Out and About
By Rachel Timmons (City Weekend)
Updated: 2004-06-30 10:18

During these broiling days of summer, what's the one thing so many of us yearn to do? Why, go for a refreshing swim, of course. Thankfully, living in Beijing offers more opportunities to swim and play near the water than just the over-chlorinated swimming pool at your local gym.

Close to Beijing, those interested in lake trips may want to check out the Ming Tombs Reservoir, about one hour north of Beijing in Changping County near the Ming Tombs. There's also the Miyun Reservoir in Miyun County, also NE of Beijing. Both reservoirs have opportunities for hiking, and at Miyun Reservoir swimming is available. Both reservoirs are accessible by taxi or van.

An especially nice trip is the pond at the Zhihui Gu Valley in Huairou County. The park, which has good opportunities for hiking itself, has a pond which comes recommended from Huijie at Beijing Bikers for swimming in. To reach Zhihui Gu, you'll need to take a bus leaving from Dongzhimen to the little town of Huairou, exiting at the Huiyizhongxin Station. Then just hire one of the many tourist vans to take you up to the park.

For those harking for a glimpse of the ocean, traditionally, the most popular seaside trip for Beijingers has been the Beidaihe seashore. Traveling to this area is a little more involved, but it can be reached in a day by train. The resort, which was originally a getaway for government bigwigs, is now a popular tourist destination with plenty of hotels, seafood restaurants, and promenades. To be sure, it is crowded at this time of year! Because Beidaihe is about four hours from Beijing by train, you'll probably want to stay overnight. Regular trains to Beidaihe depart from the Beijing Railway Station; prices range from Y50-90.

Instead of doing laps in the pool, consider venturing on some of these jaunts the next time you've got a hankering for the water.