Jingyuetan National Forest Park (净月潭)

Jingyuetan (净月潭) means "Clear Moon Pool", and it is the green lung of Changchun. Planted from the 1960s onward, it now covers roughly 170 sq km of pine, birch and mixed forest around a reservoir lake - large enough that it feels like countryside, not a city park.

Getting there is the easiest part. Metro Line 3 runs straight out to the main gate, about 40 minutes from the city centre, and drops you at the ticket booth.

What To Do

Rent a bike. This is the park's main event. Cycle the boardwalk loop around the lake for 10-15 km, or take an e-bike if the hills along the western shore look like too much. Rentals are at the gate, roughly ¥30-50 ($4-7) for the day.

Take a cable car. The tower on the hillside lifts you above the canopy for the view across the water. Around ¥60 ($8) return.

Row or paddle a boat. The lake is calm and reed-fringed, with pedal boats and small motor boats near the western docks.

Walk the forest trails. If you would rather not cycle, the marked paths around the north shore are flat, well maintained and quiet in the morning.

Buddhist Temple (般若寺) - A working temple at the water's edge, free to enter, and the best spot for a quiet half hour.

Practical Notes

¥30 ($4.20) for the park proper; the China-Japan Friendship Garden and the temple complex are ticketed separately at ¥10-20 ($1.40-2.80). Closed for a stretch around the February New Year for maintenance, and the winter sections operate on reduced hours.

Go in early morning. From about 9:30 the buses and tour groups start arriving, and the cycling loop gets busy. In summer bring repellent - the mosquitoes around the lake are serious. In winter a subset of the park opens as an ice-and-snow theme park with sledding and skating, and it is far more fun than it has any right to be.