There is no one who knows Beijing’s back streets better than Nathan Siy who frequents them on his electric bike tours. Some of these places are hidden, some are well known, but Siy believes that when you go by electric bike, you can experience well known places from a whole new point of view, and maybe even rediscover something that you’ve missed. We chatted with Siy and got a list of his favorite places.

The north end of Houhai Lake When most expats think of Houhai, they think of Shicha Hai and end up entering from the south entrance of Qianhai Lake (where the Starbucks is). Sadly for them, they tend to never make it to the north of Houhai lake, because it’s quite far from there. If they do make it out there, they can see Soong Ching Ling’s former residence and Prince Chun’s Mansion. It is also less crowded and still has a fantastic view of the lake.

Dong Jiao Market Hidden away on the south side of Chang’an Street on Dawang Street, many people drive by this market without a second glance. But inside you’ll find a market with almost anything you could every think of buying, from clothes to aquarium products and cookware, bathmats, sporting equipment, and even tables. It has a large range of goods, all at local Chinese prices.

Liuli Chang Art and Ceramic District (Hutong) Located south-west of Tiananmen, this small hutong contains all types of art and ceramics for purchase or for admiration. The hutong itself is also renovated, with unique architecture and cobblestone floors.

Qianmen Hutongs Right next to Dashilanr, there is a rat’s nest of historical and renovated hutongs that span the entire south west side of Dashilanr street, all the way to South Xinhua Street. It’s confusing, historic, interesting, too far to walk through, and too small to drive through. The only way in and out is via bicycle or electric bike.

The Forbidden City East and West Gates and Moat Most tourist travel from the south gate on Chang’an Street and walk northbound through the Imperial Palace to the North Gate, where you can climb to the highest point of the Forbidden City and look over. But there is an east to west pathway that will take you through the Forbidden City along the east-west axis. These entrances are far less famous but provide a wonderful view of the Forbidden City’s moats, guards, residents, and small parks. It provides some of the most interesting and scenic views of the Forbidden City while being very convenient and easily accessible on electric bike.

Longtan Park A medium size park located in the south of Beijing, it houses small lakes, boats, greenery, and much more, but it’s also really calm and quiet, and features a similar layout to Houhai, but without the tourists or crowds.