Beautiful and a nice change of pace from dirty hussle and bustle of Beijing. Read up on your Chinese history of Cixi, the Dragon Lady, to get more out of it, and definitely take a boat ride - relaxing and great views - and walk down the long corridor - the ceiling really is amazing! Def agree Summer Palace is a must see- allow 2-3 times as much time for it as you do for the Forbidden City, so you can take a leisurely stroll and soak up the culture.

I was at the Summer Palace in late March 2007. The day was overcast due to pollution: despite this the gardens had an air of mystery of their own. We didn't visit any of the Palace buildings (I was part of a guided tour organised from the UK) but had a long walk thrugh the garden area: including the 'Long Corridor' and the Marble Boat area.

The 'Long Corridor' is a work of art all by itself. You could spent a couple of hours examining each of the paintings on each 'wall' and over the ceilings. Every one has a tale behind it. Anyone with a knowledge of Chinese folklore and history will get a great deal out of the 'Long Corridor'. When the guides say 'rooms' don't imagine closed in walls and doors. Sections might be a better thing to imagine.

Someone's photos I'd come across on the net pointed out how shallow Kunming Lake now is and that the boat isn't able to run at the moment to get across from one side to the other. This may be a consideration to some people.

the marble boat looks decidedly sorry for itself - at least without any sun it does. Its no longer open to the public due to concerns about safety. I think one of the photos I've posted here will be the Jade Belt Bridge. I don't remember our guides filling us in - or if she did I didn't take it in. This must have been stunning in full sun.

We sepnt a few hours here after seeing the Great Wall in the morning and wished that we had had more time. We were there late November 2006.

You do not need a guide, the place is easy and fun to explore on your own. If you like parks and park architecture, follies, arches, gazebos, etc., this is the ultimate Chinese park. Supposedly the Empress Dowager Cixi spent the money earmarked for a navy on luxurious pleasure palaces like this. It sounds foolish, but her in her view, a Chinese navy might defeat one rival nation's navy but there would always be yet another navy to fight and ultimately be defeated by. Instead she thought lavish palaces would impress foreign dignitaries who would then treat China with respect. Such was the self-centered naivete of China's rulers during its repeated 19th century humiliations. (Well, China's back, isn't she? What's a couple bad centuries out of 30.)

The grounds are beautiful and very extensive, some forested, many with lawns, and perfectly restored buildings all over the place. This is what the Imperial Garden in the Forbidden City wished it could be. The Long Corridor is astounding--thousands of decorative paintings and the thing is about 1 km long. The hill overlooking the lake is covered with small temples. I climbed up part of it, but didn't have time to see everything.

You can boat on the lake in warmer months or take ferries that go to a small island. There is also a beautiful long walk along a chain of islands connected with different types of bridges. Signs by the trees say that they were planted during the Kangxi Emperor's reign--the 18th century.

We arrived too late to eat in the one restaurant in the park, I have no idea about its quality. There are several shops selling snacks and cup-o-noodles, which we ate instead, and the staff thoughtfully cleared a table in the shop for us to eat at...this was November so obviously not the high tourist season. As navigator stated in his/her review, bring some food in or be there before lunchtime. There may well be more food vendors in warmer months.

If you are thinking or planning to go to Beijing then do not do a tour with a company. Do your homework before you book.
We hired a guide for the 12 days we were in Beijing at a negotiated price. We made our own plans and told her where we wanted to go and that we were in no rush.
The Summer Palace is fantastic so make the most of it. We walked for 6 hours around this place and we did not see half of it. When you see the organised tours they give people 2 hrs to get from one end to the other so they follow the long corridor through the palace and don't have time to stop.
We went off to the sides and explored every nook and cranny and its quieter.
To make the most of this wonderful place, take a packed lunch as there are no real eating places here. Go off to the sides as soon as you enter and explore the gardens and climb up to the Buddist temple. You will be struck by the beauty of the place and enjoy it more.
So, plan your own trip to make the most of this amazing place.
If you are thinking of a guide then I reccommend the girl we had and you can contact me for her details. Even if you have booked with a tour company, take a day out from the tour and arrange a guide for the day. I guarantee you will enjoy your day.