The '''suburbs''' of Beijing covers the following districts, all outside the central city core:

  • Yanqing County (__?? ''Yanqing Xian'')
  • Huairou District (?____ ''Huairou Q?'')
  • Miyun County (___]? ''Miyun Xian'')
  • Changping District (______ ''Ch?ngping Q?'')
  • Shunyi District (??__ ''Shunyi Q?'')
  • Pinggu District (___J__ ''Pingg? Q?'')
  • Mentougou District (???__ ''Mentoug?u Q?'')
  • Fangshan District (_[_R__ ''Fangsh?n Q?'')
  • Daxing District (__?__ ''Dax?ng Q?'')
  • Tongzhou District (___B__ ''T?ngzh?u Q?'')
  • Get in

    See

    Buildings

  • Randengfo Pagoda. R_____q____?; Rand?ngfo Shelit?. ongshun Road, Tongzhou District (___B___i?_H; T?ngzh?uq? Y?ngshunlu). 86 10 6966 1781. The oldest and tallest pagoda in Beijing and also the symbol and most famous landmark of Tongzhou. Presently (April 2009) it can not be climbed but only watched from the outside.

    Temples

  • Hongluo Temple. ____; Hongluosi. ongluo Street, Huairou District (?____?___H; Huairouq? Hongluolu). ake bus 936 from Dongzhimen Station. yen;30. This is the largest buddhist temple in northern China and was built in 378. The temple has been quite important for centuries and has functioned both as temple and monestary. It is beautifully located next to the Hongluo Mountains, which you can climb or reach by cable car.

    Museums

  • China Aviation Museum. ______q____? Zh?ngguo Minhang Bowugu?n. ntrance fee is \50, and an extra \8 if you want to board Chairman Mao's plane. atangshan, Chanping District. ake Bus 912 or 643 from Andingmen station. AM-5:30PM. A must see for all aviation fans. It is located about 50 km outside Beijing in Changping District and is probably better known by the name Datangshan (__?_R ''Dat?ngsh?n''). Best way to get there is to arrange a taxi from your hotel. The other more adventurous way is to take bus 912 (or 643 if you can't find the 912) from Andingmen bus station, just remember that 912 has some branch lines and not all of these go via museum. The museum hosts over 200 exhibits, many of them very rare.

  • Tongzhou Museum. Xinhua West Road. 86 10 6954 6442. u-Su 8AM-11:30AM and 2PM-5:30PM. yen;3. Local history museum of the eastern gateway of Beijing.

    Galleries

    Songzhuang Artist's Village in Tongzhou District is the newest large art area to be found in Beijing, and could be argued to be the largest concentration of contemporary Chinese artists in the world. Already back in the 1980's, many artists lived in this village. During the 1990's artists from around the country moved here and in recent years, the number of artists have grown explosively to now more than 2,000. The area is concentrated in the village itself and especially the larger Street, Renli Road (_C___H; Renl?lu), to the east of the village. Directions: Take bus 930qujian (930_H__?) from Dawanglu Metro Station (lines 1 and 10) to Renzhuangcun Station (_C____; Renzhu?ngc?n) and walk north of Renlilu; alternatively, take the metro to Tongzhoubeiyuan (extention of line 1) and take an unofficial taxi from there (negotiate the price before you get in, it should be around ¥30).

  • Artist Village Gallery. v___________L; Songzhu?nghuaji?c?nhualang. north of Renzhuang Village, Songzhuang Village, Tongzhou District (___B___v__?_C_____k1__; T?ngzh?uq? Songzhu?ngzhen Renzhu?ngc?n B?i). 86 10 6959 8343; +86 139 0124 4283. ally-liu@263.net. 86 10 6595 7655. aily 9AM-6PM, though it is a good idea to make an appointment before you go. yen;20. This is a very large gallery, which aims at making local Songzhuang artists famous and making it possible for them to stay in the village while they build their fame.

