Daxing

Beijing's Daxing district offers outings ranging from Daxing International Airport and wetland habitats to imperial gardens and educational family activities. It suits both relaxed weekends and family trips. Below is a guide to local sights, dining, accommodation and itineraries.

• Nanhaizi Park: Beijing's largest wetland park offers free admission. The Milu Deer Garden is a main attraction, where you can watch free-roaming milu deer and peacocks. Electric carts are available to rent, and sightseeing boats run around the lake. It is a good spot for walks and family outings.

• Beijing Wildlife Park: Covering 3,600 mu (about 240 hectares), the park has a predator zone, a self-drive zone and a walking zone. A free sightseeing train passes animals such as giraffes and zebras. In the predator zone, visitors can feed animals from a caged vehicle, and the park also holds animal behavior demonstrations.

• Tuanhe Imperial Palace Ruins Park: This imperial retreat was first built during the reign of the Qing dynasty's Qianlong Emperor. Admission is now free. Lotus flowers on the lake and traditional-style covered walkways are the main sights. Lanterns light up in the evening, giving the grounds a different atmosphere from daytime.

• Yongding Park: This large ecological park in southern Beijing was built in recent years on former mudflats along the Yongding River. In autumn, visitors can see sunflower fields spanning around 100 mu (about 6.7 hectares), pink muhly grass and golden rice paddies. The varied scenery offers opportunities to capture four different landscape elements in a single photograph.

• Yalugu Tropical Botanical Garden: Mainly devoted to indoor tropical plant displays, the garden houses a variety of rare tropical plants and hosts performances showcasing ethnic traditions. Families can plan a full day here, with indoor visits unaffected by the weather.

Dining Suggestions

• Chengji Shanxian Lamb Soup Restaurant: This long-established Daxing restaurant specializes in lamb soup and lamb hot pot served in copper pots. The soup is rich and savory, while the hot pot uses charcoal-heated copper pots. The dining space has an old Beijing feel.

• Ziguangyuan: This affordable halal restaurant chain is known for its rich yogurt topped with a layer of milk skin, a refreshing finish to a meal. Prices at its airport branch are the same as at its city branches, and the yogurt is easy to take away.

• Yuejingxi · Handmade Shunde Cuisine: Located in the LIVAT shopping area, this restaurant serves thin rice noodle rolls and steam-cooked “sauna” dishes that retain the flavors of Shunde cuisine. Around RMB 60–70 per person buys a filling meal, and the restaurant has a good local reputation.

• Chengdu Lao Caiguan: This long-running restaurant sits beneath a residential building. Its kidney and liver dishes are tender, while the frog meat in its frog-and-shrimp dish is plump. The menu is best suited to diners who enjoy bold, rich flavors.

• Yangyang Chinese Food: One of the everyday dining options for Daxing residents, this restaurant offers affordable shrimp shumai and wontons in bone broth. It is useful for a quick meal during your trip.

Accommodation Suggestions

• Palace Hotel (Daxing Airport Terminal Branch): This hotel offers a good balance of price and amenities, with an airport shuttle every half hour. Well-soundproofed rooms and a quiet setting make it suitable for an overnight flight connection.
• Beijing Yuanhang Garden Hotel: Opened in 2025, this hotel has relatively new facilities and triple-glazed soundproof windows for a quiet stay. Airport transfers are included, and there is a convenience store on the ground floor.

• Muxi Hot Springs (Jiugong Branch): An option for budget travelers or those interested in experiencing Chinese bathhouse culture. A group-buy admission deal plus the overnight fee costs less than RMB 100 in total. The lounge provides tents and sofa beds, along with free fruit.
• Daxing Hotel / Hilton Hotel: Families and travelers who place a higher priority on comfort can consider these two hotels. Both have convenient access to everyday amenities and are well placed for trips to the LIVAT shopping area and Paradise Walk.

Two-Day Itinerary

• Day 1: Wetlands and Milu Deer Watching
  • Morning: Enter Nanhaizi Park through the south gate, then take a shuttle or rent an electric cart to the Milu Deer Garden. Watch milu deer and peacocks, and explore the wetland scenery of “Autumn Breeze over the Southern Hunting Grounds.”
  • Afternoon: Picnic or camp in the designated areas on the Xunfeng Garden lawn in Phase II of the park. Alternatively, walk along the lake and photograph the reed beds.
  • Evening: Take a taxi to Longfor Beijing Daxing Paradise Walk or the LIVAT shopping area for Shunde cuisine or copper-pot lamb hot pot, followed by some shopping.
• Day 2: Wildlife Learning or Imperial Gardens
  • Option A (Family Outing): Set aside the full day for Beijing Wildlife Park. After it opens at 8:30 a.m., head to the predator zone for a caged-vehicle ride. Watch an animal behavior demonstration at midday, then take the free sightseeing train through the self-drive zone in the afternoon and stop for photos at Blue Town.
  • Option B (Culture and Leisure): Spend the morning visiting the traditional-style waterside pavilions and covered walkways at Tuanhe Imperial Palace Ruins Park, photographing the gardens and cultural features. In the afternoon, head to Yongding Park for autumn flower fields and rice paddies, then watch the sunset by the river.

Transport and Visitor Tips

• Getting Around: Daxing's attractions are spread out, so driving or taking taxis makes it easier to travel between them. By subway, take Line 8 to Demao Station for Nanhaizi Park. For Tuanhe Imperial Palace and Yongding Park, Xihongmen or Yihezhuang stations on Line 4 are options.
• Milu Deer Garden Opening Schedule: The garden is usually closed on Tuesdays, except on public holidays, so check before setting out. Nanhaizi Park remains open free of charge during the closure, and you can still watch the deer from the viewing platform outside the fence.
• Transport Within the Parks: Beijing Wildlife Park and Nanhaizi Park cover large areas, and a day's visit may involve more than 10,000 steps. Wear comfortable walking shoes, or rent a mobility cart or take an electric shuttle to reduce walking.
• Camping Restrictions: At Nanhaizi Park and Yongding Park, tents and picnic mats are allowed only in designated areas. Open flames and barbecues are prohibited. Arrive early if you plan to camp on a weekend so you can find a spot.
• Visiting Daxing Airport: If your schedule allows, arrive at Daxing Airport three hours before your flight to explore the interior and photograph its architecture. After security, food options include Bee Cheng Hiang toast, Ziguangyuan milk-skin yogurt and Xiaodiao Pear Soup.