Things to do in Beihai Park

We had a fantastic tour visiting the Temple of Heaven, Prince Gong Residence, and other spots. The tour is conducted entirely in Chinese. Our tour guide, Shu Lei, was exceptional throughout the entire day. ​He is extremely knowledgeable about the history and cultural significance of every site we visited, offering rich stories and context that made the history truly come alive. Beyond his deep expertise, Shu Lei was incredibly thoughtful, attentive, and caring towards the elderly members of our group. He maintained a comfortable, considerate pace and made sure everyone felt safe, well taken care of, and included at every step. ​Everything was smooth, well-organized, and thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend booking a tour with Shu Lei if you want an informative, seamless, and warm experience!

This park is beautiful and huge. but weather is very hot on summer, other than that, it’s quite a breeze to stroll at the park.

The taxi wasn't allowed down the street the store was on, but it was only a 1 minute walk from the main road. I came early in the morning ~9am, and was able to start straight away. The sisters in the store were very nice and we used a app for translations. There were lots of hanfu to select, and staff were patient while I selected. My makeup was pale but it worked with the style/era. It also included lashes and hair. It was extremely hot and the hanfu was so warm. The tickets for entrance to Beihai park were provided and I was able to meet the photographer. He was great, enthusiastic, and helped me pose. I enjoyed the location of the shoot as it was (slightly) less crowded. Photos were provided straight away- there were over 30, then I could select 5 to had edited, which were also provided within a few days. Great service :)

Nancy and her team did an amazing job with our styling and makeup! 💄✨ Nancy was there throughout the entire process to help translate our preferences directly to her team. We chose a natural makeup look, and they absolutely delivered! We were even stopped multiple times by locals and tourists who wanted to take photos with us! 🤪 Rather than doing our photoshoot at the Forbidden City, we chose the Temple of Heaven because it’s much less crowded and has better photo spots in my opinion. 🏛️🌿 Pro-tip: We highly recommend going early! We were the only ones getting styled at that time, so Nancy’s team could focus solely on us, and we had all the time we needed to pick out our perfect Hanfu. 👑💯

I had a really great time! I booked the Starry Night ticket, which included a drink and a game where I won a souvenir! The park isn't very big, but it's very pretty, and the atmosphere is magical!

The guide, Linda, was organized and constantly aware of not losing the group, giving us enough time for the entire group to arrive at each stop before offering her recounting on the significance of each building, relic or historical artifact. She spoke clearly and coherently, adding a touch of humour, always with a smile. The tour was well paced, not too hectic, despite the scale and depth of what was covered. Definitely worth your money!

Really enjoyed the whole tour experience, as our guide Allen was super cheerful despite us having to go through the tour on one of the hotter days in Beijing. Gotten really nice pictures and recommendations in the Forbidden City as well. Side note, please come well prepared with good walking shoes, sunscreen, cap/umbrella if you’re intending to do this tour during summer months as you’d spend at least 30 minutes going through the security check under the sun.

I highly recommend this one if youre gonna go to The Forbidden City. The place was huge and you will be needing a guide to explore and learn about its history. Our guide Peter was all out hands on to us. Sharing the history and answering our question about the place. He was willing to help us take a photo as well.

It's beautiful inside, and they offer free incense. You don't have to pay anything. As you walk, there are ginkgo trees on both sides of the path, tall and providing shade from the sun. I also saw a Buddha statue carved from a single piece of wood.