Incredible Wild Great Wall around Beijing! We’re Seeking Greater Challenges

Go back! Go back to the wide nature of awe-inspiring wide Great Walls if you’re seeking for exciting China adventures or weekend getaways from Beijing.

Outgrowing its original past as part of the world’s greatest ancient defense works - the only man-made architecture visible from space, the wild Great Wall is now like an injured, sleeping dragon, covered with weeds, scratches and broken bricks, and still a less explored area.

Best-selling China Great Wall Tours

Different from the well-preserved Great Wall like Badaling, Juyongguan or Mutianyu, the wild Great Walls brims with more fun and freedom, more wild back stories, and things more traditional and more authentic. However, the walls have not been repaired for centuries, thus you will see sad scenes of decay and abandonment, and recalls the historical scene of wars.

You won’t be disturbed by the tourist crowds, but you will have to spend more effort on hiking and climbing the steep slopes. It is not easy and even dangerous, so watch your steps and slow down. It will be very delightful to have a picnic on the Great Wall with tea or coffee, or enjoy the fresh local food at the farm house. Too difficult for you? You’ll find that all the efforts and pains have been totally worthwhile.

 

The most recommended Wild Great Walls in Beijing:

1. Jiankou (箭扣) Great Wall: Connecting with Mutianyu section in Huairou Country, Jiankou is highly recommended by experienced hikers, and thought to be the scariest yet most fantastic Great Wall in Beijing.

2. Jinshanling (金山岭) Great Wall: Located in Chengde, famed as the most beautiful section of Great Wall, Jinshanling connects Simatai and Gubeikou (古北口). It takes about 2 hours hiking from Jishanling to Simatai.

3. Simatai (司马台) Great Wall: the most authentic section of Great Wall, it has not been renovated, so still keeps the original look 500 years ago.

4. Huanghuacheng (黄花城) Great Wall: it is hardly to find the entrance for Huanghuacheng, yet the walls are easily accessible with a steel ladder. Huanghuacheng is approximately 70 km away from downtown Beijing.

Please contact us for a tailor-made Wild Great Wall hiking tours!

11 Best Free Things to Do in Shanghai

Whether you’re planning a Shanghai vacation or looking for weekend fun, here’s our ranking of the best free activities and attractions in Shanghai - including museums, water towns, old streets, art gallery, parks, mountains and so forth.

1. Shanghai Museum (上海博物馆)

It is one of China’s most famous museums with a great collection of ancient Chinese artifacts, including the best bronze ware, china ware, calligraphy works, Chinese paintings, etc. The museum is thus a big draw to Chinese culture and art vultures.

Location: 201 Renmin Road, Shanghai (south of Renmin Square)

2. Shanghai Art Palace (中华艺术宫)

Converted from the China Pavilion of 2010 Shanghai World Expo, this distinctive architecture has 27 exhibition halls, offering some of the pinnacles of Chinese art. A variety of domestic and international art exhibitions will be held at regular intervals.

Note: closed on Monday

Location: 205 Shangnan Road, Pudong New District (close to Subway Line 7 and 8)

3. The Bund (外滩)

One of Shanghai’s top attractions, on the south bank of the Huangpu River, The Bund is absolutely free. On the opposite of The Bund, there are more landmarks, such as Shanghai World Financial Center, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, etc.

4. Xintiandi (新天地)

The most enticing pedestrian street in Shanghai, Xintiandi combines traditional Shanghai architecture with stylish modern design. Here are various boutique shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, etc.

Location: Lane 181, Dacang Road, Huangpu District

5. Tianzifang (田子坊)

Outgrowing its past as a residential area with typical Shanghai Shikumen dwellings, Tianzifang is now teeming with creative shops, art gallery, photographic exhibition halls, and all sorts of cafes. It also offers a sight into local people’s daily life.

