Last Update: 18th November 2019
What are the 10 Best Things To Do In Beijing In December ?
It is very cold in Beijing in December. The mean maximum air temperature is 4 degrees while the mean minimum air temperature is minus 4 degrees. It snows. Therefore, it is recommended that you take enough warm clothes, gloves and scarves with you during your stay in Beijing. Let’s see the exciting and interesting things to do in Beijing in December.
- Forbidden City
- Great Wall of China
- Summer Palace
- Jingshan Park
- Prince’s Gong Mansion
- Lama Temple
- Wangfujing Street
- Liyuan Theater Peking Opera
- Tiananmen Square
- Temple of Heaven
Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours in Beijing, among other cities and areas. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.
No matter what the weather is like, the Forbidden City is always the best attraction in Beijing worth exploring. Since last year, 80% of the area there has been open to the public. You could not only explore the old buildings in the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1912) Dynasties, but also can appreciate the rare and precious clocks, armors, crowns, household utensil and much more used by the royal family. If it is snowy, white snow, red walls and golden tiles create breathtaking views to enjoy.
2. Great Wall of China
In December, it is very cold in the Great Wall of China – Mutianyu. Be sure to wear gloves and scarves with you when you arrive there. The chair lift will take you to the 6th Watchtower or the 14th one if you don’t like to walk for long. If it is not sunny, it may be frozen on the Great Wall of China – Mutianyu. At one watchtower, you could leave your name on the inside wall. You might encounter one or two wild cute cats there.
Best time to enjoy the Li River Cruise?
It is safer to enjoy the cruise from October to March and in May, July and August as it rains a little in Yangshuo.
How to get to the Li River Cruise?
There is no direct bus from Guilin city to the pier in Guilin. The only option is to rent a vehicle to the pier (the pier for the 3-star cruise is called Mopanshan Pier and the pier for the 4-star and 4.5-star cruises is Zhujiang Pier). For the private rafting, there are piers in Yangdi and Xingping.
Additional Li River Cruise Advice
- As at 4th October 2020, the return cruise from Yangshuo to Yangdi is available & operating. It typically operates between April to October. The same applies for the Yangshuo to Guilin return cruises.
- There are one or two vegetarian dish options on the 4-star and 4.5-star boats. If you are vegetarian, it is suggested that you have lunch at the very first beginning as some meat may drop into the vegetables when other passengers pick it.
- There is a security check at the pier just like that at the airport. It is recommended that you arrive at the pier 30 minutes at least in advance.
- All types of tickets on the 4-star and 4.5 star boats are capped with the same pricing due to the accounting reason. But the actual pricing is higher than that on the ticket.
- For the Private Li River Cruise Rafts, persons over 65 years of age and under 120 cms tall are not permitted on-board.
In December, the Summer Palace presents stunning views different from those in the other months. Part of the Kunming Lake is frozen while the other part is not. Every single part of the old buildings in the Qing Dynasty there is a great photography material, offering you different feelings. During the sunset, when the sunlight shines through the arches of the Seventeen Arch Bridge, you will be amazed at it.
4. Jingshan Park
Situated behind the Forbidden City, Jingshan Park is popular among locals and tourists. You could enjoy the panoramic views of the Forbidden City at the Wanchun Pavilion. If you could get early during your tour in Beijing in December, you also could appreciate the amazing sunrise on the top of the mountain. In addition, the mountain offers gorgeous sunset on sunny days as well. The park is dotted with old buildings in the Qing Dynasty too.
5. Prince’s Gong Mansion
The Prince’s Gong Mansion is acclaimed the most-complete and best-preserved prince mansion In the Qing Dynasty. It was the former residence of He Shen. It is said that carvings on every window of the Treasure Building reflects one spot where He Shen placed the treasure. The mansion features green glazed tiles. The Xiyang Gate, the Theater Stage and Houzhao Building are don’t-miss spots there. You will also admire several permanent exhibitions there. Please note, sometimes, the mansion is closed to the public if some important officials visit it.
6. Lama Temple
Covering an area of 66,400 square meters, the Lama Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in China with 238 Buddhist rooms. Most of the buildings are decorated with golden tiles and red walls. It features 3 exquisite memorial archways and the main hall with 5 courtyards to explore. You will find a variety of paintings on the walls of the buildings there.
Wangfujing Street is a fusion of fashion and old culture. It is close to the Forbidden City. You could enjoy shopping there and try local snacks or the Western cuisine from all over the world. In addition, you will find Hutongs nearby. You could find local authentic food in the Hutongs. It is also home to a few of China Time-honored Brands.
8. Liyuan Theater Peking Opera
If you love opera and the traditional culture, you could appreciate Peking Opera at Liyuan Theater. The highlights of Peking Opera are always put on there. You could admire the opera and enjoy local snacks at a traditional wooden table. The theater offers a great chance to wear the make-up and the costumes of Peking Opera.
Tian’anmen Square lies before the Forbidden City. When you walk to the Forbidden City, you have to walk across the square. The square is one of the top attractions in Beijing. It features the national flag-raising ceremony in the very early morning. Great Hall of the People, the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the National Museum of China are located there.
10. Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven offers you a chance to get acquainted with the ceremony to sacrifice for the Heaven and pay for good harvest for the emperors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The main buildings are situated in the inner altar, including the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, the Gate of Prayer for Good Harvest and Qianhuang Hall. You will see amazing caisson ceilings, traditional color paintings, ancient chimes and the like there.
Location
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Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours in Beijing, among other cities and areas. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.
Reed Flute Cave
Would you like to know why several former US presidents had spoken highly of the Reed Flute Cave after visiting it? It features its own unique charm, which some consider to be distinct from any other attractions in the world!
Elephant Trunk Hill
Have you visited a hill standing in the middle of a river in the center of a city before? How about one shapred like an Elephant? In Guilin, there is such a hill – the 300 million year old Elephant Trunk Hill. It looks just like an elephant drinking water from the Li River!
