Spring is a great time to get out and enjoy the extended daylight. I hereby announce that spring is officially here in Beijing! Now, you all may be wondering what to do out in the beautiful (tragically pollen-filled) days of spring. Not to fret, I got you covered. The Beijing Wildlife Park, 北京野生动物园, is full of animal surprises to keep you entertained for at least one whole day. I got some great reasons to visit and some tips to make your visit fun! So settle in, grab some snacks, cuddle your favorite stuffed animal, and see what the Beijing Wildlife Park has to offer.

For my school PYP (Primary Year Program) project, I chose to study endangered species. I felt like I could connect with my project more if I saw some of these animals in person. Therefore, the Beijing Wildlife Park is just perfect to do some research about different animals and species! Seeing all those adorable Red Pandas and fierce Siberian Tigers really was a major thrill. This visit surely will come in handy with my PYP exhibition. I learned a lot observing these stunning animals and how the zookeepers keep them healthy and happy. If you are an animal lover, this is a wonderful place to enjoy seeing many exotic creatures. Sometimes random animals walk around randomly, and you spot one of them easily.

The Beijing Wildlife Park, 北京野生动物园, not only has animal exhibits, there are many playing areas for kids as well! There are slides around the exotic bird section, miniature carousel rides near the baboons. Near the capybara exhibit, there are several amazing playgrounds! Seeing the cute capybaras is not the only thing you can do. You are permitted to feed them and run off and play on the jungle gym right next door. And these playgrounds are actually legit and enjoyable, not like those duller rusty ones they have at hospitals. You surely will think that this was the best way to enjoy a day.

Pro Tip: At the entrance of the park, there is a stand where you can get a bag of animal feed to feed to the animals. This is included in your entrance ticket, so you do not need to pay any extra fee. However, carefully read the signs before feeding anything because there are exhibits that will prohibit you from feeding the animals.

If you are planning to visit, here are some tips that you certainly should know before you go to the Beijing Wildlife Park. First things first, you do not have to worry about packing your own snacks and supplies when going to this park. The park has provided many restaurants and food stalls where you can easily grab a bite. My eel lunch set, which included mixed rice, a large portion of eel, and steamed vegetables, costs RMB 78, and the strawberry ice cream cup costs RMB 30. It was nice to walk around the park with a soft serve in your hands.

Secondly, try to come a bit early because the park is very large.  When we went, it was not particularly crowded, and the animals were more active. However, around noon and after lunchtime, the animals are resting and taking a break under some cool shade, not as lively as before. So, if you want the best experience, come early. The animals will be mostly sleeping around noon and in the afternoon.

Note: the baboon area near the tigers is still very active and energetic even during the noon.  Also, since the park is so large, there are also many electric mini cars that you can rent and drive around the park to cover more ground.  There is also a golf car service that will drive you around the park, hitting all the most popular spots.

Some animals are allowed to be petted and fed. Like in the deer exhibit, you are allowed to pet the deer, except for the ones that the park staff stand in front of.  If you see them there watching over a pack of deer resting, you are not permitted to pet those deer. Also, if an animal is looking stressed or confused, and does not look like it wishes to be crowded by a mob of obsessed animal petters, please take a hint.  Give them some space and do not pet them. Animals deserve respect as much as we do. In one section of the Wildlife Park, you are allowed to feed the glorious lions through a hole in the glass. We would have done it, but we were not sure how safe for the lions to be fed by us without any training, and we did not want to accidentally harm the lions.

Last but certainly not least, TAKE PHOTOS.

Taking photos is a great way to keep these memories alive on your phone or camera. There is so much to see around the zoo! Even the architecture! The buildings around the exhibits have traditional Chinese styles woven into the walls and roofs.  The park did a good job of incorporating many cultural elements in the park. Another great way to savor these moments is to draw! You do not have to be an artist to sketch anything. If you enjoy sketching and drawing, just go for it! No one can stop you from doing what you love!

