Simatai Great Wall and Gubei Water Town: Night Walks and Canals

At the far northeastern corner of Miyun District, roughly 120 kilometres from central Beijing where the Chaobai River tributaries cut through the Yanshan range, the Simatai Great Wall rises sharply along a knife-edge ridge above the tiled roofs and canals of Gubei Water Town. Built under Ming General Qi Jiguang in the 1570s and separated from neighbouring Jinshanling by a deep valley reservoir, Simatai is celebrated both for retaining its original sixteenth-century brick patina and for offering the most atmospheric evening experience on the wall.

Walking the floodlit Simatai Great Wall after dark

While most Great Wall sections close their gates in late afternoon, Simatai is equipped with subtle golden pathway lighting along its eastern ridge between Watchtower 5 and Watchtower 6, reached by an enclosed high-speed gondola from the foot of the mountain. Riding the cable car up at dusk lets you watch the sun dip behind the serrated peaks of Hebei before warm amber lights trace the battlements across the dark mountainside and the lanterns of the water town glow in the valley below. Night tickets are sold either standalone or bundled with admission to Gubei Water Town, making it a favourite overnight escape from the capital.

Daytime ridge climbs from Tower 1 to Tower 10

If you want to hike a longer stretch of Simatai's steep stone stairs, book an advance daytime real-name slot for the wall itself. During the day, walkers can explore from Watchtower 1 up to Watchtower 10 (East), taking in the sheer incline of the wall and the weathered brickwork that UNESCO engineers praised as an authentic specimen of Ming military architecture. Beyond Tower 10, the extreme eastern crags of Fairy Tower (Wangjinglou) and Sky Bridge remain permanently closed to protect visitors from sheer drops.

Exploring Gubei Water Town at the foot of the ridge

Spread across the valley floor directly below Simatai, Gubei Water Town (Gubei Shuizhen) is a purpose-built pedestrian resort village modelled on traditional northern courtyard towns and Jiangnan canal waterways. Even though the lanes are modern reconstructions, the craftsmanship is detailed and car-free: wooden sculling boats glide under arched stone bridges, giant bolts of indigo-dyed cloth hang drying on tall bamboo frames inside the Yongshun Dyehouse, and the aroma of fermented grain drifts from the Sima Distillery. Climb to the hilltop church viewpoint at sunset for the classic photograph framing the lit town against the illuminated Great Wall ridge, and take a direct express bus from Dongzhimen Outer Bus Station (near Subway Line 2) or Suburban Railway Line S5 from Beijing North / Qinghe.