Follow Vietnamese students as they explore parks in Beijing.

Hailed as one of China's most popular tourist destinations, Beijing boasts immense historical, cultural, and natural value. Beyond imperial palaces, ancient temples, and museums, Beijing also features several excellent urban parks perfect for strolling, relaxing, and exploring.

As a student studying in China, Pham Long spends a considerable amount of time exploring the country's architecture: "I enjoy photographing Chinese parks because I'm majoring in design. I also want to travel around to see how China designs and builds. Besides, Beijing has many large, beautifully designed parks that are completely free to visit."

"The Garden of Gardens" - Yuanmingyuan

One of the most beautiful gardens in China, preserved as a treasure of the imperial dynasties, is the Yuanmingyuan. With its magnificent beauty, standing tall against the dust of time, the park has truly left a strong impression on many visitors.

Yuanmingyuan (also known as the Old Summer Palace), with its many beautiful lakes, is located in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing. Built during the Ming Dynasty in 1417, the rectangular garden covers an area of ​​approximately 12,000 square meters. It served as a private retreat for the imperial family and is a prime example of Chinese imperial garden design. China's first classical garden was listed on the World Heritage List on December 2, 1998.

Here you'll find three gardens: Yuanmingyuan, Qichunyuan, and Wanchunyuan. To learn about the recreation of the original Imperial Garden, take a close look at the Yuanmingyuan exhibition hall with its models of the gardens in their heyday. You can also visit the stone palace complex in the European architectural style.

The largest public park in the Olympics

Beijing Olympic Park is located at the northern end of Beijing's central axis, near the edge of the North Fourth Ring Road. The central area of ​​Beijing Olympic Park was the main venue for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The total area of ​​the park is 1,135 hectares. It is divided into three areas: the northern end of the Olympic Park is the 680-hectare Olympic Forest Park; the central area, covering 291 hectares, is where the main facilities and auxiliary buildings are constructed; and the southern end of the park, covering 114 hectares, houses the stadium and dedicated areas.

Olympic Park boasts lush greenery, a beautiful environment, and the potential to provide multi-functional public services. In addition, it can offer services such as hosting sporting events, conferences, exhibitions, cultural entertainment, and leisure shopping.

According to Pham Long, when you come here, you can stroll along the forest trails, breathing in the fresh, natural air amidst the bustling city. You can also jog or have a picnic in the park surrounded by trees and flowers. Cycling together and enjoying romantic moments are also delightful experiences at this park.

Lost in the fairyland of Jingshan Man-made Park

Jingshan is actually a man-made hill located in Xicheng District, directly north of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is also situated in the most central part of Beijing. Originally created as a park for the imperial aristocracy, it was later expanded to include more visitors, becoming a major man-made park in Beijing.

Strolling around Jingshan Park, visitors will encounter many refreshing natural scenes. Rows of colorful flowers bloom in the early morning sun, gardens are meticulously cared for and trimmed, and fruit trees are always laden with seasonal fruits. Pham Long suggests that you admire the tulips at Jingshan Park to experience a feeling like being transported to a fairyland.

Secrets to conquering the parks in Beijing

Pham Long shared: "Beijing in general, and its parks in particular, have different charms in each season. In my opinion, the most pleasant weather and beautiful scenery are in spring to see the cherry blossoms (March-April) and in autumn to see the golden leaves (late October-November)."

In addition, according to Pham Long, taking photos in parks in Beijing doesn't require much special attention. "The parks here are very large, so you have to walk a lot, 5-7 km is normal. Because of the large area, to find the exact check-in spots as shown in online photos, people need to check the exact locations to save time," Pham Long advised.

Let's take a look at some beautiful moments in Beijing's parks from the perspective of international student Pham Long:

Phuong Mai is a reporter for Travellive Magazine in Hanoi.

Phuong Mai