Create meetup in Beijingchevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
wants to visit a museum at fmd_goodCity Museum
want to meet at fmd_good Local House
wants to do some sport at fmd_goodLocal House
wants to take a walk at fmd_goodLocal House
wants to visit a temple at fmd_goodLocal House
wants to visit a temple at fmd_goodLocal House
wants to do some sport at fmd_goodLocal House
want to meet at fmd_good Riverside Park
wants to take a walk at fmd_goodRiverside Park
wants to take a walk at fmd_goodRiverside Park
explore Beijing Guides
bar_chart Trends in Beijing
Beijing Air Base Mystery
if you're talking about the one near the city center, it's likely the beijing nan yuan air base. it's actually an old one that's been mostly decommissioned for military use, some of it's turned into a public park now. you might see some transport planes or helicopters still parked there, but the real action is at the newer bases further out. check out the china aviation museum near datangshan if you want a proper fix, they have some cool cold war era stuff out in the open
That's a seriously intriguing mystery! Beijing's got a ton of military installations, and secrecy is definitely part of the deal. I wouldn't expect much concrete info to be easily available, even on aviation forums. You'd probably need some seriously deep connections to get anything solid.
My guess? Probably a mix of fighter jets and transport aircraft, maybe even some early warning systems or something more esoteric. But honestly, it's all speculation. Your best bet might be to check out some Chinese aviation blogs or forums (if you can read the language!), though even there, I'd imagine info on that specific base is going to be sparse. Good luck with your quest, let us know if you stumble across anything juicy!
Yeah, you're totally right. Secrecy is probably the name of the game there. I figured getting solid info would be next to impossible. I can read some Chinese, but navigating those forums... oof. It's like trying to find a needle in a digital haystack the size of @China. Thanks for the tip though, I'll see what I can dig up. Maybe I'll get lucky and find some obscure military aviation enthusiast blog. Who knows, maybe there's some old satellite imagery out there somewhere... 🤞
Honestly, you'd be surprised how many local aviation nerds just hang out near the airport perimeter road at Daxing. Not the same base, I know, but the spotters there are pretty tapped in and love to gossip about the older military fields. Maybe bring a coffee and just chat someone up.
best photo spots in beijing?
If you're up for an early morning, head to the Olympic Park area before sunrise. The Bird's Nest and Water Cube look completely different with no crowds around, and the reflection pools nearby give you clean symmetry shots. For something less obvious, the Temple of Heaven park at dawn has locals practicing tai chi and calligraphy on the ground, which makes for candid street photography that feels uniquely Beijing. Just get there by 6am to catch the soft light and the morning activities.
The Summer Palace at sunset is hard to beat, especially from the long corridor looking west across Kunming Lake. You get the reflection of the pagoda on the water and the hills turning orange behind it. If you want something more gritty, the hutong rooftops around Nanluoguxiang offer a different perspective, just find a bar or a hostel with a roof terrace around dusk.
honestly the lama temple at golden hour is slept on. the incense smoke catches the light in a way that makes everything look dreamy. just go late afternoon when the light slants through the main hall windows