Day 1: The Summer Palace – The Most Beautiful Place in Beijing
- Arron Goh
- May 28
- 2 min read
Updated: May 30
We landed in Beijing just past midnight—again. This time, instead of navigating the metro or figuring things out on the fly, we booked an airport transfer via Trip.com. It was super convenient and gave us peace of mind after our long flight.
Highly recommend it if you're flying into Daxing Airport and want a smooth ride into the city.
Where We Stayed: Jing Mao Alley Hotel (Dongsi Road)
Our base in Beijing was the stunning Jing Mao Alley Hotel, tucked along Dongsi Road. The vibe? Boutique meets traditional. Beautifully designed rooms, thoughtful service, and a location that made it easy to explore central Beijing. It was one of the most pleasant stays we've had — and we'd absolutely book it again.
Exploring the Summer Palace in Beijing – Enter Through the North Gate
We set off early, leaving our hotel at 7:00 AM, and reached the Summer Palace around 10:30 AM. Instead of entering through the main gate, we took the less crowded North Palace Gate entrance, which leads you straight into a serene side of the palace grounds.
Our first sight? A frozen lake, glistening under the winter sun. It felt like something out of a historical drama.
We strolled through beautiful spots like:
Huazhongyou – peaceful and ornate
Chang Lang – the famous long corridor filled with paintings
You can also rent an automated tour guide device, which gives you commentary as you move and even lights up a map based on where you are. Super useful if you want to immerse yourself in the history without joining a group tour.
We ended our palace visit at the breathtaking Seventeen-Arch Bridge, where the views open up wide across Kunming Lake. If you’re catching sunset here, it’s pure magic.
Dinner at 南门涮肉 (Nanmen Shuan Rou)
After a full day of walking, we headed to 南门涮肉, a classic Beijing hotpot restaurant near the Summer Palace.
RM45/pax for high-quality lamb, handmade noodles, and delicious sesame sauce!
Traditional copper pots with charcoal burning underneath—very old-school, very atmospheric
It was the perfect warm-up in the cold Beijing air.
A Quick Shopping Stop: THE BOX + Kangol Official Store
We wrapped up our night at THE BOX, a modern shopping and lifestyle space in Beijing. To my surprise (and joy), I stumbled across a Kangol Official Store—finally copped a new hat I’d been eyeing for months.
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