Swimming doesn’t have to be all lanes and square pools: Beijing has plenty of opportunities to entertain yourself the entire day, whether that be through slides, wave pools, or artificial beaches.
Crab Island
Family-friendly Crab Island has the option for fishing, go-karting, a zoo, an organic farm, aqua bumper boats, a lazy river, a wave pool, and an artificial beach. There’s a water circulation system in place, and the water gets filtered and sterilized on a loop throughout the day.
Daily 9am-8pm. RMB 98 (adults), RMB 50 (kids between 1m and 1.4m), Free (kids below 1m). 1 Xiedao Lu, Chaoyang District (take the Weigou Exit off the Airport Expressway and follow the signs). (8433 5566/5588) www.xiedao.com
蟹岛绿色生态度假村: 朝阳区蟹岛路1号
Happy Magic Watercube Park
As the former site of the 2008 Olympics water sport competitions, the Happy Magic Watercube Park has now been given new use in the form of a water playground. There is a wave pool, a bunch of slides at different intensities, and never-ending entertainment. The water in this park is cleaned on a daily basis.
Daily 10am-9pm. RMB 260 (adults), RMB 220 (kids between 1.2m and 1.5m), Free (kids below 1.2m). 11 Tianchen Donglu (in Olympic Park, near the Bird’s Nest), Chaoyang District (8437 8086)
水立方嬉水乐园: 朝阳区北四环中路奥林匹克公园内（近鸟巢）
Happy Water Rubik’s Cube
The biggest open-air water park in the city, Happy Water Rubik’s Cube is worth the trip to Fengtai District. The many rides inside, including flumes, raft rides, and a wave machine, will help you forget just how hot it is outside. The park is fitted with a water filter that operates 24 hours a day.
Daily 10am-6pm. RMB 230 (adults), RMB 180 (kids between 1.2m and 1.5m), Free (kids below 1.2m). 11 Xiaotun Lu (next to Meishikou Lu), Fengtai District (8860 9999)
欢乐水魔方水上乐园: 丰台区小屯路11号（近梅市口路）
Qingnianhu Water Park
Somewhere between water park and public pool, this centrally located swimming pool offers the option to swim for exercise and swim for fun, depending on your preference. If you get bored of the pool, there are slides of different intensities to keep you entertained.
Daily 9am-5pm. RMB 40 (adults and kids above 1.3m), RMB 30 (kids below 1.3m). Andingmen Waidajie, Dongcheng District (8411 6321)
青年湖水上世界: 东城区安定门外大街
Hot Spring Leisure City
Located in Changping District, Hot Spring Leisure City features mineral hot spring spas with rich geothermal resources and has been the site of many a crazy water-themed parties. There’s also a huge hotel and conference center attached to it, as well as numerous different restaurants and entertainment options.
Daily 9am-10pm. RMB 178, RMB 128 (online), RMB 100 (kids between 1.4m and 1.2m), Free (kids under 1.2m). Beiqijia, Changping District (8178 8888)
温都水城: 昌平区北七家
Tuanjiehu Water Park
Tuanjiahu Water Park, perhaps more centrally located than many other water parks in the city, is not big but still boasts a beach and wave pool. There are also paddle boats, and other entertainment options such as rollerskating. The water facilities are linked up to a 24-hour filtering device.
Daily 10.15am-8pm. RMB 50 (weekdays), RMB 60 (weekends). 16 Tuanjiehu Nanli, East Third Ring Road, Chaoyang District (8597 4677)
团结湖水上乐园: 朝阳区团结湖南里16号
This article first appeared in the July/August issue of the Beijinger. Read this issue here.
Photo courtesy of bjmlcx.cn