There is also a “Safe Driven” safari option, where you can drive your own vehicle through the park and view the animals. We did choose to do this option, but it is conveniently available!

So, there you go. Another article from me. And as always … Stay tuned. And stay reading!!!

Find it:
The Beijing Wildlife Park, 北京野生动物园
中国北京市大兴区榆垡镇
Hours: April-October: 08:30-5:30
Fee: RMB 390 for two adults and one child

If you’re looking for more family friendly things to do in Beijing, be sure to join our Events group on WeChat. Add Wilhelmina87 to join.

Images: Clark Yap

The Shunyi Animal Star World 顺义动物星世界 is a fun little menagerie of animals tucked away in 高丽营镇 past the old international airport and definitely worth a day trip for several reasons, especially during this CNY! 

1. Interactivity with the animals

Aside from buying a bag of raw veggie scraps to toss or hand feed to the various beasts housed at Shunyi Animal Star World, the reptile house was full of opportunities to get up close and personal with cold-blooded animals. Inside the warm humid indoor “greenhouse”, a jolly announcer introduced us to all sorts of reptiles living inside the clear cages and tanks. They only speak Mandarin so either have a bilingual friend or your translator handy. They were very meticulous about sanitation, always disinfecting our hands before letting us hold each scaly creature, and also made sure each visitor had a turn. The nice fella even gave us some free food to feed the fishes and turtles.

2. Animal Shows 

There are two animal shows available at Shunyi Animal Star World: the “Animal City” show at 11am in the space across the Tiger Restaurant, and the 2pm performance at the “Animal Theatre”. Truth be told, I much preferred the Animal City show as it was mostly domestic pets such as dogs, cats and even mice doing cute tricks. The other show utilised a small sun bear, monkeys and miniature horses to perform comedic skits and stunts, which my son said seemed “mean to treat wild animals like that for our entertainment”. It gave us the chance to discuss the purpose of zoos and the multi-faceted argument of keeping animals in captivity. Ultimately, the decision is yours.

3. Hedge Maze of the Beasts + Outdoor playground 

If you want to see the kings of the jungle, lions and tigers that is, you’ll have to make your way through the Maze of the Beasts to find them. The kids ran through the maze several times, the first time completely missing the point of seeing the animals. For even more outdoor fun, there’s also a good-sized outdoor play area, though you’ll have to top up RMB58 per child for it. You can buy your tickets at the little container store, where you’ll also be lured by the scent of cotton candy, pop corn and Chinese sausages!

4. Tiger Restaurant 

This was one of the major highlights of our trip. Newly opened last August in 2021, 虎餐厅 T-House or Tiger Restaurant, is a clean and fun restaurant that has one huge draw – Real Live Tigers on the premises! Come on, how much fun would it be to welcome the year of the tiger with a family photo with the tiger itself?! These majestic creatures roam an outdoor area in the center of the restaurant, so you can see them from all angles.

PRO TIP: The tigers tend to be more active later in the day, from 4pm to dusk, so schedule a late lunch or early dinner for the most fun tiger sightings!

Kids may be torn between watching the tigers and spending their time at the well-maintained indoor playground at the restaurant too! Also, if you’re into that sort of thing, a couple of tables are placed within view of a television playing kids’ cartoons.

There is also the option to host a birthday party at the restaurant’s private dining areas, which can each comfortably seat 20. The package starts from RMB5000 including food, decorations, and 3 hours’ use of the room, plus some onstage entertainment options.

PRO TIP: If you just want to dine at the Tiger Restaurant without visiting Shunyi Animal Star World, you can enter the restaurant via a back entrance, but only after 5pm. The restaurant closes at 9pm.

The staff at the restaurant are exceptionally hospitable, gifting each of our kids a small tiger keychain (my kid bought the white tiger stuffie) and even filling up our water bottles for us. They accept reservations during the weekdays, but not the weekends.

