Beijing Hotels: Places of Refuge After a Day’s Trip With Nature
Mainland China, which stretches for 5,026 kilometers from the expansive deserts and mountainous regions in the West to the calm seas of the East, is graced to encompass differing climates: from tropical in the South to subarctic in the North. This varying landscape continues to add color to the country’s rich history and dynamic future.
This uniqueness in geography paved the way for the proliferation of numerous habitats for terrestrial, aquatic and arboreal creatures. The country hosts many kinds of species that are unique in this part of the world. That is why the Chinese government has set up numerous zoos throughout the country to preserve the lives of these animals. A tourist can definitely find one wherever he may be, be it in Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong.
The Beijing Zoo is located in the western part of the city, near the Astronomical Observatory. Similar to most of the parks found in Beijing, the zoo has a distinctive look of some Chinese gardens. The surroundings combine beautiful flower arrangements with pieces of natural scenery, including thick tree groves, wide grasslands, lotus pools, a stream and pavilions and halls scattered in small hills. The subway, connected to many of the hotels in Beijing, provides the quickest transportation to the place.
Previously recognized as The Ten Thousand Animal Garden, the zoo recently celebrated its centennial in 2008. It was a regal mansion under the Ming dynasty. Plants were cultivated and animals were raised during the Qing dynasty. Following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, it was renovated and renamed the West Suburb Park. The zoo finally got its present name in 1955.
The structures found within the zoo’s grounds cover an area of more than 50,000 square meters, including the lion, tiger and panda halls which total to about 30 halls. The Beijing Ocean Hall, a new addition to the complex and is considered the biggest in the country, opened to the public in 1999. One can see a wide range of fish species where they can be entertained by dolphins and sea lions.
The Beijing Zoo is where you can find popular exhibits such as the White-lipped deer, Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey, Manchurian tigers and Tibetan yaks. You can also see Australian kangaroos and African zebras here. Among these, the Giant Pandas remain to be the focal draw.
Since the zoo is a center for zoological research, it studies and reproduces exceptional animals from different continents around the world.
The animals in the Beijing Zoo will surely bring out the kid in each of its visitors. Since Beijing hotels can be located within minutes from the site, tourists need not fret. From cuddly bears to slithery snakes, one will definitely be enthralled by their performances. These animals will surely make you want to ask for more.
E. Larson is a long-time expatriate in Beijing, China. He works closely with the Hongkun Beijing Hotel and many other beijing hotels. Go to his website on the Hongkun Beijing Hotel here.
