Mountain-and-river tourism drive kicks off in western Beijing

More than 10 events have been launched in Beijing's Mentougou district since August to highlight the cultural charm of the city's western area.

The events cover natural sightseeing, traditional costume park tours and intangible heritage experiences at local scenic spots. They are organized by the district authorities to tap into the development potential along the Xishan Mountain and Yongding River culture belt.

The river runs through Mentougou, which abounds in folk customs. The district has old villages, temples, coal production facilities and agricultural produce such as wild jujubes, mushrooms and white pears.

Tourists can enjoy the local ecology, culture and tourism during the event series that runs through October. At the same time, four red tourism routes and four mountain adventures have been developed to spice up tourist experience.

"Mentougou boasts the most spots for red tourism in Beijing," says Ma Qiang, deputy head of the district. "The 'carnival' will enable tourists to appreciate revolutionary heritage and better understand the difficulties of acquiring happiness today," Ma says.

Some of the district's must-see sights include Lingshan Mountain, with its highest peak standing at more than 2,300 meters above sea level, and Baihua Mountain, which has a botanical garden.

In the Xiaolongmen forest park, visitors can feast their eyes on more than 800 species of plants. The Huangcaoliang natural scenic area, another tourist spot in the district, offers scenic vistas of the Great Wall, while old pine trees can be spotted on Miaofeng Mountain.

In addition to the landscape, Mentougou has more than 350 historical and cultural sites such as the ancient Tanzhe Temple.

"The district has a lot to offer to travelers," says Ma.

In the coming events, tourism influencers such as travel bloggers will be invited to introduce to the public ways of exploring distinctive local villages, including ancient routes and cultural sites.

Other programs, including a mountain-hiking event, a photography competition and a fair, will also be held in 12 towns and subdistricts across the district, according to local authorities. The idea, they say, is to integrate culture and tourism entities with local farming, business and sports resources, to turn the events into a brand in the future.