Weekend trips from Beijing...

[Shadowdh]

Hi there all,

I have 5 weekends to play with while I am in Beijing... (well its 6 really but the first I am reserving for Beijing itself...) and I was wondering if anyone can come up with a list of recommendations... I want to get to Xian on the last one if possible... I am also thinking about Shanghai and Qingdao... but really I have no idea so I shall be guided by you wonderful people... thanks in advance...

[Long Zhiren]

廣西. Guangxi. 桂林 Guilin

山西. Shanxi. 平遙 Pingyao

Closer to Beijing: check beijinghikers.com – interesting hikes organized for expats weekly in nearby villages and natural areas that would be hard to find on your own

Here's some ideas in the distance that need more than a weekend.

四川 Sichuan. 亞丁 Yading Nature Reserve

四川 Sichuan. 九寨溝 Jiuzhaigou.

湖南 Hunan. 張家界 Zhangjiajie

湖南 Hunan. 武陵源 Wulingyuan Nature Reserve.

安徽 Anhui. 黃山 Huangshan

四川 Sichuan. 貢嘎山 Mount Gongga.

Five sacred mountains - East Tai Shan山東, West Hua Shan (Shaanxi/Xian), South Heng Shan (湖南), North Heng Shan (山西) and Central Song Shan (河南).

[Shadowdh]

廣西. Guangxi. 桂林 Guilin

山西. Shanxi. 平遙 Pingyao

Closer to Beijing: check beijinghikers.com – interesting hikes organized for expats weekly in nearby villages and natural areas that would be hard to find on your own

Thanks for the above pointers... great tip about the Beijing hikers site... fantastic... the ones that you suggest for a longer stay however will have to be put on the list for future visits to China as I have limited time at the moment... cheers mate..

[roddy]

The Beijinghikers would be a good choice - you do overnight hikes sometimes too.

[yonitabonita]

I've had two really enjoyable Saturdays walking from Jinshanling to Simatai (on the Great Wall) It's only a 9 km hike, but the views can be stunning. The route is both on restored and non-restored parts of the wall which can make it more interesting. I think this is a nice way to approach the wall.

Once you're off the restored parts, the number of people dwindle significantly. Another plus.

I organised a driver to take 4 people out to Jinshanling, then pick us up at Simatai. It was 450 kuai. (includes petrol, waiting time) I know there are tour companies that also do tours for 90 kuai per person. But obviously you need to make your own way to the departure point - wheras a driver can just pick you up from wherever you're staying.

Y

[Shadowdh]

Thanks for the tips all, I will definitely be doing a hike along the wall...

[artichoke]

Depends how much spare cash you have. I did a weekend trip to Xi'an (travelled by train Fri night/Sun night) - quite a cheap weekend away. And flew to Chengdu to visit the Panda research centre and hug a panda another weekend - quite an expensive for China weekend away. I also took a flight to Chongqing and did a 3 day "cruise" down the Yangtze then flew to Shanghai, but you could fly back to Beijing. Obviously this takes a bit more than a weekend. But there won't be much of the gorges to see soon.

[doumeizhen]

Cycle China (www.cyclechina.com) does trips in all sizes and in several places around China. I went to Inner Mongolia with them, and (despite the fact that I am not much of a biker) I had a fantastic time.

[Shadowdh]

Artichoke... the Xian trip is what I will be doing... cost is not much of an issue (as long as I keep the expenses low the wife wont kill me ) I didnt think of the Panda research place or Chengdu so that might go on the list...

Doumeizhen thanks for the tip but do they do very short trips as I only have the weekends really...

So far my list has been shortened to Chengde, Xian, Shanghai, and then two others... so many choices so little time...