Laolongtou (Old Dragon's Head)

Laolongtou, meaning Old Dragon's Head, lies on Haikou Road in Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, China, roughly 5 km south-east of Shanhaiguan old town. It is the point where the Ming Great Wall runs into the Bohai Sea, and the stone wall extends some 20 metres out into the water like the head of a dragon. General Qi Jiguang of the Ming dynasty is credited with building the sea-facing section in the 16th century as part of the coastal defence of the Shanhaiguan pass.

The site was damaged during the foreign occupations of the late Qing and early republican periods, and much of what is seen today is a careful restoration. Visitors walk along the wall, climb the Chengcheng Tower, a defensive structure with a view over the coastline, and look down to the stone platform where the wall meets the water. The grounds also include the Ninghai Gate, the sea-viewing Dengdi Pavilion and exhibits of military equipment and local history, with some structures dedicated to the legend of the Dragon King. From the upper platforms, the Bohai Sea stretches to the horizon, and on clear days the old wall can be followed along the coast and up into the hills.

A visit takes about one and a half to two hours. Sunrise and late afternoon are the best times for photography, as the wall silhouettes against the sea. Midday is hot and crowded in summer, with groups arriving from Beidaihe and Shanhaiguan. Winter is cold and windy but the site is almost empty, and the sea may show ice at its edges. The sea-facing section offers the most dramatic angles, particularly from the stone platform at the tip, while the interior gate tower provides a view back along the wall toward the mainland.