Beijing Expert

Happy Valley Theme Park opened since summer 2006. This summer the park offers a discounted Night admission. Visitors can enjoy perfomances and parades from 7pm till 10 pm. The park consists of six themed regions respectively named “Bay Forrest”, “Atlantis”, “the Lost Maya”, “Aegean Harbor”, “Shangri-La” and “Kingdom of Ants”. The chief manager of Beijing “Happy Valley”, Gao Jun, says visitors can have fun while learning about ecology, culture and history of the world through the parks’ exhibits which include buildings, sculptures, gardens, murals, performances and games.

This park will be the second theme park opened by the OCT Group. The first “Happy Valley” has been successfully running for years in Shenzhen in south China’s Guangdong Province. Meanwhile, the group plans on building two more “Happy Valleys” in Shanghai and Chengdu.

Happy Valley Beijing is located near southeast 4th ring road at the Beijing-Shenyang Highway entrance. Telephone: 010-67201818

April 22nd is the international Earth Day. Did you ride a bicycle today?

The sign reads “Love Beijing, Ride a Bicycle.”

Antique markets and scrumptious snacks make Tianjin a nice getaway destination. Spend a few days exploring the city’s narrow alleys, browsing its antique markets and sampling its famous snacks.

Over 600 years old, Tianjin, the largest port city in north China lies on the coast of the Bohai Sea. The city continues a legacy that’s both ancient and modern, Chinese and Western. Most of all, the city is known among Chinese cities for its colonial buildings in the former concession areas that still retain a European air of elegance.

There are over a 1,000 concession era buildings in Tianjin, the construction of which began in 1858 when the Qing court was forced to sign the Treaty of Tianjin allowing for the establishment of concessions in the city. Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Russia, Belgium, Italy and Austria divided parts of Tianjin. Each nation created their own self-sustaining walled enclaves, where their citizens could forget they were far from their native soil.

Walking down the Fifth Avenue or Chifeng Lu is like strolling down an old black and white movie. There are more than 230 buildings of English, French and Italian styles on Fifth Avenue alone. French buildings stand out among the crowd, especially on Chifeng Lu, which was the heart of the French zone. From Central Park, which used to be a French garden, six lanes branch out into downtown shopping areas. (more…)

Heritage: Imperial Summer Villa, Eight Outer Temples

Lush forests, bleak rock formations and unique temples make a trip to Chengde an outdoor adventure and cultural tour.

If you thought the Summer Palace was a nice place to escape the city swelter, then you should head further north to Chengde, a town that boasts the largest imperial summer retreat complex in China. Known as the Imperial Summer Villa (bìshǔ shānzhuāng 避暑山庄), “escape the heat mountain villa,” the park has been Chengde’s main attraction since 1703. Set in a mountain valley and surrounded by an ancient wall, the parkland includes its own lake, pine forests, hunting ground and pavilions.

The town of Chengde itself sprung up only to support the imperial entourage that set up camp there every summer and has never lost the feel of a tourist destination. Radiating from the southern gate of the Imperial Summer Villa, modern Chengde is small, but has a lively street scene with vendors and markets and pleasant tree lined lanes. Crossing the Wulie River on the only bridge into town, you’ll find Chengde is a relaxed town far from the din and bustle of Beijing. These days travelers don’t come just to escape the summer heat, but also for Chengde’s clean mountain air.

When the weather is still warm, people of all ages come to hang out in the Town Square, flying kites and playing badminton well past dusk. The square on Nanyingzi Da Jie is the heart of the town and a fine place to sit and people watch. Continuing north along the road is a towering statue of Qing emperor Kangxi on horseback guarding the city’s largest traffic circle. Close to the statue is Lizhengmen Da Jie which curves close to the Imperial Summer Villa wall with grassy spaces that make for pleasant walks past the two main gates of the park. The eastern edge of town is bound by the Wulie River, a broad gentle waterway with views across to the hills that tumble right down to its banks. Along much of the length of the river is a waterfront park with winding paths, pine trees and rocks sculptures – another fine place for a stroll. If it’s hot, you might try the public swimming area just upstream from the city’s main bridge.

Besides the famed Imperial Summer Villa, Chengde also boasts the Eight Outer Temples (wàibāmiào 外八庙), built during the reigns of Emperor Kangxi and his grandson Qianlong. There were once 12 temples, but today only eight remain open to visitors. In its heyday, the temples had imperial patronage, and supported a large and vibrant spiritual community. The eight temples are all set in the hills north of the town center where the mountain scenery alone makes it worth the trip, not to mention the amazing Buddhist art.

One of the highlights of the eight temples is the enchanting golden statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Mercy, at Temple of Universal Tranquility (pǔníng sì 普宁寺). At 22m tall and with 42 arms, her statue is a figure that’s not easily forgotten. Climb a ladder to get a closer look at the Bodhisattva, one of the most stunning statues of its kind. The temple was built by Emperor Qianlong to commemorate his victory over Mongolian tribes and mixes Han Chinese and Tibetan ethnic styles. (more…)

The seaside resort town of Beidaihe is famous for its beaches, while in neighboring Shanhaiguan you’ll find relics of the past in this ancient military stronghold.

While children build imperial sand castles on the beach, parents lounge around in their swimsuits and buy ice cream from one of the many street vendors. Along the beach, streets are lined with outdoor seafood restaurants, shell shops and hawkers selling their wares. In the summer months, the seaside resort town of Beidaihe, about 280km from Beijing, comes alive with wealthy Chinese families taking a break from city life. Most people come here for the beach, the sunshine and the fresh air. But there’s a lot more to Beidaihe than sun and sand – away from the beach, you’ll find ancient temples and mountain parks.

At the turn of the 19th century, Beidaihe was transformed from a tiny fishing village into a summer resort for European diplomats, missionaries and businessmen from Beijing and Tianjin. Today it has opened up to local and international tourists alike, who flock here in droves during the hottest summer months.

Beidaihe’s sandy beaches stretch for 10km along the Bohai Sea. Though the beaches are jam-packed in July and August, it’s still possible to find a few quiet coves where you can escape the crowds. The coastline is divided into three main beaches: Middle Beach (zhōng hǎitān 中海滩), East Mountain (dōng shān 东山) and West Beach (xī hǎitān 西海滩). Of the three beaches, Middle Beach (which is made up of many small beaches, separated by rocky outcrops) is the most popular and it’s easy to find drinks, snacks and souvenirs – and be bombarded by hackers pushing bracelets and shells. West Beach is similar, though a little quieter. East Mountain features long stretches of beach where you can bask in some hard-to-find privacy. Tiger Rocks (lǎohǔ shí老虎石), in the central beach area, is a popular spot for locals to gather and fish, fly kites and unwind. From a distance, the rocks look like a group of tigers bathing in the sea. Pigeon’s Nest (gēzi wō 鸽子窝) over at East Mountain is a good spot to catch the sunrise as it slowly peers over the sea’s horizon. (more…)