Travel tips for visiting the Great Wall of China

A visit to the Great Wall of China appears on many a “things to do before I die” list. This popularity is well-deserved-the wall stands as an awe-inspiring monument to human ingenuity, strength and fear of Mongol hordes. Visitors to the wall should, however, be aware that their romantic notions of taking in glorious vistas while striding purposefully up this marvelous feat of engineering might be somewhat deflated by some common annoyances. The following tips are intended to help the first-time Great Wall visitor avoid, or at least minimize, problems that can detract from the enjoyment of this truly remarkable edifice.

1. Visit on a clear day. Anyone who has been to Beijing lately knows that clear days can be hard to come by. Even with efforts currently in place to improve air quality for the 2008 Olympics, such as the shutting down of heavy industry in the Beijing area and the occasional limitation of automobile use, the capital city still spends much of its time sitting under a cloud of murk. This murk can reach all the way to the Great Wall attractions near the city. If you visit the Great Wall on such a day, you will find that most of your photographs appear out of focus due to the particulate matter in the air, and you will be coughing up all the nasty stuff for days as your lungs try to expel all of the smog you inhaled as you puffed your way up hundreds of steps. To increase your chances of happening upon a clear day, visit in the Autumn when breezes blow much of Beijing’s funk away from the area and the smoke of heating coal has not yet contributed to the murk.

2. Choose the location of your visit wisely. Most tourists go to the Ba Da Ling area of the Great Wall. This section is close to Beijing, has recently been restored, and features a variety of tourist attractions. Among these are cable cars to hoist one up the wall, knickknack and T-shirt stands, beverage carts, karaoke bars (yes, karaoke bars), and working bathrooms. Visit Ba Da Ling if you enjoy this kind of full-service tourist experience, and if you prefer to climb a section of the wall so crowded with Chinese and foreign tourists that, if you should slip, you would merely be swept along by your neighbors rather than falling. A slightly less developed option is Simatai, a section of the wall a bit farther from Beijing and a bit less crowded. This part of the wall is steeper than Ba Da Ling, but allows for less-crowded climbing. Simatai is gradually becoming more developed,