Beijing is a city of contrasts. Modern Beijing moves to the frantic beat of pounding jackhammers at a thousand construction sites, but leisurely games of Chinese checkers in neighborhood parks remind you that traditional life is alive and well. Cheap food stalls line the streets outside über-chic restaurants while Ferraris cruise alongside the trademark Flying Pigeon bicycles. And though new designer malls are everywhere you look, so are people wearing Mao suits. To see a slideshow of the top 15 things to do in Beijing, click here.

AFP/Getty Images

The 798 Art District of Beijing.

Let Zhao Cards do the talking and planning for you.  With pocket-sized tidbit of savvy travel information, you can experience the city as a local. But there's a twist: their listings are on detachable cards bound with a ring fastener. No more hauling around bulky guidebooks full of information you don't need that day. Zhao Cards let you decide which cards you carry.

To find out more about Zhao Cards and how to purchase them, visit their website.