  • Eye Haunt Art Space. 9 Xiaopu South Street, Songzhuang, Tongzhou District (___B___v_________X19__; T?ngzh?uq? Songzhu?ng Xi?opunanji?). 86 10 8680 9908. Gallery focusing on innovative emerging young artists.

  • Soemo Fine Arts. _____L; S?m?nghualang. 6 Xiaopu South Street, Songzhuang, Tongzhou District (___B___v_________X66__; T?ngzh?uq? Songzhu?ng Xi?opunanji?). 86 10 8957 9113. ucyhanchina@yahoo.com.cn. ttp://www.soemo-fine-arts.com/. The first foreign (Dutch) gallery in the area. Houses some of the very most famous artists in China as well as artists just breaking through.

  • TS1. v__________??___S; Songzhu?ng Y?haod?ngdai Yishuzh?ngx?n. 00m west of Liuheqiao, 102 Highway, Songzhuang, Tongzhou District (___B___v__102_____Z__?__?600__). 86 10 6959 4127. s1@ts1.com.cn. 86 10 6959 4127. ttp://www.ts1.com.cn/. AM-5PM. Promotes contemporary art in all forms and media. Represents now eight artists.

    There are also some interesting galleries in Shunyi District

  • Beijing Central Art Gallery.

    Parks

  • Badaling Wild Park. _??____?__?; B?dal?ng Y?sh?ngdongwuyuan. outh of Badaling Great Wall, Yanging County (__??__???____; Yanqingxian B?dal?ngchangchengnan). us 919 from Deshenmen east of Jishuitan Metro Station (line 2), or train S2 from Xizhimen Train Station. 86 10 6912 2591. bsp3000@sina.com. 86 10 5856 1360. ttp://www.bdlsw.com.cn/. ummer 8AM-5PM; winter 10AM-3PM. 90. Large wild animals like tigers, lions, bears and wolfs can be seen in this park from own car or park buses. Here is much better chance of seeing natural animal behaviour than in the zoo.

  • Grand Canal Culture Park. ________??; Yunhewenhuagu?ngch?ng. onghu Avenue, Tongzhou District (___B_________H; T?ngzh?uq? T?nghudalu). us 322 from Sihui Metro Station or Bus 938#4 from Beijing Station to Dongguandaqiao Stop (??__?) just after crossing the river. ree. Park situated at the historic place where the Grand Canal strecting from Hangzhou to Beijing ended. Great place for a walk along the river and for showing your kite flying skills. The park also comprises playing grounds, cafes and a small restaurant primarily serving barbeque. Under the bridge you can roller skate during the day and dance in the evening. Except for winter, you can usually rent you own boat or try the tourist boats' 1? hour trip on the canal, but presently (April 2009) this is temporarily suspended as there is almost no water in the river due to bridge construction work.

  • West Lake Park. __C_q__?; X?h?izi G?ngyuan. ihaizi West Street, Tongzhou District (___B_____C_q___X; T?ngzh?uq? X?h?izix?ji?). us 322 from Sihui Metro Station or Bus 938#4 from Beijing Station to Xinhua Street Stop (_V?___X), 200m back, turn right and then right and left. ree. Small park next to the old shopping street and market and with a view to the [] Tower. Small playground for the children.

