Just as different people look different, different cities naturally have their own distinctive images. In reality, one needs time as well as energy to discover the real behind the imagined in a city like Beijing.
Beijing used to have many man-made lakes, rivers and canals hundreds of years ago. Today some of the old lakes, rivers and canals have been renovated and opened to the public for Beijing boat tours or Beijing cruising. Among them, the 9-km Changhe River, also called Royal River or Gaoliang River in Ming Dynasty, is the only river with the track of the royal family in Qing Dynasty. The Changhe River starts from the wharf at Beijing Exhibition Center and ends at Summer Palace. Changhe River winds through Beijing Zoo, Beijing Purple Bamboo Park and arrives at Summer Palace. There are three main wharfs along the 9-km Changhe River - Beijing Exhibition Center wharf, Beijing Zoo wharf and Purple Bamboo Park wharf. At Beijing Zoo, you can visit Panda House. The Purple Bamboo Park wharf is the place where, Empress dowager Cixi used to take breaks on her way to the Summer Palace in Qing Dynasty. The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. The boat ride gives you the chance to enjoy the water with the beautiful scenery of willows and peach trees along the both banks, hence the saying: "seeing pine trees in the Temple of Heaven and willows along Changhe River."
The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is one of the greatest ancient projects in China and is the longest man-made canal in world. It covers a total length of 1,794 kilometers, and meets five rivers of the Yangtze, Yellow, Huaihe, Haihe, and Qiantang rivers. It winds through Beijing, Tianjing, Hebei province, Shandong Province, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province with Hangzhou at its southernmost end. The small section of the grand canal - Tongzhou Grand Canal has been opened by the local government to the public for boat ride and sightseeing. The one and half hours' boat t ride gives you some real experience of the grand canal life. Shichahai Lake is the most famous lake in the heart of Beijing with over 700 year old. "Shichahai" literally means "a lake with 10 temples surrounded". It consisted of three seperate lakes, Xihai Lake, Qianhai Lake and Houhai Lake. Qianhai and Houhai are linked by a well known bridge - Yinding Bridge ( Silver Ingot Bridge)a, a hub of Shichahai area with surrounding quiet hutongs. Actually the Hangzhou-Beijing Grand Canal started here in Shichahai. So Shichahai was once a part of the Grand Canal.
Boat Beijing is the brand name of the Beijing boat tours offered by tour-beijing travel service. See Beijing in your unique angle.
Attractions: wharf at Beijing Exhibition Center, Passing by Beijing Zoo, Purple Bamboo Park and National Library, Visit Summer Palace Vehicle:Red Flag, Hyundai, Refine, Mercedes MB100 Service: Lunch + private tour guide & driver + private car / van + boat ride from US$ 45 per person
Attractions: wharf at Purple Bambbo Park, visit Purple Bamboo Park and Summer Palace Vehicle:Red Flag, Hyundai, Refine, Mercedes MB100 Service: Lunch + private tour guide & driver + private car / van from US$ 45 per person
Attractions: panda house, Beijing Summer Palace Vehicle:Red Flag, Hyundai, Refine, Mercedes MB100 Service: Lunch + private tour guide & driver + private car / van + boat ride from US$ 45 per person
Attractions: wharf at Tongzhou Grand Canal Cultural Park, Canal Boating, Visit Tonghui River and Gaobeidian Village. Vehicle:Red Flag, Hyundai, Refine, Mercedes MB100 Service: Lunch + private tour guide & driver + private car / van + boat ride from US$ 45 per person
Attractions: River Romance wharf, Yingding Bridge, Shichahai Lake. Vehicle:Red Flag, Hyundai, Refine, Mercedes MB100 Service: Lunch + private tour guide & driver + private car / van + boat from US$ 45 per person
WARNING!Though Beijing Changhe River, Tongzhou Grand Canal and Shichahai Lake are flat and safe for boat activities, it can be still a little dangerous. you know, all the bridges across the river are short, so you should take care of yourself if you are standing on the bow to enjoy the views on the banks. While boating on the Tongzhou Grand Canal, you are not allowed to stand outside of the boat. You are free to follow these directions at your own risk. However, this web site can not be held responsible for any injuries, death, or damages while taking our suggested boat routes. Many route descriptions may be vague and most certainly do not list all possible hazards.
