Beijing consists of 16 districts containing over 21 million people. In this series, we will be focusing on seven neighborhoods in four separate districts, which have become the most popular among Beijing’s expat community. While these aren’t the only areas that are home to waiguoren, these are the most accessible and offer, in our opinion, the best Beijing experience depending on your tastes and preferences.

Hello Mart

Surrounded by embassies, Chaoyang Park is the largest, most western-style park in the city and is very popular with middle-class Chinese families and the expat community. Lined with shops, restaurants, and residential compounds, this area is easy for daily living. Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park is pretty much modeled after the mixed indoor/outdoor malls of the west, while nearby Liangmaqiao is a busy commercial area with many expat conveniences and high-end hotels where you can enjoy some amazing fine dining options. This neighborhood is a great option if you require a space that isn’t flooded with cars and electric scooters to get a run in every once in a while.

Pros

+ Proximity to Chaoyang Park (which hosts free yoga sessions, Heyrobics, HeyRunning, pick-up soccer and basketball games, and more)

+ Western supermarkets and restaurants

+ Several embassies and schools

Cons

– Some compounds are farther from subway access

– Living inside the expat bubble

– Higher cost of living when compared to some other inner city areas

Residential Compounds

Several residential compounds are available in Chaoyang. Palm Springs has north-facing units overlooking Chaoyang Park, a Roman-style garden, large clubhouse with an indoor swimming pool, children’s playground, sauna, and gym—it’s no wonder it’s popular with families. Park Avenue has a shopping complex with imported groceries, cafes, and sporting good stores in addition to its children’s playground, swimming pool, and gym. Jingda International Apartment is near the Chaoyang Park, Palm Springs Living Square, and Solana Park. No. 9 International Apartment has many international shopping malls and restaurants. Greenlake Place is another option, and has many stores, restaurants, and even a Jenny Lou’s in the compound.

Schools

Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB), Beanstalk International Bilingual School (BIBS), House of Knowledge (HoK), German Embassy School, and Ivy Academy are all top notch and convenient options if you are residing in this area of the city.

Solana Lifestyle & Shopping Park

Shopping

Solana Lifestyle and Shopping Park is a large, popular open-air mall next to Chaoyang Park. It’s one of the most known shopping centers for families, and features International name brands like Zara, Uniqlo, Muji, H&M, American Eagle, Gap, and more.  Also, if you are ever craving something that’s not all that different from the farmer’s markets back home, check out Farm2Neighbors at Beijing Grand Summit each weekend for a selection of some of the city’s best vendors of organic produce and specialty goods. Recent addition, Hello Mart is a sprawling 7,000sqm market, food court, and “mall without walls” that looks to cater to the growing affluence of Liangmaqiao.

Pachapapi

Dining

If you are looking for international restaurants in the neighborhood make sure to head to Beijing Grand Summit where you’ll find Baker and Spice, Obentos (Japanese, healthy), Cue for contemporary Southeast Asian cuisine, and much more. You can also head to Solana which houses Beijing favorites like Moka Bros, Tribe, and Tube Station Pizza. Just a short walk from Solana to get to Maizidian where you’ll find some of the best Japanese food in Beijing at restaurants like Yume Wo Katare, known for serving up hearty bowls of ramen.  Recently Liangmaqiao has also generated a bit of attention among foodies with the addition of Xinyuanli, which houses restaurants like Bottega, Q Mex Taqueria, and the Peruvian newcomer, Pachapapi.

Yoga in Chaoyang Park

Where to Play

There’s lots to do in Chaoyang.  As the largest patch of green space in Beijing, Chaoyang Park is the obvious choice. Entrance is inexpensive and there’s a lot of room to move around. Young visitors can fly kites, rent a pedal boat for the lake, go on fairground rides, or even participate in group yoga and exercise classes on the weekends if weather and AQI permit. When your kids are exhausted from the park, Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park is located a stone’s throw away. This family favorite has been open since 2008, with its fountains and whimsical decorations. Indoors, there’s an entire children’s wing with play facilities and family-oriented shops. For book lovers, Mike’s Children’s English Book Library near Solana has the original imported British and American selections for children, including children’s books, graphic novels, picture books, teen fiction, and more. At Yoga Summit, you can book family yoga classes to get a little respite from the hectic surroundings of life in the capital.

This article appeared in the beijingkids June 2019 Home & Relocation Guide issue.

Beijing consists of 16 districts containing over 21 million people. In this series, we will be focusing on seven neighborhoods in four separate districts, which have become the most popular among Beijing’s expat community. While these aren’t the only areas that are home to waiguoren, these are the most accessible and offer, in our opinion, the best Beijing experience depending on your tastes and preferences.

