After days packed with history, endless steps along ancient walls, and weaving through the alleys of old Beijing, we had one final day left before our flight home. Our departure was scheduled for the evening, so we had the whole day to spare – and we decided to take it easy this time. No intense hikes, no early-morning wall-climbing marathons – just something lighter, so we wouldn’t be sweating through the city with our backpacks like camels in the desert.
Luckily, we had one major advantage – we left our large suitcases at the reception of our Holiday Inn hotel and explored the city hands-free, just carrying small backpacks and waist bags. So where did we go? We discovered Beijing World Park – a place filled with miniature replicas of the world’s most famous landmarks. Imagine a Chinese version of “Tatralandia-style,” but way bigger – and with a bonus zoo on top.
As soon as we stepped out of the metro station, the gates to this enormous park opened up in front of us. And we immediately knew – this was exactly what we needed for our last day: a relaxing little trip around the world. 🌍✨
Beijing World Park
The first thing that greeted us at the entrance was a miniature version of the Sydney Opera House – smaller, of course, but crafted down to the last detail, just like the real one in Australia. We started exploring the park from the left side and soon stumbled upon a local zoo, which turned out to be a lovely surprise. Believe it or not, the first thing we saw was a white deer – not your usual forest roe deer, but a majestic creature that looked like it stepped straight out of a fairytale.
But the real stars of the zoo were the capybaras – those giant “guinea pigs on steroids” that were just chilling there while people took pictures of them like they were Hollywood celebrities. I couldn’t help but laugh, saying they looked like a beaver and a guinea pig had made a deal to start bulking up on protein. 😄
Next, we walked into the Egyptian section, where the majestic Sphinx stared us down, and right beside it stood a set of small pyramids. For a few yuan, you could walk through a corridor connecting the pyramids, but it felt a bit like a tourist trap – so we decided to skip it and move on. And it was the right call, because just ahead of us stood the London Tower Bridge, which you could actually walk across. Of course, we had to take a few photos to prove that we were “in London and Beijing at the same time.” 🇬🇧📸
But the most striking part came right after – we stumbled upon a mini version of Lower Manhattan. And when we saw the Twin Towers – the World Trade Center – we honestly got chills. That’s when it hit us that this park had clearly been around for quite some time, since the towers were still standing. It felt strange – a mix of nostalgia and reflection, knowing all that had happened in New York. Yet here they were, frozen in time.
From Rome to Angkor Wat – The Whole World in One Beijing World Park
We also came across a water world – a smaller area with attractions where families with kids were enjoying pools, slides, and all sorts of water fun. We didn’t really plan to spend time there, but it was nice to watch the locals having a blast.
Later, as we climbed up one of the hills, we suddenly spotted a structure in the distance that reminded us of the Roman Empire or ancient Greece. As we got closer, it turned out to be a Roman colonnade – a beautiful structure with stones arranged so perfectly that we felt like we had stepped into Italy, not China.
From the hill in Beijing World Park, we walked down to a square where Red Square from Moscow with the famous St. Basil’s Cathedral was waiting for us. And right next to it – boom – Angkor Wat from Cambodia. And let me tell you, that was a whole different level! Angkor Wat is the largest temple complex in the world and one of those wonders that are definitely worth seeing in real life. It was built in the 12th century as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, but later became a Buddhist sanctuary. Even though it was only a miniature version in the park, we were fascinated by how faithfully they captured the details and atmosphere of such a majestic place.
After walking around all day, we were seriously hungry, so we decided to go with something familiar – Domino’s pizza. And honestly… it was good, but it didn’t quite compare to a real Italian pizza. 😅 After a few days abroad, I realized that nothing beats a classic Slovak schnitzel with potatoes, not even the fanciest fast food special.
Skyscrappers in Beijing
After we finished eating, we still had the whole afternoon and evening ahead of us, so we headed back to Beijing’s modern city center. Skyscrapers stretched into the sky, giant screens lit up the surroundings, and you felt like you were suddenly transported into another world – somewhere between New York, Dubai, and a futuristic sci-fi movie. In the stores, we stumbled upon all sorts of unusual delicacies – from dried seafood to pig feet displayed right on the counter. I mean, seriously – who wouldn’t want that as a souvenir? 😅
And then we couldn’t even pay, because the store used face-recognition checkouts and WeChat Pay, while we only had AliPay. We wandered around confused until an employee pointed us to a good old-fashioned human cashier. Instant relief – we could finally buy those wild Chinese specialties.
To wrap up our trip to China, we wanted to experience something a bit more modern. After spending so much time in parks and temples that felt like stepping back in time, we ended our day in the futuristic heart of Beijing, surrounded by steel skyscrapers, shopping malls, and enormous LED screens. The whole place was buzzing – lights, neon signs, busy streets, and the vibrant hum of a big city. It really felt like standing somewhere between New York and Dubai, just with that unmistakable Chinese vibe.
After a short walk, we ended up at a mall we already knew from our first day. This time, we gave Burger King a shot – and let’s be honest, after all those noodles and rice dishes, that burger felt like a hug for the soul. 😅 And knowing we had a night flight to Shenzhen ahead of us, followed by a long, nearly 9-hour journey back home, I thought to myself: “Yeah… I’ve earned this.” 🍔✈️
Týmto sa naše čínske dobrodružstvo v Pekingu pomaly uzatvorilo. Stihli neskutočne veľa – od historického Zakázaného mesta, cez posvätný Chrám nebies, duchovnú atmosféru Lama Temple, až po majestátny Veľký čínsky múr a večerný moderný Peking s jeho pulzujúcim životom. Bol to zážitok, na ktorý sa nezabúda – úplne iný svet, kde sa minulosť stretáva s budúcnosťou na každom kroku.
A čo nasledovalo po návrate z Číny? No, to je už ďalšia kapitola môjho cestovateľského príbehu. 👀 Tak sa nezabudni prihlásiť na odber newslettera a sledovať ma na Instagrame, aby ti neušlo pokračovanie.
Cross your boundaries – that’s where the treasure you’re seeking is hidden.
Flying Easterner
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