Night tours offer cooler way to enjoy city's beauty spots

Multiple tourist attractions in Beijing have extended their visiting hours and introduced nighttour products amid the scorching summer heat, allowing visitors to rediscover the national capital from a different perspective, China Tourism News reported.

The Great Wall, for example, has introduced night tour options across a number of its sections.

Luo Xing, executive deputy general manager of Beijing Mutianyu Great Wall Tourism Services, said:"To provide visitors with a unique experience of the Great Wall, the Mutianyu section has extended its operating hours until 9 pm starting from July 1. The night tour program will run until Aug 31."

The Mutianyu section has switched on its arrow hole lights, light strips and other lighting fixtures on the parts open for night tours, making it an ideal place for photography, according to Luo.

Mutianyu is also hosting a range of activities that highlight traditional Chinese culture, such as traditional garment exhibitions, Chinese zither performances and dance shows.

"Visiting the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall at night was the best decision for my trip to Beijing," said a tourist surnamed Liu from Jiangsu province. "The temperature at dusk was perfect and witnessing the stunning sunset glow on the Great Wall was a truly remarkable experience."

At Beihai Park, visitors can watch performances of traditional art such as Kunqu Opera and face-changing while enjoying imperial delicacies during a relaxing night experience. A Beijing resident with the surname Zhang shared that visiting Beihai Park in the evening provided him a chance to experience a traditional lifestyle, different from his previous visits.

Meanwhile, Yuyuantan Park is hosting the third Beijing International Light Art Season. The event takes place in an outdoor space of 19,000 square meters and features 15 immersive scenes that bring light and shadow to life.

Scenes include Cloud Land, Mystery Light and Tree of Life. The installations blend nature with digital technology, offering visitors a mesmerizing and futuristic experience.

However, some tourists have concern over the high prices of night tours, which they feel do not offer good value for money. They also believe that supporting services for night tours are inadequate.

According to the Summer Night Tour Report 2023 by the China Tourism Academy, 95 percent of surveyed Chinese citizens plan to go on night tours this year.

The report also notes that night tours in some summer resorts lack the necessary scenes, activities, products and services to meet the needs of tourists. To address this, the report suggests creating diverse cultural spaces, enriching night-tour experiences and improving public facilities and services.