Its a real treat to rent a boat and paddle around for an hour.... when you enter the park from the south entrance, make sure you pay the extra couple of RMB and go up into the Round City.... there is a beautiful view of the moat of the Forbidden City... and a very nice statue of Buddha and some Jade... takes only a few minutes but will enhance your experience of Beihai... when exiting the north gate, stroll over to Hou Hai for an enjoyable stroll.