Rolling Down a River on the Outskirts of Beijing

Whitewater rafting it ain’t, but piaoliu (drifting) is a great way to blow out one of our remaining hot-weather weekends.

Only two hours on a bus from Beijing, Shidu is a beautiful rustic community set amid limestone karsts, with city planning developed by a group of agricultural carnies. The land is filled with gaudy and less gaudy tourist attractions: caves filled with neon lights, and suspension bridges policed by little women with large megaphones. Ziplines, bungee jumping, paintball, rafting and horseback riding are all available in a bucolic landscape of corn and brilliant yellow sunflowers.

The drifting is as crowded as any Chinese tourist attraction, no bad thing – the entire scene is a raging battlefield for an endless indiscriminate water fight. Surrounded by dramatic cliffs, copulating dragonflies, young couples and the odd wild river golem, it’s the perfect summer escape. From our hostel, we took a car up the river to one of the drifting sites, where we were herded into a mass of excited, sweaty bodies grabbing at life jackets, paddles and rafts, before launching ourselves into the water and being swept away down a gentle current of cool green water.

I sprawled out on our raft, one hand lazily lapping over the edge, until a wall of water was thrown at me by two enemy 12-year-olds with buckets and water guns. Luckily, my craft was armed and prepared for attack. We busted out our artillery and returned fire, quickly battering the 12-year-olds – who clearly were not prepared for battle with hostile adults – into submission.

We headed back to town for dinner, basking in the fantastic aroma of potatoes and chicken roasting over spits set up between road and fields. The night turned surprisingly cool, a pleasant contrast to the blazing-hot muggy day. After dinner we walked down dirt roads overhung with grape and melon vines, enjoying the quiet and the fresh air. The roads wove between corn fields and country homes, most with signs advertising rooms for rent and big outdoor patios filled with a mixture of locals and tourists, chickens and dogs milling around the surrounding yard.

To get to Shidu, take Bus 917 from Tianqiao 917 bus station. Disembark at Shidu Xizhuang for nearby drifting sites. Buses leave regularly and cost RMB 22. Accommodation is available just behind the Shidu Xizhuang bus stop; rooms with AC, TV, and private bathrooms are available for RMB 60.