DALIAN WATERPARK – CHUTE FOR THE STARS – GRADE A*

A bit further afield for this Burbex,  Dalian is a coastal city in the North East of China. Hidden at the end of the one of the most popular beaches in the city, is this hidden gem, the ultimate in Urbex chic, that’s right, it’s an abandoned waterpark. Not only that, but it has a huge faux-mansion beside it.

      

  

  

  

   

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There’s more than one way to kill a cat, an electric cable through the gut is pretty novel though. To escape, you must pass a festering sewage outlet. It smells much worse than it looks.

CAPITAL STEEL – STEEL LABORATORY – GRADE B+

How many times have I been to Capital Steel, and how many times have I found new areas to explore. This latest trip was a bonanza of new finds. Along with entering the lofts where coal was moved along on mile-long conveyor belts, co-explorer Vom and I went further into the plant than ever, coming clear out of the other side where the cooling towers are located.

Along the way we found the laboratory where we found everything pretty much as the scientists had left it on the last day. So many bottles, flasks and crazy machines. Unfortunately, Vom got a touch of heat stroke, and threw up (hence the nickname), but are adventures have seen the whole plant covered now.

         

    

    

     

Capital Steel – we salute you – It would have been a Grade A, but with the heatstroke comes an important reminder to take candy and water with you when you go urbexing. Of course, if any time you want to come urbexing with me, just leave a message and we can arrange a time, make sure you bring a sick bag though.

FLOATING DRAGON LAKE AMUSEMENT PARK – BEIJING – GRADE B+

Beijing Amusement Park based around the Floating Dragon Lake used to be the premier theme park in Beijing attracting 2.4 million visitors a year. It was famous for its roller coasters, 4D cinema, and the biggest Ferris Wheel in the capital. Now all that remains is the Ferris Wheel which dominates the landscape, and the ruined remains of the aquarium. The site is sealed off from the public, but a quick hop leap and jump make it pretty easy to enter.

The site is connected by a series of bridges between each of the islands, and while most of them are padlocked, you can just jump into the dried out lake bed and run to the islands. The aquarium and the horror house are easy to get into, but not much remains, but the Ferris Wheel is safely contained behind a metal fence. It slowly turns creaking in the wind. Even at night this is an easy exploration which makes it an easy B+.

BEIJING SATELLITE DISH CEMETERY – GRADE C+

Out in the bleak wastelands of northwest Beijing, where everything is gray and demolished, there lies the Satellite Dish graveyard. Any foreigner that has taken the hellish journey to the health centre to get their health check/stabbing with hypodermic needles, will recognise this view from the taxi ride. The compound, while guarded by lazy looking military personnel, houses probably fifty or more satellite dishes, all in various stages of rustiness.

Adjacent to the site, is the greenhouse area, which is much easier to get into. It is a strange thing in a lot of Chinese cities, that military and government sites will have greenhouses nearby. This is mostly so that they can boast a) self-sufficiency for food, and b) that food can also be grown within the city limits. This idea has gone out of vogue in the last ten years, and Beijing has a lot of empty greenhouses all over the city.

This was not a difficult explore, but damn it was cold in that snow.

RETURN TO CAPITAL STEEL – GRADE A+

    

SUNSHINE PARK – GRADE B+

This is really an unusual site for Beijing as it is in Central Beijing, and is close to the ever-popular Ikea. Called Sunshine Park, it used to have a a large carnival tent in the park which has long since rotted and fallen down. Most of the site apart from the multi-storey carpark has become overgrown. The carpark itself goes down one floor underground, where it has filled up with rain water and gives some incredible effects when the sunlight comes streaming through the holes at around midday. A word of warning however…

The site is relatively safe as long as you don’t fall off the sides of the carpark. Be careful of the junkie who lives in a tent beneath the ramp of the basement floor. He came out of his tent clothed only in his dirty undies, and then started to bounce and scream like a monkey. After that he charged at me. I ran like the wind. I didn’t see him the second time I went. Definitely worth a visit to this beautiful site.

URBEX – BEIJING – GUOSON MALL DONGZHIMEN – Grade A-

Guoson Mall in Dongzhimen is purportedly worth 14 billion yuan. You would think with a price tag like that the developers would have been able to shift the development by now. However, there have been difficulties with all negotiations over the last seven years, and it still remains vacant. There are two skyscrapers behind the mall. I climbed all 35 floors of the rear tower, and the view was amazing.

It should be pointed out, that this is an exceptionally dangerous site. There are holes in some of the top floors which go right down to the bottom. Throwing little pieces of rebar (steel construction bars) down these holes, I couldn’t even hear them hit the ground. Despite this, the surrounding area is frankly gorgeous.

The pools outside have been left to turn wild, and the place is ripe with sunflowers and aubergines planted by the migrant-workers who guard the place, who are probably more at home growing vegetables than protecting duff skyscrapers anyway. This is a very challenging Urbex, but I would be more than happy to take you with me. Just leave a comment.

Solana Hotel Chaoyang – Grade B+

      

Construction on the Solana Hotel was abandoned a few years ago. With its unique architectural styling including spiral staircases, and empty swimming pool, numerous towers, and best of all the secret tunnels that run under the basmement, Solana is a joy to explore and you will need at least a whole afternoon.

Maybe the best part about Solana is listening to the shoppers on the other side of the wall randomly buying stuff in the luxury mall. Also fun is spying on the resident security guard who spends most of his time asleep.

This is a solid Grade B+ site for Urbex.

Remember, if you or your friends would like to come Urbexing with me just send me a message, and we can set up a time to meet.

WARNING – This is an dangerous site, there is high risk of flooding on rainy days.

URBEX – BEIJING CAPITAL STEEL – Grade A+

Beijing Steel Works is a rare beast in the Urbex world. Not only is the site in an almost vacuum state where it feels like all the workers just put down their tools one day and left, but also the site is huge with more rust and corrupted cranes, pulleys, and conveyor belts that you could see in a week. This is definitely a Grade A site for Urbex.

Remember, if you or your friends would like to come Urbexing with me just send me a message, and we can set up a time to meet.

WARNING – This is an extremely dangerous site. Be careful for falling objects.