Independent travel guide
Beihai Park
北海公园Běihǎi Gōngyuán
Beihai Park combines an imperial island, lakeshore gardens and active neighborhood park life. Enter from the south for Qionghua Island and the White Dagoba, then leave north to connect naturally with Shichahai.
Paid admission · Checked 2026-08-02
Verified ticket prices
Official pricesAdult ¥10/¥5; combo ¥20/¥15 by season
Admission
¥10 peak · ¥5 off-seasonCombined ticketIncludes Qionghua Islet and Round City.
¥20 peak · ¥15 off-season- Municipal parks have not authorized third-party ticket sellers; the official face value is the baseline.
- No qualifying admission-only or clearly admission-inclusive international-platform product was verified. Use the official channel.
Rules vary
How to book
The official route accepts passports, but parts of the booking flow may still be Chinese-only or require staff assistance.
Check before fixing the day's route; event and interior tickets may open separately.
Booking steps
- 1
Open the official information and check whether advance booking is required for your date or exhibition.
- 2
Choose passport in the official form; if it is unavailable, contact the venue or ask the visitor desk for assistance.
- 3
Keep the booking message, ticket or receipt and present it with the same passport.
Original passport plus the official confirmation, QR code or on-site ticket.
Do not enter a made-up Chinese ID number. If the form blocks foreign documents or phone numbers, use the staffed route or contact the venue before departure.
Imported official reservation note
Book and pay in advance on the Beijing Municipal Parks Management Centre's official platform 'Changyou Gongyuan' (WeChat account/mini-program, bjgyol.com.cn); after buying online you can scan the code to enter. Paper tickets are also sold at on-site windows. Book early on 'Changyou Gongyuan' for holidays and peak season.
Research checked 2026-08-122-3 hours (about 3 hours if you climb the White Dagoba; about 2 hours for the lakeside only)
How to visit
South Gate (main gate, No.1 Wenjin Street, Xicheng District, near the Forbidden City's north gate and Jingshan Park): the classic route enters from the south gate, arriving directly on the south shore of Taiye Pool—view Tuancheng (included in the combined ticket) first, then climb Qionghua Island. Entering from the North Gate (Di'anmen West Street) takes you toward the Nine Dragon Wall.
Leave from the north side to continue toward Shichahai.
- 1Stop 1South Gate + Tuancheng
Included in the combined ticket: Tuancheng is a raised fortress-city hall south of the park housing the Yuan-era jade jar 'Dushan Dayuhai'. Allow 15–20 minutes.
- 2Stop 2Qionghua Island / Yong'an Temple
Cross Yong'an Bridge onto the island, climb the stone steps past Yong'an Temple beneath the White Dagoba—the park's high point.
- 3Stop 3The White Pagoda
Landmark atop Qionghua Island; the pagoda is about 35.9 m tall. From the summit you overlook Taiye Pool toward the Forbidden City's corner towers. Allow 30 minutes.
- 4Stop 4Taiye Pool boats
Summer option: row or take a boat on the lake, catching the White Dagoba's reflection mid-lake. 30–60 minutes, extra fee.
- 5Stop 5Nine Dragon Wall, north shore
The only double-sided glazed Nine Dragon Wall surviving in China—a must-see. About 15 minutes.
- 6Stop 6Jingxin Studio
A garden-within-garden on the north shore built as a Qianlong-era palace retreat with fine rockeries; whether it charges separately depends on the site.
- 7Stop 7Western Heaven Buddhist Realm / Five-Dragon Pavilion
North-shore historic buildings and waterside pavilions—watch the White Dagoba and sunset here in the evening (about 20 minutes), then exit via the north gate and walk to Shichahai / Lotus Market.
Best time
On weekdays, just after opening (6:00–8:00) is quiet with good light for photos; after 16:00 tour groups thin out and evenings suit lakeside walks; in summer evenings you can see the White Dagoba sunset.
Foreigner notes
Passports are accepted at the on-site ticket window (no mandatory real-name booking). Real-name booking on the 'Changyou Gongyuan' platform usually needs a mainland China phone number; foreign tourists whose online booking fails can simply buy on site.
Online booking ('Changyou Gongyuan') usually requires a mainland China phone number. Foreign tourists without one can buy tickets at the on-site window.
