Beijing is a multifaceted metropolis filled with surprises at every street and corner. The vibrant city is not just the capital of China but also the country’s focal point of arts and culture.

There is so much to do and so much to see that all visitors are guaranteed a smashing good time.

From exploring Beijing’s best preserved historical alleyways, cruising the Kunming Lake at Summer Palace on a paddleboat to browsing through the 12-million book collection at China’s National Library, here is our guide to 10 Fun Activities To Do in Beijing.

#1 BEIJING NATIONAL STADIUM – CATCH A SPORTING RACE OR ICE SKATE DURING WINTER

Beijing National Stadium is an impressive infrastructure that should not be missed. The architecture bears an uncanny resemblance to the bird’s nest, hence nicknamed after it. In 2008, it was the appointed venue for the Olympic Games and today it is a popular tourist destination.

Many ticketed sporting events still take place at this grand building, but one can still visit when no races are held. During wintertime, the stadium is converted to a ski resort where visitors can enjoy ice skating and even snow tubing.

1 National Stadium S Rd
Chaoyang, Beijing, China
Apr to Oct: 9am – 7pm
Nov to Mar: 9am – 5.30pm
Nearest Station: Guo Jia Ti Yu Chang Dong

#2 GREAT WALL OF CHINA – CLIMB THE WORLD’S LONGEST ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE

The Great Wall of China is not only the world’s longest ancient architecture but also the largest!

Spanning across 5,500 miles, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is indeed a must-see for all travellers. Besides its jaw-dropping physical attributes, the magnificent fortress—which commenced building since the 7th century BC—is also renowned worldwide for its rich historical significance.

#3 NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS – WATCH A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE

Thanks to its large oval-shaped exterior, The National Centre For The Performing Arts (NCPA) can be easily identified from a distance. The dome—made with titanium plates and super white glasses—is currently the largest in the world. It is a must-visit for all architecture and design enthusiasts alike!

You can catch a performance at one of NCPA’s three venues or simply take a stroll around the reflective lake surrounding it.

2 W Chang’an Ave
Xicheng, Beijing, China
Tel: +86 10 6655 0000
Mon: Closed
Tue to Sun: 9am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Tiananmen West

#4 NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CHINA – STUDY IN ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST LIBRARIES

With an incredible storage of over 12 million books, National Library of China is one of the world’s biggest libraries.

It is also definitely one of the most gorgeous libraries we have ever seen! The grand reading room’s spectacular design itself is worth making a special trip and your eyes will be thankful for the visual treat.

33, South Street, Zhongguancun, Haidian District
Nearest Station: National Library

#5 NAN LUO GU XIANG – EXPLORE BEIJING’S BEST PRESERVED HISOTRICAL ALLEYWAY

Hutongs are ancient alleyways unique to Beijing and these backstreets are characterised by their Chinese historical architecture. The 800-year-old Nan Luo Gu Xiang is a must-visit; the busy street is filled with hawker vendors, third-wave coffee shops and other retail boutiques.

Do explore the smaller hutongs that diverge away from the main street of Nan Luo Gu Xiang and you will be pleasantly surprised by the discovery of many other hidden bars and cafes.

#6 SHI CHA HAI – PAINT THE TOWN RED AT ONE OF BEIJING’S BEST NIGHTLIFE DESTINATIONS

Boasting three tranquil beautiful lakes, namely Hou Hai, Qian Hai and Xi Hai, this scenic site has been a leisure hangout area for the locals since the Ming Dynasty days.

When night approaches, the district transforms from a quiet park into a buzzing bar street. Most of the bars and eateries on the river bank can be spotted from far by their neon coloured signboards.

Xi Cheng, Beijing, China
Nearest Station: Beihai North

#7 SUMMER PALACE – RENT A PADDLEBOAT AND CRUISE AROUND KUN MING LAKE

UNESO-listed Summer Palace aka Yi He Yuan was once a lavish playground for the Chinese royalties. The palace’s extraordinarily peaceful setting makes it a joy to stroll around during sunrise and sunset.

For something more exciting and an alternative picturesque scenery, we suggest you rent a paddleboat and cruise around the 540-acre man-made Kun Ming Lake.

19 Xin Jian Gong Men Lu
Haidian, Beijing, China
Tel: +86 10 6288 1144
Apr to Oct: 6.30am – 6pm
Nov to Mar: 7am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Beigongmen / Xiyuan

#8 TEMPLE OF HEAVEN – MARVEL AT THE UNESCO LISTED SITE’S ARCHITECTURE

The function of UNESO-listed Temple of Heaven was once a prayer ground exclusive to Chinese emperors that reigned in the Ming and Qing dynasty. Back then, no commoners were allowed to even catch a glimpse of the religious ceremonies.

Today, the complex is open to the public and is a popular tourist spot. It is also a local hangout place amongst Beijingers who would be playing Chinese chess and practising Tai Chi in the surrounding gardens.

1 Tian Tan Dong Lu
Dongcheng, Beijing, China
Apr to Oct: 8am – 5.30pm
Nov to Mar: 8am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Beigongmen

#9 PALACE OF MUSEUM – EMBARK ON AN ENRICHING HISTORICAL FIELD TRIP

The Palace of Museum, otherwise known as Gu Gong or The Forbidden City, is a cultural retreat for the history buffs. It was once the Imperial Palace to the 24 Emperors who reigned during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Palace is the world’s largest palace complex and has over 10,000 rooms!

