Summer Palace opening hours at a glance
The park has two seasons. The main season runs from 1 April to 31 October, and the off-season from 1 November to 31 March. In the main season the park opens at 06:00, the last entry is at 19:00 and it closes at 20:00. In the off-season it opens at 06:30, the last entry is at 18:00 and it closes at 19:00.
The paid inner areas keep shorter hours: the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, the Summer Palace Museum and Suzhou Street. They open at 08:00 in the main season and at 08:30 in the off-season. Times are local Beijing time. Keep the last entry and the closing time apart, because the last entry comes earlier.
Times by area and season
Local time, 2026. The last entry is the latest time you can get in.
| Area | Season | Opens | Last entry | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park | 1 April to 31 October | 06:00 | 19:00 | 20:00 |
| Park | 1 November to 31 March | 06:30 | 18:00 | 19:00 |
| Tower, Garden of Virtue and Harmony, museum, Suzhou Street | 1 April to 31 October | 08:00 | 17:30 | 18:00 |
| The same inner areas | 1 November to 31 March | 08:30 | 16:30 | 17:00 |
For the paid inner areas, plan around 08:00 even if you see 06:00 mentioned for the summer, and ask at the gate if you arrive early. The Summer Palace Museum keeps 08:00 to 18:00 with entry until 17:30, and 08:30 to 17:00 with entry until 16:30 in the off-season.
Summer Palace tours and day trips
Guided visits that handle the timing for you, with live prices and availability.
Closed days and holidays
The park does not close on Mondays, but parts of it do.
Monday closures
The park has no regular closing day. On Mondays the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, the museum and Suzhou Street are closed, except on the important holidays the park names. Do not treat a Monday closure of the inner areas as a closure of the whole park.
Other buildings
Yangyun Xuan, Jiqing Xuan, Yishou Tang, the Naval Training School in the Farming and Weaving area and the inner courtyards of South Lake Island close on Mondays too. They follow the same opening and closing times, and no separate last entry is given for them.
Suzhou Street
Suzhou Street may close earlier than the other inner areas, as early as 17:00 in the main season and 16:00 in the off-season. Plan to be out by then, and check at the counter that the street is open.
Suzhou Street guide →Holiday weeks
China's holiday weeks bring long waits at the boats and busy paths. In 2026 the holiday periods were 1 to 5 May, 25 to 27 September and 1 to 7 October. Dates move each year, so do not carry them over.
Best time to visit →Boat and ice hours
The lake has its own timetable.
| Service | Hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Self-drive electric boats | Sales 08:30 to 16:30, operation ends 17:30 | Return the boat before the end of operation |
| Ferry and cruise routes | 08:30 to 17:30 | 11 routes around the lake |
| Winter ice activities | 08:30 to 17:00, last entry 16:30 | Only when ice and weather allow |
Boats usually run from about mid-March to mid-November, and the park announces the exact dates. Wind of force 4 or more, heavy rain and weather warnings stop the boats. Prices and routes are on the Kunming Lake page.
A sample day by the clock
One way to fit the hours in the main season.
Early morning
The park opens at 06:00. Walk the lake shore and the Long Corridor while the paths are quiet.
From 08:00
The inner areas open. Climb to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, then visit the Garden of Virtue and Harmony.
Midday to 16:30
Rent an electric boat before the sales stop at 16:30, and return it before operation ends at 17:30.
Before 17:30
Get into the museum or Suzhou Street by the last entry at 17:30. They close at 18:00.
Plan the best time of day
Hours are one part, the light and the crowds are another.
If you want quiet paths and a cooler walk, arrive when the park opens. The inner areas are not open yet, so start along the lake shore and the Long Corridor and move to the tower when it opens at 08:00. Weekends and holidays are busier than weekdays, and a weekday also avoids the longest boat queues.
Allow about half a day for the park, and more if you add the inner areas and a boat. The Old Summer Palace next door keeps its own hours: ticket sales run from 07:00 to 19:00 in the main season, and the park closes at 21:00. In the off-season, sales end at 17:30 and the park closes at 19:30. See the Old Summer Palace page.
Summer Palace opening hours: frequently asked questions
Is the Summer Palace closed on Mondays?
No, the park is open. The Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, the museum and Suzhou Street are closed on Mondays, except on the holidays the park names.
What time is the last entry?
For the park, 19:00 in the main season and 18:00 in the off-season. For the inner areas, 17:30 and 16:30.
What time does the park open?
At 06:00 from 1 April to 31 October and at 06:30 from 1 November to 31 March.
When do the boats run?
Roughly from mid-March to mid-November, between 08:30 and 17:30. Rental sales stop at 16:30, and the park announces the season dates.
Do the times change for holidays?
The park names a few important holidays when the inner areas open on Mondays. Check the current timetable before you go in a holiday week.