Location: Lane 210, Taikang Road, Hungpu District

6. Zhaojia Architectural Complex (召稼楼)

Initially built in Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368), with an area of 10 hectares, it features a group of ancient Qing Dynasty architectures that are rarely seen in Shanghai.

Location: Pujiang Town, Minxing District, Shanghai

7. Jiading Confucian Temple (孔庙)

It introduces the history of Chinese imperial examination system with 5 exhibition halls.

Location: South Avenue, Jiading Town, Jiading District, Shanghai

8. Jiading Bamboo Carving Museum (嘉定竹刻博物馆)

The 120 previous exhibits are created during Ming and Qing dynasties. You can see the bamboo carvings are just sophisticated and gorgeous.

Location: 321 South Avenue, Jiading District, Shanghai

9. Shanghai Sheshan National Forest Park (佘山国家森林公园)

One of the suburban getaways around Shanghai, Sheshan Mountain is a nice choice for nature lovers, with dozens of historic sites and cool bamboo architectures.

Location: Songjiang area, 30km southwest of downtown Shanghai

10. Nanxiang Old Street (南翔老街)

After renovation, the street has resumed its traditional scenes: rows of houses of white walls and black tiles, arched bridges over the river, classical gardens, quint corridors…

Location: the central part of Nanxiang Old Town

11. Zhujiajiao Ancient Town (朱家角古镇)

Some compare Zhujiajiao to Venice.

It has been existing for over 1000 years, and decorates itself with the water ways, old bridges, old residences, and a natural lake — Dianshan Lake.

Location: in the South Central Qingpu District, 48km away from Shanghai city center

A Haunting Fishing Village in Shengsi Islands through the Eyes of Photographer

Made up of 404 islands in the east of China’s Zhejiang province, with beautiful seascape and various fun-filled water activities, Shengsi Islands have no shortage of draw or tourists. But an abandoned seaside fishing village in Gouqi Island grabs amateur photographer Jane’s attention.

Wrapped in mist, the village has been slowly swallowed up by great nature. Without any human trace, the vines climb on the melancholy walls and roofs slowly and silently, and decorate the whole village into a green wonderland.

Walking on the grassy stone steps, looking through the open cracked window, what kind of story can you remember?

Travel tips in this deserted village:

1. There are regular passenger liners from Zhoushan, Hangzhou andShanghai to Shengsi Islands directly.

2. The deserted village locates in Gouqi Island Scenic Area, where there are islanders, restaurants and hotels.

3. Visitors are discouraged to venture further into the jungle, as you may encounter snakes.

4. Please do not climb over any buildings, and stay away from the ruined walls, in case that they collapse.

Tusi Relics – New Sites in China Listed as UNESCO World Heritage

UN cultural organization UNESCO has inscribed China's three Tusi sites to the world's intangible heritage list at their 39th committee meeting in Bonn, Germany on July 4, 2015.

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What is Tusi?

Tusi refers to an ancient self-ruled system adopted by the feudal Chinese emperors to rule the multi-ethnic minority regions in the mountainous south-central and southwest China between 13th century and 20 century. With the Tusi system, a local tribal leader was appointed as Tusi - the imperial official by the central government, and governed the tribe based on their own law, proprieties and customs. This special chieftain system contributed to ethnic diversity, and helped to enhance solidarity and build unified multi-ethnic country.

The three Tusi sites on the UNESCO heritage list include the around 600-year-old Yongshun Tusi city in Hunan Province, the 460-year-old Tangya Tusi city in Hubei Province, and the more than 750-year-old Hailongtun Tusi castle in Guizhou Province. The ruins were Tusi’s administrative center and living area, and now offer a glimpse into the diversified culture and history of ancient China.

After the Tusi sites were entitled world heritage, China now has 48 such sites, ranking the second in the world, just after Italy.

The ruins of Laosicheng in the Hunan Province

The ruins of Tangya in the Hubei Province

The ruins of Hailongtun Fortress in the Guizhou Province