Plan at a glance
Location, entry and opening hours
New Yuanming Palace is at 164 Lanpu Road, Xiangzhou District. The South Gate is the main entrance; the North Gate and office-building car-park entrance are alternatives.
Entry to the park is free and does not need booking. Boats, performances and costume hire cost extra. Sunday to Thursday it is open 9am-5:30pm, with last entry at 4:30pm; Friday, Saturday and public holidays run 9am-9pm, with last entry at 8:30pm.
Ready to book?
Use the standard admission package for the core shuttle route; confirm the visit date and current opening hours before checkout.
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A 1.5-2 hour route
Enter at the South Gate, visit Zhengda Guangming Hall, Yuanmingyuan Hall and Jiuzhou Qingyan, then continue to the Western-style Buildings area for Dashuifa and the zodiac fountain. Exit from the North Gate.
A 3-4 hour first visit
Follow the South Gate, Zhengda Guangming Hall and Jiuzhou Qingyan route, then spend time by Fuhai Lake with its black swans, koi and boats. Take the cable car for wider park views, then continue to Zixia Hall, Wanhua Maze, the Western-style Buildings and Fanghu Shengjing.
A family and walking route
Turn right along the lake after entering, then use Fuhai Lake, the tea shop, the lakeside bookshop and the Western-style Buildings for a slower half-day.
Build your day
Palaces and western-style buildings
Zhengda Guangming Hall is useful for red walls, glazed tiles and white stone steps. The Western-style Buildings area centres on Dashuifa and the zodiac fountain; around 3-4pm, longer shadows make architectural details easier to photograph.
Lake, cable car and maze
Fuhai Lake is the main water area, with black swans, koi and paid boat rides. The cable car costs CNY 50 one way or CNY 80 return, and the Wanhua Maze is a useful family stop.
Get there
Bus, taxi and parking
Take buses 1, 13, 25, 60, 62 or 69 to New Yuanming Palace stop. A taxi from Zhuhai Railway Station or Gongbei Port takes around 20 minutes and costs about CNY 28-35.
The park car park costs CNY 10 per visit with no time limit. Jiuzhoudao Shopping Park offers three free hours, then CNY 5 per hour.
Know before you go
Daytime, clothing and walking
Daytime is better for the buildings, lake and gardens than the night session. Bring mosquito repellent in summer, sun protection for open areas, water and comfortable walking shoes.
Bringing your own hanfu or qipao is simpler than hiring on site, where rental costs around CNY 50-200 and can involve extra charges.
Food and nearby plans
Food choices inside are limited, so bring water and sealed snacks. Jiuzhoudao is useful for a post-visit meal, while Fuhuali works well for dinner and an evening walk.