Nanjing’s summers are exhaustingly hot which has led me, and probably many others, to while away several hours anywhere with decent air-conditioning or cold drinks.  Some days, though, you’ll no doubt want to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Below are some suggestions of ways to spend the long summer days in and around Nanjing.

 
Photo: Kevin Dooley

1) Tangshan Hot springsView In Map

Tangshan town, just outside of Nanjing has several hot spring resorts. The most expensive resort features private villas with your own hot spring pool.  The most popular option is the Easpring resort which has 70 different public pools including a coffee scented pool and a pool full of tiny fish that will nibble at all your dead skin, giving you an all natural exfoliation treatment.

Nanjing’s official tourism website has a guide to the hotsprings here.

Add:  Easpring, No. 8 Wenquan Road, Tangshan Town, Jiangning District
江宁区汤山街道温泉路8号
Tel:   025 5119 0666
Price: 100 RMB per person to enter the hot springs zone for hotel guests,  218 RMB for outside guests
Website:  www.nj.ea-spring.com
How to get there:  Easiest by car.  There are normally plenty of taxis available outside the resort.

Tangshan also has a few areas of interest which can be added to a day trip:

• Nanjing Homo Erectus Caves Scenic Spot 古猿人洞景区 View In Map

Tangshan Neighborhood, Outside Zhongshan Gate, Jiangning District, Tangshan
汤山市江宁区中山门外汤山街道古猿人洞景区
Tel: 025 8411 1108
Opening hours: 08:30-16:30 (summer); 08:30-16:00 (winter)
Price: RMB 27
Getting there: Take bus No. 123 to Tangshan Rongdong station (汤山溶洞站）

• Ming Culture VillageView In Map

Add:8 West Wenquan Xi Lu, Tangshan Neighborhood, Jiangning District, Tangshan
汤山市 江宁区汤山街道温泉西路8号
Opening hours: Open daily 08:00-17:00
Price:  50 RMB
Getting there: Take bus No. 123 to Tangshan Zhongxue station (汤山中学)

• Nanjing Happy Magic Water CubeView In Map

Nanjing Happy Magic Water Cube, one of the largest water parks in Asia, is in Tangshan near the hot springs. The water park consists of six areas: Surfing, a fake beach, water slides, children’s play area, ‘fantastic drifting’, and a spa.  Throughout the day you can watch displays of surfing and join in organised games.  Weekends are crowded and have long queues so if possible go Mon-Fri.

Add: Nanjing Happy Magic Water Cube
Huanglishu, Tangshan Street, Jiangning District, Tangshan
汤山市江宁区汤山街道黄栗墅
Tel:  025 8410 5666
Opening hours:  10:00-21:00 (Mon-Fri); 09:30-21.30 (Sat- Sun)
Price: 180RMB, with discounts available after 5.30pm.
Getting there: Take bus No 123 to Huanglishu station (黄栗墅站)

• Yueya Hu Park

Yueya Hu park has a mini children’s theme park.  Most of the rides are for toddlers, but there is a vertigo-inducing pirate ship for older children (and adults) which gives a great view of the lake.  The bumper cars are also very popular, and have a fairly long driving time.  You buy tickets from the kiosk and then use them to pay for the rides. 

Add: Yueya Hu Park 月牙湖公园 View In Map
69,  Muxuyuan Dajie, Qinhai District, Nanjing
南京市秦淮区苜蓿园大街69
Opening times:  09:00-17:00 depending on the weather.
Price: Ticket prices vary between 5- 20 RMB per ride.
Getting there:  Take bus No. 4, 17, 25, 29, 51, 52 to Tiantangcun station (天堂村站）

• Laoshan National Forest Park

This park allows BBQ’s and is advertised as having an activity called ‘grass sliding’.

Add: Laoshan National Forest Park 老山国家森林公园 View In Map
Pukou District, Nanjing
南京市浦口区
Getting there: Take bus No. 607, 608, 610, 611 to Forest Park station (森林公园）
Price:  33 RMB

5) Xuanwu Lake Park
Xuanwu lake has five islands in the centre which are all connected by bridges.  It will take about five hours for the walk, alternatively you can take the sightseeing bus RMB 30 per person per trip.  Part of the lake is a hot spot for locals to catch small fish and you can even see businessmen still in suits with a phone clamped to their ear, the other hand dangling a fishing rod into the water. There are various locations where you can rent a boat for 30 minutes or 1 hour, the price depends on the type of boat.

Add: Xuanwu Lake Park 玄武湖公园View In Map
1, Xuanwuxiang, Xuanwu District, Nanjing  
南京市玄武区玄武巷1号
Price:  free
Opening hours:  Daily  06.00- 20:00
Getting there:  Take Line 1 to Xuanwumen station （宣武门站）

6) Zijin Mountain (紫金山)
During the summer couples roam the mountain posing for wedding photographs which can make a good spectacle for people-watching.  There are a number of places to visit here, including Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum, the Ming DynastyXiaoling Tomb, Nanjing Underworld Aquarium and Zijin Mountain Observatory.  There are several restaurants and small shops selling drinks.  Electric boats are 40rmb per hour.
How to get there: Metro Line 1 runs along the mountain at Xumuyuan, Zhongshanling, Linggusi and Maqun stations. The major hiking entrance is on Taipingmen Road near Baima Park.

7) Mochou Lake Park
Famous for hosting the annual dragon boat race, this park is a good choice for your own boating expedition.

Add: Mochou Lake Park 莫愁湖公园 View In Map
35 Hanzhongmen Da Jie, Jianye District, Nanjing
南京市建邺区汉中门大街35号
Getting there:  Take Line 2 to Mochou Lake station (莫愁湖站）
Opening hours: Daily 06.00- 22.00 (winter); 06.00-23.00 (summer)
Price: 27 RMB

8) Fly a kite
Kite flying is a popular pastime among the Chinese.  If you can find a busy plaza, chances are there are kite vendors around.  Near the Olympic stadium there is a plaza where people fly glow in the dark neon kites and lanterns.  Phoenix plaza near Baijiahu, Jiangning is also a popular kiting spot and has several public dance classes including salsa (if you can keep up with the old ladies who are scarily proficient).

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Keywords: Parks in Nanjing Outdoor activities Nanjing