Parkview Green

Beijing’s Central Business District (CBD) and Shuangjing are often labeled expat havens, and that’s not a bad thing. After all, the neighborhood’s proximity to quality schools, kid-friendly play areas, parks, and a variety of restaurants and shops makes for a comfortable home away from home. Framed by the Third and Fourth Ring Roads, the diverse Chaoyang District neighborhood encompasses famous architectural feats (CCTV’s Big Pants building), walkable greenspaces (Ritan Park), and top-notch shopping experiences (Parkview Green, China World Mall, SKP). Everything is within reach from the city’s financial hub, with convenient foot or subway access to all of the above. A short walk south from the CBD, Shuangjing’s Today Art Museum, and numerous malls offer just a slice of the many cultural options for family living and fun.

Pros

+ Home to one of Beijing’s biggest and diverse expat communities

+ Array of malls offers one-stop convenience and proximity

+ Public parks emphasize quality over quantity

+ Limitless shopping options within close distance

+ Variety of international food choices

Cons

– Corporate vibe

– Expensive rent, food, and shopping

– Far from historical landmarks and points of interest

– Heavy vehicle and foot traffic

– Limited greenspace options

Central Park

Residential Compounds

Quality, affordable living can be found in pricey Shuangjing, with residential compounds like A Pie and Pingod just a short foot trek to neighborhood supermarkets April Gourmet and Carrefour. The more upscale and spacious Shiqiao Guomao World Trade apartments off the Third Ring Road offer lobby and laundry service, a fitness center, and an onsite playground.

Among the CBD’s luxury-style, high-rise compounds are Central Park, Gemdale International Garden, and Windsor Avenue. Many of these Guomao residences offer round-the-clock management, swimming pools, and onsite gardens and parking. Prepare to pay a lot to live here, though consider it an investment in convenience: it’s all right next to shopping meccas Kerry Centre, SOHO, The Place, and China World Trade Center, as well as the super-convenient getting to subway Lines 1 and 10. At Royal CBD, we emphasize quality control testing at every stage of the manufacturing process so you don’t have to worry about it. We start while the plants are still in the soil, and follow it as they travel to the extraction facility. We then blend our pure CBD, CBD oil with pure unadulterated MCT oil and send it to a third-party lab for inspection to seal the deal.

Schools

Bilingual daycare centers and kindergartens abound. Enroll children as young as 3 at New Garden International in Fuli City, which offers full-day, bilingual kindergarten instruction. In nearby Guomao, options for early learners include Little Pony Daycare, Beanstalk International Kindergarten, and Etonkids, which all introduce toddlers to classroom structure and socializing.

Top international schools like Beijing City International School (BCIS) and Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS) teach kindergarten through high school, and shape students to become competent in both English and Chinese.

Panjiayuan

Shopping

Let’s take it alphabetically: China World Mall, Hopson One, Kerry Centre, Parkview Green, Space 3, The Place, Viva Mall…enough malls for you? Pick one and you’ll encounter even more choices, from excellent international food courts to rows of fashion retailers, drug stores, and electronics shops. Feel like hustling a deal? Visit the Silk Market in CBD, where you’ll find bargains on knockoff jewelry and apparel or Panjiayuan in Shuangjing for antiques — if bartering’s your thing.

Dining

You can’t go wrong exploring the food courts inside every CBD and Shuangjing mall. Craving Western-style comfort food? Hotties at Hopson One mall in Baiziwan is a great go-to for cheap burgers. Blue Frog and Moka Bros are the latest newcomers to Space 3, with local favorite Q Mex already into its second year at the mall.

Step outside for more options, including Burger Break and Grinders, which both offer affordable bar grub. Shuangjing staple Lily’s American Diner has a bit of everything, and does a consistently satisfying brunch. For Mexican, you can’t beat Moji Taco & Salad in Fuli for authenticity. For a round of slices, try La Pizza at The Place in the CBD for a proper sit-down dinner, or Gung Ho! in Fuli for a takeout pie.

Where to Play

On a clear Summer day, nothing beats getting outside for a stroll with your kids for some family playtime. Qingfeng Park, nestled just east of Third Ring Road, is bursting with bright flowers and refurbished amusement park-style rides; there’s even safe bungee-jumping for kids). For 200 RMB, load up a card and enjoy an afternoon aboard the roller-coaster and carousel, among other rides. Ritan Park is a perfect escape from the bustle, big enough to run with the kids yet peaceful enough to do absolutely nothing and just revel in its nature.

