It’s Almost Pool Season – Here's Where To Cool off This Summer

It’s starting to feel a lot like summer here in Beijing with temperatures steadily hitting the 30 degrees or higher mark. A fun and simple way to cool off is by grabbing your swimwear and a towel and heading to one of Beijing’s outdoor pools to splash around and cool off. Unfortunately, most outdoor pools in the capital don’t open until Jun 1 or later. However, we’ve put together a list of some of the best pools around, including details on when they’ll be open, as well as a few water parks which are already open for business for you to enjoy in the meantime!

Pools

Qingnianhu Park Swimming Pool

Located just north of Andingmen, Qingnianhu Park Swimming Pool is my personal favorite pool in Beijing and each summer I can’t believe that more people don’t know about it. Unlike many of the pools on this list, Qingnianhu Pool has a relatively central location, situated just north west of Andingmen Station. The pool itself is relatively large in size and equipped with a few slides, so once schools finish for summer it can get pretty busy, but not overwhelmingly so. This pool opens every year on Jun 1, so you don’t have to wait too long until it’s time to dive in!

Qingnianhu Park Swimming Pool 青年湖公园水上世界
Inside Qingnianhu Park, Andingmenwai Dajie (South gate is the closest) 
安定门外大街青年湖公园内
Date opens: Jun 1
Price: RMB 98
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 9am-7pm
Phone: 010 8411 6321, 010 8411 1485

Beijing Guoce International Convention and Exhibition Center

This great pool lies up in Shunyi, inside the International Convention & Exhibition Center hotel. Less busy than other public pools, it has tons of space to swim and also has sunbeds, food, and drinks. The sunbeds do go quickly though, so if you want to nab one you’ll need to get there early!

This pool hasn't announced when they’ll officially be open yet, but last year it opened on Jun 18 so it’s a pretty safe bet that it’ll open around the same time. You can follow their WeChat account (北京国测国际会议会展中心) to keep an eye out for any pool related news. Once they are open you can purchase tickets to the pool through their WeChat store (again, search 北京国测国际会议会展中心). They have standard entrance tickets or you can splash out – pun intended – and get tickets that also include a night’s stay at the hotel and other amenities. 

Beijing Guoce International Convention and Exhibition Center 北京国测国际会议会展中心
Building 20, Courtyard 6, Huihai Nanlu, Shunyi District
顺义区汇海南路6号院20号楼
Date opens: Around Jun 18
Price: RMB 168 one adult, RMB 278 two adults, RMB 88 for children (according to last summer)
Hours: Noon-5pm
Phone: 010 5090 7999

Renjian Huahai 

This destination takes a bit of an effort to get to, seeing as it’s all the way up in Miyun district, but wow is it worth it! Featuring a giant artificial beach against a mountainous backdrop, it’s a perfect day trip to escape the city and get back to a bit of (partially man-made) nature. According to Dazhong Dianping this pool should open on Jun 15.

Renjian Huahai 人间花海
Taishitunzhen Chedaoyucun, Miyun District
密云区太师屯镇车道裕村
Price: RMB 60 (children under 1.2 meters get in for free)
Date opens: Jun 15
Hours: 9.30am-5.30pm
Phone: 010 6903 9181, 159 1079 2678

Tiantian Yugang Leisure Farm 

This pool is located on Tiantian Yugang Leisure Farm in Daxing and is comprised of three outdoor pools: one large adult pool and two smaller paddling pools. They also have an indoor pool as well as around seven hot spring pools if that’s your thing. Food wise they have a barbecue buffet available if you want to get some grub while you’re there. The outdoor pool here is already open, however when we called them they told us that it’s still a little too cold to use right now and recommend that people wait a couple more weeks before taking a dip. You can keep up to date with info on the pool along with other deals by searching for their official WeChat account: 天天渔港休闲农庄.