Tickets to the Shunyi Animal Star World are RMB88 each and children above 1m pay the same. Their opening hours are Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm, with final entry at 4pm.

KEEP READING: Join the Stone Lion Scavenger Hunt and Win a Private Tour With Bespoke Travel!

Images: Ray Wu, Vivienne Tseng-Rush, Dianping

Like many traditions in 2020, Golden Week will feel different this year. It’s typically the time for families to pack up and travel somewhere new, or visit another major city in China. With travel opening up but still something to approach cautiously, what to do now? 

Let’s make the best of the situation and use this week to act like a tourist in your own town. Except the tourist spots will be way too busy, so we chose a few key places that you always wanted to try but maybe never had time to go. Or you went in a flurry of travel your first month here and want to give it another shot. Or maybe you just need to make sure your family gets out of the house and doesn’t fall back into a mental state of quarantine. 

Whatever the reason, this list is a great starting point for cool little day trips. Where do you plan to go?

It’s an excellent way to practice your camera skills, too

Beijing Wildlife Park 北京野生动物园

Sure, it will be busy at this time, but get an early start and the line for safaris won’t feel that long. Hop on the shuttle or take your own vehicle through one of the two pathways to see some truly fantastic beasts. Leave your fruit in your backpack though — it isn’t allowed on one of the routes, and for good reason! 

Address: Donghulin, Daxing Yufa, Daxing District, 大兴区大兴榆垡东湖林
Hours: 8.30am – 5.30pm
Ticket Fees: RMB 80 for adults, RMB 50 for students, free for kids under 1.2 meters tall
Ph: 8921 6666
Website: www.bjwildlifepark.com

China Science and Technology Museum 中国科技馆

There are a myriad of rooms to explore here, from dinosaurs to water play to climbing jungles. Why kids love to pretend to go food shopping for hours end, I’ll never understand, but they can do that here. Parents can wait in the pretend food preparation area, where kids can “cook” up a three-course meal from their shopping trip too! If you have more than one child, I highly suggest attending in groups so you can each keep tabs of which kids are in which rooms.

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 9.30am-5pm. Closed Mondays
Address: 5 Beichen E Rd, Ao Yun Cun, Chaoyang, China (北京市朝阳区奥运村北辰东路5号)
Ticket Fee: RMB 30 per person
Ph: 5904 1000

It’s hard to find anything more exciting to explore than four levels of caves

Shihua Cave (“Stone Flower Cave”)

About 50 kilometers west of Beijing, four of these seven layers of caves are open to the public, and they look magnificent. The largest stalactite in China hangs 18 meters in its first hall, and many of its underground stones look like various natural shapes, like moonmilks which resemble lotus in their form. Situated in the Fangshen District, you’re close to mountain ranges that rival any in the world, no matter the weather. 

Hours: 8am – 5pm
Address: Yandong Rd, Fangshan District, Beijing, China 北京市房山区阎东路
Ticket Fee: RMB 70 per person
Website: www.shihuadongcave.com/news/show/contentid/175.html

Hopefully they don’t weigh your kids and by how much they ate off the vine

Daxing Grapes Sightseeing Farm

Did you know that grape picking season is only a few weeks long in Beijing? Neither did I, but maybe that’s why they welcome tourists to their farm in the Daxing District, a suburb of south Beijing renowned for not only its grapes but also pears and watermelons. Enjoy nature and a farm fresh lunch amidst a lovely day of grape picking. Nearby Caiyu also boasts a fun children’s playground and other activities surrounding the harvesting. Booking a tour guide seems to be the best way to get the whole package, including a visit to local family villages.

Address: Grape Manor China, Beijing, Daxing District, 九周路长子营, 北京市大兴区九周路长子营
Ticket Fees: vary
Website: www.tour-beijing.com

With six theme parks, Happy Valley can easily spread over multiple days.

