Much planning and work has been done to the new entrance of the Great Wall of China at the Mu Tian Yu location. I completely understand how they wanted to “spruce up” the former facility, but I think some of the charm was lost in the transition.
Instead of small booths for all types of vendors with awnings, now there are nice new brick facilities. These are well maintained, so I have to give the cleaning crews credit for a job well done.
Now you can even get a pizza at the Great Wall! I never thought I would see that day! This restaurant has great service, and the interior is all wood, as you can guess from the photograph below.
One of my favorite treats to get after climbing the Great Wall is dried fruit. My favorite is the dried strawberries, and they are amazingly sweet! The vendors selling the dried fruit will give free samples, and they know that once you have tasted their fruit, you will want more!
The new entrance is further down the hill from the old location, so you have to buy an inexpensive bus ticket to take you a little further up the hill. Sometimes you may have to wait on a bus, but usually not for very long. There is also a new parking deck and ticket office at the new entrance, and the restrooms are very clean. You should definitely use the restroom before going up on the Great Wall, because you have very few options once you are on the wall!
