My last day in Beijing. It was my last day. I had time for today about 1PM because I had to catch the flight back to Bangkok at 4.50PM. So, for today, I planned to visit 2 places which are the landmarks of Beijing, Temple of Heaven (The UNESCO World Heritage site) and Lama Temple.
As mentioned, I had limited time and to avoid crowded queue at ticket counter to entry both places, I had purchased advance online tickets from Trip.com and Klook.com for temple of heaven (8.50 USD/person) and Lama temple (6.8 USD/person) respectively. E-ticket had been sent to email and app with QR code which is able to use it to pass the entrance conveniently. 🤩
On this day, I woke up about 7.30AM to take shower, get dressed, had easy breakfast, checked out from the hotel and deposited by baggage at hotel lobby. I would come back to pick it up about 1PM.
The first place what I would visit was Temple of Heaven which is able to reach by Subway Line 5 – Tiantan Dongmen Station. I arrived there at 8.45AM. Even it was early Sunday morning, but the visitor was packed. I thought I was right to buy the online ticket in advance as the queue at ticket counter was quite long.
Temple of Heaven is one of the most famous historic sites in Beijing. It was built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty and was used by emperors to pray for good harvests and peace for the country. The temple complex is very large and is surrounded by beautiful parks and ancient trees. The most famous building is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a round wooden hall with a blue roof that has become a symbol of Beijing. Another interesting place is the Echo Wall, where sound can travel along the curved wall. The Temple of Heaven is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a must-visit place for travelers who want to learn about Chinese history and culture. The opening time is 6AM – 9PM daily.
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At 10AM, I left Temple of Heaven and caught subway line 5 to the next place, Lama Temple which is able to reach by Yonghegong Lama Temple station. Upon I arrived at the main gate, the queue to pass the ticket checkpoint was long. I waited about 15 minutes to get in.
Lama Temple, also called Yonghe Temple, is one of the most famous Tibetan Buddhist temples in Beijing, China. It was first built in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty as a residence for Prince Yong, who later became Emperor Yongzheng. After he became emperor, the building was turned into a Buddhist temple. Today, Lama Temple is an important place for Tibetan Buddhism and a popular attraction for visitors. The temple complex has beautiful halls, colorful decorations, and many large Buddhist statues. One of the most impressive sights is the giant Maitreya Buddha statue carved from a single piece of sandalwood. Lama Temple is open daily, 9AM – 5PM.
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I walked from south end (main entrance) of Lama Temple to north end and visited almost every hall. Thousands of people on Sunday morning in the temple made it feels supreme sacred. About noon, it was the time to bid farewell to Lama Temple and Beijing to back to the hotel to grab my deposited baggage before heading to the airport by Beijing Capital AirPort Express Train to take flight back to Bangkok.
Finally, my Beijing trip was over with impressive even it was just 3 days here. But it made me feel fulfilled as I could make one more step in my life. Beijing had thought me what the thousands years heritage city is. If you are looking for the city with rich of culture and history, Beijing must be in the top of your bucket list. See you again next trip. 😁
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Written by : Shipy Siwarit Tiasuwattiseth
Shipy-Ship 