Ho Chi Minh City to Beijing Thai Airways Flights

  About Beijing

Beijing is China's political and cultural hub with a lot of tourist attractions. It is also where the famous Great Wall of China is. It is one of the most important tourist spots in China. The city also boasts of a very happening nightlife that will give you nasty hangovers but fun night. Imperial Palace, Coal Hill Park, Beihai Park and Heavenly Temple are some of the popular tourist attractions. It also has amazing places to go shopping and dining. Beijing also has a rich history and historical sites that you just cannot miss when you visit the city. You can also head to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the National Museum of China to get to know the city better. While you are at it, you can even learn a few words in Mandarin. It will certainly spice things up during your vacation. China is also known for its diverse and unique cuisines, although it will be quite a task to find restaurants that serve vegetarian food.

Best Time to Visit Beijing

It would be best if you kept a lot of things in mind before you plan a trip to Beijing. If you are on a budget, it is best to avoid festival days and national holidays since booking a hotel in Beijing during this time will only burn a hole in your pocket. However, summer is the most popular tourist season in the city. June to August is the summer and peak season for travellers to fly to Beijing. The flight tickets to Beijing will be considerably higher if not booked in advance. The city also experiences heavy rainfall in July and August so make sure you also carry an umbrella with you. If you are planning your trip to Beijing in June, do not miss the Dragon Boat Festival. The temperature ranges from 18 to 31 degree Celsius during summer. If you are ready to bear with the scorching heat along with the rains, you can choose to travel to the city in summer.

September and October are also great months to plan your trip to Beijing. The hotel prices drop a little bit, and the weather is quite pleasant, owing to the disappearing humidity. You might want to steer clear of travelling to Beijing on the National Day if you are on a budget. But if you are already in the city, head over to the Great Wall of China to catch the festivities and celebration. The temperature ranges from 7 to 26 degree Celsius.

The city sees a dip in the number of tourists during winter, from November to February. This is a great time to fly to Beijing if you are on a tight budget. You will get cheap flight tickets to Beijing, and you can also book a hotel in Beijing at a lower cost. Not to mention, since there are fewer tourists in the city, you won't have to wait in queues or suffer the inconveniences that you might get with a lot of tourists buzzing around. While the temperature is quite pleasant during the day, it drops considerably at night. January-February is also Chinese New Year, and the celebrations are grand in the city. The temperature ranges from -9.4 to 4 degree Celsius in winters so pack all of your warm clothes and some more to fight the cold weather.

The temperature ranges from 7 to 26 degree Celsius in April and May. It's quite the relief from the extremely cold winter in Beijing. The hotel prices also start increasing as the months are inching closer to summer. You can also catch the Beijing International Film Festival if you are planning to visit in April.

Places to Visit in Beijing

The Imperial Palace, also called Forbidden City, dates back to the Yuan dynasty of the 13th century and is one of the most important tourist attractions in Beijing. Until a long time, the palace was not open to ordinary citizens at all, which is how it got its name, Forbidden City. A guided tour of this beautiful palace is highly recommended on your trip to Beijing. The Great Wall of China is about an hour away from Beijing and a historical monument. It is a popular tourist destination in all of China. It was ideally built for military reasons and went on to become one of the most visited tourist attractions. Since it is not possible to cover the entire thing, it is recommended that you see certain parts of it, just for the experience. Summer Palace is another tourist attraction that you cannot miss at all. It has one of the biggest imperial gardens in China and is accessible to the Kunming Lake. Make sure you go early in the day to explore the palace before the tourist crowd kicks in.

Tiananmen Square is another tourist spot that sees a lot of tourists. It's closer to attractions like The Great Hall of the People, National Museum of China, Forbidden City and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. It was initially built to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Chinese Republic back in 1958. Don't miss the Gate of Heavenly Peace while you are here. Beihai Park is close to the Imperial Palace and a must-visit if you are here. It was created in 1166 AD. If you want to know more about China's history and culture, head over to the National Museum of China, which is quite close to Tiananmen Square. The Temple of Heaven is one of the most sacred buildings in Beijing that dates back to 1420. The rectangular and semi-circular shrines and temples together symbolise the earth, and you will find a lot of peace in the temples here. Beijing National Stadium is popular for hosting the Summer Olympics in 2008 and is also called Bird's Nest. You can opt for a guided tour of the stadium and everything near it. Beijing Zoo is another highlight of the city that houses approximately 15,000 animals of 1000 species. You will find pandas here along with snow leopards, South China tigers, red-crowned cranes and so on. The Zoo also has an aquarium if you want to witness marine life.

