Beijing Activities

Beijing may be awash with cultural attractions that appeal to adults but it is probably not a preferred destination for parents looking to entertain their children. There are a few large attractions that are appealing, but they are very popular, especially during the high season.

Beijing Aquarium
One of the most popular places for families, it is hailed as the largest inland aquarium in the world and is a great place to visit when the weather outside is not so good. The main draw is a huge 3 million-litre tank containing marine species from every ocean in the world. There are another 18 tanks in the aquarium featuring unique themes and marine life. The dolphin shows are especially popular with children and the daily shows are at 11:00 and 15:00. The shark tank also gets large crowds and visitors have the chance to dive along side them. There is also an Amazon rainforest area on-site.

Beijing Zoo
Although Beijing Zoo has been in existence for nearly 100 years, it is not comparable to some of the better zoos found in other countries. Visitors usually go to see the famous Giant Pandas, and this was the first place to breed these animals successfully. There are also some small Red Pandas in the trees near the exit worth looking out for. There are over 7,000 creatures of 600 different species including many wild and rare animals found only in China, such as the Golden Monkey. Other animals from around the world include the White Bear from the North Pole, Kangaroos, the African giraffe, rhinoceros, chimpanzee and antelope, wild ox from Europe and elephant and gibbon from India.

Beijing Amusement Park
This is one of the better places to bring the kids and it’s guaranteed to keep them happy for hours. The highlights include a number of modern rides such as The Super Train and the Water Car. The Gothic Cinderella Castle, 4D cinema, rocket bungee and big dipper usually have hoards of visitors. There are shows from circuses and stuntmen performances during the peak season.

Beijing's has some exceptional cultural offerings thanks to its varied history dating back thousands of years. Tourists will be kept busy for days visiting the many sites spread around the city. Beijing’s main draw card is its diverse range of attractions that include some delightful urban sites such as impressive buildings, monuments and temples.

Forbidden City
Listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987, The Forbidden City is one of China's top attractions and was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is the world's largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares, and surrounded by a six-metre deep moat and a ten-metre high wall. For five centuries, this stunning palace functioned as the administrative heart of the country and is full of magnificent courtyards and ancient structures. In total, there are 9,999 buildings including seventeen palaces and five halls, as well as the peaceful Imperial Garden with its many rare plants. The Forbidden City is in the centre of Beijing, just to the north of Tiananmen Square.

Lama Temple
Situated in the north of Beijing, the Lama Temple, or Yonghegong, is one of the largest and most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world. It was originally built in 1694 and used as an official residence for court eunuchs of the Ming dynasty. It was closed for many years during the Cultural Revolution and then refurbished and reopened in 1980. The temple consists of various halls that are interconnected by traditional courtyards. The main temple building is the Hall of Harmony and Peace, which houses three bronze statues of the Buddha’s of the Three Ages. The temple is now a typical Tibetan Monastery and home to about 70 practicing monks.

Liulichang Culture Street
A fascinating place to wander around, Liulichang Culture Street dates back to the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century when a glazing factory produced coloured tiles for the many palaces and temples in the city. During the Qing Dynasty, many vendors began to sell artefacts, old books, paintings and calligraphy items. The area was refurbished in the 1980s and there are many interesting shops to browse as well as art museums and bookstores.

Mausoleum of Chairman Mao
The physical remains of one of China’s most prominent figures are preserved and displayed in a huge mausoleum located at the southern end of Tiananmen Square. Although Mao had wished to be cremated, his body was embalmed and construction of the mausoleum began shortly after his death. In the Viewing Hall, the remains of Chairman Mao are displayed in a crystal casket, which is mechanically raised from a freezer for viewing during the day and then lowered again at night. In the North Hall, there is a white marble statue of a seated Chairman Mao, while the upper floor contains exhibits describing the revolutionary career of Chairman Mao Zedong.

Museum of Chinese History
The museum was completed in 1959 to commemorate the ten-year celebration of Communist rule. It covers Chinese history from the first known human, the Yuanmou Man some 1.7 million years ago, through to the last imperial dynasty, the Qing Dynasty. It is divided into three sections: the Primitive Society, the Slavery Society and the Feudal Society. There are over 9,000 exhibits collected from official and private sources. Among these are a number of precious items such as a blue glazed lamp of the Six Dynasties period (222-589), Tang stone figurines and a Ming embroidered silk portrait of the Heavenly Kings (Devarajas).

