James Baquet

    I’VE been reading about Sihai Park in Nanshan on various sites on the Internet, and last Sunday my wife and I finally had a chance to visit.

    It was well worth it.

    Some sources say the park was built in 1987; others refer to a refurbishment some time around 2000. Either way, the park is clean and well-maintained, and all facilities are in generally good condition.

    The centerpiece of the park is a series of four small lakes separated by narrow waterways. One area of the lakes is given over to lotuses; another has people fishing; and a third has paddleboats.

    The rest of the park is not wanting, either. There is an area of litchi groves, some bumper cars, and areas for sports (including the huge Shekou Sports Center complex across the street to the north, with a full-sized football field, a skate park, basketball courts, sports bars for relaxing, and much more).

    Plenty of walkways, bridges, and pavilions around the lakes make for pleasant strolling. On the west end there’s a quaint teahouse and garden, not far from the Shekou Children’s and Youth Center and a covered outdoor stage.

    Also in the park, perhaps most striking of all, is a giant sculpture of a flaming bull, reminiscent of Chinese paper-cut figures, but on a gargantuan scale. This alone would be worth a visit, aside from the overall charm of the place.

    Sihai Park is about two kilometers up Gongyuan Road from Shekou Sea World; the nearest subway station is Shuiwan on Shekou Line (Line 2).