Ancient Town, Great Wall, Hot Springs & Cuisine: Savoring Slow Autumn Days in Gubei Water Town

In late autumn, Beijing transforms into the Peiping of Lao She's literary world.

At that moment, Gubei Water Town at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall begins to change its hues. Red leaves blanket the crisscrossing lanes, and the winding waterways mirror the brilliant colors—truly capturing the essence of the saying, "Autumn in Peiping is paradise."

During my favorite season, under a clear blue sky and warm sun, I came here to gift myself three days of slow living and a rendezvous with autumn.

Historically a strategic military garrison, the Gubeikou area boasts rugged terrain and was known as the "Key to the Capital."

Gubei Water Town was built in harmony with this landscape, backed by the undulating Simatai Great Wall. Its architecture, a blend of Ming, Qing, and Republican-era styles, clusters charmingly. Black-awning boats glide across the shimmering Tanghe River, giving the town a rustic northern character softened by the delicate grace of a Jiangnan water village.

A single leaf heralds autumn, and here, the creeping ivy draping every corner steals the show.

Unlike many popular red-leaf destinations, Gubei Water Town offers beauty you can reach out and touch.

Gray bricks and black tiles, little bridges over flowing water, inns and ancestral halls, flagstone streets... wherever you wander, red accompanies you, adorning the town with unique charm.

Unknowingly, you leave the bustling center behind and step into a narrow, secluded alley, savoring your own private view. In the hushed air, it almost feels possible to hear the leaves falling.

Gubei Water Town is a place brimming with poetry.

And poetic places are places with stories.

History and culture form the town's richest soul. Here, traditional Chinese culture is inherited and celebrated, with craftsmanship and artisan spirit worthy of appreciation.

Sit down quietly at the Wind House Kite Culture Museum and paint a Beijing swallow kite. Watch it come alive with color in your hands, then, under the old craftsman's guidance, gently let it fly. In that instant, it feels like returning to the most carefree days of childhood.

Not far away, the Yongshun Dyehouse, established in 1900, is a time-honored brand.

In a deep courtyard, dyed fabrics in myriad patterns hang drying on bamboo racks. Colorful cloth fills your view, while glimpses of sky and eaves peek above.

The second floor is an interactive space. Tie-dye a scarf or a piece of clothing with your own hands, creating something utterly unique in this world.

Shadow puppetry is a national intangible cultural heritage, and the town’s puppet theater stages performances daily. Experienced artists bring stories to life amidst the sound of gongs and drums and the interplay of light and shadow, their skill mesmerizing.

As night falls, the beauty of Gubei Water Town is far from over.

"He who has not climbed the Great Wall is no true man." The Simatai Great Wall, which accompanies the town, is the only section preserved in its original Ming Dynasty form. Built along precipitous ridges, it is renowned for its peculiarity, uniqueness, and peril.

Moreover, Simatai is the only section of the Great Wall open at night.

Ride the cable car up slowly as the town recedes from view, and the wall gradually emerges, outlined in scattered lights.

Shedding some of its daytime majesty, the wall now softens in the enchanting glow.

Carrying a lantern for a nighttime tour, you tread the winding, illuminated wall, overlooking the town's myriad lights below and a gem-studded sky above with a bright moon and sparse stars.

The moonlight is cool as water. History and the present collide, then merge, in this very moment.

Back in town, a romantic drone Kongming lantern show unfolds.

Accompanied by music, nearly a hundred drones rise slowly like floating lanterns above Riyue Island Square. They morph into different patterns in the night sky, glittering like stars, dancing like a dream.

The Great Wall music and water dance show at Wangjing Tower offers another evening visual feast.

Combining 3D holographic projection with dancing water jets, the show creates an illusion of interwoven reality and fantasy against the tower. Watching with bated breath, you feel drawn in by a powerful force, witnessing time and space intertwine, stars shift, in a boundless universe.