Temple of Heaven
The Temple was built in 1420 AD during the Ming Dynasty and is the biggest Buddhist temple in China. Its purpose was to promote the health of the empire by being a site for performing rites and sacrifices. The main buildings of the Temple lie at the south and north ends of the middle axis line of the inner part. The most impressive parts of the temple are The Circular Mound Altar (Yuanqiutan), Imperial Vault of Heaven (Huangqiongyu) and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qiniandian). There is also a popular park where the locals practice tai chi in the mornings and evenings. The temple can be found to the southeast of Qianmen and Tiananmen Square.

Chinese food is one of the most popular and widely eaten cuisines around the world and most visitors will be familiar with the range of dishes available. There are thousands of good eateries all over Beijing from simple noodle shops to expensive restaurants. Like most other large cities, Beijing has a wide and varied choice of dishes and it has a reputation for serving some of the finest food in the country.

The cuisine from almost every region of the country can be found in Beijing as well as having its own specialities such as Peking Duck. All budgets are catered for and price is certainly not an indicator of quality. Many of the cheaper food stalls serve excellent food and are well worth trying. Chinese restaurants serving noodles and rice dishes are the best value while specialities such as shark fin soup can be very expensive in the top restaurants. Eating is important to the Chinese and it's very much a part of the culture. It's not uncommon for the locals to eat out with friends and family all of the time.

You won't have a problem finding somewhere suitable to eat if you are looking for Chinese food. The Hepingmen subway stop is a good area to find Beijing roast duck, as well as other dishes in the countless cheap restaurants. The Donghuamen Night Market is another popular area for authentic food and there are plenty of food stalls selling simple rice and noodle dishes and local delicacies.

The city centre has a wide choice of more upmarket restaurants, as do the top hotels. The Chongwen and Dongcheng districts are both worth considering if you like trying somewhere different. Sanlitun Pub Street and Chaoyang district have both Chinese and foreign-style restaurants, while the Jianguomen subway station has an English pub and restaurant nearby. Other cuisines are well represented including Italian, French, Indian and Japanese. If you really feel the need for some fast food, then the normal American chains can be found in the city centre. Grill-it-yourself barbeque Korean restaurants are also common in Beijing.

The local cuisine is very similar to that of Shangdong and is based on wheat and vegetables such as cabbage and kale and then flavoured with dark soy sauce, garlic and spring onions. Everyone who visits the city should try the most famous of all the dishes, Beijing roast duck. It is prepared by stuffing the bird and then cooking it in a fire oven before being served with spring onions and a brown sauce made from soy. Abalone/shark fin is considered a delicacy and can be found at many of the top restaurants. Many westerners may disagree with the practice of catching sharks and stripping them solely for their fins.

Beijing is a great place to shop, especially if you are looking for handicrafts and more unusual items. The markets are a good place to start and it won't be hard to find one near to your hotel. Make sure you haggle for a good price as the Chinese have well-honed bargaining skills. If you are looking for department stores then you won't be disappointed. The main four streets for shopping are Xidan, Wangfujing, Qianmen and Xisi. Culture Street is worth visiting for its unusual shops and art galleries.

It may be hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, but Beijing isn’t really a sports-orientated city. Residents prefer to participate in gentle forms of exercise and there are some great parks to visit for a gentle stroll. Martial arts have a huge following and the different forms can be practiced in a variety of venues. Tai Chi remains the most popular and thousands of people take part every day.

Spectator Sports
The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is an event that must not be missed.  Held at the new Nation Stadium, the Games are guaranteed to excite any sports enthusiast.

Witness the thrill of seeing the human body being tested to its limits, watch the beauty and intricacies of figure skating, or view the ski jumpers defying the laws of gravity, The Olympics celebrates the achievements of the human mind, body and spirit.

Cycling
Beijing's often gridlocked streets means that many people choose cycling as a way of getting around, especially to work. There are restrictions on tourists driving so it's a good option if you are just visiting the city sights. There are miles of safe cycle paths and pleasant parks to ride bikes.

Martial Arts
Martial arts are hugely popular and there are many different styles and techniques involved. There are countless studios dotted around the city where the young and old meet to practice and compete. Some of the martial arts tend to be secretive so you may not be welcome at all of the studios. Physical fitness is an important part of Chinese culture and you will often see group exercises and Tai Chi taking place in parks and schools before and after work.

Ice-Skating
The severe weather during the winter months has one benefit and that is the number of places where you can go ice-skating. There are several places that are recommended including Kunming Lake, Beihai Lake even along the frozen moat of the Forbidden City.