An average 3-hour period is recommended to cover the site’s main highlights even though it could take you an entire day to explore thoroughly.

4 Jing Shan Qian Ji
Dongcheng, Beijing, China
Apr to Oct: 8.30am – 5pm (last entry at 4.10pm)
Nov to Mar: 8.30am – 4.30pm (last entry at 3.40pm)
Note that it is closed on Mondays
Nearest Station: Tiananmen West / Tiananmen East

#10 798 ART ZONE – ADMIRE THE VARIOUS ART INSTALLATIONS AND EXHIBITIONS

798 Art Zone is the place to be and to be seen for all art lovers. The vicinity features many exhibitions and galleries held by both local and international artists – you can enter some of these displays for free. The streets are also adorned with graffiti art murals and lined with kitschy boutiques.

Every year, two major art events 798 Art Festival and Creative Art Festival are held here.

Nearest Station: San Yuan Qiao

About the writer:
Hui Jun Ng is a staff writer for ladyironchef. She previously worked in the food and marketing industry. She loves traveling and enjoys exploring underrated destinations. In her free time, you will find her indulging in coffee and her all time favourite local dish – bak chor mee.

The Great Wall of China is an ancient man-made world wonder that spans over 5,500 miles across the People’s Republic. The magnificent fortress — which commenced building since the 7th century BC — has awed travellers from all over the world for its jaw-dropping historical significance and impressive infrastructure. Ranked as one of the world’s top ten timeless wonders, The Great Wall of China is indeed a must-see attraction on everyone’s bucket list.

Located in the North of Miyun County, Si Ma Tai is approximately 120km away from the city centre of Beijing. Si Ma Tai is the only section on The Great Wall of China that still possesses original traits of the Ming Dynasty. It was previously closed for restoration but reopened to public recently in end 2014.

Read on more to find out why you should visit Si Mai Tai, how to get there and what the necessary steps are to be taken before making a special trip.

As the world’s largest and longest age-old architecture, The Great Wall of China is bombarded by countless of tourists on a daily basis, especially on the Ba Da Ling section.

As avid travellers ourselves, we wanted a non-touristy experience that would allow us to fully enjoy the grandeur of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Si Ma Tai, an under-the-radar section, was able to provide us the tranquility we were looking for while exploring The Great Wall of China.

WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT SI MA TAI

As mentioned earlier, Si Ma Tai was only recently reopened to public again in late 2014. This fact remains widely unknown to the outside world as most tour groups are brought to the most popular section called Ba Da Ling.

The quiet Si Ma Tai remains largely untouched by tourism and you can stroll at your own pace without being interrupted by human traffic. You can also be rest assured that your pictures will be free from flag-waving tourist crowds.

HOW TO GET TO SI MA TAI

Take bus 980 to Miyun County from Dong Zhi Men Bus Station, then alight at Miyun West Bridge Station and take bus 38 or 51 and drop off at Si Ma Tai Village Station. You can walk to the entrance of Gubei Water Town to take the shuttle buses that will take you to Si Ma Tai (departs every hour between 9am to 2pm).

Here is a quick clarification for those who are confused on why you have to go to Gubei Water Town – the town is actually the official gateway to Si Ma Tai and is where you purchase tickets, board the shuttle bus etc.

If you do not have the luxury of time, we strongly urge you to take a taxi from Miyun West Bridge Interchange to Gubei Water Town. A one-way car journey from Miyun West Bridge to Gubei itself will take about an hour.

Taking a bus will probably take 2.5 hours for a single trip. It is important to note that Si Ma Tai Great Wall closes at 4.30pm. If all these are too much of a hassle, you can try looking for Chinese tour companies that could take you to the Si Ma Tai.

ADMISSION FEES TO ENTER SI MA TAI

It costs RMB 40 / SGD 9 per person to enter Si Ma Tai Great Wall. Children under 1.2 meters tall can enter Si Ma Tai for free, while those between 1.2 meters to 1.5 meters are entitled to 50% off admission fees.

Those who do not wish to walk can take the cable car at an additional RMB 90 / SGD 20.20 or RMB 160 / SGD 35.90 for a single trip and return trip respectively. Similarly, kids who are under 1.5 meters can enjoy 50% discount off cable car rides.

MUST BOOK ONLINE PRIOR TO VISIT

Unfortunately, you cannot visit Si Ma Tai as and when you please. Visitors have to make an online reservation a day in advance before heading down to Si Ma Tai. Online reservations can be done at this site: www.wtown.com.

A confirmation text will then be sent to your Chinese cell-phone number. The text message is valid for 10 days and rebooking is required after that period. Please use your real names when making an online booking.

THERE ARE FIXED TIMINGS TO ENTER SI MA TAI

Do remember to bring your passport along to Si Ma Tai for identification purposes. Visitors will be brought to Si Ma Tai Great wall from Gubei Water Town on a shuttle bus.

The shuttle bus services are available on a daily basis at the following timings: 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm. Admission to The Great Wall for those without an online reservation will depend on whether or not the maximum capacity has been reached yet.

THERE IS A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF VISITORS

There is a policy established at Si Ma Tai where the number of climbers permitted to enter the wall is capped at 1200 on a normal day, 600 on a windy day, 450 on rainy/snowy days and 220 when there is a thunderstorm.

Do also bear in mind that despite having 34 beacon towers in its area, only tower number 1 to 10 are open to public. It is not possible to hike between Jin Shan Ling and Si Ma Tai like before due to safety reasons.