Finally, the music stops abruptly, and the water and lights vanish into darkness. In that moment of disorientation, everything feels both real and illusory.

Atop the hill, the mountaintop church is more romantic at night than during the day.

The outdoor terrace of the mountaintop café holds the best vantage point in Gubei Water Town. Despite the crisp autumn air, I stubbornly lean against the railing, clutching a hot coffee, captivated by the twinkling lights below.

Gubei Water Town's poetry fills every lane and corner, yet its many unexpected culinary delights ensure it never lacks human warmth and bustle.

The Water Town Food Street is lined with quaint, traditional snack shops. Bridgehead Cake, Tofu Corners, River Snail Noodles, Claypot Rice—expect queues at mealtimes.

The Chinese restaurants at Wuzhen Hui Wenchang Pavilion and William Edgar Hotel specialize in Huaiyang and Cantonese cuisine, ideal for family and friend gatherings.

The Roast Meat Restaurant sits on the town's periphery but thrives. Its signature Miyun roast pork is rich but not greasy.

As the weather cools, hot pot becomes the most sought-after treat. GUGUAN Hot Pot Restaurant at the entrance of Water Town Food Street fills the air with the irresistible aroma of bubbling copper pots, warming the chilly air.

Staying overnight in the town unlocked a novel breakfast idea: breakfast on a boat.

In the first glimmer of dawn, sit in a gently swaying black-awning boat, enjoying a delicate breakfast while admiring the town from a new angle. The boatman's rhythmic rowing, the water lapping, and birdsong in the treetops weave a soothing soundtrack.

A beautiful day begins in this very moment.

The tranquil beauty of deep night, the dewy sunrise of early morning—do you, like me, dream of this side of Gubei Water Town? Then, the best way to experience it is to stay overnight.

The town offers numerous hotels and inns of varying styles, catering to every vacation need.

Shisanmei Women’s Hot Spring Hotel near Wangjing Street features warm, elegant natural wood tones, with a private hot spring pool in every room.

As autumn nights grow cool, a courtyard bathed in soft yellow light and hot spring steam washes away all weariness.

Hangu Valley Hotel, nestled in the Langu Valley, is a serene riverside retreat. Its contemporary exterior and stylish rooms are equally impressive.

Sunlight pours through floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the space. Snuggle into the tatami or the sofa, and you're instantly in lazy mode, reluctant to step outside.

Self-drive: Navigate to "Gubei Water Town". Take the Jingcheng Expressway, exit at Simatai (Exit 24). About a 2-hour drive from downtown.

Public Transport: Direct bus from Dongzhimen, 2 hours, RMB 48.

Train: The newly opened Huaimi Line (Beijing North – Gubeikou, launched Sep 30). Then transfer to bus No. 69.

Gubei Water Town entry: RMB 140. Simatai Great Wall: RMB 40. Combined ticket: RMB 170. (Staying in town or purchasing hot spring packages may offer free or discounted admission.)

Town + Wall + Round-Trip Cable Car: RMB 280 (One-way cable car: RMB 220).

3. Autumn Foliage Tips

(1) Avoid weekends if possible—it will be far less crowded.

(2) Venture toward the town’s periphery to find spots dense with red leaves but few visitors. Examples: the alley outside Baqi Inn, the side alley near Yongshun Dyehouse's side gate and the road adjoining Imperial Melon Garden, the flagstone paths and alleys outside Yang Wudi Ancestral Hall, and steps, alleys, and stone bridges along the riverside accessible from the main road.

(3) The red leaves are highly saturated, so simple, neutral clothing is recommended. Renting Hanfu (traditional Chinese attire) pairs beautifully with the architecture. Each autumn, events take place here; this year’s Autumn Leaf Festival featured a two-dimensional theme, with many cosplayers and Hanfu wearers seemingly restoring the town’s historical atmosphere.

(4) There's a large temperature difference between morning and evening in autumn, so dress warmly.