🛫 From Zagreb to Beijing: 36 Hours, One overnight bus, 2 Beers, and a Layover That Turned Into a Dynasty-Sized Adventure
You know that saying, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey”? Yeah, well, sometimes the journey hijacks your whole trip, like when your layover casually includes a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the freaking Great Wall of China. 😅
Let me walk you through how a tired backpacker from Zagreb accidentally kicked off her Philippines adventure by falling in love with imperial Chinese architecture (and a very cold beer at high altitude).
🚌 Midnight Bus from Zagreb: The Budget Backpacker Classic
On the night of May 11, I waved goodbye to Zagreb and hopped on a 23:59 FlixBus to Budapest, because no one ever said budget travel was glamorous. After a mildly comfortable six-hour ride, I arrived in Budapest at 05:30 AM, groggy but ready for action (and caffeine).
My flight with Air China wasn’t until 12:20 PM, so I checked in around 9 AM and rewarded myself with the official drink of weary travelers: an overpriced airport beer. Traditions matter.
🛬 Hello Beijing: Visa-Free and Ready to Roam
I landed in Beijing at 02:30 AM on May 13, fresh(ish) from a surprisingly pleasant flight, shoutout to Air China for feeding me twice and giving me a comfy aisle seat. Immigration was smooth thanks to China’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy, which meant I didn’t need a visa, just a passport, a smile, and my onward flight details.
And then the real fun began.
🌄 Sunrise at the Summer Palace
At 05:30 AM, I met my private driver, who I had arranged in advance via WeChat. For €130 total, I got 9 hours of sightseeing, tickets to the Great Wall, and air-conditioned comfort, a wise investment for a short layover.
Our first stop: the Summer Palace.
👑 A Bit of History: Where Emperors Went to Chill
The Summer Palace, or Yiheyuan (颐和园), was originally built in 1750 and later restored in 1886 after being burned down by Anglo-French troops (rude). It served as a luxurious retreat for the imperial family during sweltering Beijing summers, imagine lakes, pagodas, covered walkways, and empresses sipping tea while plotting dynastic drama.
The palace complex covers nearly 3 square kilometers, dominated by the serene Kunming Lake and the majestic Longevity Hill. My driver helped me get a ticket (¥60 / ~€7.50), and I wandered solo through intricate corridors, climbed up to Buddhist temples, and imagined myself as a Ming princess, minus the foot-binding.
When I arrived at the Summer Palace, I had the place almost to myself. Well, except for a sea of Chinese visitors, of course. It was barely 7 AM, and the place felt so peaceful, so alive with history. I was the only white person there, and it didn’t take long before I noticed the curious glances from the locals. They were laughing amongst themselves, no doubt surprised by the sight of a foreigner wandering around the palace grounds at such an early hour. In that moment, I felt both a bit out of place and deeply connected to the history around me.
As I walked around, the energy of the place wrapped itself around me. I could almost imagine the emperors and courtiers strolling these same paths, their footsteps echoing in the cool morning air. The grandeur of the Summer Palace, its delicate architecture, serene ponds, and lush gardens, was something beyond what I had expected. There was a special kind of magic in the atmosphere.
At one point, I decided to take a boat ride on Kunming Lake. It was such a surreal experience. As I glided across the water, I realized I was seeing the same views the emperors saw centuries ago. The mist, the distant mountains, the lush greenery, it was like stepping back in time. The pictures, the scenes, the stories, it all came to life in that boat. It was such a magnificent, humbling feeling.
🧧 Fun Fact:
The Long Corridor (Changlang) is the longest painted corridor in the world, stretching 728 meters with over 14,000 paintings of birds, flowers, and legends. No wonder the empresses never got bored.
🧱 Climbing the Great Wall: Sweating Through Centuries
Around 10:30 AM, I messaged my driver on WeChat and we headed for the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, a more peaceful, less crowded alternative to Badaling, and equally epic.
We arrived by 12:00 PM, and it was officially hotter than a hotpot in Hunan. But that didn’t stop me. I took the cable car up to save my legs and rode the toboggan down, screaming with joy like a child on a sugar high.
