Beijing : Around Beijing

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The Great Wall
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China's greatest structure, and its most enduring symbol, is of course the mighty Great Wall. Visitors can reach the Great Wall from at least nine different spots around Beijing. More and more sections along the wall's 3,750-mile (6,000 km) stretch are being restored to accommodate the growing number of visitors - Chinese and foreign - who want to climb its snaky back. The best sections to visit are.
Badaling By far the most popular for tourists, Badaling lies about two hours by bus northwest of Beijing. Badaling has been open to visitors longer than other sections of the Great Wall and thus is more crowded and commercially developed. The trip should be avoided on Sundays when traffic is worst, or before 2 P.M. when the crowds peak. Guidebooks recommend sunset, if you can stay that long. Cable car is available now.

Mutianyu Those who prefer a less crowded, more personal encounter with the wall should head for Mutianyu, a steeper, more rugged segment just opened to tourists in recent years. Also located about tow hours from Beijing, Mutianyu snakes its way along steep rocky hills that prove far too taxing for the average visitor. Fortunately, a new cable car is available to take visitors from the parking lot to the base of the wall. Tours to both Badaling and Mutianyu generally include stops at the Ming Tombs (described below).

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Fragrant Hill Park
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While most tourists rush through the Summer Palace on their way to or from another famous sight, a strong case can be made for spending the entire day in the Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) area surrounding the Summer Palace. The largest bronze statue in China can be found a short drive away in the Temple of the Sleeping Buddha. This 54-ton (49,000 kg) barefoot Sakyamuni was cast in his graceful reclining pose in the 14th century. A long line of emperors brought gifts to the massive Buddha; on display are 11 pairs of larger-than-life cloth shoes.

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The Ming Tombs
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A regular stop on the Badaling and Mutianyu tours, the Ming Tombs lie about 1.5 hours by bus northwest of Beijing. Although 13 Ming emperors and their families are buried here, only a few tombs are actually open. Many visitors agree that the Sacred Way leading to the tombs - a path guarded by pairs of huge stone animals on either side - is much more impressive than the dark and nearly empty tombs.

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