Shi Du's new tourist attractions might be a little kitsch but its natural beauty makes it a winner

Nestled in the towering Taihang Mountains, the small tourist town of Shi Du offers a nice break from Beijing's sterile forest of skyscrapers.

Located in Fangshan district just 100 km southeast from downtown, Shi Du - which translates as "Ten Crossings" or "Ten Ferries" - is the closest area to the city center with striking mountain scenery, thick forests and an abundance of waterways.

With a population of just 12,000 tucked into petite huts, the town is considered small even by Western standards. Yet it is the serene isolated feeling of the riverside village that makes it an ideal location for a day away from the chaos of the city.

Known half-jokingly as the Guilin of the north, Shi Du's natural topography has not only drawn the attention of tourists, but also that of many actors and directors, with more than 200 movies and television shows filmed in the surrounding area.

As the only location in North China with karst limestone formations, unique rock structures formed by groundwater, the area also provides a physical challenge for avid hikers.

Named after the Juma River's 10 wide bends that cut their way through the middle of Shi Du's small hub, the town embraced the title of National Geopark in 2004 and has since been applauded for its efforts to preserve its natural wonders.

The excavation site of Peking Man, where the first fossil of homo erectus was discovered in 1921, thought to be the world's oldest known evolutionary link at around 600,000 years old, is another one of the surrounding area's biggest draws.

While the scenery itself is impressive, the town has capitalized on its natural surroundings by offering a long list of entertainment activities set to the town's beautiful backdrop.

Although some of the activities can feel a bit kitsch, such as an electronic bucking bull spitting out tin-sounding Mexican tunes or the suspiciously difficult tennis ball cannon target practice, most are worth a spin.

For those feeling in a vengeful mood, Counterstrike, an increasingly popular pastime in China which uses laser guns to simulate the war-based computer game of the same name, offers groups of friends a chance to tap into their survival instinct. Shi Du's vast outdoor playing field along the river provides a peaceful setting for this fierce competition.

If you are looking to avoid confronting friends on a battlefield, a lounging float down the Juma River is also an option. For 80 yuan you can rent small inflatable rafts and cruise along the mountain basin in the river's surprisingly clean waters.

Shi Du also has one of the nation's first bungee-jumping platforms. For heroic-hearted tourists who are willing to dish out a little bit of money, the platform is 55 meters high and overhangs the river. Each jump costs 200 yuan.

Only two hours outside the city, Shi Du makes for an ideal day trip, giving busy Beijingers a chance to escape the humdrum rhythm of city life and revel in the natural beauty of the capital's outskirts.

China Daily

(China Daily 05/24/2011)