The Architecture Wet Dream of Aranya
A rare treat from the frenetic Chinese capital
As usual, the Chinese don’t build small. Aranya 安啊呀 A Na Ya is a mega sea-side resort community in Beidaihe district, south of Qin Huang Dao of Hebei province. By mega, I am talking 220 hectares of land comprised of hotels, villas and private units, a library, a community hall, a museum, an art centre, museums and endless other facilities.
Qin Huang Dao was known to be the place where the Great Wall meets the sea before Aranya made a wave in social media. Unlike the rest of frenetic Chinese construction industry, Aranya aims to encourage slow-paced life with a strong connection to nature and community.
Since my own planning to Aranya has proven to be difficult due to the limited information available in English, I am sharing a comprehensive guide on how to explore this land of architecture wet dream (based on my visit in 2019). I know, I’m a God-send.
How to Enter Aranya
Of course, the best way to experience Aranya is to book a room at the resort. This will grant you full access to the non-public facilities such as the meditation rooms in the Chapel and Library, as well as guest-only concerts and workshops.
As a day visitor, the entrance into the resort is strict. Aranya security will ask for your booking and photo ID. If you don’t have a booking, you may be denied entry or cough up a ¥60 entry fee — not sure if this is an official fee as it’s not listed but this was what a friend paid to be granted entry to the resort grounds. Post entrance, you can hop on and off the free buggy to explore the different neighbourhoods of Aranya.
In my case, I shared a shuttle ride with two ladies who were staying at the resort for the weekend. They asked me to walk in with them so I was not required to pay or show any ID. We ended up spending most of the day together*.
What to See in Aranya
The cult status of Lonely Library and Seashore Chapel by Vector architects have garnered so many attention that even though they are free to enter, you need to book a timed entrance on Aranya app. The app is in Chinese.
At the time of writing, Tsinghua students and alumni can enter the library and chapel for free with no booking. Thank you Vector Architects for 饮水思源 yǐn shuǐ sī yuán — not forgetting your (Tsinghua) root! For you lucky Tsinghua fellows, simply show your student card at the chapel or library entrance.
Seashore Chapel 海边礼堂 Hai bian li tang
This covered outdoor space is designed as a resting place for people on the beach. As a space that connects religious experience, the atmosphere inside is intensely divine. You sit on a chapel long seat staring at the only large opening of the horizontal 2.7m window which frames the view to the ocean.
The quality of light and material here reminds me of Le Corbusier’s Notre Dame du Haut, where natural light is mistily diffused through stained glass and deep wall. Here, sunlight filters through the coloured glass, piercing through the narrow gap in the 10-meter tall interior space
Lonely Library 孤独图书馆 Gu du tu shu guan
This cast-concrete library sits on a stretch of deserted beach facing the East China Sea. From outside, it looks like a weathered rock that is pure and solid; but inside, it feels light and breezy as you listen to the sound of the ocean.
A tiered reading room occupies the centre of the two-storey library, while a meditation space, activity room, and bar occupy auxiliary areas around its edges. This is why you should book a room at the resort because you get to access not only the library space but also these private corners.
Sand Dune Art Museum 沙丘美术馆 Sha qiu mei shu guan
Inspired by children’s tireless digging in the sand, the UCCA museum lies beneath the sand dune where it gently disappears. “Digging” creates a series of interconnected, organically shaped spaces which resemble caves — the primaeval home of man, whose walls were once a canvas for some of humanity’s earliest works of art.
The museum is located in the Cultural and Creative neighbourhood. Opposite of the museum floating in the water is the Sunrise Art Gallery 日出美术馆 ri chu mei shu guan. Walk further south to see the boulder-like Seaside Concert Hall 海边音乐厅 hai bian yin yue ting.
Aranya Art Centre 美术中心 Mei shu zhong xin
As a community that has a strong emphasis on the spiritual nature of their lifestyle ideology, the design scheme for the Aranya art centre is as much about the internal courtyard, a communal space for the residents, as it is about the exhibition being displayed in the centre.
The art centre is located in the South Town Square which is an exciting part of Aranya town to explore, with cinemas and design stores just around the corner.
Granted, in one day I couldn’t possibly visit everything Aranya had to offer in its 220-hectare area. I hope you have the opportunity to explore the abovementioned projects as well as the Kids Restaurant by Wutopia Lab, the Seawind Theatre and even the forests.
How to Get to Aranya:
Since some have mentioned how costly it can be to reach the resort, here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to reach Aranya on the cheap.
Route 1
- Train from Qinhuangdao or Beidaihe station to Changli train station 昌黎站 Chang Li zhan.
- Didi or taxi from Chang Li train station to Aranya. Cost: ¥30–35.
Route 2 (The one that I took)
- Take a bus or train to Beidaihe train station北戴河火车站 Bei Dai He huo che zhan (Bus from Qinhuangdao is ¥2).
2. Now you have a few options to reach Aranya resort from here:
Option a: Board the 809 to 荣升健康股 Ring Sheng Jian Kang Gu (17 stops), then walk 1.9km to Aranya resort. Cost: ¥5.
Option b: Take up one of the unofficial shuttle buses that will drop you right in front of Aranya reception. You may have to wait a few minutes until the seats are filled. I personally recommend this since it was a lot more convenient, especially since the 809 bus doesn’t run frequently. Cost: ¥15.
3. From Aranya, return to Bei Dai He Train Station via:
Option a: Board the 809 bus from 荣升健康股. The last bus is at 5.30 pm. Cost: ¥5.
Option b: Hail a local cab (mint green in colour, not dark green and yellow). Often times when the drivers drop guests at Aranya, they have to drive back with no passengers, therefore you can easily negotiate with them to pay off the meter. Instead of the usual ¥75, you can bargain down to ¥15-¥20 to offset their petrol cost. Of course, this is not the most legitimate method but I was in the good hands of the two ladies who insisted on negotiating on my behalf and even made sure I got home safely.
Instead of a ¥150 return trip from the train station, I spent a total of ¥39**. If you are in a group though, I definitely recommend simply boarding a Didi or taxi.
**Cost breakdown: ¥2 Qinhuangdao — Beidaihe bus + ¥15 unofficial shuttle to Aranya + ¥20 off-the-metre taxi + ¥2 Beidaihe — Qinghuangdao bus.
*The Chinese are some of the most hospitable people I know. With a little Mandarin, you can have some of the best experience in China. Despite my basic Mandarin (or perhaps because of it), I am often taken very good care by some of the strangers I just met 15 minutes prior. So polish up your Mandarin. A little effort in knowing the local’s native language has led me to some of the best encounters throughout my wanders, in and outside of China — even in Paris where locals are known to be unfriendly to non-French speakers. Some of these experiences are the reasons why I travel.
1. Qin Huang Dao
Where the Great Wall Meets the Sea2. China Survival Guide
Apps that will make your Chinese experience a whole lot better3. Obscure Parks of Beijing
This city that may seem barren at first, hides within it, plenty of picturesque green pockets.I hope they will help you begin to understand this mind-boggling country.
