In my opinion April and May are the best months to visit Beijing. It is a great time of year for several reasons. Number one is that the heat of summer has not arrived. Also the huge tourist crowds have not made their way to the capital. I also love the fact that the blossoms are in full bloom at this time of year.
A visit to Jingshan Park is highly recommended, first for the views and second to see flowers. This park is located directly north of the Forbidden City Shenwu Gate. The park has a long history going back 800 years. To the west of Jingshan Park is Beihei Park, another great park to visit. What I like most about this Jingshan Park is that it is the highest point in Beijing and is a good photo vantage point. The hill in the park is 48 metres high. It is hard to imagine at only 48 metres that is the highest place in Beijing. The great thing about going to the park is that the hill overlooks the Forbidden City on one side and looks north to the Drum and Bell Tower which are located at the end of Di An Men Da Jie. You also get great panoramic views of Beijing.
The last time I visited Jingshan Park one of the many flower shows that are held in the park was in full bloom to make a spectacular addition to the already impressive park. Most notable were the beautiful peonies flowers for which the Park is well known. April to mid-May is the best time for seeing the large variety of more than 200 peonies you can find in the park. I highly recommend a visit to the park but don’t forget your digital camera.
The park is open from 6.00 am to 9.30 pm year round. The admission price is 5 RMB November through to the end of March and 10 RMB from April to the end of October. Buses that service the park are no’s 5, 13, 103, 105, 107, 109, 118, 121.
If you are considering a visit to Beijing you can start your journey by reading the information on the cheapflightscruises.com website which has tips for booking a flight to Beijing. Just in case you don’t know the Olympics will be held in Beijing starting on August 8 at 8.08 pm in 2008. If you are looking for a hotel in Beijing I suggest checking out HotelsCombined.com. This website allows you to search multiple hotel booking sites with one search.
A flight to Beijing from Washington DC takes around 14 hours. From the west coast of the USA it takes about 12 hours 50 minutes. Air China flights direct to Beijing from Los Angeles every Wednesday and Friday. United airlines provide the service from Washington to Beijing.
