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Great Wall (Badaling), Beijing

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Great Wall (Badaling), Beijing
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The Badaling section of the Great Wall - Beijing
The Badaling section of the Great Wall
by Princess_Emily
Things to Do in Beijing: Great Wall (Badaling) tips and photos posted by real travelers and Beijing locals.
Great Wall (Badaling)
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• 70 Reviews

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Great Wall (Badaling): Great Wall BADALING
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  • Remeber right side, easy. Left side, hard. - Beijing
    Remeber right side, easy.
    Left side, hard.
    by Mairo21,
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    It has always been my dream to visit the Great Wall of China. The section of the wall that I was so fortunate to visit is known as Badaling. When embarking on your long walk upon the wall, proceed to the right side if you want to take the easier route. The left offers a more challenging hike up the wall. I did a little bit of both. Don't get to excited and go up to fast, or else, you could get winded quite easily, especially if you are not in shape. haha. Bring adequate shoes, your camera, and drinking water. Be careful when coming back down for it can be quite steep. In some areas, coming down is harder than going up. For the animal lovers, there is a horse and a camel located on the right side of wall (easy side). They are photogenic and would love to take a picture with you. By the way, I talked to people who did both sides, and they all told me that they didn't think the right side was easy...so, perhaps, depending on the individual person, both sides are hard. Perhaps my enthusiam didn't cause me to take notice. I didn't find either side to hard. For those people who are adventureous, perhaps they would like to venture on to the less known parts of the wall that remain unrestored and badly weathered...anyhow, no matter where you visit, you are guarenteed to have spectacular panoramic views.

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  • Address: Badaling, Mutianyu, Simatai
  • Website: http://badaling.gov.cn/english/history/history.htm

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    Great Wall (Badaling): Great Chineese Wall (cont)
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  • Stretching for 4,770m among the rolling mountains, Badaling section of Great Wall is dotted with 19 strategically located watchtowers, which were used to protect the capital against attack in ancient times, bringing Badaling the name of "key to the north gate."

    On the top of the wall is a road paved with square bricks, wide enough for six horses or ten soldiers to march side by side. On both sides of the road, outer parapet and inner parapet were set.

    The outer parapet is crenellated with merlots almost two meters high. The crenels were used as peepholes and the embrasure below each crenel was used as a loophole. The inner parapet, which is 1 meter high, was used to prevent the horses and gharries from overturning on the mountains.

  • Address: Badaling, Mutianyu, Simatai
  • Website: http://badaling.gov.cn/english/history/history.htm

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    Great Wall (Badaling): The Great Wall, at Badaling.
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  • The east side of the wall at Badaling. - Beijing
    The east side of the wall at
    Badaling.
    by kdoc13
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    I may not be spelling the small villages name right. But it is phonetic and close enough. The best way to get to Badaling is to hook up with a tour company. Most of the hotels will offer them. Since the wall is a good distance outside Beijing, you may not want to drive there yourself, especially if you don't know the area.

    Once you reach the Badaling gate, you must climb either one of the two sides up the mountain. The view is spectacular, and you have an appreciation for what it must have taken to build it. Plus, on the way, you see the wall everywhere! It is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. It just blows you away how mamouth it is.

    Whoever said that capitalism would never thrive in China is a liar. The bottled water or ice cream at ground level is roughly a buck. It changes to 6 bucks at the top! Bring your own.

    Also, if you have trouble doing steps, stay down at ground level. Some of those steps are 3 feet above the next, and 4 inches deep (to step onto). A fit 29 year old, even I had some difficulty, and barely managed to make both sides. If you can make it though, the guard houses at the top of the hill are soooo cool!

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  • Address: Remote BFE, past the middle of nowhere.
  • Directions: Take a tour that goes there, or get good directions.

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    Great Wall (Badaling): Great Wall at Badaling
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  • ********NOTE: Heard from my friends in Beijing that the authorities have increased the entrance fees to all historical sites by double! Hence it may cost RMB 80 to enter the Great Wall from 1 Dec 2004. Hope to confirm this soon!***********

    One of the most popular, and "easier" parts of the Great Wall is at Badaling. It took us around 50 mins to reach Badaling from central Beijing by taxi, but we left at 6.30am when traffic was stil very light.
    You need to pay RMB40 entrance fee (USD 5) and the climb up the wall and back takes around 2 hours. There are souvenir shops and coffeehouses at the great wall entrance in Badaling, incl good toilet facilities.

    Plenty of souvenir stalls, even on the wall itself. There are also photographers with camels and horses, and chinese costumes.

    The area's very windy especially in winter so wrap up nice and warm (it's usually 5-7 deg cooler than the city). Army coats and russian style hats are available for rent at the souvenir stall

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  • Address: Badaling, Mutianyu, Simatai
  • Directions: Northwest of Beijing, around 40 mins by car.
  • Website: http://badaling.gov.cn/english/history/history.htm

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    Great Wall (Badaling): Great Wall - Visible from the moon
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  • This is the ultimate of any China tour.