    Do

    Climb the Great Wall

    See '''Great Wall''' for general information on the Great Wall
  • Badaling Great Wall. __?? B?dal?ng. ickets to climb the wall are around \40, with discounts available for the young and the disabled.. Give yourself about 2 hours to climb up the wall if you're a slow climber, an hour or less if you're speedier. The least expensive way of getting there is to take the Bus #919 Express (#919____, zhikuai) from Deshengmen (__??) (take Metro Line 2 to ''Jishuitan'' stop, walk past a huge number of different buses until you get to an outdoor station with a large number of 919 buses). Make sure you arrive early in the morning. The journey lasts at least one hour depending on traffic, and costs \12. '''Please note:''' there is more than one #919 line, and only one goes to Badaling. Also be careful about unofficial tour buses that will put a cardboard sign on their dashboard/windshield saying #919 but charge \50 and not even go to Badaling. Apart from the public bus, there are the official tourist buses that leave from Dongzhimen, Qianmen, and Beijing Railway Station. Tour companies charge \150 and usually stop at a jade factory, and one or two other stops. They do provide an English speaking guide and lunch which may be convenient. Thanks to the opening of the Beijing Suburban Railway Line S2 in 2008 it is much more convenient to reach Badaling by train. There are 16 trains per day in each direction from Beijing North Station to Badaling Station (1hr15min, Y13). The trains are brand-new and offer spacious aircraft-style seating and an on-board bar and as the line is still being developed with only 3 intermediate stations open to the public the train is always half-empty! However as the line is developed more intermediate stations are being opened resulting in more passengers and longer journey times. Once you arrive at Badaling Station, ignore the minibus drivers offering to drive you to the wall, turn left and walk about 500m to reach the main ticket office. The final option would be to hire a taxi for the day. It's common to have a 4-hour package from a taxi running somewhere around \600-800 (the driver should pay the tolls). Be sure to get the driver's cell phone number. Your best bet is to hire a driver using a trusted tour guide company, such as those found in the major hotels. Be sure to collect a taxi receipt as well. Near the entrance of the wall it may feel a little like you have entered a ski town, with some gift shops and coffee to warm you up to during the cold winter months.

  • Mutianyu Great Wall. __c__ Mutianyu. ttp://www.mutianyugreatwall.net. ummer: 6:30AM to 6:30PM, Winter: 7:30AM to 5PM. 41 for entrance to the wall. Less congested than Badaling, and a good place for a three hour hike. Visitors can take the #916 bus from Dongzhimen Long Distance Bus Station to Huairou (\12). The #916 buses run every few minutes from 5:50AM to 8:30PM. From Huairou, hikers can catch a cab to the Mutianyu stretch of the Great Wall (around \30). Visitors can also take a cab from Beijing (\200-300). There is also a toboggan ride (\55) and cablecars (\35 single, \50 return). The website has more information on tours and activities around the area.

  • Simatai. i?__ S?m?tai. ttp://www.simatai-greatwall.net/english/index1.asp. A great spot for walking the Great Wall. You can walk for hours here, and the wall has not been much restored. A three to four hour drive from central Beijing. Some hotels and youth hostels in Beijing offer organized trips for a trek from Jinshanlin (___R?) to Simatai, for around 350-360 RMB, including bus, breakfast (the bus usually leaves very early) and lunch on the spot. Be careful with the company responsible for these trips, some of them leave you at the foot of the Great Wall and will pick you up at the other end of the trek, with no guide nor information whatsoever. If you start from Jinshanlin, most probably you will be accosted by locals trying to sell you T-shirts, books, postcards and the like. Most can speak English. Some portions of the Great Wall are hard to climb, either because it's very steep, stairs are too high or boh. Some locals may offer to show you an easier path to get to Simatai. Do not listen or follow them, they will lead you astray and often blackmail you before showing you the real path to the end of the route.</do>

    Other

  • Goose'N'Duck Ranch. __??___k__; ehey?zhu?ng. __??___k__; Huairouxian Huairoub?izhai. 86 10 5928 3045. d@vip.sina.com. ttp://www.gdclub.net.cn/en/nongzhuang/. ne day package including food, bevarage and internal transporting ¥260; Two day package including food, bevarage, internal transportation and accommodation ¥600. Ranch with activities including go-kart racing, horseback riding, archery, paintball, both outdoor and indoor swimming pool, bowling, table tennis and party games.

