I consider myself an adventurer. As I write this, I am just hours away from getting my scuba license and just a day away from filming my first rock climbing adventure. I’ve decided that the best way to get the most out of my life is to live it to the fullest extent possible, never wondering if I could do something or if I had the skills and knowledge to succeed. Instead, just do it and find out. Try it and see what happens. I took that same attitude when I decided to move and live in China for a year. It turned out to be one of the best years of my life. Not only did I feel like I really delved into the culture, but I also got to explore a lot of what the country has to offer to travelers, especially on the adventurous and off-the-beaten-path side of things.
Despite its increasing openness to foreign visitors and expanding ease of travel, China still remains a relatively untamed country with plenty of wild adventures to embark on. Unfortunately, as the country develops its tourism, it’s also taking the daring out of as many of its activities as it can, mostly through trams, staircases, and infrastructure. Progress is good for standard-of-living, but often impedes the true adventurer from the reason they’re there in the first place. However, there are still plenty of adventures left. Check out these to pump up your adrenaline and stoke your own adventurous fire:
While less strenuous and more-often done than some of the other adventures on this list, hiking the Great Wall doesn’t have to be your standard tourist trap filled with t-shirts (the saying “He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man”, may be slightly hyperbolic). Head to either Jinshanling or Simatai and then head in the opposite direction for the 10k walk to the other. It’s one of the few Great Wall hikes that begins in one location ends in another. Unfortunately, some planned “restoration” is happening in and around the Simatai portion of the Wall, which, if recent history has taught us anything, could mean resorts, golf courses, or shopping malls (keeping my fingers crossed that that isn’t the case). But, for now, this portion of the Great Wall remains one of the best ways to experience the historic landmark.
For the adventurous runners, explore the Great Wall in a unique way by partaking in the Great Wall Marathon. Held every year (usually in May), the Great Wall Marathon may test your running ability (including how well you run up and down thousands of steps) but it will also give you a very unique Great Wall experience. The entire race isn’t held on the Wall, but that’s a good thing. The race will wind and turn its way through surrounding fields and villages, giving you an even more local view of the area.
