Beihai Park

Beihai, the northern sea, is one of the oldest and best preserved imperial gardens in China, laid out from the eleventh century and developed by successive dynasties into a lake covering more than half the park with Jade Flower Island at its centre. The White Dagoba on the island's summit, a Tibetan-style stupa built in 1651 to mark a visit by the Dalai Lama, is the park's emblem and visible across much of central Beijing. Around the shore are the Nine Dragon Screen of glazed tile, the Round City, halls, pavilions and covered walkways. Boats cross the lake in summer, and in winter Beijingers skate on it when the ice holds.

What you actually see

• The White Dagoba - the 1651 stupa on Jade Flower Island.
• The Nine Dragon Screen - a glazed tile wall of nine dragons on the northern shore.
• The lake - boating in summer, skating in hard winters.
• The garden architecture - halls, pavilions and covered walkways around the water.

When to go

April to June and September to October for the mildest weather; lotus flowers fill parts of the lake in July and August. Winter skating depends on ice thickness and official opening. Weekends and holidays are crowded.

Honest expectations

Entry tickets are tiered, with the island and dagoba charged separately. The park is large and involves considerable walking. Beijing's summer heat and humidity are heavy, and winter is bitterly cold with a strong wind off the lake.

Nearby

The Forbidden City lies southeast; Jingshan Park is directly east.