Great Wall of Badaling

Quite a fun experience. Quite easy access by car or high speed rail. The station is just at the foot of the cable car station. Price of cable car about RMB140 and entrance ticket price RMB40 is separate and buy at different windows. Also better go toilet before you take the cable car as it’s not easy to find toilet on the Great Wall. Cable car ride up was smooth and no Q on a Saturday 8am. But tour groups started to form shortly after. Very cold up there on end of October day. Better be dressed for the weather. Nothing much to do up there. Just walk about take pictures. But at least some English descriptions on the building information. You can walk up and down the Great Wall sections. As the morning grew on more and more people filled the area. By the time we left about 11 am the cable car line was very long. You can then go to the shopping street at the base for some food, souvenirs and drinks. Many local and international brands available but unfortunately no toilets in the shops. It’s a centralized toilet concept.

Badaling. The Great Wall’s most visited, least enjoyable section — a living monument to the human ability to queue for absolutely everything. First, you queue for the ticket. Then, surprise! You need a shuttle to reach the entrance. Queue again. Once you finally board, you think, “At last, the Wall!” Nope. Another queue for the cable car. And when you get off? Congratulations — you’ve unlocked the main queue, the one on the Wall itself. Walking here feels like competing in the world championship of waiting. You move five steps, stop, and stare at a thousand peace signs and matching tour hats. The view is stunning, but you’ll barely see it through the forest of selfie sticks. The Wall deserves respect. Badaling deserves a traffic management plan and maybe an exorcism. Avoid it unless you really enjoy paying to stand in a human snake made of tourists.

This wall is so long, so popular, it is so high with many walls but all closed, no doors. It's visible in the outer space huge for tourist spot. When I stepped foot to this great wall, I am not known among the crowd of tourist. That's why it's called the Great wall. And all I know is the terracotta warriors in underground a tunnel, I wonder which one were they for the closed doors of the great wall or the open continuous place palaces of the Tiananmen square. The Great wall of China is the Bridge between the highest and lowest point on earth.

The Badaling section is the most visited and best-preserved portion of the Great Wall of China, located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of downtown Beijing. Key Feature: Its incredible state of preservation and easy accessibility make it the prime destination for first-time visitors to the Great Wall. Architecture: It is a magnificent example of Ming Dynasty military architecture. The wall averages $7.8$ meters ($25.6$ feet) high and is wide enough on the ramparts for five horses or ten people to walk abreast. Military Design: It features dense watchtowers, beacon towers, battlements, and shooting holes, reflecting its crucial role as a defensive gateway protecting the Ming capital of Beijing. Tourism: It was the first section of the Great Wall to be opened to the public in 1957 and has since hosted numerous world leaders, including former U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. The site is equipped with modern facilities like a cable car, a pulley, and a museum. Name Meaning: "Badaling" (八达岭) literally means "Eight Directions Reach," referring to the strategic vantage point that allowed soldiers to observe enemy movements from all sides. Warring States Period (476-221 BC): The location's strategic significance was recognized early on, and some of the earliest fortifications were built in the vicinity. Northern Wei Dynasty (386–534 AD): This period also saw the construction and extension of defensive walls near Badaling. 1505 AD: The current, massive fortification was largely built and reinforced during the Ming Dynasty. This was part of a grand-scale, long-term effort by the Ming to consolidate and strengthen the northern border defenses against invading Mongol tribes. Crucial Defense: The Badaling section served as a vital pass and the first line of defense protecting the strategic Juyongguan Pass to the south, and ultimately, the capital city of Beijing. The wall was built using durable materials like stone slabs and bricks, making it much stronger than earlier rammed-earth sections. Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): Following the Qing takeover, the wall lost its military function and gradually fell into disrepair due to neglect and natural erosion. 1957: After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Badaling section was comprehensively restored to its Ming-era appearance and became the first part of the Great Wall opened to tourists, signifying its transition from a military defense to a national and cultural icon. 1984: The widespread campaign, "Love China and Repair the Great Wall" was initiated, further accelerating restoration efforts across various sections, including Badaling. Came here many years ago and is an bucket list item, the steps were incredibly high and steep, you almost wonder how the shorter people back in those days climbed these steps / stairs. Another wonder of the world I can cross off my list.

The Badaling section, 60 km northwest of Beijing in the Yan Mountains, was built mainly during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) to defend against Mongol invasions. Its name means "welcoming the masses," reflecting its strategic pass control. Foundations date to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386–534 AD), with the 12-km Ming stretch featuring watchtowers and battlements for patrols and signals. As part of the 21,000-km UNESCO-listed wall from the 7th century BC, it protected Han culture. Opened to the public in 1957 after restoration. The site includes steep inclines, parapets, and beacon towers with ancient inscriptions, offering views of peaks that highlight its hand-built engineering. - Visit in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October) for mild weather; arrive at opening (6:30–8:00 AM) or after 3:30 PM to avoid crowds. Choose weekdays; book tickets online for holidays. - Wear sturdy hiking shoes with good grip, layer clothing, and carry 1L water, snacks, sunscreen, and hat per person. - Follow the 1.5-km North Line loop from North Eight Tower for balanced challenge; use cable car (¥100–140) if needed. Pace with breaks every 20 minutes. - From Beijing, take S2 train (1 hour, ¥6–40) or 877 bus (90 minutes, ¥12). Entry: ¥40–45; add ¥100 for museum. - Stay on paths, avoid littering; hire guide (¥200–300/hour) for history details. Plan time for post-visit recovery.

Checked out the great wall during a 24h layover in China, it is very accessible from the Beijing Capital International Airport (roughly 30 minutes by train, or roughly 1h by buss or taxi) China offers visa-free entry if your visit is 24h or less, be prepaid to fill out a form and provide biometrics (face scan and fingerprints) prior to entering the country The Chinese metro is easy to use and you can buy tickets using regular visa debit (or credit) cards and the tickets are extremely cheap (roughly 0.5 $/€/£), the train is a bit more expensive, but still less than (roughly 2-3$/€/£) Be prepared to show your passport anytime you buy a ticket for something at a payment desk, but everything is otherwise very cheap I would strongly recommend buying an esim, as any Google services are otherwise disabled within the country, and Google maps does not work either (does not provide any navigation in regards to methods of transfer other than car) The alternative navigation apps are either entirely in Chinese or a bit janky, but I would recommend getting Amap (it's in English, and shows exactly where to go using public transport, however be advised that it can still show results for routes that aren't available at the time that you search for them when it comes to buses) Most touristy places allow you to buy using ordinary visa payment, but be advised that the majority of the country uses WeChat and Alipay, which are easy enough to get Worst case, taxi drivers can actually accept USD, and will even be nice enough as to give you change in CNY The wall itself is a pretty magnificent sight to behold and it is pretty fun that you can actually visit it if your flight has a layover, would strongly recommend going if you have the chance

It's not a lot people I recommend visiting this place in the evening. Climb up to the end of the cable car and walk down the wall, it's very quick, takes less than an hour. There won't be too many people at the top and you'll be able to enjoy the view.

The most touristic area of Great Wall. It has two sections where you can explore - The right side is the most crowded and scenic. You can go down by a Toboggan ride and you’ll reach the Panda Zoo. The left side is so serene and a little bit peaceful to explore.