The World of Water

Beijing has been in the midst of a heat wave since the beginning of June. So what can you do to beat the heat of Beijing's hot summer days and nights? Beijing This Month offers a menu of chilled delights, hoping that you can enjoy the season.

Lakeview Waterpark

With about 100,000 square meters of pools, slides, inner tube rides, or restaurants, shops, drink stalls, Lakeview Waterpark is one of the largest water theme parks in China.

The theme is Caribbean. When walking into the park, people often dive straight into the Grenada Surf Beach Wave Pool and never leave. Whether floating on a tube or flapping about in the surf, this 3,000-square-meter pool with its eight wave modes and crystal clear water is really the heart of the park.

Other attractions include the Jamaica body slide, Bahamas Mamas tube slide, the Amazon Lazy River, Caribbean interactive island, interactive pool, tots play pool, spa and a vortex pool especially designed for families and children.

Ticket: 50 yuan for adults Monday to Friday, 80 yuan for adults on weekends; 40 yuan for children and students (everyday)

By bus: round trip, 30 yuan

Departure: Xuanwumen, east of the Church (8 a.m.) - Qianmen, near the bus station for No. 120 buses (8:15 a.m.) - Chongwenmen, near the No. 103 bus station (8:30 a.m.) - Dongzhimen, near the No. 117 bus station (8:45 a.m.) - Lakeview Park (10 a.m.).

Return: 4p.m.

By train: round trip, 12 yuan; one-way, 8 yuan

Tickets can be bought at the Beijing Railway Station and Beijing North Railway Station ticket offices.

Tourist Train 1, From Beijing Railway Station to Lakeview Waterpark (Fan Ge Zhuang) 8:32 a.m.

Tourist Train 2, From Lakeview Waterpark to Beijing Railway Station 4:01p.m.

Tourist Train 3, From Xizhimen Railway Station to Lakeview Waterpark (Fan Ge Zhuang) 7:18 a.m.

Tourist Train 4, from Lakeview Waterpark to Xizhimen Railway Station 6:40 p.m.

Tel: (86-10)5166 1575, 8521 9699

Shijingshan Water World

This consists of large slides, man-made wave pools, special-shaped swimming pools, children? swimming pools, the first family raft slides and a wave-swaying slide.

The family raft slide is 11 meters high and 135 meters long. Visitors take the rubber rafts downstream in a 2.2-meter-wide trough made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic.

The high-speed slides' slopes dip 30 degrees and 60 degrees.

Ticket: 20 yuan (adult), 15 yuan (children, less than 1.4 meters high).

Change at Fuxingmen and take the red-line subway to Bajiaocun. The park is north of the subway station.

Tel: (86-10)5166 1575, 8521 9699

Yuyuantan Waterpark

The 18,000-square-meter water park is located in the inner city and is accessible by subway.

The park consists of four parts: a children's play area, slide area, adult swimming area and a wave pool with 30-centimeter high man-made waves.

Admission Ticket: 2 yuan per adult; 1 yuan per child

The park is north of the Military Museum subway station.

Tel: (86-10)5166 1575, 8521 9699

Drifting on Gui River

The Gui River, dubbed the Rhein River of the East, is tops among 8 major scenic spots in Yanqing County. It is said the beauty of Yanqing is attributed to Gui River. The river has a 1,500-year-old reputation for charm, and it was a favorite resort of Jin and Yuan Dynasty emperors.

A great deal of fun can be had floating down the Gui River in small boat on a hot summer day. The 30-li-long waterway snakes through 100 turns and bends. You can enjoy quiet and exquisite scenery on the banks and experience the excitement of rushing water.

Four hundred floating boats can accommodate as many as 3,000 tourists at a time. Tourists can also enjoy picking fruit or and vegetables nearby, visit a deer garden or reside in a farmer's house.

Ticket for drifting: 100 yuan per person

Take Bus: No. 919 at Deshengmen.

Tel: (86-10)5166 1575, 8521 9699