Fast forward a few hours, and I’m standing at the foot of the Great Wall of China, completely awestruck. This was the moment I had been dreaming about, touching history, feeling the weight of something ancient beneath my fingertips. As I rode the cable car up, I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement and pride. There I was, at the Great Wall, one of the most incredible feats of human engineering, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a symbol of China’s rich and complex history.
When I finally stepped onto the wall, it hit me, I’m on the Great Wall of China. Like… really on it. I placed my hand on the stones, closed my eyes for a second, and tried to imagine all the stories this wall has witnessed over centuries. The Mutianyu section was stunning, lush, green hills rolled into the distance, and the view went on forever. It was quiet in a majestic kind of way, the kind of silence that lets history speak.
Then came one of my favorite moments, I spotted one of those little souvenir and refreshment stalls right next to the wall. And what did I see there? A cold beer. Yes, a cold beer on top of the Great Wall of China. I paid a whopping 11 EUR, which is absolutely ridiculous, but you know what? It was worth every cent. I sipped it slowly, laughing with the local staff and other visitors, soaking in that surreal moment: a Balkan girl having a beer on top of the Great Wall. Legendary.
I also bought photo souvenirs from the cable car and toboggan rides (because how often are you this cool on the Great Wall?), plus some magnets and small trinkets for about €20 total.
After soaking up the views and swearing I’d one day return in autumn, I met my driver and we headed back to the airport, tired, exhilarated, and somehow already missing China.
🏯 Great Wall 101:
• The wall stretches over 21,000 km and was originally built starting in the 7th century BC.
• The Mutianyu section was restored in the 1980s and features 23 watchtowers along a 2.5 km path, fewer crowds, lush mountain views, and all the drama of ancient border defense.
✈️ Flight to Manila: Philippines, Here I Come
This was a day that took me out of my comfort zone, made me laugh, and, most importantly, reminded me why I travel, to experience new things, to learn, and to immerse myself in the rich history and culture of the world. Standing at the Great Wall, I felt like I had touched a piece of history, a moment that would stay with me forever.
These 15 hours may have been short, but they were filled with stories, laughter, and awe. From the quiet early morning at the Summer Palace to the rush of excitement at the Great Wall, this was an unforgettable adventure that made me feel like a true explorer—one step closer to fulfilling my dream of seeing the world.
I got back to Beijing Capital Airport in time for my 19:30 PM flight to Manila. After a day full of emperors, elevation, and adrenaline, I was more than ready to start the tropical island chapter of my adventure.
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🔧 Logistics & Travel Tips
🗺️ My Route
• Zagreb → Budapest: FlixBus, 23:59 departure – €25
• Budapest → Beijing: Air China, 12:20 PM flight
• Beijing → Manila: 19:30 PM departure
🚖 Private Driver in Beijing
• €130 for 9 hours, including:
o Pick-up & drop-off at the airport
o Summer Palace drop-off + ticket assistance
o Great Wall entry ticket (Mutianyu)
o Comfortable car with AC
o WeChat communication (very smooth!)
🎫 Entrance Fees & Fun Extras
• Summer Palace ticket: ¥60 (~€7.50)
• Great Wall (Mutianyu):
o Entrance: included in driver price
o Cable car: ¥100 (~€12.50)
o Toboggan: ¥100 (~€12.50)
• Beer at the Wall: ¥85 (~€11)
• Souvenirs & magnets: ~€20
• Photo souvenirs (cable car/toboggan pics): ~included in that €20
🧠 Fun Facts to Drop at Parties
• The Great Wall is NOT visible from space with the naked eye. Sorry, childhood myth.
• Mutianyu’s watchtowers were built in the Ming Dynasty to protect Beijing, and look like something out of Mulan.
• Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled navy funds to rebuild the Summer Palace. (Iconic villain or savvy queen?)
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✨ Final Thoughts
My 15-hour layover in Beijing turned out to be a highlight of my trip, a perfect blend of history, chaos, culture, and spontaneous fun. If you’re ever routing through China: do not waste that layover in the airport. Explore. Eat. Drink a ridiculous beer on a 600-year-old stone wall.
Next stop? Manila, and the start of my wild ride through the Philippines 🇵🇭🌴
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💌 Want more travel stories, tips, and laugh-out-loud layovers?
Follow my adventures on Instagram: @explore_more_with_ivana
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