Běihǎi Park & Xīchéng North

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 113

Běihǎi Park & Xīchéng North

Neighbourhood

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For more detail of this area see Map p278.A 114 Lonely Planet’s Top Tip Explore Běihǎi Park & Xīchéng Come nightfall, the Hòuhǎi North Lakes become a madhouse The majority of the Imperial City was in this part of of milling crowds and bar Xīchéng (西城; literally ‘West City’), lending it a regal gran- touts trying to entice you deur that survives to this day. Less visited than Dōngchéng into their overpriced bars. to the east, but equally endowed with ancient temples and If you want to experience a charming hútòng (narrow alleyways), it’s one of the most night out drinking, Chinese worthwhile neighbourhoods to visit in all Běijīng. style, dive in. If you’d rather Any tour has to start at the lakes that dominate the avoid the wailing karaoke, eastern part of the district. Take in Běihǎi Park first, per- slip down the hútòng that haps spending an hour or more floating around its lake, run off the lakeshore, where before striking out through the park’s north gate to take in you’ll find quieter bars and the sights and hútòng scattered around Qiánhǎi, Hòuhǎi cafes. The lanes on the and Xīhǎi Lakes, collectively known as either Shíchàhǎi or southwest side of Silver In- more commonly just Hòuhǎi. Once night falls, eat at one of got Bridge are a good place the many restaurants close to the lakes and then join the to start. crowds promenading around them, stopping in for a drink at the many bars and cafes that line their shores. A second day here is more or less an imperative. Head 5 Best Places to Fuchengmennei Dajie, a street lined with lesser-known BěihǎiPark & Xīchéng to Eat temples; the most impressive being Miàoyīng Temple ¨¨Royal Icehouse (p121) White Dagoba. Then dive into the hútòng behind them. ¨¨Kǎo Ròu Jì (p122) The district’s best temple, though, is southwest of here: ¨¨4corners (p120) the Taoist White Cloud Temple, which can be combined with a visit to nearby Capital Museum. Come evening, ¨¨Meatball Company (p121) there’s a wealth of venues in which to catch every­thing ¨ ¨Wang Pang Zi (p121) from jazz to classical music and Peking opera. For reviews, see p120.A Local Life Best Places N 6 ¨ Fly a kite Běihǎi Park is prime kite-flying territory. orth to Drink Visit Three Stone Kite Shop (p123) to kit yourself out. ¨¨4corners (p120) ¨ H ú t ò n g The alleyways and lanes here are far less

¨¨NBeer Pub (p122) commercial than any others in the city and a great  ¨¨East Shore Jazz Café introduction to Běijīng’s tremendous street life. The (p123) hútòng behind Fuchengmennei Dajie are also fascinating. ¨¨Tángrén Teahouse (p122) ¨ Ice skating When winter clamps the Hòuhǎi Lakes For reviews, see p122.A in its icy embrace, do as Beijingers do and strap on a pair of ice skates (you can hire them by the lakes).

1 Best Places for People-watching Getting There & Away ¨¨Běihǎi Park (p115) ¨ Subway Beihai North (Line 6) and Shichahai (Line 8) ¨¨Hòuhǎi Exercise Park subway stations best serve Běihǎi Park and the Hóuhǎi (p119) Lakes, although you can also reach them from Line 2 ¨¨Hòuhǎi Park (p119) (which circles the district) and Line 4 (which runs north– south). Line 1 cuts across the south of this district. For reviews, see p117.A ¨ Bus Bus 1 runs along Xichang’an Jie, Fuxingmennei Dajie and Fuxingmenwai Dajie, taking you to the Capital Museum. Bus 22 takes you from Tiān’ānmén West to Xīdān and then north to Xīnjiēkou.