Things to Do in China

Beijing has modernized so rapidly that it’s hard to imagine what it must have been like in decades past. One neighborhood, however, has managed to hold on to its old-style hutong architecture: the Back Lakes (Hou Hai or Houhai). Named after the three Shichahai lakes in the area, the Back Lakes neighborhood is one of the last remaining places in Beijing where you can see traditional courtyard-style houses.

While wandering the hutongs allows visitors to see Beijing as it once was, the streets surrounding the lakes, particularly Hou Hai (the largest of the three) show you a modern, hip and multicultural side of Beijing. The banks are lined with shop, stalls, restaurants, bars and hookah dens catering to tourists, locals and the city’s sizable expatriate population alike, making it a fun and bustling place to browse for souvenirs. The breeze from the lake offers a respite from the heat, and boating activities are also available on the lake itself.

The best way to enjoy the Back Lakes area is to take a pedicab tour of the old hutong neighborhoods in the afternoon. Afterward, take a leisurely walk around the lake before settling in to a table at a restaurant or bar balcony for dinner and drinks as you watch the world go by.

The Avenue of Stars, located on the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, is Hong Kong’s answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Hong Kong film industry has enjoyed a long history as the third largest in the world after Hollywood and Bollywood, and as the second largest exporter of movies, many of Hong Kong’s locales and celebrities have become familiar to foreign audiences who’ve never stepped foot in the city.

Along the quarter-mile (440 meter) stretch, you’ll notice a large replica of the statue presented to winners of the Hong Kong Film Awards as well as a bronze statue of Hong Kong’s most famous celebrity, Bruce Lee. Star-shaped plaques inlaid into the promenade contain names and sometimes autographs and handprints of other industry celebrities.

Even if you’re not familiar with the Hong Kong film industry, a visit to the Avenue of Stars will reward you with unobstructed panoramic views of the Hong Kong Island skyline in front of Victoria Peak. It’s also a perfect spot to view the nightly Symphony of Lights performance across the harbor.

Niaochao, more commonly referred to as the Beijing National Stadium or the Bird’s Nest, was designed and constructed for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and has since become a major landmark in China’s capital. Chinese artist Ai Weiwei consulted on the Swiss-designed project, and the result cost $423 million to complete.

Since the Olympics ended, the stadium has served as a tourist attraction and a venue for both international and domestic sporting competitions, including the Supercoppa Italiana and the China Cup. The stadium is set to host the 2015 World Championships in Athletics as well.

Niaochao is most impressive from the outside, where it’s bird’s nest shape is apparent. Situated on the Beijing Olympic Green, Niaochao is free to enjoy from the outside, but you’ll have to pay a fee if you want to enter the stadium. The Water Cube, the second prominent structure from the 2008 Olympics, sits adjacent to Niaochao and is also worth a visit.

The Beijing Capital Museum, opened in 1981 and moved to its current location in 2006, houses a sizable collection of imperial Chinese art and artifacts, as well as Buddhist relics from several Asian countries. Five aboveground and two basement floors house more than 200,000 specimens, including over 5,000 pieces in the main exhibition hall alone. You’ll find bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, old coins, jade sculptures, Buddhist statues and textiles, with the oldest pieces dating back to the New Stone Age.

Be sure to visit the second floor History and Culture of Beijing gallery that traces the history of the city from its first primitive residents to a modern capital. Learn more about the culture in Old Beijing in the fifth floor Folk Customs of Old Beijing exhibit. The jade exhibit, also on the fifth floor, contains nearly 200 intricately carved jade pieces with magnifying glasses to allow you to see the detail.

Located in northwest Beijing, 798 Art Zone occupies a decommissioned military factory from the 1950s that now houses an edgy artistic community. The Communist-era factories and warehouses of the complex have all been converted into galleries, studios, boutique shops and cafes whose modern and sometimes whimsical contents sit in stark contrast to the austere Bauhaus architecture.

Give yourself at least half a day to explore the 798 Art Zone. Start with the eclectic collection of sculptures, photographs and paintings at the Long March Space, one of the best collections in the area. Other notable galleries include the Chinese Contemporary with its politically minded collection, the 798 Photo Gallery and 798 Space, one of the largest galleries in the area.

Read up on art history at the well-stocked Time Zone 8 bookstore before stopping in at one of the cafes and restaurants in the district for lunch or a cup of coffee. If possible, time your visit to the 798 Art Festival in spring or the 798 Creative Art Festival in fall.

Situated within the Beijing Zoo, the Beijing Aquarium (Beijing Haiyangguan) is the largest inland aquarium in China and home to an impressive range of aquatic animals. The complex houses an Amazon rainforest pavilion where you can see live piranha and 100 other species of fish, a coral reef, a shark aquarium and a few marine mammal areas complete with sea lion and dolphin shows daily.

The 39-yard-long (36-meter) touch pool contains a variety of urchins and starfish, and 32 other tanks throughout the aquarium house sharks, sea turtles, jelly fish and other colorful sea creatures.

You can purchase tickets for the Beijing Aquarium at the zoo’s ticket counter. If you don’t mind missing the dolphin show, use that time to explore the museum when some 3,000 other visitors are crowded into the stadium.