Beihai Park Island Visit Strategy

Tips: Several characteristics define the well-known parks in Beijing. First, parking is difficult, and second, the parks are often crowded, making it a challenge to ensure you've visited all the important sights. Therefore, here comes the guide for parking + boating + island visiting in Beihai Park! This is the itinerary I followed last week, and it's family-friendly, so you won't take any unnecessary detours! 🚏Parking: Search for 'Xibanqiao (Bus Station)' for a parking lot where you can still park even if it's full by leaving your keys with the staff. If you're worried, you can ask for their phone number. I found this tip in a guidebook, and when I returned from my visit, they had already moved my car to a regular parking spot. The parking fee is 8 yuan per hour, which is quite reasonable in the expensive Xicheng District. ☀Tour Route: After leaving the parking lot, cross the street and turn left to reach the East Gate, with the route map attached below. Route 1: After entering, you can go straight to the island. Heading north, you can visit well-known spots on the island: Qiongdao Chunyin, Yilan Hall, and Yuegu Lou, all of which are well worth a visit. Emperor Qianlong's aesthetic taste and interest in calligraphy and painting are evident. Route 2: Walk to the South Gate (a five-minute walk), enter the White Pagoda area from Yong'an Temple (buy a combined entrance ticket or a single ticket for 10 yuan). Yong'an Temple closes at 5:30 pm, so go early! (If it's closed, you can still get close to the White Pagoda by taking the small path next to it, but you'll miss Yong'an Temple, Falun Hall, Puan Hall, and other sights) 🚢Boating: Boats can be rented directly from the South Gate and Lingguang Hall pier, but there are no large cruise ships (those that you don't have to row yourself). For the large cruise ships, you have to leave the island and take them from the outer circle of Beihai Park. In conclusion, you can visit Qiong Island in an afternoon, but if you want to deeply explore the outer circle of Beihai Park and take photos, it will take a whole day!