Things to do in Beijing

You can take a tour of the museums and palaces by going for one of the tour packages, or you can make your itinerary on your own. Beijing has quite a few palaces and Chinese temples of great significance that you must visit. It is recommended that you hire a guide to most of the palaces and museums so you can know more about the history and importance of the city. If you want to add a little bit of an adventure on your visit to the Great Wall of China, you can hike to the place. There are quite a few tourists and tour groups that can help you arrange for a hiking trip. Try to catch the sunset from the Great Wall of China. It will be the experience of a lifetime. Beijing is also known for its vibrant nightlife, and you can certainly go clubbing if you want to let loose and have fun a little bit.

Food and Restaurants in Beijing

Since Beijing is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, it offers a plethora of different kinds of cuisines for tourists. Peking Duck is a very popular dish in Beijing that you must try. You can also try the dumplings that are sold at local street stalls or fancy restaurants. Zhajiangmian is a Beijing speciality that is made with wheat noodles and has radish, cucumbers, a special sauce made of pork belly and sweet bean paste. The View 3912 is a popular restaurant that serves French, European and Fusion food. You can also try F Bistronome - FB or TRB Forbidden City for authentic French and European cuisines. Alice's Tea House also specialises in Asian and Beijing cuisine along with serving healthy fast food. Head over to King's Joy for some delicious Chinese food and The Lounge at Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel for the vibrant nightlife experience.

How to reach Beijing (Transportation)

Beijing Capital International Airport is one of the largest airports in China and 32 km away from the city centre. The flight connectivity to Beijing from India is excellent. Cathay Pacific and Dragonair fly quite frequently to and from Beijing with layovers in Beijing. If you book in advance, you might come across great flight deals to Beijing online. If you are lucky, you will even get cheap flight tickets to Beijing. The Beijing airport is well-equipped with lounges for passengers, decent waiting areas, dressing rooms, duty-free shopping areas, currency exchange, restaurants and cafes. You will also get taxis, buses and shuttle services right from the airport to your hotel and vice versa. The staff is quite helpful, and you will also find a couple of tour packages at the airport, in case you haven't made your itinerary or want to add more attractions to it.

  About Thai Airways

Thai Airways International Public Co. Ltd., or popularly known as Thai Airways, is a national enterprise that caters as the national flag carrier airline of Thailand. The airlines came into existence in 1988 with its headquarters located in Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Chatuchak District of Bangkok. The airline primarily operates from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai Airways is also known to be a founding member of the Star Alliance. Along with Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand, Phuket International Airport is the second hub to the airline. Thai Airways operates flights to 84 destinations sprawled across 37 countries in the world. It has a fleet of 90 aircraft or more. A majority of Thai Airways' international routes are dominated by flights flying to South and Southwest Asia, East Asia and Europe. Thai Airways is recognised to be the first Asia-Pacific airline that serves flights to London Heathrow Airport. With respect to its Asia-Pacific origin, the carrier is also known to have the largest passenger operations in Europe.

Thai Airways is subordinated by the Ministry of Transport and is a public enterprise registered in The Securities Exchange of Thailand. The airline is also funded by the Ministry of Finance which holds a whopping share of more than 50 per cent. Thai Airways' major revenue comes from passenger and goods transportation. In fact, 95 per cent comes from the flight operations to connect passengers and cargo, while only 5 per cent is earned through other supporting means. Other supporting ventures include passenger services, in-flight services, flight administrator services, travelling support services, in-flight meals and other services, etc.

It is believed that Thai Airways' major financial woes started due to the actions of buying every type of aircraft that was being created and manufactured. Investing in an array of diverse aircraft came with its expenses such as that of training professionals to work around the different models and engines. Not to mention how the aircraft also demanded some high maintenance. All this resulted in some financial concerns. While the expansion plans continued, the airlines also commenced its very first direct and non-stop flight to New York from Bangkok in 2005. This became the non-stop service to North America. Adding to the trend, the airline also introduced a flight to connect to Los Angeles with one stop service in Tokyo.

However, the services to New York were stopped in 2008, with the airline citing high fuel costs. They also stopped services to Los Angeles but reverted it again to the same on-stop phase connecting Seoul instead of Tokyo, as the route to LA. Further in its expansion plans, Thai Airways introduced non-stop flights from Phuket to Seoul-Incheon, Tokyo-Narita and Hong Kong. The airline has even launched a regional carrier called Thai Smile which has a fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft to operate for domestic routes in Thailand.

Fleet size of Thai Airways

As of 2020, Thai Airways boasts a fleet of 74 aircraft which also comprises of six Airbus A380-800 and fourteen Boeing 777-300ER. A breakdown of the fleet includes around three to four Boeing 747-400, twelve Airbus A350-900, six Boeing 777-300, six Boeing 777-200, six Boeing 777-200ER, about three to five Airbus A330-300, two Boeing 787-9 and six Boeing 787-8. The airline maintains three maintenance centres namely, Don Mueang International Airport, U-Tapao International Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Baggage Allowance

Baggage allowance in Thai Airways differs for different classes. First-class or Royal First should weigh not more than 32 kg which can be divided into two bags. The dimensions of the bags are also important. For business class or Royal Silk, the weight cannot exceed 32 kgs and must or can be divided into two bags. The economy class also has the provision of two bags, but the weight cannot surpass 23 kg. These bags are allowed in the in-flight cabin. Dimensions for all the bags are 62 inches.

