Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Visiting the Wall
Bādálǐng is the most touristy part of the Wall, followed by Mùtiányù. Part-renovated and
much less commercial are Sīmǎtái, Jīnshānlǐng and, to a lesser extent, Huánghuā Chéng.
Unrenovated sections of 'wild wall' include Jiànkòu and Zhuàngdàokǒu, but there are
many others. Most of the above can be reached using public transport. Some require a taxi
or minivan ride for the last part of the journey.
Tours run by hostels, or by specialist tour companies, are far preferable to those run by
ordinary hotels or general travel companies, as they tend to cater more to the needs of ad-
venturous Western travellers and don't come with any hidden extras, such as a side trip to
the Ming Tombs (a common add-on) or a tiresome diversion to a gem factory or tradition-
al Chinese medicine centre. Almost all the hostels reviewed in this guide run Great Wall