On-site tickets accept cash; online channels use WeChat/Alipay. Whether international cards work on site is unverified.
Signage inside the park is mainly Chinese with limited English; no official English audio-guide info. The park's English name is Beihai Park; search 'Beihai Park' in a map app.
Boat services are seasonal and weather-dependent. Build a complete south-to-north walk, then add a crossing only if operating.
Avoid these mistakes
Buying only the admission ticket (¥10) won't let you climb the White Dagoba on Qionghua Island, and topping up on site is a hassle. If you plan to climb the pagoda, buy the combined ticket in advance (¥20 in peak season), or confirm before buying on site.
In peak season entry stops at 20:30 and the park closes at 21:00; arriving too late in the evening means rejection. Arrive by 20:00 at the latest in peak season; evenings are mainly for lakeside walks, so go to the island earlier.
Online booking needs a mainland China phone number, so foreign tourists often fail. Buy tickets directly at the on-site window with cash or mobile payment; on holidays arrive early as crowds grow.
Boat rides stop in winter and queue in summer—lake activities are highly seasonal. Row early (before noon) in summer to avoid crowds; in winter the lake becomes an ice rink, so stick to the shore.
A temporary reopening notice appeared in July 2026, and the park may adjust hours at short notice. Check the 'Changyou Gongyuan' platform or official Beihai Park notices for current opening status before travelling.
Beihai Park sits next to the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park, so holiday crowds overlap and queue. Avoid holidays and the 10:00–14:00 peak; combine with Jingshan Park (climb for a panoramic view of the Forbidden City) for a one-day loop.
Continue nearby
Jingshan Park1–1.5 hoursShichahai Lakes2–3 hoursPrince Kung's Palace Museum2–3 hours (official recommended routes: 1-hour highlight / 2-hour standard / half-day in depth)Beijing seasonal itinerary guideBeijing itinerary and seasonal travel guide for a 4–5 days first visit.Beijing food guideIncludes spice, ingredient, allergen and ordering notes for independent travelers.Beijing Travel Guide & MapBeijing travel guide and interactive map for independent travelers.
Sources and evidence
Published by China Trip Primer · Read the editorial and verification methodology
Items to reconfirm
- Peak-season opening time is reported as both 6:00 (Beijing Tourism Network/existing records) and 6:30 (some platform snapshots); entry cut-off is 20:30 (peak season)/19:30 (off season) per existing records. — Confirm the same-day opening and closing times on the 'Changyou Gongyuan' platform or the official Beihai Park notice before travelling.
- Ticket prices come from third-party platform snapshots and existing records, not directly shown on official pages; the rules for concession groups (student/elderly cards, etc.) are not individually verified. — Check the current price on the 'Changyou Gongyuan' ticket page or the on-site fare board.
- The exact phone-number and document requirements for online booking on 'Changyou Gongyuan' are untested; whether foreign passports can buy online is unknown. — Try buying with a passport in the 'Changyou Gongyuan' mini-program; if that fails, buy at the on-site window.
- Whether garden-within-garden spots like Jingxin Studio charge separately, and whether they are recently open or under repair, is unverified. — Confirm garden-in-garden opening and fees on site or via the official WeChat account.
Official
OfficialBeihai Park scenic guidePublisher · Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks
Used forPark layout, historic sites and visitor notices
Verified 2026-07-29OfficialBeihai Park (Beijing Tourism site page: tickets ¥5/10, combos ¥15/20, peak-season opens 06:00, entry stops 20:30, closes 21:00)Publisher · Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism Publicity Centre (Beijing Tourism Network)Used forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12OfficialChangyou Gongyuan (official booking/ticketing platform of the Beijing Municipal Parks Management Centre, scan-to-buy)Publisher · Beijing Municipal Park Management CentreUsed forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12OfficialBeihai Park reopened from 12 JulyPublisher · Tencent News (republished from Beijing Beihai Park)Used forUsed to verify the imported ticketing, booking, opening-hours or visitor-guidance fields.
Verified 2026-08-12Professional guide
Community experience
Venue-specific official pages are used where available. City-level official references provide context and are not booking confirmation; editorial and community sources are used only for route choices, pacing and first-hand experience.
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