Everything You Need to Know About Tuanjiehu Park
Life's a park! We take a look at Beijing's most beloved parks, dig into what makes each of them special, and why they're worth your time to explore.
Located by the Third Ring Road in between Sanlitun and Guomao, Tuanjiehu Park offers a peaceful escape its big city surrounds and is best known for its popular summer outdoor pool and man-made beach.
The practical stuff
Name: Tuanjiehu Park 团结湖公园
Address: 16 Tuanjiehu Nanli, Chaoyang District 朝阳区团结湖南里16号
Opening hours: Daily, 7am-10pm
Price: Free
Amenities: Fitness trail, courtyard, indoor badminton courts, children’s amusement park
Known for: Lake; man-made beach
A brief history
Tuanjiehu literally means "unity lake," as the ring shape of the lake is meant to symbolize unity. The lake was first constructed in 1958, with the rest of the park built around it in 1986. The landscaping is designed to replicate the gardens and scenery of the Jiangnan (literally "south of the Yangtze River") region.
What you can do there
The lake is the park’s main attraction and is a popular spot to go boating in the summer. Boat rental costs around RMB 100 an hour, depending on the type of boat you rent (no judgment if you want to rent a rubber duck-shaped pedalo), plus an RMB 300 deposit. There aren’t many grassy areas in the park, so if you fancy a summer picnic then taking one out onto a boat might be your best bet.
The banks of the lake are dotted with vaguely traditional Jiangnan-style buildings, as well as a walking/jogging circuit that is popular with local seniors. You will often see large groups of ladies of a certain age square dancing or practicing tai chi in the square near the east gate. If you’ve got kids in town, there are a number of carnival rides dotted about the park, including bumper cars and a carousel, which will set you back around RMB 10-15 per ride.
However, Tuanjiehu Park is perhaps best known for its summer-season outdoor swimming pool and artificial beach, one of the most popular in town. The pool has plenty of fun facilities such as slides and a wave pool and while it is certainly a welcome respite on very hot days, it is not a respite from the crowds, especially on weekends. In summer 2019, entry was RMB 80 on weekdays and RMB 100 on weekends. Unfortunately, whether the artificial beach reopens this year will be dependent on if coronavirus restrictions hold throughout the summer.
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Images: Shutterstock, Robynne Tindall, Visit Beijing
