My Little Princess and Prince: 16 Jun 2025 - PEK Day 3: Sculling Boat (摇橹船) Ride at Gubei Watertown (古北水镇)

Nestled at the foot of the Simatai (司马台) Great Wall, just two hours from Beijing, Gubei Watertown (古北水镇) is like stepping into a living painting. After the journey through bustling highways and winding valleys, arriving at the town felt like being transported to a different world where stone bridges, willow-lined canals, and tiled rooftops capture the essence of old China.

The town is built in the style of a northern water village, with grey-brick courtyard houses, arched stone bridges, and lanterns hung along cobbled streets. Against the backdrop of the mountains and the looming outline of the Simatai Great Wall, Gubei feels both intimate and grand at the same time.

Can you see the Great Wall at the top of the mountains in the background of the photo below?

One of the most enchanting ways to experience Gubei is from the water. The town’s canals cut gracefully between rows of courtyards and taverns, and hopping on a sculling boat is like gliding through a movie scene. We stepped into a small wooden pier, where boats with curved canopies waited. The boatman, using a single oar at the stern, welcomed us aboard. The gentle push off the dock set us drifting instantly into calm.

The boat slid silently under arched stone bridges, their reflections rippling on the surface of the canal. The rhythmic motion of the boatman’s sculling created a soothing cadence, almost like the heartbeat of the town itself.

Walking through Gubei Watertown is beautiful, but the sculling boat offers a different perspective. It shows the town the way it was designed to be seen. Every turn revealed a new scene:

- A wooden terrace with diners enjoying tea by the water.

- A row of red lanterns, mirrored in the still canal.

- The distant silhouette of the Great Wall, perched high on the ridges, keeping silent watch over the village.