Water Cube
Water Cube
4
Amusement & Theme Parks • Architectural Buildings
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9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.0
682 reviews
Excellent
236
Very good
247
Average
152
Poor
27
Terrible
20
paul g
Brisbane, Australia818 contributions
Oct 2016 • Solo
I was visiting Olympic Park and was keen to see whatever I could from the Beijing Olympics. The Water Cube was wonderful to see in the light of its historical significance but was nothing too extraordinary as far as layout went. It does have a unique exterior which apparently comes to better life at night with a colourful display but I was there in the daylight hours.
Written June 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KodoDrummer
Buenos Aires, Argentina64,817 contributions
Aug 2018 • Friends
This large aquatic centre was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is beautiful inside and out. It is a great place to take young kids who enjoy swimming and playing in the water park. The water slides tend to be the favourite of many kids. I especially like the bubble-design exterior when lit up in blue. The colour is programmed to change and they also use other lighting effects.
Written December 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Meriam B
Chicago, IL15 contributions
Sep 2013 • Friends
Cost:
- 50 RMB for 2 hours of swimming and you can also take a tour
-water park is NOT included in the cost and I believe it is around 200 RMB
Be aware:
- you NEED to have a swimming cap to swim
-You need to have a swimming certificate to be able to enter the deep end.
-You are given a free locker and key to put your things
Swimming certificate:
-The swimming certificate costs a total of 30 RMB for a picture and laminated card and test - certificate/card is valid for 3 years.
-You must swim 200 meters (swim the lane 4 times) continuously with any stroke to pass the test
Water park:
-great for kids, just okay for adults
-a few slides and a giant playground for kids with water surprises
Summary/recommendations
-go around sunset so you can see the water cube and the park in the day and night. The water cube looks so cool at night b/c it is lit up from the inside and outside in bright blue
-avoid gaze in the locker rooms. people literally walk around naked
Overall, it was really cool experience, mainly b/c I knew that the Olympics had been held here!
- 50 RMB for 2 hours of swimming and you can also take a tour
-water park is NOT included in the cost and I believe it is around 200 RMB
Be aware:
- you NEED to have a swimming cap to swim
-You need to have a swimming certificate to be able to enter the deep end.
-You are given a free locker and key to put your things
Swimming certificate:
-The swimming certificate costs a total of 30 RMB for a picture and laminated card and test - certificate/card is valid for 3 years.
-You must swim 200 meters (swim the lane 4 times) continuously with any stroke to pass the test
Water park:
-great for kids, just okay for adults
-a few slides and a giant playground for kids with water surprises
Summary/recommendations
-go around sunset so you can see the water cube and the park in the day and night. The water cube looks so cool at night b/c it is lit up from the inside and outside in bright blue
-avoid gaze in the locker rooms. people literally walk around naked
Overall, it was really cool experience, mainly b/c I knew that the Olympics had been held here!
Written September 26, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dolphin girl
1 contribution
May 2019 • Family
We visited the Beijing National Olympic Centre (the Cube) in May 2019. As a masters swimmer, I was really looking forward to seeing the facility and swimming in the competition pool. Not one site on the Internet mentioned that the Cube is undergoing renovations for the 2022 Olympics. The competition pool was closed off, and the waterpark was dark (closed down.) Only the 2 practice/warmup pools were open, and the facilities were badly maintained, no shower curtains, dirty lockers, rusty metal shower walls... very disappointing, and disconcerting, as the Chinese swimmers liked to clear their throats and spit into the water filters as they completed each lap.
Also - to swim in the deeper pool, you have to demonstrate that you know how to swim. They will try to get you to pay an extra fee to get the paper documentation that shows that you've passed the swim test. I told them I don't speak Chinese, and that I swim in the ocean. They finally gave up trying to explain to me about the testing fee and just asked me to take the test - tread water for 30 seconds.
Also - to swim in the deeper pool, you have to demonstrate that you know how to swim. They will try to get you to pay an extra fee to get the paper documentation that shows that you've passed the swim test. I told them I don't speak Chinese, and that I swim in the ocean. They finally gave up trying to explain to me about the testing fee and just asked me to take the test - tread water for 30 seconds.
Written May 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
michapok
Poughkeepsie30 contributions
Jul 2011 • Solo
It was pretty great to see the place where Phelps demolished the competition, and even cooler to actually swim there! You can't actually get into the main competition pool, but across the hall from it is the warm-up pool, which is a 50m long, 2m deep lap pool where all the Olympians also swam.
