Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Away
bus 916 to Huáiróu (¥12, one hour, 6.30am to 7.30pm). Get off at Nanhuayuan Sanqu bus
stop, then walk straight ahead about 200m (crossing one road), until you get to the next
bus stop, called Nanhuayuan Siqu . A bus to Huánghuā Chéng (¥8, one hour, until
6.30pm) stops here, but it doesn't have a number. Instead, look for a placard in the front
windscreen reading: ' ', which means 'Huáiróu to Huánghuā Chéng'. It only runs about
once an hour, though, so if you get bored waiting hop in one of the minivans (¥10) that
regularly trawl the bus stop for passengers. The last 916 from Huáiróu back to Běijīng
leaves Huáiróu at around 7pm. If you miss that, catch a taxi from Huáiróu to Houshayu
subway station (Hòushāyù Dìtiě Zhàn; about ¥100) on Line 15.
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Taxi
Around ¥500 to ¥600 return day trip from Běijīng.
Need to Know
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Location
77km from Běijīng
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Price
No entrance fee
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Hours
No official opening hours
Exploring the Wall
Strikingly free of crowds, Huánghuā Chéng allows visitors to admire this classic and well-
preserved example of Ming defence, with its high and wide ramparts, intact parapets and
sturdy beacon towers, in relative isolation. The patchy and periodic restoration work on
the Wall here has left its crumbling nobility and striking authenticity largely intact, with
the ramparts occasionally dissolving into rubble and some of the steps in ruins.
From the road, you can go either west (left) towards Zhuàngdàokǒu or east (right) up
the stupidly steep section rises up from the reservoir and which eventually leads to
Jiànkòu and Mùtiányù. For the eastern route, cross the small dam and follow the path that
clings to the side of the Wall until it reaches the second watchtower. Then you'll have to
clamber up a metal ladder to the watchtower to reach the Wall proper. From the second
watchtower, the Wall climbs abruptly uphill through a series of further watchtowers be-
fore going over and dipping down the hill to continue meandering on. It is steep and, in
places, the stone has been worn smooth, making it very slippery. You need shoes with
very good grip. There are also no guardrails here.