    I was impressed that the wall was like a dragon snaking up and down the rolling hills. The walk from the bus park to the wall was short enough but sloppy. The steps of the walls was steep and I cannot imagine how the soldiers could run up and down quickly fighting off the invading barbarians.

    Another surprise was the graffiti on the every brick of the walls. Some must be centuries old and part of history. I bought a T-shirt that said "I climbed the Great Wall of China". I did huff and puff as long as I can until it was time for the tour to leave.

    Be careful if you go in winter. A friend reached there and it was already dark and could only feel the wall. So start early if you are going to the wall in winter.

    Once you have been to the Great Wall, you have been to China.


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    Great Wall (Badaling): Badaling Great Wall
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  • The Badaling Great Wall is a good section to see the Great Wall. It was the earliest section to be opened to the tourists. Here you will see what you have seen in books, magazines, and on television -- the image of the famous Great Wall. The walk on the wall can be tiring since the wall follows the contour of the mountains -- so it's like ascending and descending mountains.

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  • Directions: Located about 70 kilometers northwest of Beijing.

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    Great Wall (Badaling): Badaling Section
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  • Thousands tourists at Badaling - Beijing
    Thousands tourists at Badaling
    by rafscab
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    Badaling Section of the Great Wall is the most touristic section of the wall, but it deserves a visit in spite of the thousand tourist you'll find along.
    It's just an hour ride from central Beijing. As you aproach to the site, you leave the even terrain of the city and begin the steep mountains. From that moment you star to feel the magnificent of the Great Wall, because the construction site is in middle of the mountains, in very rough landscape.
    Certainly a marvel.

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  • Address: Badaling, Mutianyu, Simatai
  • Directions: The Badaling section of the Great Wall is 42 miles / 70 kilometres northwest of Beijing.
  • Website: http://badaling.gov.cn/english/history/history.htm

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    Great Wall (Badaling): Commune By The Great Wall
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  • Commune, Suitcase House - Beijing
    Commune, Suitcase House
    by agaiax
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    Commune by the Great Wall is a private collection of contemporary architecture. it is a valley near Badaling section of the Great Wall in which contemporary Asian architects displey their work.
    Visit of the Commune makes a nice one day trip out to the outskirts of Beijing. The entrance fee is 120 RMB (12 EUR) and includes private guided tour of the area, visit of 3 selected houses and visit of the Club House with coffe/tea for free...
    It is also possible to hire a house there - the Commune is also a very posh hotel.
    Place is open from 9 am to 6 pm.
    Be sure to choose a suny day for a visit!
    Oh, there are also beautiful views of the Great Wall from the valley and from some of the houses...

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  • Address: 50 km northwest of Beijing, Badaling
  • Directions: 5 km from the Badaling (the Great Wall). Take bus no 919 (8 RMB) to Badaling. Argue past the gate (they will try to sell you ticket for the wall - you DON'T need it), continue on the road for next 5 km. There are signs (a red star) pointing the way.
  • Website: http://www.commune.com.cn/english

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    Great Wall (Badaling): The Great Wall in Badaling
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  • Badaling is the closest part of the Wall to Beijing and it's said to be the easiest part. Well, it is steep climbing all the way up on either side is a pretty good workout (it's also possible to go around, if you've got time). The year before I went to Mutianyu and maybe I was fitter, but that part seemed to be easier for me, though I remember I was surprised by the stairs - I imagined more of a roadlike surface, not steps. Probably because I learnt in school that the Great Wall was also used as a road for the army and it was wide enough for carriages. And I was there and couldn't imagine any carriage moving on those steps. Maybe they were more like litters without wheels, carried by people.

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  • Address: Badaling
  • Directions: Yanqing County, about 70 kilometers northwest from Beijing
  • Website: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/

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    Great Wall (Badaling): It's been said before, but it really is GREAT!
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  • Climbing the Great Wall was really the highlight of our trip. What an incredible place!

    Our tour guide provided us with a little history about how the Wall was made. The emporers of the period were so obsessed with building it that they pulled men away from all other areas of life to build it, including agriculture. The result was there was no food to feed the construction workers. Many died from starvation and exhaustion. Our guide claimed that the Wall is a testament to the Chinese spirit.

    We visited the Wall at Badaling. The site is extremely well maintained: no garbage, no loose rocks, hand rails, etc. I realize that those last two are the result of alterations to the site, but I personally will take my safety over 100% historical authenticity!

    The climb itself was much longer than I had imagined. I always thought that you climbed a flight of stairs and then you were at the top...! When I got there and looked up the hill, I just about fell over. Jesse and I made a pact to get to the top no matter how tired we got, and we did it!

    For those of you coming to Beijing, put this at the top of your list. The climb itself is pretty satisfying. Add to that the view and the history, and you have an all around spectacular activity!

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  • Address: Badaling, Mutianyu, Simatai
  • Website: http://badaling.gov.cn/english/history/history.htm

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