WEB EXCLUSIVE - Beijing For Beginners

Summer Palace
The Summer Palace or Yiheyuan was the vast, extravagant pleasure ground of the Manchu emperors including the infamous Empress Dowager.

Sumptuously landscaped, it is now a colossal park popular with the locals and foreign tourists alike and definitely a place the kids will enjoy. Spend at least half a day there.

Walk the famous Long Corridor, paddle a boat on Kunming Lake. Climb the stairs up to Foxingge (Tower of Buddhist Incense) and Zhihuihai Hall to take in the amazing view from the hill. Or catch outdoor performances of ancient Chinese dance and bells at the Palace of Virtue and Harmony where Empress Dowager used to enjoy shows.

Little girls would love to see exhibits of the Empress Dowager’s extravagant robes nearby while the boys should catch the vintage Mercedes Benz, a gift to the warlord Yuan Shikai and the first car ever in China.

There’s little food to be had there, but with the lovely manicured grounds, pack a picnic basket and mat and spend some leisurely down time with the kids.

Mum’s tip: Buy the most basic ticket into the park and decide later if you want to pay extra to get into select sections. More ticket booths are conveniently located inside but this is not mentioned at the main entrance of the park.

More on Beijing:
Laoshe Teahouse
Wanfujing Bookstore
China Culture Centre