In-flight services

Royal First Class - Some of the fabulous in-flight services available in Thai Airways include an exquisite personal array of flavours that cater to all kinds of delicacies. All the delicious spread comes with a flute of fancy vintage champagne or one of your favourite cocktail or glasses of wine or drinks. From a platter of amuse-bouche to a choice of main course dishes, there are many good upscale dishes to look forward to. The seats of the first class have been refurbished in 2012 and are extremely comfortable. These are available on Airbus A380-800 aircraft as well as a select few Boeing 747-400 aircraft. They come with an enclosed suite-like structure to cater to the passenger's privacy. Not to mention how it also comes with some entertainment decks, contents of which you can check on the airline's website. There are magazines, WiFi connections as well as plug points for laptops and other devices.

Royal Silk Class - Royal Silk Class, also offers a lovely spread of food that would take passengers through a culinary experience. Thai Airways has in-flight meal services which range from intercontinental platters to regional meals. Individuals who have dietary restrictions will need to inform the airlines in advance. The food is accompanied by liquor as well as complimentary dessert and fruit. Royal Silk Class, also known as the business class, has an angled shell design seat. The seats have been refurbished, and the new seats have been installed in Royal Silk class of 777-300ERs. The reclining chair can be converted into the lounge as well as it extends to become a bed. The hospitality in the business class is just as good as the one in first class. The personalised seating arrangement is topped with USB ports for devices, 16 inch flat screens for entertainment and PC power points for charging batteries.

Premium Economy Class - Premium Economy Class comes with a hot meal and snack, primarily depending on the flight's duration as well as the time of the flight. The menu created by chefs of Thai Airways sees inspiration from Thailand's rich flavours. The food includes a salad, bread, fresh fruit or dessert as well as some a juice or hot beverage. Some of the Thai Airways flights also accommodate Premium Economy Class. These are a notch above the economy class, which has the amenities and in-flight services that are similar to economy class. You can surf social media and connect with the in-flight WiFi services also available in the cabin.

Economy Class - One of the best parts about Thai Airways' cuisine is that the in-flight meal services help support local farmers. The fresh ingredients handpicked by them are used to make food, which caters to economy class too, depending on the distance of the journey. Not to mention how the food also comes with the classic flavours of Thailand. You will need to make prior intimations to the airline if there are some food restrictions that you need. The economy class might not be blessed with exquisite details and services of the first-class or business class, but it also has enough facilities to make travel comfortable. There are lavatories located throughout the economy class for passengers. Plus, the in-flight services also include a personal pillow and a blanket. On request, the cabin crew also offers earplugs and eyeshades.

Popular routes and top cities for Thai Airways

The most popular international routes taken by Thai Airways is South Asia and Europe. Aside from these, the airline also has services to the Australian continent. Some of the popular cities that are connected to Thai Airways include. Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Bangalore, Brisbane, Brussels, Busan, Chendu, Chennai, Chuang Mai, Chiang Rai, Colombo, Copenhagen, Delhi, Denpasar Bali, Dhaka, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hanoi, Fukuoka, Guangzhou, Hat Yai, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh, Jakarta, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Khon Kaen, Kathmandu, Karachi, Koh Samui, Kolkata, Krabi, Lahore, Kunming, Kuala Lumpur, London, Los Angeles, Luang Prabang, Madrid, Melbourne, Manila, Milan, Mumbai, Moscow, Nagoya, Muscat, Munich, Osaka, Oslo, Paris, Phnom Penh, Penang, Perth, Phuket, Rome, Sapporo, Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo, Surat Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Taipei, Vientiane, Udon Thani, Vienna, Zurich, Xiamen and Yangon.

Why travel by Thai Airways?

Thai Airways is recognised for its excellent connection to various international cities in the world. As mentioned, some of the famous ones include London, Los Angeles, Zurich, Paris, Mumbai, Munich, Tokyo and more. With the airline providing services to such big international cities, it doesn't come as a surprise that many opt for them. The hospitality inclusive of in-flight services of Thai Airways is an experience unmatched. The first and business class cabins in Thai Airways flights take passengers through an unforgettable experience with their world-class services. It makes for all the price that the tickets cost. Speaking of which, you can book Thai Airways flights on various travel portals and agencies. This also includes their official website where you can get all the flight schedules to international destinations. Not to mention how you can also avail some great flight offers on Thai Airways' website. The array of aircraft offered by Thai Airways' fleet further adds to perks of choosing the airlines.