All provinces
The word park covers a forest the size of a small county and a lawn with a pond, and in China it covers both under the same sign. Whether a famous view is fenced and ticketed depends on the place rather than on the fame: West Lake in Hangzhou has no gate, and the larger East Lake in Wuhan has none either.
So the tables lead with the gate. 76 of these 247 places are open at all hours; the rest have opening times, and the gate often shuts well before the park empties. The background is on the parks page.
9 kinds
What the Labels Mean
| Kind | Places | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Geopark (地质公园) | 68 | a landform with a UNESCO label on it, such as the sandstone of Zhangye or the volcanoes of Wudalianchi |
| Mountain and forest (森林/山岳) | 61 | the mountains and named scenic spots, the layer most visitors mean, usually fenced and ticketed |
| Historic garden or scenic site (历史名园/名胜) | 38 | a garden or site that was laid out rather than found |
| Wetland and lake (湿地/湖泊) | 34 | a path around water, a pavilion and somewhere to sit; most of the city ones are free |
| City park (城市综合公园) | 22 | the neighbourhood park that opens early for the people who live around it |
| Specialist park (专类公园) | 9 | the botanical garden and the zoo |
| Grassland (草原) | 7 | open grassland, worth timing rather than entering |
| Theme park (主题乐园) | 6 | built as an attraction, ticketed like one |
| Country park (郊野/生态公园) | 2 | the edge of the city, left rough on purpose |
42 places
North China (华北)
| Province | Places | Most common kind |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing (北京市) | 12 | Historic garden or scenic site, 7 |
| Hebei (河北省) | 7 | Mountain and forest, 4 |
| Inner Mongolia (内蒙古自治区) | 11 | Geopark, 6 |
| Shanxi (山西省) | 7 | Geopark, 3 |
| Tianjin (天津市) | 5 | Mountain and forest, 2 |
27 places
Northeast China (东北)
| Province | Places | Most common kind |
|---|---|---|
| Heilongjiang (黑龙江省) | 14 | Wetland and lake, 7 |
| Jilin (吉林省) | 6 | Wetland and lake, 2 |
| Liaoning (辽宁省) | 7 | Mountain and forest, 5 |
53 places
East China (华东)
24 places
Central China (华中)
26 places
South China (华南)
51 places
Southwest China (西南)
24 places
Northwest China (西北)
Which Ones Need a Whole Day
A city park is an hour before dinner. A geopark can be a full day with a shuttle and a cable car, and the gate closes earlier than the park does. Tell our local team where you will be and they will say which of these fit the day you have.