It took me a little while to figure out how to do it, but basically once you get inside, you go to the opposite end of the WaterCube from the pool to a place they sell tickets (level 1). You need to buy a deep-water swimming ticket for 30 yuan, and a deep water testing ticket for another 30 yuan. They will take your picture at this point. Then, go down the stairs right there and give your tickets to the desk at the bottom of the stairs (level B1). They will give you a water-proof bracelet with a locker number on it and point you to the locker room. Go change and head towards the pool (other side of the locker room, written in english). Once at the pool, go towards the desk near the deep-water section (there's also a shallow water section, don't go there). They will give you a red wrist-band and have you swim 200m (four back and forths). Once you do that, they take back the red bracelet and you have two hours to swim as you wish.
I ended up staying for around an hour - Pretty cool to swim in this historic place. The staff spoke some broken english phrases so it was enough to get by. I speak zero Chinese so if I can do it, anyone can.
It took me a little while to figure out how to do it, but basically once you get inside, you go to the opposite end of the WaterCube from the pool to a place they sell tickets (level 1). You need to buy a deep-water swimming ticket for 30 yuan, and a deep water testing ticket for another 30 yuan. They will take your picture at this point. Then, go down the stairs right there and give your tickets to the desk at the bottom of the stairs (level B1). They will give you a water-proof bracelet with a locker number on it and point you to the locker room. Go change and head towards the pool (other side of the locker room, written in english). Once at the pool, go towards the desk near the deep-water section (there's also a shallow water section, don't go there). They will give you a red wrist-band and have you swim 200m (four back and forths). Once you do that, they take back the red bracelet and you have two hours to swim as you wish.
I ended up staying for around an hour - Pretty cool to swim in this historic place. The staff spoke some broken english phrases so it was enough to get by. I speak zero Chinese so if I can do it, anyone can.
Written July 28, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dttran2012
Greater Manchester, UK32 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
If you already been, I'm sorry. Beijing heat can be really scorchering, me and my wife couldn't fought our temptation to the watercube. Despite negative reviews here, we chose to ignore. What a big mistake. In this heat, looking at this on tripadviser, the colourful photos is very magnetic. Long story short. Staff are rude, People don't queue, facility is under maintained, water is dirty, over crowded, over price, lack of English employees (which I don't mind) however it didn't help that there is lack of English directions. What a rip off.
These are the things weve read on here before we went we chose to ignored. We hope we can save other who felt like us.
Fight the temptation, don't go! But if you will or had been please make sure to verify this review to help others! Thanks you
These are the things weve read on here before we went we chose to ignored. We hope we can save other who felt like us.
Fight the temptation, don't go! But if you will or had been please make sure to verify this review to help others! Thanks you
Written June 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LuluW411
Beijing2 contributions
Aug 2013 • Family
We took our three children and were a bit surprised about the price (approx 700 RMB for 5 of us) but thought it would be worth it. How wrong were we. The toilets and changing rooms were utterly squalid. Both stank strongly of urine and the floor was filthy with litter strewn everywhere. No doors on the changing rooms. We decided to leave but then spent 45 minutes trying to get a refund. In the end we managed to negotiate 50%. It was a truly disgusting and dispiriting experience and I would recommend strongly to avoid it.
Written August 22, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SaFot
Germany129 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
Still today if you go on their website you will NOT see anywhere that it is closed until 22 of November . We promised our son a great time, we checked everything on the internet and went there with all our stuff just to found out that they are closed for renovation.
It's ok to renovate but please write it on your website so we can make other plans.
It's ok to renovate but please write it on your website so we can make other plans.
Written August 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JulietBeijing
Beijing, China129 contributions
Apr 2012 • Family
It's certainly worth a trip just to see (and touch) this building. However, if you're going, then you might as well go in to the water park, which for RMB150 presents a good way to spend a morning (or longer, if you like).
We bought tickets from the scalpers - they are genuine - they just buy them in bulk and hence are able to offer them for cheaper prices. Sometimes they give you a voucher which you then need to convert to a ticket at the ticket booth. Ours were RMB150 without bargaining, but I'm sure you can haggle them down. If you're not sure of the authenticity, have the scalper stand besides you when you exchange them at the booth and don't give them any money until you have the proper tickets in your hand. Or, if they're selling the actual tickets, have a member of your party go through the turnstile first and then you'll know the tickets are real and can hand over your cash.
Oh, unless you're swimming in the warm up pool (unfortunately the competition pool I think is not open to the public) then you won't need a hat, so don't be conned into buying one. Using the proper swimming pool is not included in the water park price - I think it's 40RMB.
