Fresh air, clear skies, and playing outdoors with a group of friends – what better way to welcome in the New Year and enjoy the winter season? With the Beijing crowds and increasing high prices many adventurous residents, travelers and tourists are now discovering the charm of Inner Mongolia – comfortably breezy in the summer and chilly but spectacular in the winter. Best of all, it’s only a forty minute plane hop or a cozy overnight train ride away.

 

Hohhot, the provincial capital, is fast becoming a bedroom community for rich Beijingers who long to escape from the big city. In the last five years many new leisure attractions have opened, catering to weekenders and vacationers alike. Today an increasingly popular sport is downhill skiing.

 

 Holidaymakers enjoy skiing at Daqingshan, Hohhot on January 1, 2008.

 

This reporter welcomed the New Year with friends by celebrating at the Daqingshan Tai Wei Sports and Leisure Resort located just outside of Hohhot. In the summer this resort serves as a magnet for golf enthusiasts and in the winter it operates as a family style ski resort.

 

The resort is designed for non-professional skiers and for family fun. They offer a small bunny slope for first timers as well as a longer, slightly graded slope with an automatic lift for intermediate skiers. Another area holds tires that all passengers to whirl around a slick, enclosed arena. For beginners and enthusiasts the staff includes young ski instructors, all very knowledgeable and friendly.

 

Valerie and her friend Erezhena go skiing at Daqingshan on January 1, 2008.

 

A free bus from downtown Hohhot carries guests to the resort several times a day. Upon arriving at the resort visitors buy a ten yuan pass to enter the slope area. They may choose various amounts of time to ski, ranging from one hour (80 yuan) to all day (400 yuan). A small service fee is charged to use the ski equipment and clothing. Everything is in excellent condition. The resort also offers a small noodle restaurant for hungry clients, as well as a coffee shop and a small area where children can play video games.

 

Directly next to the resort is a hotel. Room rates range from 469 yuan and up. The rooms are clean, comfortable but slightly cold in the winter. The hotel has full restaurant facilities as well as a small bathhouse and special indoor areas for golfers to practice their putting. Winter visitors can stroll around the golf course and admire the view after a pleasurable day of playing on the mild slopes.

 

Tourist Information:

 

Location: 20 kilometers from downtown Hohhot

Seasonal opening hours winter: late December to March

Telephone: 0471-2307999

Fax: 0471-4620011

 

Location of free shuttle bus to resort: Xin Hua Square in downtown Hohhot

Bus leaves Hohhot at: 8:30, 10:30,1:00, 3:00,

Bus returns to Hohhot: 9:30, 11:30, 2:00, 5:30

 

Ski Entrance Fee: 10 yuan

Ski Pass:

1 hour – 60/80 yuan?(Mon-Fri; weekends)

2 hours – 100/140 yuan

4 hours – 140/200 yuan

all day – 200/ 320 yuan

Hotel room rates: listed at 680, lower prices available

 

(China.org.cn by Valerie Sartor and George Wang January 4, 2008)