  • Happy Land Arts and Crafts Center. _y_H??; Let?g?ngyif?ng. ibaixinzhuang, Houshayu, Shunyi District (??___@_________h__; Shunyiq? Housh?yu X?baix?nzhu?ng). 86 10 8046 4055. ummer 9AM-6PM; winter 9AM-5PM. The center offers pottery, painting, papoer folding, jewelry making and other.

  • Grand Canal Golf Club. _?____?_v??__; Dayunhe G?o?rf? Julebu. ugezhuangxiang, Tongzhou (___B_____e__?; T?ngzh?uq? Hugezhu?ngxi?ng). 86 10 8958 3058. AM-8PM. eekdays ¥400, weekends ¥600.

  • Tongzhou Pool. __B_____j?.

  • Caribbean Lagoon Waterpark. ______C_Q____??; Ji?leb?h?ilang Shu?shangleyuan. 18 Quanshuitou, Yanxi Town, Huairou District (?________?____?118__; Huairouq? Yanq?zhen Quanshu?tou). ake the train from Beijing North Railway Station next to Xizhimen Metro Station, get off at Huairou North Station and take an unofficial taxi the last couple of km. 86 10 5867 9210 / +86 10 8528 8966 / +86 10 6066 1638. ibaoer@126.com. 86 10 8529 8879. ttp://www.caribbeanlagoon.com.cn/. 0AM-4PM. yen;120. Large Caribbean themed water theme park with waterslides, wave pool, lazy river pool and island. Mediocre Chinese restaurants available but good picnic areas if you bring your own food.

    Buy

    Eat

  • The Roadhouse at Mutianyu. ttp://www.roadhouseatmutianyu.com. 2 Mutianyu Village, Huairou District. ne hour from downtown Beijing. 86 10 6162 6506. pen March-November, Weekends and Holidays 11AM-3PM and by prior appointment. A revamp of one of the earliest restaurants to be established in the Mutianyu Great Wall area. Surrounded by orchards and country farmland, The Roadhouse is oriented to provide sweeping views of the Great Wall as it stretches along the mountain ridgelines to the North and East. Fresh country-style Chinese food and trout netted from the pond with an unrivaled view of the Great Wall.

  • Xiaolumian. ingbeigou Village, Huairou District. ne hour from downtown Beijing. 86 10 6162 6506. ttp://www.xiaolumian.com. pen March-November, Weekends and Holidays 11AM-3PM and by prior appointment. A rustic farmhouse tucked into a valley next to the Great Wall. Xiaolumian is really a trip back in time and a taste of village life. Serving only local handmade noodles, soups and sauces from locally grown materials, the menu is as authentic as the setting itself. Eat lunch in a private room while sitting on the Kang surrounded by antique furniture and textiles, or enjoy special roasted barley tea on the slate terrace in the small orchard.

  • The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu. 2 Mutianyu Village, Huairou District. ne hour from downtown Beijing. 86 10 6162 6506. ttp://www.theschoolhouseatmutianyu.com/. pen 10AM-6PM. Closed Wednesdays. Located in a renovated schoolhouse at the base of the Great Wall. The Schoolhouse hosts a Western restaurant, an art glass studio and an art room. Part of a sustainable tourism effort, The Schoolhouse is staffed by local workers, and has a charming simple atmosphere. The food is Western homemade style based on fresh and local organic ingredients where possible. Menu items are sometimes simple, sometimes gourmet. Lunch, coffee, homemade ice cream, and a spectacular view make The Schoolhouse worth a visit if you find yourself in Huairou.

    In Tongzhou District, the main restaurant street is Chezhan Road with dusins of restaurants. Some of the best are:

  • .

    Drink

  • Aulympic Airportel. 6 Xiao Tianzhu Road Capital Airport, Shunyi District, Beijing, China. 6-10-58271122. ttp://www.aulympicairportelbeijing.com. Aulympic Airportel is a three star hotel in Beijing, China. It is just an 8-minute drive from Beijing Capital Airport and is close to Ligao Park, Tianzhu Garden, and New International Exhibition Center. It offers 258 air-conditioned rooms that is equipped with double/twin beds, cable TV, IDD telephone, and free high-speed Internet. The hotel offers you ideal venues for corporate and social events. Meeting rooms are available for seminars. Aulympic Airportel has a classy bar and restaurant, where you can celebrate life's wonderful moments.

