Joanna James
Are you excited about your Beijing trip? It is a diverse cultural hub with royal palaces and gardens and modern entertainment. You'll have plenty of things to do in the city itself. But step a little away from the main hub to explore the suburbs; you'll walk into gorgeous forests and hidden treasures. In this article, we talk about a few days of trip-worthy places near Beijing.
This ancient temple truly is a treasure set atop a mountain. It takes between 30 minutes to an hour to reach the Tanzhe Temple from most hotels in Beijing China. If you're staying at a hotel like the Pan Pacific Beijing, you can reach the temple within 40 minutes. This temple nestles cosily on the Western Hills and is home to a pair of genko trees. The eastern genko tree is over 1000 years old. The trees are called the Emperor and Empress and stand majestically, recalling secrets of the olden days. Their presence is spell bounding. The temple itself has a number of sections, courtyards and pavilions. You can take a walk to remember the old world of China when monks meditated in this temple and nature looked over the forests.
You can reach the Ming tombs within an hour from the city. A serene woodland provides a final resting place for the Ming Dynasty Emperors. The wood is laden with beautiful willow trees and statues of people and animals guarding the tombs. The star of the show is the Path of Souls which takes you to the Avenue of Statues. Take a stroll along these paths to wonder at the marble gates and a world away from modernity.
Zhoukoudian is a prehistoric village where archaeologists found well-preserved fossils from our ancestors – the early humans. You can reach this place in under an hour from Beijing. The caves put on a display of the fossils. Enjoy a day away from civilization with early humans in their caves.
The Chinese name for this park translates into 'incense Burner Mountain' as it resembles Chinese burners. The cloud formations on the summit resemble (from afar) smoke emanating from the incense sticks of a colossal, mythical giant. This stunning natural reserve once served as the hunting grounds. Come autumn, the canopy of trees turns deep red and gold. There are even some quaint old temples in the park. If you love hiking, take the Gujianchou path to ascend to the peaks for mesmerizing views.
There is a jaw-dropping magnificence about the vast Summer Palace from the 12th century. It is an imperial complex of intense elegance and sophistication. The lake on the eastern bank of the Hall of Wellbeing and Longevity offers captivating views. The throne rooms and chambers are lofty. There are numerous tropical plants and a courtyard that resembles a forest. You can even plan to spend the whole day exploring.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
