Weekend escape – WTown

Spending your weekend in Jiangnan 江南 (South of Yangtze River area) is no longer a dream!

The hidden Jiangnan in Beijing is called Beijing WTown 古北水镇 (G? B?i Sh?i Zhèn)

The architectures in the town are a courtyard in from Ming Dynasty to Republic of China styles and were built along the mountain.

During the fall, enjoy the scenery of the old Chinese style of building covered with the red leaves with the Great Wall nearby.

As you wandering on the street, experience being surrounded by the typical view of Jiangnan.

Surrounding:

1.7 km to Simatai Great Wall (司马台长城)

29.9 km to Miyun Reservoir (密云水库)

 
Address:

Wtown, Simatai Village, Gubeikou Town, Miyun, Beijing

北京市密云县古北口镇司马台村古北水镇

 
Opening time & tickets

Day Tour: 9:00 – 17:30

Night Tour: 17:30 – 21:00

 Day Tour Ticket: RMB 150/person

Night Tour Ticket: RMB 80/person

Day Tour with Guide: RMB 200/person

Shuttle bus: RMB 10/single trip, half price for children under 150 cm

Simatai Great Wall

It’s the only Great Wall been kept in Ming Dynasty style in China. The whole Great Wall was built along the precipitous mountain. There are 20 completed watchtowers in total and the Wangjing (望京) watchtower was built on the hilltop with the altitude over 1000 km, people can even have the whole view of Beijing city. It has been nominated as one of the “The 25 most popular tourist attractions” by Times.

Open Time: 8:00 am-5:30 pm

Open Area: From East Tower No.1 to East Tower No.10

 
Notice

Reservations should be made at least 24 hours in advance due to the limitation of tourist capacity. Visitors can book the next day to 10 days tickets.

Reservations visitors can take shuttle bus to the Great Wall. (Bus Time: 10:00am, 12:00am, 2:00pm)

After booking information submitted, visitors will receive “the successful appointment” message, please use it within the period of validity.

Visitors with reservation messages, valid identity documents, can buy tickets in the visitor center square and and take shuttle bus to the Great Wall.

Reservations can be made through: http://www.wtown.com/index.php/Yuyue/great_wall_reservation#menuSub

 

Ticket for Simatai Great Wall: RMB 40/person

With Tour Guide: RMB 100/person

Cable car: RMB 90/single trip

                  RMB160/round trip

                  Children under 150cm, half price

Attractions in WTown

Sima Liquors

Watch how Chinese brews the liquors in ancient method and to experience to cook with vinasse

Yongshun Dye House

At the dye house, you can see the original and natural- eco method of how people dye the cloth. The shop owner can even teach you how to dye your own cloth.

Yinghua Academy

Study and relish the beauties of literature with a cup of tea and have a rest at the Chinese style of the pavilion on the corridors along the waterside, enjoy a wonderful afternoon.

The heroon of Yang Warriors(杨家将)

The Northern Song Dynasty it was a very turbulent period in Chinese history. The Jurchen kept invading from the north. During this time, there was a family, the Yang, they vowed to protect the Northern Song Dynasty. They devoted themselves so much that even when the men were sacrificed, the women picked up the weapon and fought.

So in the later generation, Chinese people memories their braveness and the love of their homeland, they set up the heroons everywhere the generals Yang have been.

Zhenyuan Escort Agency(镇远镖局)

In ancient China, people will hire the escort agency to protect them or to deliver their item from place to place and the Zhenyuan Escort Agency is the most famous. In here you can get to know the real life of the armed escorts. Making bargains with the clients, practicing kungfu and more and more.

The Eight-Banner Club House

Gubeikou is the main fortress city of Beijing. See how Manchus guard their homeland and know the culture of a nation who lives on the horseback.

Where to stay

B&B 客栈 (kè zhàn)

Want to explore more of the town? Than B&B is your perfect choice. There are more than 20 of the B&BS in town and the owners are very friendly and enthusiastic. It’s one of the highlights of the town.