  • Dio Cafe. ongzhou.

  • Riverside Cafe. ongzhou.

    Sleep

    Budget

  • Home Inn (Changping Coliseum of Beijing). @_____X (_k__________?_X); Ruji?ji?dian (B?ij?ngCh?ngpingt?yugu?ndian). 1 South Ring Road, Changping District (________?_H11__; Ch?ngpingq? Nanhuanlu). km north of Ring Road Six and 2km east of Badaling Expway. 86 10 6972 6677 ext 856. 86 10 6972 6699. ttp://www.homeinns.com/resvhomeinns/home/index.aspx. ister rates for doubles from ¥179, discounted from ¥164; breakfast ¥15. Rooms with free internet. Business center, ticket office, laundry service and fitness facilities available. Chinese restaurant.

  • Youth Holiday Hotel. k_____N_______X; B?ij?ngq?ngnianjiariji?dian. South Guiyuan Road, Daxing District (__?__?___H6__; Dax?ngq? Yuannanlu. ust outside the southeast part of Ring Road Five. 86 106789 5716. 86 10 6789 5756. ister rates for doubles from ¥238, discounted from ¥190; breakfast ¥10. Rooms with free internet and purified water. Business center, gift shop, beauty salon, ticket office, laundry service, karaoke, fitness facilities, and massage available. Chinese restaurant and room service.

  • Home Inn (Beijing Bailiqiao). ongzhou.

    Mid range

  • Wenhuibao Hotel. k________??; B?ij?ngwenhuib?ob?ngu?n. 6 East Gulou Street, Changping District (_________O?_X36__; Ch?ngpingq? G?loud?ngji?). km norht of Ring Road Six just east of Badaling Expway, buses 493, 914. 86 10 6972 8631. 86 10 6972 8632. ttp://www.wenhuibao.cur.cn/. isted rates for doubles from \320, discounted from \165; no breakfast available. Spacious rooms with free internet. Meeting facilities, ticket office, laundry service and massage available. Chinese restaurant and room service.

  • Beijing Longmai Hotspring Village. k__?_______x____; B?ij?ng Longmaiw?nquan Dujiac?n. iaotangshan, Changping District (________?_R; Ch?ngpingq? Xi?ot?ngsh?n). 86 10 6178 2666. 86 10 6178 5766. isted rates for doubles from \600, discounted from \322 including breakfast. This hotspring resort is one of the closest to the city centre, but if you are willing to travel further you can also find better places. Room rates include single entry to the hotsprings, but everything else you will have to pay for.

  • Aulympic Airportel. __`____??; K?ngg?ngaozhub?ngu?n. 6 Xiao Tianzhu Road, Capital Airport, Shunyi District (??_____V___H36________; Shunyiq? xi?oti?nzhulu 36hao aozhuyuan). minute drive from the airport. 86 10 5827 1122. ttp://www.aulympicairportelbeijing.com. rom \355.58 for a double. Three star hotel located close to Ligao Park, Tianzhu Garden, and New International Exhibition Center. 258 air-conditioned rooms equipped with double/twin beds, cable TV, IDD telephone, and free high-speed Internet. The hotel offers venues for corporate and social events. Meeting rooms are available for seminars. Classy bar and a restaurant.

