Major Olympic venues, including the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, have opened to the public during China's National Day holiday. Chinese officials say the opening of the venues aim to provide an opportunity for more people to experience the legacy left by the Olympic and Paralympic games.

CRI's Zheng Chenguang takes a look.

For those who weren't lucky enough to visit the Olympic venues so far, the 7-day National Day holiday may be the best time to do it.

Local officials say visiting the Bird's Nest during the holiday costs 50 yuan, or 7.3 US dollars, and there are 80,000 tickets available for each day of the week.

At the Water Cube there are 12,000 tickets per day, each costing 30 yuan.

Up to 20,000 people are able to visit the National Indoor Stadium every day, and 8,000 are able to access the international zone at the Olympic Village.

Wang Chun is secretary-general of the Olympic Green management committee.

"During the National Day holiday, the Olympic Park opens to the public. The opening days aim to let people experience the magnificence of the Olympics and its assets as well."

The Olympic Forest Park also opens to the public during the holiday, but tickets are distributed free to local communities and are not go on sale.

In addition, people can exercise in six of the Olympic venues and training camps such as the shooting range hall, and the cycling and fencing venues.

Officials in charge of these venues have promised not to charge higher than other non-Olympic venues in Beijing.

Feng Jianzhong is deputy director of China's General Administration of Sports.

"The country has invested a lot of money to build these venues. If we don't make full use of them, it'll be a great waste. It's a great idea to make the venues accessible to the general public so they can experience the training camps which produced some of China's Olympic champions."

Feng Jianzhong also says that the opening of the Olympic venues will facilitate China's fitness-for-all program. He encourages all sports venues in the country to follow suit so that people can have more places to go for exercise.

Zheng Chenguang, CRI news.

(Editor: Luo Dan)