Shanhaiguan Great Wall
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The Great Wall of China ends at Shanhaiguan on the Bohai Sea. If you’re traveling independently, Shanhaiguan makes a good place for an overnight trip or even just a stop on routes north.
I’ve been to Shanhaiguan several times over the years. It’s changed a lot since my first trip back in 1995. The old city within the walls is pretty much gone, replaced by Ming Dynasty style buildings geared for the tourist trade. The wall surrounding the inner city is still there, but it has been greatly restored. There’s a new train station a little farther out, but still wiithin walking distance of the walled city. The old train station is now a long-distance bus station. The old city wall is fun to walk on. Huge statues of scholars and soldiers are gone now, replaced by vendors selling lighters and card cases bearing pictures of scantily clad women in provocative poses. After walking on the wall, grab a taxi to Laolongtou (Old Dragon Head) where the Grreat Wall meets the sea. It’s a parklike setting with interesting statues and a maze. Keep on walking; pretty soon youl’ll climb some steps and voila! You look down and there’s the Great Wall at the end of its lengthy journey. Be sure to walk down to the end. Thanks to non-stop express trains, Shanhaiguan is now only a two-hour ride from Beijing, making a day trip there feasible. Be sure to get your return tickets before you leave the train station after arriving. Express tickets may be hard to get on short notice, though milk-run trains taking six hours will probably be available. Tip: If express trains from Shanhaiguan aren’t available, check to see if any tickets are available from Qinhuangdao. Qinhuangdao is only a 50 rmb taxi ride from Laolongtou. |
The end of the Great Wall
Map of Laolongtou
Colorful walk to the last tower
Shanhaiguan city wall at night
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Qinhuangdao Shanhai
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A section of the Qinhuangdao Shanhai Holiday Hotel. Inside was a lobby with a fish pond and a courtyard.
The Great Wall at Simatai is an awsome sight at it snakes across the tops of the mountains. It’s said to be the most rugged site on the Great Wall, and, having been there numerous times, I will not argue this point.
Hiking from Jinshangling to Simatai is very popular with tourists these days. It takes about four to six hours to make the trip. Several Beijing hostels arrange this hike or you can hire a taxi to drop you off at one end and pick you up at the other. Tip: To ensure the taxi is waiting for you at the other end of the hike, don’t pay him when he drops you off at the first site. |
Xifengkou
I've never been to Xifengkou and only learned about it recently when I was researching an article on the Great Wall for a client, but you can bet it's now on my list of Great Wall places to visit, along with Jiayuguan out in Western China.
Xifengkou is located north of Beijing in Hebei Province and most easily reachable from Tangshan. What makes it so special is that it is the only section of the Great Wall that is under water. It's been under water since 1976 when a reservoir was constructed that created a huge lake. Sections that are not under water have not been restored, so if you're looking for a less touristy section, this could be it. From what I read, however, the lake is popular with boaters and fishermen. Food and accommodation options are limited, but camping is allowed.
Xifengkou is located north of Beijing in Hebei Province and most easily reachable from Tangshan. What makes it so special is that it is the only section of the Great Wall that is under water. It's been under water since 1976 when a reservoir was constructed that created a huge lake. Sections that are not under water have not been restored, so if you're looking for a less touristy section, this could be it. From what I read, however, the lake is popular with boaters and fishermen. Food and accommodation options are limited, but camping is allowed.
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Copyright 2012 by Cheryl Probst. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2012 by Cheryl Probst. All rights reserved.
