Beijing Great Wall: Badaling, Mutianyu, Simatai Compared

The Great Wall of China in Beijing

Hello, Nihao! This is Rililiri.

If you have a full day to spare in Beijing,

I'd recommend the Great Wall just as much as the Forbidden City.

The Badaling, Mutianyu, and Simatai sections of the Great Wall each offer a unique vibe,

different levels of difficulty for getting around, and distinct attractions.

I'll compare how these three sections differ, outlining their pros and cons,

and share my experience visiting Badaling and Gubei Water Town & Simatai Great Wall.

Information you'll find in this post ✔ Why I recommend the Great Wall of China in Beijing ✔ Comparing Badaling, Mutianyu, and Simatai Great Wall sections ✔ My real review of the Gubei Water Town day tour ✔ Recommended dishes to try in Gubei Water Town ✔ The charm of Simatai Great Wall's night view

1. Is a visit to the Great Wall in Beijing truly essential?

If your Beijing itinerary is short,

you might be wondering if visiting the Great Wall

is really a must-do.

My personal opinion is that if you have the time,

devoting a full day to the Great Wall is absolutely worth it.

It's not just about seeing a historical site;

you also get to immerse yourself in the mountains and natural scenery

surrounding Beijing.

When you stand atop the wall,

you'll see the Great Wall stretching endlessly

along the mountain ridges.

The sheer scale is so different from what you see in photos,

making it one of the most memorable parts of my Beijing trip.

2. Great Wall Comparison

Badaling vs. Simatai vs. Mutianyu

Although all three are sections of the Great Wall,

they offer quite different travel experiences.

Comparing Great Wall Sections in Beijing

Section	Pros	Cons	Recommended For
Badaling	Easy accessibility, iconic	Very crowded with tourists	First-time visitors, short trips
Mutianyu	Beautiful natural scenery, balanced transport options	Slightly less accessible than Badaling	Families, independent travelers
Simatai	Combine with Gubei Water Town + night view	Further from the city center	Full-day trips, night view enthusiasts

First, Badaling is the most famous and

easiest to access from Beijing city center.

You can even get there by subway.

I visited the Badaling Great Wall 18 years ago,

and even back then, it was already packed with tourists.

Now, with an increase in domestic Chinese travelers too,

if you're dreaming of a tranquil Great Wall experience,

it might feel a bit bustling.

Second, Mutianyu offers stunning natural scenery and

a variety of transport options like cable cars and toboggans for descent,

making it a relatively comfortable choice for exploring

with parents or children.

Finally, Simatai has a slightly different vibe.

Its biggest draw is that it can be combined with Gubei Water Town for a full day trip,

allowing you to experience the spectacular night view of the Great Wall after sunset.

So, if you're planning a trip to the Great Wall,

I'd recommend comparing tours for either Mutianyu or Simatai.

Comparison	Price	Link
Mutianyu Great Wall	~$66	Check current price3ha.in
Simatai Great Wall	~$65	Check current price3ha.in

3. Gubei Water Town & Simatai Great Wall

Day Tour Review

When I visited Simatai Great Wall,

I went on a day tour that also included Gubei Water Town.

Since it's quite a distance from Beijing's city center,

I found it much more convenient to take a tour with direct vehicle transportation

rather than trying to piece together individual transport options.

When you arrive at Gubei Water Town,

instead of immediately heading up to the Great Wall,

you can slowly stroll through the waterways and alleys,

and explore the village itself.

With traditional Chinese buildings connected by waterways,

it's delightful to take a walk during the day.

Even though it was built artificially,

you can still feel the serene charm of a water town nestled in the mountains,

and everyone I went with was completely satisfied.

After exploring Gubei Water Town from the afternoon,

and heading up to the Simao Great Wall,

if you wait until sunset,

you can witness both the daytime scenery and the night view.

That's why this itinerary works better as a full day spent at leisure,

rather than a quick snapshot tour.

This time, I traveled with a friend who was visiting Beijing for the first time,

so I chose the Simao Great Wall, where you can experience both the water town and the Great Wall.

I booked through KKday because it was the cheapest,

and now you can even apply coupons,

so it seems to be even more affordable.

❣️ Check out the Gubei Water Town & Simao Great Wall Day Tour

I'll share coupons you can use when you access the link above.

For easy copying, I'll also post the coupons in the first comment!

These coupons are valid until August,

and if September coupons become available, I'll add them to the comments too!❣️

KKSUMMER3K	~$2 discount	~$35 minimum spend
KKSUMMER6K	~$4 discount	~$69 minimum spend

3HOURS260812K	~$3 discount	~$55 minimum spend
3HOURS26085K	~$8 discount	~$138 minimum spend

4. Gubei Water Town Restaurants

Inside Gubei Water Town, there are plenty of restaurants and snack stalls,

so it's easy to find meals during your day tour.

When I'm at a tourist spot, instead of going out of my way to find a single famous restaurant,

I prefer to choose local dishes that are convenient along my route.

Instead of having a heavy meal,

I found it more comfortable to eat simple dishes like noodles or dumplings,

and enjoy snacks in between.

Our guide recommended these Dianping (China's version of Catchtable) restaurants in Gubei Water Town.

I'll leave the restaurant links in the second comment!👍🏻

5. The Simao Great Wall Night View

The biggest reason I chose the Simao Great Wall

was, of course, the night view.

During the day, the mountain ridges and the sheer scale of the Great Wall catch your eye,

but once the sun sets and the lights come on,

the atmosphere completely transforms.

Night viewing at the Simatai Great Wall

varies by season and day of the week.

From May to October, it's open from 5:30 PM

until 9:30 PM on weekdays and 10:00 PM on weekends.

From November to April, it's open until 9:00 PM on weekdays,

and 9:30 PM on weekends.

Also, the sections open for night viewing change depending on the season,

and at night, the specific watchtowers (between #5 and #9) that are accessible

vary, so just follow your guide's instructions.

As you descend from the Great Wall, Gubei Water Town also

starts to sparkle with its stunning night views!

Seeing the lights of Gubei Water Town

and the Great Wall winding up the mountainside together,

it truly felt like the wait was worth it.

I also added the optional night gondola ride in Gubei Water Town,

and I really, really recommend this option!

The night scenery is so beautiful that even those who initially didn't choose the option

all ended up adding it on site, but they paid a bit more for it!

So, rather than just seeing the Great Wall alone

and heading back, I highly recommend combining Gubei Water Town and Simatai Great Wall

into a full-day itinerary.

If you prioritize accessibility and iconic status, choose Badaling.

For a balance of natural beauty and convenient facilities, Mutianyu.

And if you want to experience Gubei Water Town and breathtaking night views, Simatai Great Wall is your pick.

You can choose based on your travel style.

Comparison	Price	Link
Mutianyu Great Wall	~$66	Check current price3ha.in
Simatai Great Wall	~$65	Check current price3ha.in

I'll share coupons you can use when you access the links above.

I'll also post the coupons in the first comment for easy copying!

These coupons are valid until August,

and I'll update the comments with September coupons when they become available!❣️

KKSUMMER3K	~$2 discount	Minimum spend ~$35
KKSUMMER6K	~$4 discount	Minimum spend ~$69

3HOURS260812K	~$3 discount	Minimum spend ~$55
3HOURS26085K	~$8 discount	Minimum spend ~$138

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