Complete Travel Guide to Shanhaiguan, Hebei

Complete Travel Guide to Shanhaiguan, Hebei 🏰🌊 Pre-trip Checklist ✅ 🪪Documents: ID card (must bring!), student ID (half-price tickets, super worth it~), senior citizen card, don’t leave any behind~ 👟Outfit Tips: Spring/Summer: short sleeves + sun protection jacket🧥 (strong UV by the sea), sneakers👟 (essential for walking 20,000 steps), sun hat👒 Autumn/Winter: windbreaker + scarf (strong wind at Jiaoshan Great Wall), thin sweater (big temperature difference morning and night) ❗Essentials: sunscreen🧴, sunglasses🕶️, power bank🔋 (night shots of the ancient city drain power fast), small backpack (for snacks and water), wet wipes (super handy after eating seafood) How to Get There? 🚗 Self-driving: Direct access via Jingha Expressway, parking at the scenic area costs 10 yuan/day, free parking spots around the ancient city (only if you arrive early~) 🚗Public Transport: 🚞Train: Get off at Shanhaiguan Station, 5-minute taxi to the ancient city (10 yuan); or take bus No. 25 from Qinhuangdao Station, 1 hour direct to the First Pass Under Heaven 🚏Within the city: From the ancient city to Laolongtou take bus No. 25 (3 yuan), just wave to stop, super convenient Must-Visit Attractions 🌟 1️⃣ First Pass Under Heaven: The “center stage” of the Ming Great Wall! The “First Pass Under Heaven” plaque on the arrow tower is super imposing (legend says it was written by Yan Song~), be sure to take a panoramic shot from the middle of East Street📸, the “Horse Path” steps in the barbican are very steep, walking up feels like traveling back to ancient times to defend the city~ The nearby Great Wall Museum is free, with a guided tour at 10:00, where you can see letters from Ming soldiers, very touching😭 2️⃣ Laolongtou: The only place where the Great Wall meets the sea! The “Stone City Entering the Sea” built by Qi Jiguang is spectacular, at low tide you can touch the reef by the sea, maybe even find small shells🐚~ Watching the sunrise from Chenghailou is amazing, the morning light on the sea looks like gold foil, come at 6:00 to get a good spot~ 3️⃣ Shanhaiguan Ancient City: Bluestone roads + gray tiles and white walls, few people early morning, perfect for ancient-style photos~ The city tower at Ying’en Gate is a must for night shots, the lanterns light up like stepping into a Ming-Qing market🏮 The “Tian Residence” on North Street hides secrets of a Qing dynasty official’s home, the backyard rockery and pond are exquisite~ 4️⃣ Jiaoshan Great Wall: Climb up to overlook the entire pass city and Yansai Lake! For the fit, take the “Dry Gate Pass” trail (1.5 hours to the top), for the lazy take the cable car (one way 50 yuan), the “Qixian Temple” at the top has a thousand-year-old pine, perfect for resting and snacking~ What to Eat? Local Food List 🍲 1️⃣ Hun Guo: Shanhaiguan intangible cultural heritage dish! Copper pot over charcoal, sauerkraut at the bottom, topped with pork belly, steamed jelly, fresh shrimp, sea crab🦀, simmered in beef bone broth, served with chive flower sauce, absolutely delicious~ Recommended “Qinghe Hun Guo” (in the ancient city, about 60 yuan per person) 2️⃣ Si Tiao Baozi: Century-old brand! Dough is chewy, pork filling with secret soy sauce, juicy with every bite~ 5 yuan each, paired with millet porridge, perfect breakfast (Si Tiao Hutong store, opens at 7:00, don’t be late) 3️⃣ Huiji Mung Bean Cake: Halal dessert! Mung beans ground very fine, melts in your mouth, sweet but not greasy, 15 yuan per box, great as a gift🎁 4️⃣ Seafood Street Food: Near Laolongtou, “Seafood Street” offers freshly caught and cooked clams and mantis shrimp, spicy stir-fry is super fragrant, about 80 yuan per person to eat until full Where to Stay Comfortably? 🏡 ● Ancient City Homestay: Recommended “Qi Jian Fang,” courtyard with grape trellis and swing, rooms with traditional kang beds, fall asleep to the ancient city’s bell sounds~ About 150 yuan per person ● Seaview Hotel: “Xian Hotel” next to Laolongtou, high-floor rooms with sea views, open the curtains in the morning to see the sunrise, about 200 yuan per person ● Budget Choice: Home Inn near the train station, 100 yuan/night, convenient for catching early trains How to Plan Your Trip? 🗓️ 1️⃣ One-day Highlights Tour: Morning: First Pass Under Heaven (1.5h) → Great Wall Museum (1h, guided tour) Noon: Lunch at Si Tiao Baozi shop Afternoon: Laolongtou (2h, see the Great Wall entering the sea + tide pooling) Evening: Stroll and eat on North Street of the ancient city, take night shots, buy mung bean cake as a gift 2️⃣ Two-day Deep Tour: Day 1: First Pass Under Heaven + Ancient City + Laolongtou (all in one day) Day 2: Jiaoshan Great Wall (morning hike) → Yansai Lake boat tour (afternoon, see cliffs on both sides) → Dinner with Hun Guo Tips 💡 🌊 Strong wind at Laolongtou seaside, bring a light jacket even in summer~ 🍀 Don’t trust the “fortune tellers” in the ancient city, easy to get scammed~ ❗ Jiaoshan Great Wall is crowded on weekends, recommend arriving before 9:00 to avoid crowds Keep this guide and come to Shanhaiguan to experience the story of “Inside and Outside the Pass”! 🏯