The Six Outer Suburbs of Beijing are in clockwise direction Changping District, Shunyi District, Tongzhou District, Daxing District, Fangshan District and finally Mentougou District.

1. Changping District

Changping District is located due North-West of Beijing across the Northern Borders of Haidian and is among the first destination of interest for most Tourists and Visitors since it is home to theMing Tombsand the Badaling Great Wall of China. Changping District, was a County until 1999 AD. Covering an area of 1,430 square kilometers, the District has Changping Town as the Capital and counts two more towns - Nankou and Xiaotangshan, 26 townships, one state-owned farm and a special tourist zone.

Here lie the famed Western Hills of Beijing, at the foot of which lies the Imperial Pleasure Garden ofthe Summer Palaceitself. The Western Hills extend throughout both Mentougou and parts of Fangshan District as well as a section of Shijingshan District and were once the luxury Home of Sir Reginald Flemming Johnston better known as the Tutor to the Dragon Emperor.

Another worthwhile site to mention in Changping District is of a much more modern nature and is the National Aviation Museum. Not to be mistaken with the Aviation Museum of Beijing University in the Haidian District, the National Aviation Museum is located on the site of an old airbase once full of MIG's flying in defense of the Capital Beijing. At a distance of around 40 kilometers from the Central City it is now a large museum with a flashing display on Chinese Aviation History, air-defense, rocketry, the Korean Air War supported by China and more.

The last attraction of Changping County is the Ming Tombs, a renowned World Cultural Heritage Site. They are the not only the 13 Burial Tombs of the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD) Emperors, the ones that ruled from Beijing, they are also the only unique and preserved architectural remnants of such sites from the early Ming Dynasty surviving today, combining Confucian and Taoist ingredients. Apart from a Triumphal Gate and a long ceremonial causeway with statues of Animals, Generals, and Advisors, and the Ming Tombs Valley contain 13 burial sites. The most visited is the largest one, Chang Ling, the burial site of the Yongle Emperor who refounded Beijing as the Imperial Capital of the Ming. There are further an interesting and impressive Museum plus a whole rural valley to explore. Hiking in the area is greatly appreciated by many and it there are several trails through the surrounding area's. Although now much more developed, the Ming Tombs Valley is a Level 1 Protected site, and the valley -often shrouded.