The swansong of summer is loud in the air. Now suddenly the stifling heat of July has been replaced by afternoon showers and mild mornings, not to mention the breezes that were sorely missed. It all means one thing; your shot at a summer vacay this year is officially over. If you and the kids didn’t feel brave enough to duck down to Hainan, or one of the many other gorgeous coastal cities in China once inter-provincial travel was allowed, then your chances of enjoying a sun-warmed dip in the ocean aren’t looking good.
That doesn’t mean that you have to rule out swimming entirely from yours and your children’s itineraries this year, however. On the contrary, if there is something Beijing is good for, it is creating state of the art exercise and recreational spaces for the entire family. This also goes for pools, both outdoor and indoor. So before you tell your kids to pack up the flippers and diving goggles, have a look at these fantastic swimming spaces in the city that are great for kids. Just remember that when swimming in public pools in China, it is mandatory that you wear a swimming cap.
JiaBeiDuo Swimming (嘉贝多游泳)
This is an indoor pool facility that offers different products and services. For kids who don’t know how to swim, there are instructors on hand to offer lessons at RMB 68 an hour. If you can’t swim either, don’t feel shy. The instructors also offer lessons to adults at a low RMB 88 for an hour-long one on one lesson. You can also choose to pay for a larger package at RMB 988 for ten lessons.
东中街58号美惠大厦4单元B2B2, Unit 4, Mei Hui Building, 58 East Central Street
Liu Lang Swimming (柳浪游泳场)
Open seven days a week, from midday to 8pm, this outdoor water park is great if you are looking to keep a large number of kids entertained. It might even be a perfect location for kids’ pool party. But given that it is an outdoor space, you should get a move on before it is too nippy to be swimming outdoors. The entrance fee per person is RMB 40.
昆明湖路与北四环西路交口（近颐和园南门, Junction of Kunminghu Road and North Fourth Ring Road West (near the south gate of the Summer Palace)
Twenty-first Century Hotel Swimming (二十一世纪饭店游泳馆)
If you want an Olympic size pool, then this indoor facility is right up your street. Should you decide to take your kids here, it might be advisable to watch them closely, but lifeguards are constantly on standby in case of any emergency. Open from 9am to 9pm every day of the week, it also comes in at the affordable price of RMB 73 per person.
亮马桥路40号, 40 Landmark Road, Chaoyang District
798 Swim and Fitness Base (798游泳健身基地)
This slightly smaller indoor facility could provide a less daunting experience especially for smaller children and those who aren’t competent swimmers. It is also fairly affordable, charging RMB 20 for a single experience, and RMB 38 for a swimming instructor aimed at teaching adults, RMB 38 for a one on one training session for children, and RMB 18.88 for a group class. Open 9am to 9pm every day.
酒仙桥路4号, 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District
KEEP READING: Pool Cues: Swimming Camps and Courses for Kids
Photos: Dianping, Unsplash
