Top Tips on How To Avoid the Beijing Heat

Hello, sticky Beijing heat. Sitting at home in front of the air conditioner doing nothing is a strong temptation but we should try to be more eco-friendly and alive. Here’s a list of activities to do and places to go, all of them heat-proof.

Pay Your Bills
Banks have some of the best air-conditioning in the city. They're right up there with hotel lobbies. You will be able to hang around for quite a while if you look like you are waiting for someone. Remember to keep looking at your watch and tutting every so often to quiet suspicious staff.

Have a Dip Yes, you should. Beijing has a very wide variety of pools: outdoor, indoor, private and public. The one not to be missed is the National Swimming Centre, better known as the Water Cube. Fans swear that swimming there is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Why not give yourself the thrill of swimming where some of the world's most famous Olympians made history? Fans of outdoor swimming should go for the Tuanjiehu Park Pool. It’s right in the city center and includes a small beach, and a wave simulator. If you’re thinking about something classier, Beijing has a lot of hotel pools too: the China World Hotel pool, the Doubletree by Hilton pool or the many, many others.

Go to the Cinema
Enjoy a good movie and eat some unhealthy snacks while benefiting from free air-con. Summer blockbuster The Hunger Games is out now and there's no way you can miss it; it's screening at Beijing UME, Beijing Shijingshan Wanda and other cinemas across town. Don’t forget that theaters and art galleries are good escapes too. The third Nanluoguxiang Theatre Festival will entertain you with plays, dance and circus performances until June 30. For something even more spectacular, The Red Theatre is famous for its kung fu and martial arts shows.

Make your Own Wind
Buying a fan is a good option, but the best way to enjoy a self-made breeze is to move your body. Cycling is the easiest way to benefit from some air and if you don’t fancy getting lost in the hutongs by yourself you can join one of the many guided tours organized by Bicycle Kingdom. The city's one and only skate park, aka Woodward, organizes many courses, including skateboarding, inline skating and BMX freestyle classes, but to obtain the perfect windy result remember to move your arms while darting about on your wheels. If you’re already a pro, head to the BLCU campus, the Olympic Park and the 798 Art District – you’ll find plenty of rivals to challenge.

Photos: Yeeyan.org, Doobybraun.com and Bjreview.com.ch