Winter day trips: 7 cool escapes within reach of Beijing
Great places to go on a wintry day out
It's been cold in Beijing recently, but that's no reason to stay wrapped up in bed all day. With the help of a few extra, tacky layers, some bracing wintry air and a stiff drink or three, here's how to make the most of the icy winter on the outskirts of Beijing.
Skiing at Nanshan Ski Village
Indulge in this favourite winter pastime and take to the slopes. An hour out of town and with a regular fleet of shuttle buses, Nanshan Ski in Miyun County is a low-cost favourite, with all-inclusive gear rental and pass packages available for under 300RMB. A haven for fair-weather skiers and newcomers to the sport, its slopes and snowboard park are usually rammed with skiers and snowboarders of all levels. Other ski spots are to be found out in neighbouring Hebei – which is also going to host the 2022 Winter Olympics despite not actually having a whole lot of real snowfall – but you won’t find a much more convenient spot for an easy day on the snow than Nanshan.
Warm up at the Botanical Gardens
Naturalists may argue that spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit Beijing’s Botanical Gardens, and they’re probably right. But the indoor Tropical Conservatory (50RMB) is a winner year round. Pleasantly humid and home to over 3,000 varieties of colourful and exotic tropical plants that otherwise have little hope flourishing anywhere within the city limits, it’s the ideal space to breathe some life back into your oxygen-starved lungs in the depths of winter.
Take a hike on the Great Wall
If you can hack the cold, winter might well be the best time of the year to make tracks through Beijing’s countryside: there are fewer traffic jams, tour groups dwindle in numbers and you don’t get all hot and bothered clambering up the hills. There’s just nature, and a lot of it. After 15 years of leading groups through the capital’s wilderness, guides at Beijing Hikers know all the best routes: wander through deserted canyons; pass through the frozen streams, pools and waterfalls; hike through the extra quiet country hills; or spend Christmas navigating the Great Wall.
Relax at the Brickyard
Image via Brickyard Retreat
The Brickyard, a converted tile factory, provides one of the most inclusive Great Wall stays Beijing has to offer. While it’s great to explore the Great Wall year round, wintertime offers unique views with a sprinkling of snow on the Wall and atop the surrounding mountains. Rooms and private homes can be rented and have a cosy-rustic but updated feel and amazing views of the Great Wall. After a long day out and about, the fireplaces in the hotel’s common area lounges are a great place to warm up together. During its winter weekend stays, tours and home visits to a nearby village can be organised.
Indulge in culture at Badachu Park
Nestled in the Western Hills, and about a two hour trip out of Beijing, the slopes of Badachu Park host an array of Buddhist temples, nunneries and shrines. Centred around the Temple of Divine Light and its ‘Buddha Tooth’ relic, the park offers a real sense of spirituality.
If you think the handful of monks at the Lama Temple make it a spiritual hub, think again. At Badachu, monks, nuns and Buddhists far outnumber tourists; the quiet shrines are active places of worship where locals come to pray for guidance, health and luck in the lottery. They may also come for the exhilarating toboggan slide (60RMB) from the top of the hill back down to the entrance of the park. The final courtyard of the Temple of the Fragrant World is a shady haven thick with incense.
Take time away from it all at Tian Yi Eunuch Tomb
Tian Yi Eunuch Tomb (8RMB entrance fee) is the final resting place of Tian Yi who was – you guessed it – a eunuch. About an hour and a half from Beijing, it’s an interesting spot to learn about the culture that was influential during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The moment you walk in, the surrounding ambient noise dies away and you’re greeted by an eerily calm graveyard. You can then walk down into the dark open grave, which is very well preserved despite being looting in 1911. While the artefacts in the eunuch museum are fascinating, the info boards are in Mandarin only. Get your WeChat or Google Translate at the ready.
Soak out the cold at Chun Hui Yuan
A hotbed of geothermal activity, Beijing is blessed with the gift of hot springs. Full of all manner of minerals, the steaming pools are a great way to escape (if only temporarily) the onslaught of winter. There are hot springs closer to the city centre, but Chun Hui Yuan bucks the trend in the world of Beijing hot springs, forgoing kitsch adornments and faux tropical scenes for something more stylish, with classic wooden trellises and sleek stone furnishings dominating the decor. The baths are divided into three areas – one indoors, two outdoors – and vary in size with plenty of options for both couples looking for a bit of privacy and large groups. The Garden Baths garner the most attention: ten steaming open-air pools offer different types of aromatic-infused waters to help relaxation; stay here into the evening for a soak under the stars. The next-door Lakeside Baths shouldn’t be missed either, offering views of Chun Hui Yuan Hotel’s grounds beyond.
For more things to do in Beijing this winter, hit 'Read more'.
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