On those rough AQI days, play centers offer clean air and plenty of freedom for children to run and play together. Enjoy a coffee or a meal at Space 3 mall’s Kimo Kids Cafe, where parents can buy playtime in increments of two hours. There’s also Line Friends Cafe in Guomao’s Yintai building, and Little Oasis in He Sheng Hui mall, featuring an entire floor of playspace. New York City Kids Club at Viva Mall offers membership-based packages transferable at all Beijing locations.

This article appeared in the beijingkids June 2019 Home & Relocation Guide issue.

Photos: Kipp Whittaker

Beijing consists of 16 districts containing over 21 million people. In this series, we will be focusing on seven neighborhoods in four separate districts, which have become the most popular among Beijing’s expat community. While these aren’t the only areas that are home to waiguoren, these are the most accessible and offer, in our opinion, the best Beijing experience depending on your tastes and preferences.

Sanlitun and its surrounding areas have long been major expat hubs. With many bars, clubs, and restaurants concentrated in one place, it’s a fast-changing, very commercialized area, but very convenient when it comes to not being far from homely comforts like western cuisine, shopping your favorite brands, or international schools. Just west of Sanlitun lies the slightly quieter Xingfucun with its own developing bar and restaurant scene. All in all, it’s the perfect place for newcomers who wish to be close to the action.

Pros

+ A high concentration of international restaurants and bars

+ Lots of events for couples and families

+ Convenient access to schools

+ Western-style amenities

+ Many other expat families

Cons

– Living inside the expat bubble

– Inconvenient subway access (nearest Lines are 2, 6, and 10), but this will change in the near future

– Frequent traffic

– Seedier areas at night such as Sanlitun

– Not as green as some of the other neighborhoods covered

Compounds

Seasons Park in particular is popular with expat families as it is close to banks, restaurants, and western supermarkets and has a kids’ playground. Located just behind the foreign grocery chain April Gourmet in Xingfucun, Lianbao Garden has a convenient location, spacious apartments, and a children’s playground. Tayuan DRC has historically been a more upscale choice for well compensated professionals or diplomats. It is one of the five diplomatic residence compounds (DRC) originally built to serve Beijing’s diplomatic and foreign community. Located just north of the Canadian Embassy, the compound contains relatively spacious western-style apartments, a big stretch of grass within the gated community, and even has its own import market.

Schools

In Sanlitun, you can choose between a number of top notch schools including Daystar Academy’s Sanlitun campus, British School of Beijing (BSB), Sanlitun, and Beijing No. 55 High School which offers both middle and high school in Xingfucun.

Shopping

Shopping abounds in Sanlitun, from foreign goods markets to mom and pop shops and huge malls. One major shopping and dining hub is Taikoo Li, a sprawling village-style mall with many name brand products. While many of these stores are on the pricy side, it can also be nice for window shopping and getting a walk in. Just south of Taikoo Li is Sanlitun Soho and Topwin Center. This is a great spot for getting your bubble tea fix or finding an affordable tailor to make some of your bespoke fashion fantasies come to life!

Beef tartare, Beyond Yakitori style

Dining

Beijing’s dining scene is highly developed. Besides the many western-style restaurants in Taikoo Li and the adjacent Nali Patio, there’s plenty of options at Topwin Center, like Beyond Yakatori and a popular food court in the basement. There’s also the Slow Boat Taproom, where you’ll find a wide variety of craft beer and burgers, and the neighboring Courtyard 4 which is home to Home Plate BBQ, Taco Bar, and a smattering of other foreign-friendly establishments. Xingfucun is also home to a growing number of bars and restaurants, including O’Steak, the 쑴-A Taproom, and many others at the YU food court or Yoolee Plaza.

Nali Patio is a popular spot for both high-end and casual dining

Where to Play

Beijing is a huge city with a lot of places to go and things to do, yet many venues can be intolerably crowded during the weekend. During the hot days of summer, Tuanjiehu Park is home to the downtown’s best water park, and also features roller-skating and rides. There are also serval cinemas in Sanlitun (Taikooli, Yoolee Plaza) that show a handful of Hollywood films. Just a short walk west from Taikoo Li you will spot Shimao Department Store, which is great for finding many kid-friendly activities including play learning venues, toy stores, and much more. For bibliophiles, The Bookworm is Beijing’s long running bilingual bookstore and book lending library with regular story times, baby sing groups, and other family-friendly fun that can be a great escape from the hustle and bustle of this commercial neighborhood.

This article appeared in the beijingkids June 2019 Home & Relocation Guide issue.

Photos: Kipp Whittaker