TRAVEL WATCH: SEPTEMBER 27, 1999 VOL. 154 NO. 12

beijing city guide: Short Cuts Want a different angle on the Great Wall? How about looking down on the serpentine monument from a donglisan, or "powered paraglider"? The bright yellow-and-red craft, strapped to a fan-like engine, takes off near the Badaling section of the wall and leaves the crowds below. Carrying just a pilot and a passenger, the small flying machine reaches cruising altitude at 1,000 m and offers a tremendous perspective on the seemingly endless wall that snakes off in either direction. After five minutes aloft, the pilot guides the craft down over the heads of gaping wall-walkers for a four-footed landing. "Many people enjoy it because it is such a new thing," says Kang Yuexin, head organizer of the trips. "There isn't much opportunity for such unique activities in China." Flights over other monuments are also available, though Tiananmen Square is off-limits, after an unauthorized landing in April by a local paraglider. To book some air time ($18 for five minutes) call Beijing Unite Flight Club at (86-10) 6225-3573. Introduction Orientation When to Go History Facts at a Glance Events Activities Attractions Off the Beaten Track Getting There & Away Getting Around Recommended Reading View a Map

Back to the Beijing City Guide Home Click here for more information from Lonely Planet Trend Spotting Ever since China put out the welcome mat, Beijingers have embraced all things foreign Short Cuts Want a different angle on the Great Wall? How about looking down on the serpentine monument from a donglisan Detour When British author William Lindesay ran 2,470 km of China's Great Wall 12 years ago, he saw plenty of what he calls 'wild wall' Web Crawling China's lag in all things cyber is well-documented, with a mere 4 million citizens online. Yet their ranks are swelling