Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In winter Yanqing becomes the destination of skiers and snowboarders. Badaling Ski
Resort is just three kilometers far from the Great Wall and has five main runs, the longest
being 800 meters (2,625 feet) and a 2,300-meter (7,546-foot) road run. They might not
be the most difficult of runs, but, regardless, reward yourself with a restorative dip in the
nearby hot springs when you finish. Bus 919 from Deshengmen bus station will bring you
directly here, or you can drive along Badaling Highway to Badaling Huaxuechang. Altern-
atively, Shijinglong Ski Slopes Resort, farther out in Zhongyangfang village in Zhangsha-
nying town, has more runs on offer, including one run of more than 1,030 meters (3,379
feet). Difficulty levels are a little more challenging here, so snow enthusiasts may be more
satisfied and, again, there are hot springs for post-ski recovery. To get here, take the 919
bus at Deshengmen and get off at Yanqing Dongguan (
延庆东关
), then walk 500 meters
(1,640 feet) down Dongwai Dajie to take the 920 bus from Yanqing bus station (
延庆汽车
站
), which will take you to Shijinglong Ski Resort (stop Xiaoluzhuang,
小路庄
).
Huairou district is between Yanqing and Miyun, and, as if squeezed in the middle by its
two neighbors, it protrudes far into the north, claiming Beijing's northernmost point. It cov-
ers 2,123 square kilometers (820 square miles) and is home to 373,000 people. Per square
kilometer, this makes Huairou the least densely populated region of Beijing with a piddling
average of 175 people per square kilometer (compare that to Xicheng's 24,599 people per
square kilometer). While 90 percent of this land is mountainous, and close to 70 percent
is covered in forest, farmers are able to make a living in the district by growing chestnuts,
walnuts, pears, apricots, and one of Beijing's favorite snacks, hawthorns. Importantly not
only for them, but for all of Beijing, Huairou is rich in water. Its lakes and reservoir help
supply the inner city with much-needed water.
Huairou isn't completely rural, however, and around the district are numerous town-
ships. Make your way to any of these and you're likely to find a cinema, a theater, a shop-
ping center or two, and low-level apartment buildings.
For the rest of us, Huairou is about getting out of the city and taking a break, be it for an
event, a leisurely weekend, or a visiting family member who wants you to make their once-
in-a-lifetime trip to the Great Wall your tenth. While there are the less-known, less-touristy
sections, including Huanghuacheng and Jiankou, there is also Huairou's best-known section
of the Great Wall, Mutianyu. Though undeniably tainted by tourism, it's still a far shot bet-
ter than Badaling. Mutianyu is a nice blend of restored and wild wall, and still can be ac-
cessed easily from the city. People of any ability can explore the main section of the wall,
