Miyun Things to Do Tips by mke1963

Nanshan Ski Resort - Part I

90 minutes NE of Beijing is the Nanshan ski resort - ten minutes from the city of Miyun. Open from around November until Chinese New Year (possibly longer), it relies upon a barrage of artifical snow-making machines and blowers, but it provides the urban rich in Beijing with the opportunity to ski on 'real' snow. The ski runs aren't extensive, but there are sufficient runs to keep all but the most hardened skiers happy, and there is even a fierce Black route off the highest hill.
If skiing is not quite yo9ur thing (it isn't mine, but I have two kids who love skiing), there are other activities,including a 1300 metre toboggan run, snowmobile rides and other gentler activities.
If you are used to European or American ski resort prices, you might want to consider learning to ski here on the outskirts of Beijing, where you can get instruction for just RMB100 per hour. I was taught to ski sufficiently to get down the easier slopes in just 90 minutes.

The majority of the visitors are day visitors, andmany are on corporate outings, so there are a large number of suicidal skiiers who turn up, strap on skis and head for the top of the mountain. However, there are a lot of medics on and around the slopes to pick up the pieces, and if you have a heavy fall, you will have assistance in 30 seconds. However, beyond the well-meaning ski-slope medics, the First Aid facilities seem terribly limited, and the nurse who attended to my daughter wanted her to go straight off to hospital for X-rays...it was clearly just a bruised leg. There is a big difference between being cautious and simply abdicating responsbility towards the nearest hospital. The ability to make minor medical decisions may be quite important for you!

Directions: Junction 15 of JingCheng highway (Miyun turn off)

Valleys above Miyun

Route S205 north of Miyun takes you into the deep contorted valleys and twisted gorges of the river that feeds into the Miyun reservoir (the huge dam that you see after taking off from Beijing Airport).
These valleys are peaceful and beautiful - small villages, dusty tracks, crab-apple orchards and fields of maize and peanuts.
Water runs through the valley all year round (unlike some of the rivers to the north-west of Beijing).
You can walk pretty much where you want, with high mountains towering above you, down the valleys and up shepherds paths.
One paricularly beautiful valley can be reached by taking the first turning after the second (longer) tunnel heading north (around 30 km north of Miyun on S205) and following the road down to the river.
There are waterfalls al along this valley, signposted from the road, plenty of restaurants and cafes, and a lot of fruit to buy!

If you have the book "Hiking around Beijing", this area is the first stretch of the 'Scenice Drive' (Walk 13).

Address: S205 north of Miyun.

Directions: Turn left at the 'big globe' in Miyun, follow the road north, left at the T-junction and up into the mountains. Ths road is bein resurfaced (Sept 2004) so there can be delays at the weekends.