Backpacking Simatai Great Wall – The Secret Guesthouse

Backpacking Simatai Great Wall – Having been a backpacker before, I was always on a tight budget. However, I always refused to settle for less when it comes to trying out interesting experience during my travels in Beijing and China as a whole.

During my second trip to Simatai with my then-girlfriend-now-wife, I wanted to do it on a budget. Thus, I explored the Internet for information on how to get to Simatai the cheap and safe way.

However during my search, I got more that I bargained for. I chanced upon a very simple and basic website about a small guesthouse for backpacking Simatai Great Wall.

I read the info and made up my mind to surprise my girl by staying in Simatai Great Wall for a Saturday night.

Backpacking Simatai Great Wall Question 1 - How to get to this secret Getaway in Simatai?

For backpacking Simatai Great Wall, Here's the excerpt from the website on getting to the Guesthouse:"Here are the basics on how to get to Simatai: you probably have to hire a driver and car (taxi is fine) for the day to take you to Simatai (unless you don't mind spending a couple extra hours on the road via public transport).

With a private car, the trip will take at least two hours from downtown Beijing. A private car can cost anywhere from 500 to 800 RMB (800 RMB = US$120). I think drivers would be willing to spend the night if you give them a little extra (say, 100 RMB), and could find a place to stay themselves easily.

I pay 550 RMB for a roundtrip to Simatai, and give 650 if I require the driver to spend the night. However, remember, in China everything is negotiated. I think most drivers will ask for 1000 RMB before the bargaining starts.

There is one entrance/gate to Simatai. However, this entrance is not close the wall itself, so think of it as the entrance to the Simatai grounds. By the entrance to the Simatai grounds, there are many guesthouses, but NOT the one that this website is for! :)

After you pay and enter, you have two choices to get to the wall: you can take a cable car up or walk up.

Walking up is what I suggest - without stopping it takes 20 minutes and the road is paved and relatively flat. In addition, the road goes along a beautiful river. After 20 minutes there is a small staircase in a tower of Simatai which will take you onto the wall.

To get to this guesthouse, do not walk up the stairs. Simply walk past it, through the tower, and you will see a sign for the Dongpo Restaurant / guesthouse. (If you take the cable car up, it will let you off at the wall up the hill. To get to these steps / the tower, you will need to walk down the wall, all the way till the bottom, just before the river, for maybe 30 minutes, and then walk down the 20 steps to get off the wall).

If you walk about ten feet beyond the tower, you will see a sign for this restaurant and guesthouse. It is about 250 meters past the entrance to the great wall, in the opposite direction of the main entrance to the Simatai grounds.

To emphasize, the location of this guesthouseis different from the other guesthouses that you will see by the main gate/entrance to the Simatai grounds - this one is actually located well beyond the main gate, and very close to the wall itself.”

Now, you know how to get there. It’s not that difficult and if you know some simple Chinese, you can ask for directions.

Backpacking Simatai Great Wall Question 2 - Why is the Guesthouse so special?

Firstly, for backpacking Simatai Great Wall, I need to tell you that it’s notthe Shangri-la Hotel. No fancy amenities: air-con, bathtub, pool and etc.

There are only 3 rooms for guests. Yes, only 3 though theyare usually unoccupied. It is very simply furnished - two beds and a fan if you need it in a room.

However, there’s one thing Shangri-la Hotel cannot offer you - all the rooms in the Guesthouse face the Great Wall!

Spectacular!

My girlfriend was so excited when she saw the scenery of the Great Wall from the room. It was that breath-taking!

WhenI told her that we will be staying at the Guesthouse for the night, she shouted in joy and hugged me so tight - I had a hard-on on the spot!

Another Tower erected at the Great Wall.

Honestly, I wanted to propose to my girl then and there (we will already going steady for about a year then)…Well, I keep this for another time.

Anyway, I had a wonderful night. Need I say more?

Backpacking Simatai Great Wall Question 3 - How are the people at the Guesthouse?

Great!

The guesthouse is run by the owner, Mr. Liu with his family comprising of his dad, mom and his lovely wife. All of them were really nice, genuine and down-to-earth!

My wife and I love also chatting with them, especially with the young owner. Mr. Liu was about my age and we were discussing about having children /family stuff. I heard he has a child now.

On one of our trips, his father even brought us to see the sunrise from the Tower at Wang Jing Lou, very early in the morning.

I have to admit that I would go to stay at the Guesthouse partly for the friendship and hospitality of the Liu family. Anyway, I have stayed there twice so far and will be planning another when I have time away from my business.

Backpacking Simatai Great Wall Question 4 - Any good food here?

Well, the food was OK for me. Very home-cooked style and they usually use organic ingredients in their cooking. My wife enjoyed the meal there due to the organic stuff. A health freak.

We took the recommended dish for foreigners – Sweet and Sour Chicken, some nice tofu in a soysauce, stir-fried greens with mushrooms and rice. There were beers available all the time and I had a couple during the evening with Mr.Liu. I did learn a lot about the Great Wall from him, even with my not-too-good Chinese then.

The food was prepared by the Liu family members - Mum and she does entertain if you want something special which is not in the menu, like an egg omelet with tomato for breakfast. Pretty obliging people!

As I have written before, it’snot the food that matters here. There’s nothing like having a meal with the Great Wall as your backdrop.

It is almost surreal!

BackpackingSimatai Great Wall Question 5 - How much is the cost per night?

The hostel is about 20 RMB per person, but it may have risen now to about 50 RMB. Honestly, it is still worth the price. If I ever visit Simatai,I would be there for sure!

Backpacking Simatai Great Wall Question 6 - What’s the name, address and contact number of the place?

Chinese Name: 东坡农家乐园 (Dong Po Nong Jia Le Yuan)

English Name: The official English name is "Dong Po Restaurant", not "Simatai Guesthouse"

Address: (in Chinese): 司马台长城北侧100米. (in English): Simatai Great Wall, 100 meters north (actually, though, it's more like 250 meters).

Phone Numbers: +86 314 883 1040 or +86 136 1314 3252 (From outside China) 0314 883 1040 or 0136 1314 3252 (from inside China)

Email: godinger@gmail.com

Website: http://www.simataiguesthouse.com/

Note: It is advisable to play it safe by booking with them as there is a strong word-of-mouth marketing for this guesthouse. I know most of you will probably plan a trip up there after reading this.

Please tell Mr. Liu that you heard about his guesthouse from a Singaporean living in Beijing.

Just tell him I got married a few months later to the same gal after our romantic stay at his Guesthouse.

Thanks!

Watch this Video Clip

From this tower, you can watch the Sunrise! Amazing sight!