Tuanjiehu Water Park: Urban oasis
Nestled in the heart of one of Beijing’s most centrally-located parks, the Tuanjiehu Water Park is a city haven for summer fun lovers. Located near the West Gate of the park (xi men), the water takes a few minutes to find on foot, but is well worth the trek.
A Chinese façade doorway tells you you’ve made it to the water park, just beside an inline skating rink. Tickets are RMB 40 on weekdays, RMB 50 on weekends, and kids below 1.4 meters get to go in for free.
The man-made beach can get crowded by afternoon; go early to stake out a spot
The 100 meter long man-made beach is fairly clean, and is one of the few stretches of sandy beach to be found in downtown Beijing (the other being Chaoyang Park’s man-made beach at the old Olympic beach volleyball grounds).
There’s plenty of shallow water areas for early swimmers
The water at the edge of the beach is shallow and fenced off, making it perfect for toddlers. Lifeguards keep guard beside every pool to make sure pool goers are safe and following regulations.
For those that want to escape the hijinks of other areas, there’s this lap pool that does not allow small children or flotation devices
For older swimmers there are two main swimming pools: the adult pool (for those above 1.5 meters tall — it doesn’t allow floats so this is the place for accomplished swimmers). The kids pool is for children under 1.4 meters tall and requires adult supervision.
The main pool features this centerpiece featuring gently sloped waterslides that kids will enjoy
The main pool features a man made wave machine that sends waves throughout the pool once an hour and features a centerpiece of four adjacent slides with an umbrella-like dome that has water splashing off it. Rocks make for an energetic climb to the top to take on one of the slides. The slide provides a decent splash back into the pool, although make sure your kids come off the slide with their bodies centered or else it could be a bumpy ride into the waters.
Two larger waterslides are for more adventurous swimmers
Two other main slides exist, a straight wave slide and a turning slide, both fun but for those that can swim only. Warning for teens: the straight slide provides a smooth ride into the water, while the trip down to the water can be quite bumpy for the turning slide.
Just off the main pool a fake harbor boat is docked, with chairs inside for providing a nice picnic or rest place. A bamboo pagoda is also set up at the other end of the water park for guests in need of relaxation with their kids.
Lockers for valuables cost RMB 10
Inside you’ll find the lockers convenient for valuables, (RMB 30 deposit with RMB 20 refund upon returning the key). Right beside, the bathrooms are passable but definitely old school. There is a stand for swimsuits, goggles; and basic swim necessities. There are also two snack stands for hungry children, with cookies, chuan’r (meat skewers), drinks, and popsicles to cool off with after a swim on a hot day.
There are generally less people during weekdays, but it is advised that you come before 2pm, which is when more guests generally arrive.
A weekend trip here would be worlds apart from a weekday trip. If you like the peace and quiet we advise coming here on a weekday.
The koi pond, with a winding river that leads into expansive lakes surrounded by bushy willows and traditional black and white Chinese buildings provide the perfect city escape. Take a paddleboat, rowboat, or electric powered boat and explore it all! Prices for renting boats cost RMB 30-40, with a RMB 100 deposit. The chang’lang (long open-corridor) features locals playing their traditional Chinese instruments like er’hu and Chinese flute, it costs RMB 5 to feed the gold fish, which clump together to get food. An array of beautiful stone bridges also aligns the park. For fun on land for younger kids, there are a whole range of mini rides to check out, the merry-go-round and mini choo choo train and trampoline.
After a tiring day of fun at the park, head out the East Gate (Dong Men) and turn left; walk 100 meters; and enjoy tasty Cantonese food at Jindingxuan, a chain store in Beijing with exceptional service.
Address: 16 Tuanjiehu Nanli, Chaoyang District 朝阳区团结湖南里16号 Daily 6.30am-9pm 8597 3603
Click here to see map.