Tiantian Yugang Leisure Farm 天天渔港休闲农庄
Qingyundian Zhen Cun, Daxing District
大兴区青云店镇村
Date opens: Open now
Price: RMB 138
Hours: 9.30am-8pm
Phone: 010 8021 1111

Liulang Natatorium 

This huge pool located south of the Summer Palace has a surface area of almost 10,000 square meters. It’s made up of four different pools including larger adult pools and shallower paddling pools. There are trees and bushes surrounding the pools giving them a scenic feel so it almost feels like you’re swimming in a lake rather than a pool. Although the listing shows up as closed on Dianping, when we called them, they said that they should be opening Jun 1 and you can follow their WeChat account to keep up to date with any pool related announcements, like adjusted opening times, by searching this: 柳浪游泳场.

Liulang Natatorium 柳浪游泳场
50, Kunming Hu Donglu, Haidian District
市海淀区昆明湖东路50号
Date opens: Early June
Price: RMB 100
Hours: noon-7pm (hours may be adjusted as summer goes on)
Phone: 185 1540 6934

Zhongguancun Pool

Zhongguancun Pool is located next to the Institute of Theoretical Physics up in Haidian. They have two pretty standard 25m pools, one of which is an extra deep pool making it a great place for people who want to do some more serious outdoor swimming or get some lengths in. It also gets plenty of sunshine during summer making it an ideal spot to do a bit of sun bathing. When we called Zhongguancun Pool, they said that the pool would be opening Jul 1.

Zhongguancun Pool 中关村游泳池
1, Zhongguancun Culture and Sports Center, 10 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Haidian District
海淀区中关村南大街10号中关村文化体育中心1楼
Date opens: Jul 1
Price: RMB 60
Hours: 1-4pm, 6-9pm
Phone: 185 1540 6943

Water Parks

Beijing Aqua Magic

Located in Fengtai district, this massive water park stretches out over 300,000 sqm and features 18 different rides and about 50 flumes. The water park has just opened for summer as of last weekend and currently has a special sale on where tickets are only RMB 69 before May 31 (which is a steal considering tickets normally run for RMB 299). It boasts a huge wave pool that covers around 10,000 sqm and sees waves of up to a meter high, as well as a large artificial beach around 8,000 sqm. With so much going on it’s certainly worth a day trip, and there is more than enough to keep everyone of all ages entertained. You can purchase tickets through their official WeChat account by searching: 北京欢乐水魔方.

Beijing Aqua Magic 欢乐水魔方水上乐园
11, Xiaotun Lu, Fengtai District
丰台区小屯路11号
Date opens: Open now
Price: RMB 299 (children under 1.2 meters get in for free)
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 9.30am-6pm
Phone: 010 8860 9999

Hot Spring Leisure City 

Located in Changping district, Hot Spring Leisure City combines hot springs with all kinds of water fun – think slides, wave machines, and more. The good news about this water park is that it’s already open! However, it’s only semi-outdoors, with the main pool area being inside a greenhouse-style structure with a rooftop that opens up so it partially feels like you’re outside. There is also a kiddie pool area that is completely outdoors if you want to enjoy some proper sunshine.

Hot Spring Leisure City 温都水城
55, Wangfu Jie, Beiqijiazhen, Changping District
昌平区北七家镇王府街55号
Date opens: Open now
Price: RMB 298 adult, RMB 298 children (children under 1.2m get in for free)
Hours: 10am-9pm
Phone: 010 8178 9502, 010 8178 9501

Water Cube Water Park 

Situated inside the former Beijing Olympics Aquatics Center, aka the Water Cube or Ice Cube, this is the largest water park in Chaoyang at 12,000 sqm and with 13 water slides and rides, a wave pool, a lazy river, and even a spa area. It’s the perfect spot for a family day out with the kids or to just embrace your inner child. You can buy tickets through their official WeChat account, just search 水立方嬉水乐园.

Water Cube Water Park水立方嬉水乐园
B1 National Aquatics Center, 11, Tianchen Donglu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区天辰东路11号国家游泳中心B1层
Date opens: Open now
Price: RMB 290 adult, RMB 180 child (children under 1.2 meters get in for free)
Hours: 10am-6pm
Phone: 010 8437 8963, 010 8437 8966

READ: Save the Date! Juicy Burger Fest 2024 Is Coming Soon

Images: Dianping, courtesy of the venues, Unsplash