It is always good to take advantage of the nice weather of autumn before the harsh cold winter ushers itself in to Beijing. Luckily for me, the Chrysanthemum Festival had just begun at the Beijing International Flower Port. So then, it is another weekend exploring with Clark Yap!
Want to know why I loved it so much? Read on! 
- The whimsical and vibrant colors of the garden provide an excellent place to take a lot of photos, as in engagement photos or family memories. As for myself, I took a lot of photos and videos to make films. It is as if the garden was designed to be photogenic for people who love to take pictures. There were beautiful arches of trees, and some structures of the Great Wall. By the lake, there was a large floral statue resembling the goddess of the earth, Gaia. The garden had fields of flowers of all colors: bright oranges, deep purples and different shades of pink. And don’t forget about the chrysanthemums! According to my mother, in about two weeks they should be in full bloom! Unfortunately, the time we came it was still early in the season, so we only saw a bit of bright yellow chrysanthemums.
- The Beijing International Flower Port has something for everyone to enjoy, ranging from playgrounds for children to activities for the elderly. The playground was quite large with bouncy trampolines, a carousel and even a train for the little kids. There was also a large platform built on top of the lake surrounded by lily pads. The ground is quite large, so getting around can be tiresome for children and seniors. You can rent a car to drive or a bike to ride around the garden with your family or friends. The garden is also very wheelchair accessible!
- Do not miss out on the magical Butterfly World, where one can see the wonders of butterflies. But please note you must not touch the butterflies against their will. Yet it is acceptable if the creature lands on you. The butterfly world is large greenhouse where butterflies are free to fly around as they please. Many art murals of butterflies wings are hung on the walls, and models of large butterflies are on display. One butterfly I saw looked like an old leaf. If you are lucky, a butterfly may decide to land on you, as did one on my mother. However, do not touch the butterfly on your own or hold it by the wings.
- The Flower Port sold many beverages and snacks, and my mother and I bought two ice cream bars to sustain us while we enjoyed the nice weather. Many snack vendors stood along the paths through the beautiful flower port, and they sold meat sticks and sausages. Souvenirs like little plants and clay figures were also sold, and my mother bought me a little succulent baskets for me. We received a bunch of coupons to use from the purchase of entrance, and since the succulent plant was RMB 30, the coupon gave us a discount and we only had to pay RMB 20.
- The Beijing International Flower Port is one hour and 15 minutes from urban Beijing, an easy drive in the country for my mom. The Chrysanthemum Festival very much reminded me of when my family would take me to a local farm for the pumpkin patch or a state fair in the fall back in the USA. For those who miss the fall in your home country, this spot can offer you some relief.
Find it:
Beijing International Flower Port 京國際鮮花港
9 Xianhuagang Nanlu
Entrance tickets cost RMB 80 and at the gates we were given a bunch of coupons for things over the price of RMB 30.
You can rent bike carriages for RMB 100 an hour and golf cars for RMB 150 an hour.
Images: Clark Yap
