Beijing - interesting places around city?

Hi,

I've done a quick search (quick) and didn't find anything similar. If the topics exists, please delete this one :)

So, the question in asking - are there any interesting places around Beijing worth seeing? I'm thinking about one day trip max, even shorter ones. Something where you could see the whole city from distance? During day / night. I'm not sure it's possible since Beijing is based in flat area mostly. Or, other example, place near airport where you can see starting / landing airplanes? That one might be impossible since we're in China, but who know? ;)

You know, basically those gems worth checking out as a starters :)

Thanks,
S.

Dear Worr,

For starters, you should check out chinabiker's amazing triple crown of nearby rides, which he's ridden and posted in the past week -- including this one today.

happy trails!

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Originally Posted by Worr

Hi,

I've done a quick search (quick) and didn't find anything similar. If the topics exists, please delete this one :)

So, the question in asking - are there any interesting places around Beijing worth seeing? I'm thinking about one day trip max, even shorter ones. Something where you could see the whole city from distance? During day / night. I'm not sure it's possible since Beijing is based in flat area mostly. Or, other example, place near airport where you can see starting / landing airplanes? That one might be impossible since we're in China, but who know? ;)

You know, basically those gems worth checking out as a starters :)

Thanks,
S.

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Some places to see the city, clear weather, which is rare, provided.

North: Great Wall at Mutianyu after you leave the renovated section in the Northwest and climb the first higher top
Northwest: Skypool, a mountain just East of the Ming Tombs
West: The peak East across the valley from Miaofengshan temple in the West mountains
Northeast: The peak of Nanshan ski area in the Northeast

Not many places you can actually access, so a lot of driving out, try and error lies ahead. Also consider that what is new today may be history tomorrow.

Plane spotting is pretty good for landings on rwy 01 and rwy 18R.

There are dozens of good places worth to go to on a bike :riding:

Thanks, that's exactly what I was thinking about. Now, just need to wait for a clear day :D

I second the recommendation on the series of rides Chinabiker has posted this week - he's been putting on a clinic of western rides.

The "Beijing Excursions Guide" book has lots of good ideas for day trips. A few that jumped out at me are Cuandixia (爨底下) an old Ming era village out in the west. Also Longqing Gorge（龙庆峡）which, depending on your taste for hyperbole, been billed as "Beijing's Three-Gorges" or Beijing's Guilin (Karst Mountains).. I was actually hoping to make that ride today before the rain hit :hellfire: The Tianmo Desert area is also close (天漠少漠). All these places are within 100 km of the city!

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Originally Posted by Pat

I second the recommendation on the series of rides Chinabiker has posted this week - he's been putting on a clinic of western rides.

The "Beijing Excursions Guide" book has lots of good ideas for day trips. A few that jumped out at me are Cuandixia (爨底下) an old Ming era village out in the west. Also Longqing Gorge（龙庆峡）which, depending on your taste for hyperbole, been billed as "Beijing's Three-Gorges" or Beijing's Guilin (Karst Mountains).. I was actually hoping to make that ride today before the rain hit :hellfire: The Tianmo Desert area is also close (天漠少漠). All these places are within 100 km of the city!

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Don't get me wrong Pat, but the places you've listed are the mass tourism spots besides the Great Wall. These places are overcrowded on weekends and roads to / from there full with the worst of the worst drivers :eekers:

Almost every place, where a brown sign points to is ..., well the color speaks for itself :lol8:

If it's for the ride, these spots aren't the best ones. If it is about visiting these places (one has to do that, no doubt), try to go weekdays or after the National holidays and well before the May ones. Avoid mid June to mid August unless you like 38 degrees + and 95% humidity.

After the "must have visited in Beijing program", try to go out 150kms or more, to escape the crowds. A bike is of course the ideal means of transportation for this purpose :riding:

Have fun.

My vote (hope) is that Andy will write a Beijing Excursion Guide via motorcycle. :deal:

No one in this town has a better depth of knowledge. :thumbsup:

.. but he'd have to buy a Chinese bike, first, to make it authentic! :lol8:

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Originally Posted by chinabiker

Almost every place, where a brown sign points to is ..., well the color speaks for itself

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:lol8: :lol8: :lol8: