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Great Wall of China
Wed, 03/02/2005 - 16:40
zubblicious
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Hi,

I will be in Beijing for 7 days this May/June 2005 and will be looking to see the great one from one of the handfull of locations it can be accessed from. I know Badaling is very touristy, but nice and built-up. However, I’d like to go to something a bit more authentic. My ideas were to either go to Simitai or Huanghua Great Wall. I understand both are steep and overgrown with an amount of vegitation but they sound very exciting and authentic. I’ve even heard of people camping out on the great wall at Huanghua.

If anyone has been to any of these great walls sites or knows anything about them or can offer a recommendation it would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Riad
riad.attar@villanova.edu

Thu, 03/03/2005 - 04:11
#1
charmaine
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my advice is to wait and look into available tours/transport once you get there. prices and amount of time you can spend there really depends on what section of the wall you’re going to and who you go with. (taking public transportation seemed nightmarish, and seemed to aid a ridiculous amount of time to the trip, as well) the hostel i stayed in dropped people off and let them do a 5/6 hr hike. after an over endulgence in street food, and the ensuing tummy problems, we ended up taking a taxi to badaling (i think). because we left much earlier than the tour buses, we got there much earlier than other tourists, and really had a good part of the wall to ourselves (good for photos). it was a flat day rate, and we could spend as much time on the wall as we wanted, but it was definitely a champagne-backpackery thing to do.

Thu, 03/03/2005 - 23:43
#2
Tas
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Hi Zub

My recommendatio for the great wall is travelling to Jin Shan Ling and walking (2-3 hours) to Simatai.

You travel over reconstucted and non-reconstucted sections and the walk is great (I’ve probably done it 18 times now and still enjoy it). It is however, about 3 hours drive to Jin Shan Ling.

Check your LP for details on how to get there and the walk.

In my opinion, it is much better than Mutinai (sp?) and Badaling.

Good luck with your visit to Beijing!!!