Běihǎi Park & Xīchéng North

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 116

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For more detail of this area see Map p294. A 117 Lonely Planet’s Explore Běihǎi Park & Xīchéng Top Tip North Come nightfall, the Hòuhǎi Lakes become a madhouse Most of the Imperial City was in this part of Xīchéng (西 of milling crowds and bar 城; literally ‘West City’), lending it a regal grandeur that touts trying to entice you survives to this day. Less visited than Dōngchéng to the into their overpriced bars. east, but equally impregnated 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 east- avoid the wailing karaoke, ern part of the district. Take in Běihǎi Park first, perhaps slip down the hútòng that spending an hour or more floating around its lake, before run off the lakeshore, where striking out through the park’s north gate to take in the you’ll find quieter bars and sights and hútòng scattered around Qiánhǎi, Hòuhǎi and cafes. The lanes on the Xīhǎi Lakes, collectively known as either ‘Shíchàhǎi’ or southwest side of Silver In- more commonly just ‘Hòuhǎi’. Once night falls, eat at one got Bridge are a good place of 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 to Fuchengmennei Dajie, a street lined with lesser- 5 Best Places known temples; the most impressive being Miàoyīng to Eat BěihǎiPark & Xīchéng Temple White Dagoba. Then dive into the hútòng behind ¨¨Royal Icehouse (p127) them. The district’s best temple, though, is southwest ¨¨Kǎo Ròu Jì (p127) of here: the Taoist White Cloud Temple, which can be ¨¨Le Petit Saigon (p127) combined with a visit to nearby Capital Museum, one of Běijīng’s finest museums. Come evening, there’s a For reviews, see p126.A wealth of venues in which to catch everything from jazz to classical music and Peking opera. 6 Best Places for a Drink Local Life ¨¨East Shore Jazz Café N

(p128) orth ¨ Fly a Kite Běihǎi Park is prime kite-flying territory. ¨ Visit Three Stone Kite Shop (p129) to kit yourself out. ¨NBeer Pub (p128) ¨ ¨ ¨Golden Sail Water Sports Hútòng The alleyways and lanes here are far less commercial and are a great introduction to Běijīng’s Club (p126) tremendous street life. The hútòng by Rùndélì Food ¨¨Tang Ren Teahouse Market (p127) are fascinating, as are those behind (p128) Miàoyīng Temple White Dagoba (p120). For reviews, see p128.A ¨ Ice Skating When winter freezes the Hòuhǎi Lakes, join the Beijingers and strap on some skates. 1 Best Places for People- Getting There & Away Watching ¨¨Běihǎi Park (p118) ¨ Subway Beihai North (Line 6) and Shichahai (Line 8) subways stations best serve Běihǎi Park and the ¨¨Hòuhǎi Exercise Park Hóuhǎi Lakes, although you can also reach them from (p125) Line 2 (which circles the district) and Line 4 (which ¨¨Hòuhǎi Park (p125) runs north–south). Line 1 cuts across the south of this For reviews, see p120.A district. ¨ Bus Bus 1 runs along Xichang’an Jie, Fuxingmennei Dajie and Fuxingmenwai Dajie, taking you to Capital Museum. Bus 22 takes you from Tiān’ānmén West to Xīdān and then north to Xīnjiēkou.