The Summer Palace (or “Gardens of Nurtured Harmony”) is a highly-popular tourist destination in Beijing, China because of the magnificence of its landscaping design.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998, it is an impressive “garden” with a number of bridges, pagodas, temples, pavilions, and other beautiful structures that work in complete harmony.
The stores in Suzhou Street sells souvenir items.
These are boat garages in the Houhu (Back) Lake. Winter had just passed and spring was just beginning, so the water level was not that high. The boats were out, but it seemed that no one wanted to go on the water when we were there.
My friend Malou and I had a limited time so we didn’t go boating. Such a pity, though, it would have been a nice experience to be on a lake as serene as that.
Entrance fee costs 40RMB, but there are other gardens and sites inside that charge separately, like Suzhou Street (below).If you just want to walk around, or if you would just like to find a place to relax in, the general admission is more than enough.
Suzhou Street reminded me of the canals in Tongli, a small water town just two hours from Shanghai. The big difference is that in Tongli, you will see and appreciate how the locals live their everyday lives. Here in the Palace, all the establishments in the Street sold souvenir items.
How to go to the Summer Palace: Take Subway Line 4 from Beijing (2RMB from any station!) and get off at the Beigongmen station. From there, the Summer Palace is just a few minutes’ walk away.
So if you’re going to China, either to find a teaching job or just visiting, make sure to visit the Summer Palace!
Aleah Taboclaon is a location independent writer, editor, and the travel blogger behind Solitary Wanderer. She's partial to slow travel, and prefers extreme adventures like hiking and caving over sightseeing. She likes running (completed one marathon, training for the next!), diving (PADI open water diver), and traveling with her Kindle. Follow her on Instagram and Pinterest!
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[…] rather have the experience than the stamps. For example, this year, I went for the first time to Beijing, Pattaya, Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur—and while I can’t say that I’ve seen […]
[…] 2011 120 views 15 Comments Tweet Share From the Great Wall to the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven, to the numerous temples and small alleys, there are so many things you […]
@ Red: Yes, it was. Too bad we couldn’t stay longer. It would have been a perfect place to relax for the whole day.
@ Chris: Haven’t been to Temple of Heaven. 🙁
i love beijing! kaso i missed the summer palace sobrang pagod na kasi ako so mas pinili ko magpunta ng qianmen at temple of heaven.
Hey! That first photo of the reflected boat garages is sensational! Looks like a magnificent day in a magnificent spot!!
Hi Grace! I miss Tongli. The pace seemed slower, and most of the Gardens there didn’t have many tourists inside. It was nice just sitting beside the canals.
Yeah the Tongli one seems a little more alive with local people. Boating would have been cool if you had the time.