Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of Xizhimen subway station. There are feeding displays, sea lion and dolphin shows, and
more than a thousand species of aquatic life to see.
One of the classic places to visit is the old CCTV Tower (tel. 10/6845-0715), at one time
one of the more interesting buildings in the city before the new CCTV Headquarters, the
Yintai Building, and the China World Tower came along and stole its thunder. Regardless,
they're all in the east, and as far as things go in the west, this is still an excellent place
to make a point of coming to. Located on the west side of Yuyuantan Park and the West
Third Ring Middle Road, and standing at 405 meters (1,329 feet), antenna included, it is the
tallest building in the area. There is an observation deck (RMB70 for entry) at 238 meters
(781 feet), which gives you a 360-degree view of the city, and on a good day this means
a bird's-eye view of the mountains extending into Hebei. The viewing tower is open until
10pm, giving you plenty of time to take in the city lights. Come a little earlier, however, as
ticket sales stop at around 9:30pm. There is also a rotating restaurant lower down, but it's
generally agreed that the view is the highlight of the experience.
In addition to buildings, Haidian is also home to many beautiful parks, including Yuy-
uantan Park, loved for its profusion of cherry blossoms in spring and its frozen lake in
winter; Yuanming Yuan (the Old Summer Palace); the Summer Palace, a stunning park of
hills, historic buildings, and waterways; Haidian Park, often host to music festivals and
other events; and Purple Bamboo Park (Zizhuyuan), a beautiful park set around a large
lake and replete with traditional bridges, pagodas, and water lilies. Farther out there is the
famed Xiangshan (Fragrant Hills), an expansive park of hills, historical relics, and lakes.
Come to Xiangshan in mid-October to early November to see the brilliant display of red
leaves—although be warned, any semblance of tranquility will be completely lost by the
en masse visit of Chinese tourists who are there to do the same thing. On the north side of
Xiangshan is Beijing Botanical Garden (
www.beijingbg.com
). This can seem a little far out
for most expats, so relatively few ever come here, but it's worth making time for. Stretching
over 401 hectares (990 acres), it is filled with historic buildings, conservatories, hot rooms
and gardens, and more than 6,000 species of plants. It is also the location of Wofo Temple,
Beijing's oldest temple, which was first built during the Tang dynasty more than 1,300 years
ago. Inside the temple, there is a somewhat saucy looking Buddha, known as the reclining
Sakyamuni statue.