Water park is good - not the best I've been to - but it's inside, so you don't have to worry about endlessly applying sunblock to children and it has some pretty good slides, including one of those ones that the floor drops away.
Compared with other water parks, they seem to let smaller children use some of the wilder rides, which seems fair since they have to pay the full price unless they're under 140cm.
We went on a Friday morning and it was really quite empty - just a few tourists (Chinese and international).
Cafe is not bad inside.
In order to buy anything, you'll need to get a wrist band which you'll use as your locker key. You can store money on it and then get a refund on anything you don't spend.
We bought tickets from the scalpers - they are genuine - they just buy them in bulk and hence are able to offer them for cheaper prices. Sometimes they give you a voucher which you then need to convert to a ticket at the ticket booth. Ours were RMB150 without bargaining, but I'm sure you can haggle them down. If you're not sure of the authenticity, have the scalper stand besides you when you exchange them at the booth and don't give them any money until you have the proper tickets in your hand. Or, if they're selling the actual tickets, have a member of your party go through the turnstile first and then you'll know the tickets are real and can hand over your cash.
Oh, unless you're swimming in the warm up pool (unfortunately the competition pool I think is not open to the public) then you won't need a hat, so don't be conned into buying one. Using the proper swimming pool is not included in the water park price - I think it's 40RMB.
Water park is good - not the best I've been to - but it's inside, so you don't have to worry about endlessly applying sunblock to children and it has some pretty good slides, including one of those ones that the floor drops away.
Compared with other water parks, they seem to let smaller children use some of the wilder rides, which seems fair since they have to pay the full price unless they're under 140cm.
We went on a Friday morning and it was really quite empty - just a few tourists (Chinese and international).
Cafe is not bad inside.
In order to buy anything, you'll need to get a wrist band which you'll use as your locker key. You can store money on it and then get a refund on anything you don't spend.
Written April 17, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Megan L
5 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
Really bad experience here. Bought tickets to the water park and upon entering good that the rides have a weight restriction of 90kg. As my partner is 110kg and 200cm tall he wasnt able to use anything. We tried to get a refund however they wouldn't give it to us even though we couldn't use any of the rides. So essentially spent $80 on nothing. Dont go here its not worth it. Very disappointed in their service.
Written June 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Николай Р
Irkutsk, Russia1 contribution
не скажите по ценам, были не раз в Пекине но нынче впервые решили посетить аквапарк в сентябре.
L2365AOanna
Novorossiysk, Russia29 contributions
Добрый день. К сожалению, здесь я Вас не сориентирую.
77sharifah
Johor Bahru, Malaysia177 contributions
Hello,
Will be visiting this place on 10th Nov. Anybody knows what time do they on the light of the Olympic Stadium and the Water Cube during this time?
Compass2101
Singapore, Singapore172 contributions
Arrive late afternoon before dusk n sunset. Leave when dark.
snihas
Tianjin, China
hey,
i would like to know is it open or still under some renovation?
LorraineD111
Gold Coast, Australia110 contributions
I was there in Sept 15 and it was open. The water park was excellent.
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Claim your listingWater Cube - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Water Cube
- Water Cube is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
- We recommend booking Water Cube tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 113 Water Cube tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Water Cube:
- Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal (From $202.00)
- 4-Hour Private Illuminated Beijing Tour with Authentic Chinese Dinner on Hutong Street (From $128.00)
- Full-Day Tour of Mutianyu Great Wall, Water Cube and Bird's Nest (From $73.60)
- Private Tour: Half-Day Tour to Great Wall at Juyongguan (From $156.80)
- Private Night Tour: Discover Beijing in Bustling Lights (From $118.00)
- Hotels near Water Cube:
- (0.17 mi) Pangu 7 Star Hotel Beijing
- (0.38 mi) InterContinental Beijing Beichen
- (0.93 mi) Holiday Inn Express Beijing Minzuyuan, an IHG hotel
- (0.61 mi) China National Convention Center Grand Hotel
- (0.31 mi) Aoyou Hotel
- Restaurants near Water Cube:
- (0.14 mi) Long Shun Yuan Spicy Pot (Asian Games Village)
- (0.15 mi) Aobei Tianxiang
- (0.17 mi) COSTA COFFEE(PanGu DaGuan)
- (0.17 mi) PanGu QiXing Hotel Buffet
- (0.17 mi) Jufuyuan
Water Cube Information
Excellent Reviews | 236 |
|---|---|
Very Good Reviews | 247 |
Water Cube Photos | 528 |