Happy Valley Amusement Park 北京欢乐谷

Happy Valley’s themed areas such as the Wild Fjord, Aegean Harbor, Shangri-La, Lost Maya, Atlantis – you get the point. Every member of the family will find something fun to explore or ride, or just cool things to eat. The Golden Mask Dynasty Show has thrilled audiences who total more than a million. Plus, through October their one year pass is only  RMB 400, just RMB 100 more than a day pass. That’s sure to make Happy Valley your family’s happy place

Address: Wuji Beilu, Dongsihuan Lu 东四环路小武基北路
Ticket Fees: RMB 300 per day
Ph: 6738 9898
Website: http://bj.happyvalley.cn/

Gubei Water Town 古北水镇

Every time someone in a family WeChat group mentions Gubei Water Town, the response is positive. People always wanted to go, want to get a group outing together, want to return. And it’s no wonder with such a magical setting and activities to match. Gubei Water Town isn’t just a catchy name for a water play area, it is literally the entire town. Buildings picked right out of the northern courtyard style that lean against the Great Wall, with water parks and gorgeous scenery, Gubei is a trip no one in your family will soon forget.

Address: Gubei Water Town, Miyun District, Beijing 北京市密云区古北水镇
Hours: 9am – 9pm
Ticket fees: RMB 140 per person
Ph: 8100 9999

KEEP READING: A Deep Dive Into Beijing’s Best Kid-Friendly Pools!

Photos: Uni You, Cindy Marie Jenkins, Pexels

Make a stop here at Shunyi-based MK Reptile Theme Park, where families can enjoy seeing a variety of reptiles from around the world.

Covering nearly 10 hectares, the park is home to both an open air area, and an in-door exhibition area that claims to have the most complete collection of reptiles in northern China.

Rabbits and tortoises are kept at the open air area, where guests are encouraged to interact with these tamed animals, while the in-door exhibition area has an extensive collection of turtles of various species and sizes, lizards, rare snakes, fish, birds, and even crocodiles. Here, children are able to learn about the fascinating history of these animals.

The open air area

The park also hosts family-friendly events regularly, including pet talent shows, creative markets, and other outdoor activities that help children stay active outside and encourage team building. It also doesn’t hurt that there is also great live music on the premises.

Finally, there is also a vegetable garden open to the picking public, which is also a great experience for kids to be close with nature and learn about the magic of vegetables.

Family-friendly events are held regularly

All ages. RMB 45 per person (free for children under 1.2m and those aged above 60, check the website for tickets). 10am-6pm. MK Reptile Theme Park (Yu’an Road, Ximagezhuang, Gaoliying, Shunyi district 北京市顺义区-高丽营镇裕安路; 185 1901 7909 / 189 1034 7110).

Photos: courtesy of MK Reptile Theme Park

As a parent of animal-loving kids, I’ve written before about feeling conflicted when it comes to zoos. My children love to see and learn about wildlife; but I have serious concerns about the standards of animal welfare in many zoos, particularly (it must be said) in Asia.

So it’s a pleasure to be able to report on a zoo with ethics and care for animals at its heart. Having exhausted the pleasures of Vientiane inside a day or so, I stumbled across the Laos Wildlife Rescue Centre (LWRC) via an online search. Getting there proved to be a little trickier though. It didn’t seem to be on any of the tour itineraries, and in the end we had to hire a minibus and driver to take us there. At a cost of USD 120 this was extravagant for a family of four, but we justified it to ourselves on the basis that everything else in Laos was so cheap.

However I was glad that we made the effort, though I was concerned at first. The people behind the Wildlife Rescue Centre are working in partnership with the Lao Zoo, and at the entrance it appeared to be a rather downbeat and old-fashioned place, with deer and turtles as the first animals you encounter.

However it’s a huge site, and the deeper you explore the more you discover the scope and potential of the project. The owners are working to improve conditions for all the animals, and training the staff to provide better care. And behind the older buildings are larger enclosures where the rescued animals are looked after.

