Beijing is full of fantastic activities in summer, with places to go to shy away from the summer heat, and break out the holiday cheer and noise without having to follow the regular tourists crowds. Of all the summer-fun activities in Beijing, enjoying lotus in full bloom is a favorable way to relax your mind, being a part of the seas of flowers. Here is our round-up of best places for lotus-watching around Beijing. Make sure you have your cameras ready to capture the beautiful blooming lotuses.
Lotus is one of the most famous flowers in China and has inspired a lot of painters and poets to create great works. Beijing’s lotuses are in full bloom from Late June till early August of 2014.
Old Summer Palace
Lotus Festival was officially opened on June 25 in the Old Summer Palace, and will last over one month. People addicted to photography should not miss this chance, as the theme park not only offers a boating tour on Changchunyuan (Garden of Eternal Spring) to the world of lotus, but also boasts a wealth of sites and ruins of the former imperial garden.
Beijing Lianhuachi (Lotus) Park
Located in the intersection of Xuanwu District, Fengtai District and Haidian District, Beijing Lotus Park is an ancient park known as the birthplace of the city, with a history dating back more than 3,000 years ago. The park covers an area of 446,100 square meters, with 15,000 square meters being the lotus pond in the summer season.
Beihai Park with Lotus Festival
In summer, the 800-year-old Beihai Park is a magic place to be, with the scent of lotus all around, and really worth a delightful stroll. The stretches of lotuses surrounding the white pagoda, create a classic ancient imperial garden painting. July is the best time to watch blooming lotus in Beihai Park.
Lotus Pond of Shichahai
Shichahai features Beijing's largest and best preserved historic areas, teeming with hutongs, ancient palaces, antique shops, and old architecture complex, and has been known as the “White Lotus Pond” since the Liao dynasty (907-1125). People find the lotus pond much more attractive at night, when the lights are lit on the nearby bar streets.
Purple Bamboo Park
Located outside Xizhimen, Purple Bamboo Park has a history of more than 40 years of planting lotus. To help visitors better watch the Lotus, the park has excavated a 800-metre long passage traversing through the lotuses. And visitors can take a boat to get close to the fabulous flowers.
Yuyuantan Park
There are two places in Yuyuantan Park for lotus-watching. One is the Wan Ping He Xiang scenic spot in the southwest corner of the park with a 8000-square-meter pond of Red Lotus. The other one is the Sakura lake in the Sakura garden, with various lotuses planted in 2008.
