Golden Sea Lake

Located in the north of Haizi Village and on the eastern side of Pinggu District, Jinhai (Golden Sea) Lake is about 85 kilometers away from the city center of Beijing, sitting of the tip of a triangle that connects Beijing, Tianjin and Tangshan and surrounded by mountain on three sides (east, west and north).

Also known as Golden Sea Lake, it borrows this name from the nearby Grand Gold Hill, which is well-known for being a rich gold resource. The Jinhai Lake site includes the Haizi Reservoir and a 27 square kilometer surrounding area. Haizi Reservoir covers a surface of 6.6 square kilometers and is the 3rd largest reservoir in Beijing with a capacity of 120 million liters of water. Initially erected in 1959, it was rebuilt in 1968 and expanded in 1974. The Jinhai Lake site first opened to the public in 1985 and has become quite a popular destination since then.

Featured Attractions:

Camel Peak is one of the most famous spots in Jinhai Lake. Legend has it that a camel convoy was passing by this spot in the 17th century. Suddenly earth cracked underneath their feet and all camels but one fell in a huge hole that was formed. The very one that escaped the hole fell on the top of the hill and its legs got stuck between the rocks of the hill. That is how Camel Peak was formed. Sunset is the best time to view Camel Peak and you can take gorgeous pictures of the peak in a pink and orange background.

Placed on the top of Lanyu Hill, Huguang Tower is another popular site of Jinhai Lake. More than 30 meters high, this seven-storey tower is built in an octagon structure. It bears 56 bells –one placed on each corner of the tower- which rings in the wind and it consists of 168 decorative animal heads made out of clay.

Heng Hill holds the place of the most impressive site around the area. Furnished with pines and cypresses, its shape resembles a dragon diving into the lake. Various caves and fascinating rock formations make hiking on this hill an amazing experience. There are two huge giant footsteps according to a legend that the Immortal Erlang stepped on the hill. But that’s not the only story that comes with this place. It is also believed that this was the very place where two Taoists, Dong and Ge, fashioned pills of immortality in ancient times by capturing vital energy from the hill.