The bears at the LWRC are contented and curious

Many of these are bears. Tragically the Asian black bear is hunted and bred for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine, often being caged with its bile tapped via a tube. The Wildlife Centre has a policy of “rescue, rehabilitate, and release”, and most of the animals we saw – contented in big, varied spaces, and showing no signs of distress – are destined to return to the wild.

Sadly some of the zoo’s inhabitants are too damaged by their treatment at the hands of human beings that they can never be released. We could only imagine what had happened to the mandrill which paced in tiny circles in its cage, and my children voiced their disgust aloud at the visitors who were teasing it to get it to “perform” for them.

Not all the primates were distressed. The elegant lar gibbons showed off for us their skill at swinging from branch to branch, in a natural expression of their territorial rights. The volunteer that we met talked about them by name, enthusiastically describing their different personalities.

A lar gibbon poses, elegant as a dancer

My boys were also delighted by the binturongs. This beautiful animal is known as a “bearcat”, though it is neither bear nor cat, but actually a species of civet. Among other highlights for us were the impossibly cute lorises, and a large collection of crocodiles.

Crocodiles laze in the sun

The zoo is still a work in progress, but an impressive amount has been achieved in the short time since the LWRC was established. If you are visiting Vientiane or Vang Vieng, then I would urge you to get to the Centre (it’s roughly halfway in between), and support the important work they do in preserving endangered species and rescuing vulnerable animals from cruel captivity.

To find out more about how you can support the Laos Wildlife Rescue Centre, visit their website: www.laoswildliferescuecentre.com

Photos: Andrew Killeen

One of the old adages spoken about school subjects by lazy school kids who didn’t want to do their homework was “how is this going to help me in real life?” The G4 project, an important part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, is the perfect response demonstrating how four key subjects fit together and can be applied to real life problems.

BWYA Grade 11 science and design students visit Beijing Zoo for this year’s G4 project

Called the Group 4 project, it is a collaborative activity in which biology, chemistry, physics, and design technology students bring together all of their knowledge in order to find a solution to a real world problem. For Beijing World Youth Academy’s (BWYA) grade 11 scientists this meant taking a walk on the wild side to work on a very special project featuring Beijing Zoo. The students were split into groups with each group allocated an animal currently found in Beijing Zoo. They were then asked to address the question, “How can we build a better enclosure for your given animal?”

What are zoo guys looking at?

The groups got up close and personal with their allocated animal during a recent visit to the Zoo in order to see for themselves the current living conditions each animal experiences and how they could call on all their science and design skills to create a better living space for each creature.

Student Chan Young Park’s group looked at the enclosure of the Red Tailed Monkey. He said, “The G4 project is really interesting as we get to apply all of the knowledge we pick up in the classroom. Also, when we work as a team, one person might be really good at design, another at biology, and so on, so everyone in the group can play to their strengths and make a contribution. You can really see the links between the theories we cover in the classroom and what happens out in the real world.

Making it better – a BWYA G4 team inspects their animals enclosure

“We found that the Red Tailed Monkey enclosure needs a bit of work. The biggest issue that we found that would be easiest to fix is the water supply. At the moment it is just an uncovered metal bowl that is open to pollutants and our suggestion would be to design a new system that includes flowing water to help keep it clean and healthy for the animals. Building something like that would use our knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics and design at the same time.”

Eric Jung and his group looked at the Black Backed Jackal enclosure. He said, “I found my design skills to be really useful for this project. Having a knowledge of materials, how the environment affects them, and how to manipulate them really helped my group develop our solution.

“The Black Backed Jackal enclosure was really small for this type of animal, but there isn’t much we can do about that. According to our research though, we know that they like to sleep in humid, cave-like conditions and this is something we can definitely work into our design.”

