Chengde - Travelling in Beijing
    Located in the northeast of the Hebei province, the hinterland of Yanshan Mountain Chain, 256 kilometers

from Beijing, Chengde is a famous cultural city with about 300 years history and used to be the second political center in the Qing dynasty, with the largest extant royal garden in China.

    In Chengde, you will enjoy the EightOuterTemples and The Mountain Resort.

Eight Outer Temples

    Eight Outer Temples consist in twelve temples built during the Qing Dynasty (1644~1911). Dominated by eight districts at that time, they were called the Eight Outer Temples. It took 67 years to build these temples. Standing for the different architectural style of various Minorities in China, the Eight Outer Temples is the symbol of the country's unity and minorities' solidification. Till now, there are seven temples left.

    The architectures in the Eight Outer Temples are Tibet style, Han Nationality style, Han and Tibet combination styles. Examples are PutuoZongchengTemple, XumiFushouTemple, PuningTemple and PuleTemple.

The Mountain Resort

    The Mountain resort is the largest imperial garden in modern China. It covers a total area of 564 square kilometers, and is twice as large as the SummerPalace in Beijing. In the Qing Dynasty, it took 89 years (1703 ~ 1792) to complete. The emperors Kangxi and then Qianlong were in charge of this project.
The Mountain Resort, also a summer resort, is an important location of wonderful scenery and pleasant climate. Grand palaces, delicate temples, peculiar mountains, exquisite pavilions and tranquil waters are full of beautiful things in your eyes. You will have the choices of walking, hiking, climbing, riding and boating inside the garden.

    The Palace Area and Scenic Area are the main parts of the Mountain Resort.

Getting Chengde:
    Chengde is connected by three trains daily from Beijing Railway Station and three trains daily from Beijing South railway Station.


Beidaihe - Travelling in Beijing


     Beidaihe is a famous and scenic summer resort located at the southwest of QinhuangdaoMunicipality. An alluring coastal village with a small-town ambience, it provides a welcome break from city life. Its charm lies mostly in the lively inhabitants, bustling night stalls and, of course, the seaside views. From long stretches of pebbled sand to small coves, it is easy for travelers to escape the masses.

     The Beidaihe Beach Resort stretches 10km east to west from the Yinjiao Pavillion to the mouth of the Daihe. In Changli, southwest of Beidaihe, there are also plans to convert a local bathing beach into another resort. This naturally pristine beach, like the rest of the Beidaihe Beach Resort, will attract millions of visitors from all over the world each summer.

     The environment around Beidaihe is also beautiful. Mt.Lianfeng, which backs onto the beach, has two peaks covered by abundant green pines and cypresses. Lush vegetation, strange caves, decorated pavilions, secluded paths and winding bridges cover the mountain and make it unique and appealing.You will also enjoy Yingjiaoting ( Eagle Horn Pavilion), a huge rock towering over the sea at the northeast end of the shore, and Wanghaiting (Seaside Pavilion), built on the top of Lianfengshan which affords a panoramic view of Beidaihe.

     At the eastern base of Mt.Lianfeng is a park called Lianhuashi (Lotus Stone), named after the several huge rocks standing upright in the shape of a lotus flower. The park also houses the quiet GuanyinTemple in the north, beautifully restored in 1979, and the splendid Zhujia Grave in the east.Getting Beidaihe: ten trains connect Beijing Railway Station and Beidaihe every day.


Tianjin - Travelling in Beijing[/b]


     Tianjin, 130 kilometers southeast of Beijing is one of the four municipalities directly under the Central Government in China. The city is one of the biggest industrial and port cities in China and it is also known as "the diamond of the BohaiGulf".

     Tianjin was considered to berr one of China's most important military fortresses in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) due to its particular geographic location as access point to Beijing, the national capital.

What to see

     Besides being a business and trade center, Tianjin is also a famous historic and cultural city. The principal sights are:

Huangyaguan Great Wall :
     Huangyaguan is 120 kilometers from Tianjin's urban area and 80 kilometers from Beijing. The Wall is at the same time magnificent, perilous, marvelous, and beautiful. UNESCO placed Huangyaguan Great Wall on the UN list of World Heritage Sites.

Dagukou Fort :
     Dagukou Fort is in the Tanggu District 60 kilometers southeast of Tianjin, where the HaiheRiver joins the BohaiBay. It is the 'sea gate and ancient fortress', the gateway to Beijing and Tianjin, and therefore a strategic place in ocean defense.

DuleTemple:
     Located in the town area of JixianCounty and built in the Tang Dynasty, the thousand-year-old temple is a specially protected cultural relic of the country. The major part is the oldest wooden building existing in China. (11 Km northwest of the urban Tianjin)

Mt.Panshan:
     The mountain consists of five peaks, among which the major one is the 864-meter-high Guiyue (Laurel Moon ) with a tower on its top. Panshan boasts its unique hills, forests, springs, and rocks.

HaiheRiver:
     The HaiheRiver flows through downtown Tianjin, with a total length of 75km. HaihePark is by the riverside. There are amusement square, HaihePalace, Haihe Boat Restaurant, sculptures, and various yachts for tourists. It is a unique sightseeing route of the city

WaterPark:
     the largest park in Tianjin, covering an area of 200 hectares. Half of the park is water surface, which is divided into the lakes are 13 islets, which are decorated with pavilions, towers and terraces and connected with one another by exquisite curved bridges, arch bridges and dykes lined with weeping willows, giving a unique charm to the park.

Culture and Food Streets:
     Located in the center of Nanshi, an old shopping area, Nanshi Food Street covers 25,000 square kilometers. Like a palace, the street is in a rich folk style and breathes an air of solemnity. Delicacies from all over the country are available here
     The visitor can also enjoy the varied and beautiful architectures of the old concessionary areas where various objects and antiques can be found in the winding streets of the antique market.