Back in 2016, on our way home from the freezing adventure in Harbin, my wife and I decided to make one last stop, Beijing. It felt wrong to leave China without setting foot on its most iconic landmark, the Great Wall of China. But instead of heading to the popular Badaling section, we went for Mutianyu — known for being slightly less crowded, better preserved, and easier to reach from the city.
Mutianyu is about an hour and a half from Beijing by car, a smooth journey that slowly transitions from urban sprawl to winding mountain roads. By the time we reached the entrance, the morning mist was still hanging low, the air crisp and dry. We arrived early, hoping to beat the tour buses, and that made all the difference. The silence of the mountain greeted us before the crowds did.
A short cable car ride took us up the slope, and the moment we stepped out, the Great Wall came into view — rising and falling along the ridges like a dragon’s spine. It’s one of those sights that hits you instantly.
You’ve seen it a thousand times in photos, but standing there, surrounded by centuries of history, is something else entirely.
We started walking, slowly at first, climbing the uneven stone steps that have carried millions before us. The first few towers were lively, filled with early risers taking photos and catching their breath. But as we pushed on, the noise faded. Fewer people. More wind. More stillness.
Our legs protested, but we kept going and we were glad we did. Beyond that point, the Wall was almost empty. Just us, the mountains, and the sound of the breeze brushing against the old stones.
That’s the secret to Mutianyu: arrive early, and walk a little farther than most people are willing to. The Wall rewards you for the effort.
Along the way, we noticed graffiti etched onto some bricks — names, hearts, countries. It broke my heart a little to see “Malaysia” among them. It’s one thing to leave footprints, another to leave scars. Places like these deserve better from us.
We spent the next hour sitting on the edge of one of the watchtowers, watching the Wall stretch endlessly into the mist. There’s a kind of magic in its imperfection the uneven steps, the worn bricks, the silence in between.
Mutianyu may be one of the more “touristy” sections, but that doesn’t make it any less profound. It’s where history meets human perseverance, where centuries-old walls continue to hold stories of defence, pride, and curiosity.
By the time we descended, the crowd had arrived in full force. We looked back, thankful we had come early, thankful for those quiet moments that now live in our memories.
Oh yeah, coming down was fast but fun in its own way!
This was 2016, a year of career transitions for me, and somehow, standing on the Great Wall felt symbolic. We all build walls in life, but every once in a while, we climb one just to remind ourselves how far we’ve come.
