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The falling foliage of autumn delights color-enthralled tourists and the Fragrant Hills in northwest Beijing is not the only place to watch this autumn's scenery around Beijing can be found anywhere.
According to the Beijing Forestry Bureau, a 230-km belt of red leaves will appear around the outskirts of Beijing, an achievement finally realized by the bureau's "Red Leaves Project," which started in 2000.
The following are suggested places to be captivated by the ever-changing season.
Fragrant Hills
In Beijing, the Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan Park) are still the first choice for tourists who want to enjoy the leaves of autumn, despite the weekend crowds and traffic that are inevitable.
Though the government has made efforts to improve the traffic conditions to the mountain, it is not enough during the peak time from late October to early November.
According to information from Xiangshan Park Administration, 50,000 downtown visitors made their way to the mountain for the red leaves last weekend. Beijing's Tourism Administration suggest that on its best day, the capacity of the mountain park is around 20,000.
Unlike many other places that show off their red leaves, the Fragrant Hills offers lots of ancient Buddhist buildings and historic resorts: the reason why many visitors go there despite the crowds and traffic.
Located 28 kilometers northwest of downtown Beijing, the Fragrant Hills are, as their name indicates, an aromatic area of natural beauty.
The best places to watch the red leaves are at Xiangshan Temple, Banshan Pavilion, and Yuhua Peak. If you're up for it, climb up to Pingtai, Xishan Qingxue, and Shenyuwu for a view of the whole mountain.
For people with children, Shuangqing Villa, Jianxin Hall, and Liuli Pagoda are recommended due to their lower altitude and easy access by road..
Admission: 10 yuan (US$1.20) Other fees are charged at some of the temples.
Chairlift: 30 yuan (US$2.80) per person. Takes you to the summit of the hill; in strong winds, the chairlift does not operate.
Accommodation: It usually takes half a day to visit Fragrant Hills Park. If you want to stay for one night, hotels are available at the foot of the hill.
Getting there: Buses are the easiest transport option because of the special bus lanes en route, and no parking hassles on arrival.
Catch No 333, 318, 360 or 904 from downtown Beijing.
Opening hours: 6 AM - 7 PM, daily.
Badaling Great Wall
This is also a good place for watching the red leaves and the Wall itself. The top beacon tower offers a superb angle to view the red scenery to the horizon. Badaling is not as crowded in autumn as it is in summer. Be sure to take warm clothing with you. It is very cold in late October. Snow is already falling on nearby mountains.
Admission: 45 yuan (US$5.5)
Chairlift: 20 yuan (US$2.5) per person.
Accommodation: Hotels can be found at the foot of the wall.
Getting there: Take bus route 919 at Deshengmen in the North Second Ring Road to Badaling Station. You can also drive along Badaling Highway. It takes about 50 minutes.
Opening hours: 8 AM to 5 PM, daily.
Baiwang Mountain
A red-leaf watching festival is the norm for this mountain during the period, only three kilometers northwest of the Summer Palace, and almost the nearest destination for red-leaf watching. The mountain is now a mass of red trees.
Admission: 10 yuan (US$1.2)
Accommodation: No such service offered because it is so near downtown, but restaurants and eateries are not far away.
Getting there: Buses 330, 716, 718, 722, 752, 903 get there from downtown.
Opening hours: 8 AM - 6 PM, daily.
Jinhai Lake
About 80 kilometers northeast of central Beijing, the lake is surrounded by mountains where trees turn red.
The lake itself is also a famous travel destination in Beijing.
Admission: 10 yuan (US$1.2)
Accommodation: Star hotels can be found outside of the main gate of the park.
Getting there: Take bus 918 at Dongzhimen to Jinhai Lake.
Opening hours: 8 AM - 6 PM, daily.
(Beijing Weekend October 22, 2004)
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