers

joe

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

An article in the SMH May 6 had Beijing outside the worst 10. 77th in fact but the Chinese numbers were from 2010. Several cities in India, where they have continuous monitoring, including New Delhi were at or near the top.

[traveller (Bo)]

I was in Beijing about 10 months ago, and there was a fair amount of haze/fog/pollution. Beijing sits on a flat plain surrounded by hills, so it acts as a bowl to collect heavy air particles.
The US Embassy in Beijing has a live air quality monitoring service, which the locals use rather than trusting their own govt's service
http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/aqirecent3.html
There are lots of apps that monitor air quality as well.
Basically, be prepared. Pack a few good quality masks (the types with dual vents on the side), drink only bottled or boiled water and avoid street food if possible.
Assuming you are going to visit as a tourist Paul? It is a very westernised city now, so you can get good service (at a price) if you need help and lots of locals do speak English. Having said that, go with a tour company with a good reputation, have realistic expectation and chances are you will end up having a good time.
Good luck.
Bo

[Wavytone]

Definitely go, you'll have a great time. If you have time also consider going to Xi'An (the entombed warriors), then the old town of Lijiang, and Shangri-La. If flying via Guangzhou stop there for a few days too, much to see and do.