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Having lived in Beijing for almost 12 years, I’ve had plenty of time to travel widely in China.
I’ve visited more than 100 cities, not to mention countless towns and villages throughout the mainland’s 31 provinces.
Looking back, I’ve come to realize it was my frequent visits to different parts of the Great Wall in Beijing that were a driving force behind my desire to explore the rest of the country and, along with it, the many sections of wall that lie outside the capital’s boundaries.
Work on the Great Wall began more than 2,500 years ago, its origins dating back to China’s Spring and Autumn Period of around 770 BCE to 476 BCE. Various sections were added in subsequent eras as competing dynasties and factions sought to exert their control.
Work eventually stopped in the 17th century.
Though not a single, unbroken structure, the wall spans over 21,000 kilometers, winding through 15 provinces, 97 prefectures and 404 counties.
And while certain sections have been incredibly popular among tourists, many parts have slipped into obscurity, disrepair and sometimes oblivion.
Whether you’re planning to visit the Great Wall for the first time or the 50th, the following destinations are sure to make your trip to China even more worthwhile. (Check out the above video for dramatic aerial footage of some of these amazing sites.)
Yongtai Turtle City
The Great Wall is not simply a brick and mortar bulwark; in certain places, towers on jagged mountain peaks, fortress towns or even wide rivers count as sections of “wall.”
The Turtle City, built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as part of the Great Wall’s “Yellow River Defense Line,” was completed in 1608 and was home to around 2,000 infantrymen and 500 cavalry units during peak use.
Today, this fortress city is located in the Sitan Township of Jingtai County in north central Gansu province.
While there aren’t many real turtles in the “Turtle City,” the garrison town got its nickname due to its unique shape.
The south gate acts as the head and the west and east gates as the flippers. The town’s oval wall is the body, while the north gate acts as its tail. As one of the most well-preserved and truly authentic walled cities left in China today, it’s definitely worth your time.
Staying in the Jingtai County center is recommended. The ancient city is only a 30-minute cab ride from your lodgings, so you can visit whenever the light is best for photos.
When in Jingtai, try local specialties such as the five Buddha tofu and the Jingtai cold mixed noodles – both are spicy vegetarian dishes. A walk through the sprawling night market in Jingtai County People’s Square, which boasts more than 50 snack stalls, is also recommended for adventurous foodies.
Mutianyu/Jiankou
Mutianyu and Jiankou are two parts of the same Stone Dragon – two contiguous sections of the Great Wall that together stretch for roughly 25 kilometers along Beijing’s mountaintops.
Historical records show that millions of men spent centuries constructing the Great Wall. Stand atop the wall at either Mutianyu or Jiankou, and you’ll begin to comprehend the gravity of this statement.
These two sections are arguably the two most classic examples of Ming Dynasty Great Wall surviving today, and climbing either is guaranteed to be a life-changing experience.
Mutianyu is the best portion of the “tourist wall.” Restored in the 1980s, it’s very commercial but also superbly beautiful.
