When it comes to South Lake Park in Changchun, I couldn’t be more familiar with it. After all, I grew up by the lake and have visited it countless times every year. I went there often when I was in school, and even after leaving Changchun, I still visit frequently. I’ve mentioned it many times on my blog, whether in winter or summer. In recent years, thanks to comprehensive management efforts, South Lake now features a small sandy beach, and the water quality has improved significantly, becoming much cleaner. The park’s facilities have also been gradually enhanced, making it possible to walk all the way around the lake—a perfect spot for nearby residents to take a stroll.
Autumn in Changchun happens to be crisp and refreshing, with excellent air quality. Every day brings blue skies, white clouds, and bright sunshine, making it ideal for going out to take photos. Coincidentally, a new shopping mall called Eurasia New Life recently opened near the monument area. If you get tired from walking, you can pop into the Starbucks inside for a break before continuing your stroll—haha!
North Lake Park, by comparison, is relatively new. Construction began in 2010 and was completed in 2012. After completion, the vegetation needed a few years to mature. Originally serving as the flood discharge outlet of the Yitong River, the area underwent two years of dredging, landscaping, and road and bridge construction before being transformed into a massive park. Its full name is Changchun North Lake National Wetland Park, a 4A-level tourist attraction that fortunately does not charge an admission fee. Covering a total area of 11.97 square kilometers, it is roughly five times the size of South Lake Park. However, the actual walking paths inside aren’t that extensive; unlike South Lake, there isn’t a loop trail around the lake—you simply walk across the middle of the lake and back. As a result, the walking distance isn’t significantly different from that of South Lake Park.
The North Lake area where the park is located is quite remote and inconvenient to reach. You need to take Bus 3A from People’s Square, but the queues are long, buses are infrequent, and their condition is just average. Hopefully, the rail transit line to North Lake will be completed soon, which would greatly improve transportation for both park visitors and local residents. There is only one dining option within the entire park: a Northeastern Chinese buffet that also serves as the staff canteen. At 38 yuan per person, it’s pretty much like eating in a cafeteria, except it’s all-you-can-eat. Surprisingly, the food tastes quite good! However, while beverages are included in the buffet, drinking water is not—you have to pay extra for bottled water. Additionally, there are quite a few bugs in the park, very few visitors, and virtually nothing else in the surrounding area. It’s fine if you drive over for a casual stroll, but taking public transport involves so much hassle that it’s hardly worth the trip.
Photos in this post taken with a SONY A5100 + 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, post-processed in Lightroom.
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