  • Bishui Plaza. k__________; B?ij?ng Bishu?ddsha. reen Rivers Manor, Huilongguan Town, Changping District (________???______?__; Ch?ngpingq? Huilongguanzhen Bishu?zhu?ngyuan Nei). ake the train from Beijing North Railway Station next to Xizhimen Metro Station, get off at Shahe Station (______) and take an unofficial taxi the last km or so, or take bus []. 86 10 8072 9988. 86 10 8072 9966. ttp://www.bishui.com.cn/. isted rates for doubles from ¥759, discounted from ¥402, breakfast ¥68. Four stare hotel located close to mountains and river. Rooms with free internet. Business center, shops, beauty salon and ticket office available. There are also lots of recreational opportunities including disco, karaoke, playground, billiard, table tennis, fitness, bowling, tennis, indoor swimming pool, massage and sauna. Chinese and Western restaurants, large area with barbeque, and also coffee shop, bar and room service.

  • Village View Resort. k__?_i_x____; B?ij?ng Xi?ngj?ng Dujiac?n. ast of Quanshuitou Village, Yanqi Town, Huairou District (?________?____?__?; Huairouq? Yanq?zhen Quanshu?touc?n D?ng). ake the train from Beijing North Railway Station next to Xizhimen Metro Station, get off at Huairou North Station () and take an unofficial taxi the last couple of km. 86 10 6066 1166. ervice@villageviewresort.com.cn. 86 10 6066 1188. ttp://www.villageviewresort.com.cn/. isted rates for doubles from ¥770, discounted from ¥508, breakfast ¥38-180. Beautifully located hotel close to lakes and mountains. The rooms are not very large and has internet access against surcharge. Business centre, disco, karaoke, children's playground, billiard, tanae tennins, tennis and basketball available. Chinese and Western restaurants as well as coffee shop, bar and room service.

  • Canalfamily Hotel. k__?___l___x_____X; B?ij?ng Yunhe Renji?dujiaji?dian. Binhe Road, Rulin, Tongzhou District (___B______?___H6__; T?ngzh?uq? Rulin B?nhelu). 86 10 6155 6155. uhailei@163.com. 86 10 6155 0899. ttp://www.bjcanalfamily.com.cn/. isted rates for doubles from ¥1,280, discounted from ¥348, breakfast ¥30. Four star hotel located in rural surroundings close to the Grand Canal. Downtown Tongzhou with restaurants, shops and sights is easily accessed by taxi. The rooms are without internet access. Business center, gift shop, beauty salon and ticket office available. There a many recreational opportunities here including disco, karaoke, billiard, table tennis, bowling, tennis, golf, massage, sauna, indoor/outdoor swimming pools and water sports. Chinese and Western restaurants as well as tea house and room service.

    Splurge

  • China Countryside Hotels. ttp://www.chinacountrysidehotels.com/. 1280-4200. nfo@chinacountrysidehotels.com. Six guest houses in a real working village under Mutianyu Great Wall. Each house originated as a peasant dwelling and has its own special story and features. All guest houses offer a quiet retreat from the city with fresh air and breathtaking views combined with modern amenities. Prices vary between week days and weekends.

  • Commune by the Great Wall Kempinski Beijing. ttp://www.kempinski.com/en/hotel/index.htm?country_group=3&id=175. 11 villas designed by top Asian architects and design firms, all of which have butlers. For those with money to splurge!

  • Holiday Inn Beijing Moonriver. k_______________X; B?ij?ng Yuelianghe Jiariji?dian. Yulianghe Hebin Road, Tongzhou District (___B__________?_H1__; T?ngzh?uq? Yuelianghe Heb?nlu). 86 10 8952 3737. isted rates for doubles ¥1,817, discounted from ¥527, breakfast ¥113. Located next to the ancient Grand Canal near the historic place where the canal from Huangzhou to Beijing ended. This place is located at the eastern edge of Beijing close to small villages but easily accessed via the Jingtong Expressway. Business center, gift shop, beauty salon, ticket office, laundry service, karaoke, billiard, table tennis, bowling, tennis, golf, swimming pool, massage and sauna available. Chinese and Japanese restaurants as well as coffee shop, tea house, bar and room service.

    Contact