G4 project team discusses their plans for improving their animals environment

Daniel Kweon’s group was allocated the Fennec Fox. He said, “These are really cute animals but in the wild they are endangered and need protecting. The enclosure at the zoo had a solid floor, even though these animals like to dig and live in tunnels under the ground. Our solution is to focus on this and create a living space that allows them dig and move around under the surface.”

Daniel added: “When you are in the classroom and focusing on each individual subject to get a good grade, it’s hard to look up sometimes and make connections between everything. The G4 project gives us a chance to go into the real world and see how everything works together. It’s also fun when get to work on a project that you can be excited and passionate about.”

After completing their field research, the teams of BWYA scientists will go back to the classroom to finalize their designs and prepare to present them to the rest of the class.

Glenn Jenkin, Head of Science at BWYA, said that he was really pleased with how all of the groups really applied themselves to the project. “The Group 4 project is really valuable as it demonstrates how all of the science disciplines fit together and relate to the real world, it also shows how science is everywhere and in everything we do” he added. “The students have to approach the project using robust scientific methods and data collection and communicate their findings in a clear way. It also helps them to work as a team so as well has improving their scientific skills they are working on skills that will help them in all walks of life.”

One of the key strengths of the IB curriculum that sets it apart from alternative programmes is its emphasis on applying classroom knowledge to real life situations and problems. Some of the best learning can take place outside of the classroom, as we see in BWYA’s G4 project. It’s hard to say “how is this going to be useful in real life” when you are standing facing a problem and applying all your knowledge and skills, as well as working as a team, to solve it.

This post is provided for by BYWA

Photos: BWYA 

On our recent trip to Harbin, we visited Polarland. This was Joseph’s choice of activity, as it was his seventh birthday, and he loves animals. In the aquarium section, the boys enjoyed marvelling at the fish, and I enjoyed watching the wonder on their faces. However as the visit went on I found myself more and more uncomfortable.

To see arctic wolves, which in the wild roam over a territory tens of kilometers across, languishing in a tank some fifty meters square was depressing. The polar bears appeared distressed, pacing and shaking their heads. When we reached the arctic foxes, one of Joseph’s favorite animals, he refused even to look at them.

The intended climax of a visit to Polarland is the sea lion show. A walrus and a sea lion performed the familiar tricks, clapping, catching rings, turning somersaults, mimicking human gestures with their flippers. The boys were hugely entertained, there appeared to be genuine affection between the trainers and the animals, which were rewarded with fish throughout. Nonetheless I felt queasy.

Obviously it’s not “natural” for mammals to repeat these activities on cue, four times a day. But humans are part of “nature”, and if the animals have adapted to these behaviors in exchange for being safe and well-fed, then it’s no weirder than many other cross-species relationships. Yet I was left with a sense that in some way, their behavior was not “dignified”.

From here, all sorts of difficult questions arise. Do animals have “dignity”, or is the idea anthropomorphic, in the same way that the walrus appears to be embarrassed when it puts its flipper over its eyes? Is there any rational basis for my feeling that fish in tanks are OK, but mammals aren’t?

Zoos defend their existence on the basis of educational value, and because they are preserving endangered animals. As a parent there is a selfish imperative to instill an understanding of the natural world in our children, and an even more selfish pleasure in watching their joy. Is it fair to deprive them of these experiences, or are we just making excuses to indulge ourselves?

Anybody who doesn’t follow a strict vegan lifestyle has to make decisions, about how they treat animals, or allow animals to be treated for their benefit. As I’ve written before, I have little sympathy with anyone who is squeamish about eating insects but buys eggs from battery hens. I am aware though that the lines I draw are more than a little arbitrary.

I was left with many questions but no answers. Towards the end of our visit, we came to the beluga whales. There are many who believe that cetaceans (whales and dolphins) should be legally recognised as people, granted the same rights and protections as human beings. One whale came to look at us through the glass, apparently displaying the same curiosity that motivated us. I was glad my children had the opportunity to see these beautiful creatures. But we didn’t stay to see them perform.