Beihai Park, one of Beijing’s historic imperial gardens, offers more than just beautiful landscapes and cultural relics. For those who love collecting stamps and exploring cultural and creative products, Beihai Park is a treasure trove. With four different locations to collect unique stamps, this guide will help you make the most of your visit, whether you’re entering through the South Gate or the North Gate.
Route Overview
Depending on your preference, you can enter the park from either the South or North Gate. The South Gate is closer to the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park, while the North Gate is near the subway station, Prince Gong’s Mansion, and Shichahai. I chose to enter from the North Gate and exit from the South Gate, focusing primarily on the eastern side of the park. The western side features the Beihai North Teahouse, which doesn’t offer stamps but does have creative drinks, themed ice cream, and glowing lollipops.
Four Stamping Sites
Can Altar Store (蚕坛商店): This shop offers a stamp with any purchase, though it seems not many people get this one, so the ink is quite thick. I bought a 3D White Pagoda-themed ice cream, which had a chocolate flavor – pretty decent!
Beihai Royal Post Office (北海皇家邮驿): Another place where you can get a stamp with any purchase. The stamps here are beautifully designed, and they look great on almost anything! They offer a wide range of postcards that you can send right from the shop. You can buy an elongated postcard to collect multiple stamps. There’s also a free stamp available, but the stamp’s condition isn’t the best.
Beihai Gifts Cultural Creative Hall (北海礼物文创堂): This spot offers four free stamps and about 20 stamps with any purchase. They also have seasonal stamps, which require purchasing eight stamping sheets for 29.9 RMB, allowing you to collect two sets of seasonal stamps. The refrigerator magnets here are also quite appealing.
Shuanghong Pavilion (双红榭): This location has five free stamps, about 30 stamps with any purchase, and two-color stamps that cost 15 RMB each. I chose two, though the lotus stamp had a bit of a smudge. They also have popular refrigerator magnets, like the revolving Nine Dragons and ice-skating-themed magnets.
Additional Activities
Photography Tip: For the best photo angles of the White Pagoda, head to the area near the South Gate. However, the lotus flowers in Beihai weren’t at their best this year.
Boating: You can also enjoy boating in the park. The North Gate offers electric boats, while the South Gate docks have manually rowed boats. If you have some free time, it’s worth exploring.