New Yuanming Palace (圆明新园)
A free, full-scale replica of Beijing's burned 1860 Old Summer Palace — restored royal halls, Western-style fountains, lake boats and evening shows.
Duration
2-3 hours; half day if you add the boat, cable car and an evening show
Cost
Free entry; cable car ¥50 ($7) one way / ¥80 ($11) return, evening show ~¥85 ($12)
Hours
Sun–Thu 9:00 AM–5:30 PM (last entry 4:30 PM); Fri–Sat & public holidays 9:00 AM–9:00 PM (last entry 8:30 PM)
Booking
No booking needed
New Yuanming Palace (圆明新园, Yuánmíng Xīnyuán) is Zhuhai's full-scale reconstruction of the Old Summer Palace (圆明园, Yuánmíngyuán) — Beijing's vast imperial garden complex that British and French troops looted and burned in 1860, leaving the famous ruins that still stand in the capital today. Opened here in 1997, this replica rebuilds the lost gardens as they once looked. Keep expectations straight: it's a theme park and photo backlot, not a museum — but it's hands-down the easiest way to see Beijing's vanished palace at full size.
What to see. The Royal Building Complex surrounds Zhengda Guangming Hall (正大光明殿) with red walls, glazed-tile roofs and white marble steps. The real highlight is the Western-style Buildings (西洋楼): a faithful re-creation of the Jesuit-designed baroque palaces and their Dashuifa (大水法) fountain — the broken stone arches made famous in every Chinese history textbook, here fully restored and working. Between them, Fuhai Lake (福海) holds black swans, koi and paid pedal boats; a cable car glides across the whole park for ¥50 ($7) one way or ¥80 ($11) return.
Shows & evenings. Costumed performances run through the day; on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays the park stays open until 9 PM for the evening "Royal Ceremony" show — tickets around ¥85 ($12) at the gate.
Getting there. Buses 1, 13, 25, 60, 62 or 69 stop at the New Yuanming Palace gate (¥1–2 per ride). A taxi from Gongbei Port or Zhuhai Railway Station takes ~20 minutes and ¥28–35 ($4–5); the car park is ¥10 per visit.
Practical tips
- Skip it if you want the real ruins — this is a reconstruction and photo backlot, not archaeology. Best on a weekday morning: the park fills up noticeably on weekends. Mid-afternoon (~3–4 PM) gives long shadows across the Western-style buildings for the best photos. Watch the costume-photo racket: hanfu/qipao rental runs ¥50–200 ($7–28) but riders have been known to quote surprise charges for the photos afterwards — fix the full price in writing before you pose. Food inside is limited and overpriced; bring water and snacks, then eat at Jiuzhoudao Shopping Park next door or at Fuhuali (富华里) after an evening show. Mosquito repellent in summer, sunscreen and comfortable shoes year-round, and the park is large enough that a ¥10 ($1.40) golf-cart shuttle at the gate is worth it if you're short on time.