Summer Palace

Practical tips

Arrive at opening and walk the lake's east shore first — the light is beautiful and the crowds thin. The west causeway is the quietest section. Skip the busy Suzhou Street replica and save energy for the hill.

Nearby

The Old Summer Palace ruins (Yuanmingyuan) are 15 minutes north — sobering and interesting. The Summer Palace combines well with a Peking duck dinner back in town.

What to See — Aug 2026 Picks

China's largest imperial garden is far bigger than it looks from the entrance. Nearly every Chinese visitor has a Xiaohongshu-approved itinerary in mind, and it usually skips the crowds near the East Gate.

The classic loop runs from the Long Corridor along Kunming Lake, up Longevity Hill to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, then across the Seventeen-Arch Bridge. Leave at least half a day, and go early: tour groups flood in from 9:30.

Painting-in-Wonder Pavilion Complex (Huazhongyou)

The single most-shared photo spot on Chinese social media in 2026. A stone-and-wood pavilion complex tucked into the western slope of Longevity Hill, its name translates as 'Painting in Wonder' — climb to the upper terrace and the layered roofs frame Kunming Lake like a scroll painting.

It was closed for restoration for years and is now fully open. Go in the late afternoon for warm light and far fewer people than the main courtyard.

Tower of Buddhist Incense (Foxiangge)

The 41-metre octagonal tower crowns Longevity Hill and is the park's tallest building. It was the private shrine of Empress Dowager Cixi, and the view down over Kunming Lake is the classic Summer Palace postcard.

Note that the tower closes on Mondays even in peak season, so plan around it if this is your must-see.

The Long Corridor (Changlang)

A 728-metre covered walkway painted with more than 14,000 scenes from Chinese legends, history and landscapes — the longest painted corridor in China and a UNESCO World Heritage element.

Look up rather than out: the beams are the attraction. Morning light hitting the paintings from the lake side makes them pop.

Seventeen-Arch Bridge

The longest bridge in any imperial garden in China, linking the eastern shore to Nanhu Island. Its 17 arches reflect the philosophy that even the number nine (imperial) should be cut short — humility before heaven.

Photographers gather on the east shore for golden hour, when low sun pours through the arches. In summer, the bridge is also the best spot to watch dragon boats crossing the lake.

West Causeway (Xidi)

The park's quiet answer to Hangzhou's Su Causeway: a willow-lined dyke built across the western lake with six imitation bridges. Tour groups rarely come this far, so it is the place for a peaceful stroll and lotus photography in August.

In summer the water on both sides is thick with lotus, and the causeway offers reverse views of Longevity Hill framed by willows.

Boat Ride Across Kunming Lake

A boat ride is the classic way to see the garden from the water. Ferry services resumed on 14 March 2026 with 11 routes linking the major piers, and in summer the last boats run until about 19:00 so you can catch the sunset on the water.

The dragon-boat style ferries shuttle between the East Gate pier, Seventeen-Arch Bridge and the western lake — a cheap, lazy way to cover ground between the main sights.

August is the Summer Palace Lotus Festival (roughly 8 Jul – 31 Aug 2026), when the lake edges are packed with blooms and the West Causeway is at its best. Expect 30–38°C heat: enter at 6:00–7:00 opening, carry water, and use the lake ferries (running until ~19:00 in summer) instead of walking the full perimeter.

Getting there

• Metro Line 4 to Beigongmen (north gate)