Huailai County Tourism

Hebei Zhangjiakou Huailai County - located at the Beijing-Hebei border, known as the "Pearl of Western Beijing", centered around Guanting Reservoir and Jimingyi Ancient City, integrating lakes, desert, ancient post stations, mountains, and wine culture. A 2-day 1-night in-depth tour includes boating on Guanting Reservoir for bird watching, exploring a thousand-year-old post station, enjoying the "Tianmo" wonder, unlocking the interwoven landscape and culture of the Beijing suburbs.

Guanting Reservoir Area (square kilometers)

4A-Level Scenic Spots

Core Attractions

10+

Specialty Foods and Local Products

Guanting Reservoir, Huailai County, Zhangjiakou City

Guanting Reservoir - The First Lake of Western Beijing

Iconic landscape of Huailai, the first large-scale reservoir built after the founding of New China, spanning Beijing and Hebei, with a water area of 28 square kilometers, an important water source and ecological barrier for Beijing. The lakeshore is winding, surrounded by wetlands, grasslands, and sand dunes. Boating and fishing are available in summer, migratory birds gather in spring and autumn, known as the "Ecological Green Lung of Northwest Beijing".

Huailai County Two Days One Night Western Beijing Hidden Gem Tour

Boating on Guanting's blue waves for bird watching, exploring Jiming Ancient Post Station for historical traces, playing in Tianmo Desert sand sea waves, savoring Huailai's mellow flavors

                        
Trip Duration
2 Days 1 Night

                        
Main Destinations
Guanting Reservoir, Jimingyi Ancient City, Tianmo Desert, Huanglong Mountain Villa

                        
Suitable For
Family trips, history enthusiasts, photography enthusiasts, outdoor enthusiasts, self-driving tourists

                        
Per Person Budget
¥400-¥800

Lake and Desert Wonders

Guanting Reservoir · Tianmo Film and Television Base · Sangan Winery

Trip Highlights

Morning cruise on Guanting Reservoir to enjoy lake views, watch migratory birds along wetland boardwalks, afternoon visit to Tianmo Desert to experience sand sliding, desert off-road vehicles, feel the wonder of "miniature desert" coexisting with lakes, evening visit to Sangan Winery for wine tasting, learn about Huailai's winemaking culture.

Attraction Arrangements

Guanting Reservoir

National Water Conservancy Scenic Area, spanning Huailai and Beijing Yanqing, with vast waters, surrounded by wetland parks, grasslands, and wind turbine groups, popular for bird watching, fishing, and camping. Dozens of migratory bird species like swans and gray cranes stop here each spring and autumn. "Fisherman Island" on the north bank offers local fishing village cuisine.

Tianmo Film and Television Base

Unique "miniature desert" landscape covering about 1300 acres, with fine sand texture, surrounded by farmland, wetlands, and Guanting Reservoir, forming the wonder of "desert adjacent to water". Famous for filming multiple movies and TV series like "The Decisive Engagement" and "My Fair Princess", offering sand sliding, camel riding, desert off-road vehicles, and other activities.

Sangan Winery

Representative of Huailai's wine industry, located along the Sangan River, with 10,000 acres of vineyards and modern cellars. Visitors can tour vineyard plantations, winemaking workshops, learn about wine production processes, taste Sangan Winery series wines. Huailai is China's famous "Wine Country", located on the same latitude 40°N wine-producing golden belt as France's Bordeaux.

Practical Information

Accommodation Recommendations

Homestays around Guanting Reservoir
Budget hotels in Shacheng Town
Tianmo Desert theme camps

Food Recommendations

Guanting Reservoir Fish Banquet
Free-range Chicken Stewed with Mushrooms
Fried Rice Cakes
Shacheng Laojiao Liquor

Travel Tips

Guanting Reservoir boat ride 50 yuan/person, fishing requires own equipment
Strong UV at Tianmo Desert, bring sunscreen and sunglasses
Winery tasting requires age 18+, bottled wine can be purchased

Ancient Post Station and Mountain Charm

Jimingyi Ancient City · Huanglong Mountain Villa · Yangbian Great Wall · Dong Cunrui Memorial Hall

Trip Highlights

Morning exploration of Jimingyi Ancient City, visiting Ming and Qing postal stations and ancient streets, experiencing ancient postal culture, afternoon climb to Huanglong Mountain Villa for mountain forest views, experience zip line, evening visit to Yangbian Great Wall ruins, visit Dong Cunrui Memorial Hall, purchase local specialties and return.

Attraction Arrangements

Jimingyi Ancient City

National key cultural relics protection unit, China's largest and best-preserved ancient postal station, built in the Yuan Dynasty, flourished in Ming and Qing dynasties. City wall circumference 2330 meters, includes Postmaster's Office, Official Residence, Horse Stables, etc. The ending tower scene in "A Chinese Odyssey" was filmed here. It is a living fossil for studying ancient postal systems.

Huanglong Mountain Villa

National 4A-level scenic spot, located in the Yanshan Mountains, main peak elevation 1800 meters, featuring "Grassland in the Clouds" and "Immortal Cabinet Mountain" as core landscapes, with primitive forests, streams, and waterfalls. Visitors can take cable car up the mountain, experience zip lines, grassland horseback riding. Average summer temperature 22°C, a good summer retreat.

Yangbian Great Wall

The "model project" of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, supervised by Xu Da. Walls are constructed with stone slabs and blue bricks, regular and sturdy, preserving watchtowers, battlements, etc. Named for being the standard template for Ming Dynasty Great Wall construction. Hiking along it showcases the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient fortification.

Practical Information

Experience Activities

Ancient costume photography at Jimingyi Ancient City
Huanglong Mountain Villa cable car (one-way 60 yuan)
Tianmo sand sliding (30 yuan/turn)
Sangan Winery winemaking experience (reservation required)

Specialty Recommendations

Shacheng Laojiao Baijiu (liquor)
Huailai wine
Guanting Reservoir vacuum-packed fish
Chaigoubao smoked meat (Huailai branch store)

Return Guide

Huailai County is about 120 km from Beijing, 2-hour drive; about 80 km from Zhangjiakou Station, 1.2 hours
Shacheng Railway Station has trains to Beijing and Zhangjiakou
Specialties can be purchased at Shacheng Town supermarkets or winery stores

Must-Try Foods in Huailai County

Guanting Reservoir Fish Banquet

Huailai specialty banquet, using carp, grass carp, and silver carp from Guanting Reservoir as ingredients, prepared through stewing, frying, steaming, roasting, etc. Representative dishes include "Braised Fish", "Fried Small Fish", "Fish Head Tofu Soup", etc. The meat is tender without muddy taste. Due to the excellent water quality of the reservoir, the fish flavor is particularly delicious, a must-try ecological food in Huailai.

Shacheng Laojiao

Iconic liquor of Huailai County, started in 1948, made from sorghum and corn using traditional solid-state fermentation. Clear liquor, rich cellar aroma, smooth and sweet taste. A famous Baijiu brand in Hebei, known as "Fine Drink Beyond the Great Wall", ideal for banquets and gifts.

Free-range Chicken Stewed with Mushrooms

Huailai farmhouse specialty, using local free-range chickens and wild mushrooms (or shiitake) stewed together, seasoned with ginger slices and scallion sections, slow-cooked for over 1 hour. Chicken meat is firm, broth is rich, mushrooms absorb the chicken's umami flavor, nutritious, a classic warming dish in winter.

Fried Rice Cakes

Huailai traditional snack, made with glutinous millet flour skin, filled with red bean paste or jujube paste, fried until golden brown, crispy outside, soft and glutinous inside, sweet and delicious. A common local festival and hospitality food. Freshly fried street stall fried rice cakes paired with bean flour porridge is an authentic Huailai breakfast combination.

Huailai County Travel Tips

Best Travel Time

Spring (April-May): Guanting Reservoir migratory birds, suitable for bird watching photography
Summer (June-August): Huanglong Mountain Villa summer retreat, Tianmo desert fun, reservoir boating
Autumn (September-October): Grape ripening, winery picking activities available

Must-Try Foods

Guanting Reservoir Braised Fish
Free-range Chicken Stewed with Mushrooms
Fried Rice Cakes
Shacheng Laojiao (tasting)
Huailai Wine

Budget Reference

Tickets: About 200 yuan (main attractions including experience activities)
Accommodation: 100-300 yuan/night (homestay/hotel)
Food: 60-120 yuan/day
Transportation: Self-drive fuel about 200 yuan (Beijing round trip)
Total: 400-800 yuan

Common Questions

Does Jimingyi Ancient City need a guide? → Scenic area provides guided service (50 yuan/session), or audio guide rental (20 yuan)
Is Tianmo suitable for children? → Suitable, has children's sand sliding area, requires parent supervision
Can you camp at Guanting Reservoir? → Some areas allow, need to consult management office in advance and pay attention to safety
When is Huailai wine grape picking season? → September-October, some wineries require advance reservation