The earthly paradise, Huanglong has returned, let me share something different

🌟 **Huanglong Summer Travel Guide (2024 Summer Cooling Edition)**
**Huanglong** in summer (June to August) has an average temperature of **10-18°C**. The colorful pools are as clear as mirrors, surrounded by snowy mountains and forests, making it an excellent summer resort in western Sichuan! This guide is specially designed for summer trips, covering **weather, routes, altitude sickness prevention, and accommodation** to help you enjoy the "earthly paradise" in cool comfort!

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📅 **Advantages of Summer Travel**
✅ **Comfortable Weather**: Daytime 15-20°C, nighttime around 10°C, a true natural air conditioner
✅ **Abundant Water**: The colorful pools are most vibrant, with spectacular waterfalls and streams
✅ **Sea of Flowers**: Alpine rhododendrons bloom in June, and meadows are full of wildflowers in July and August

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🗺️ **Classic Tour Route (Effort-saving Version)**
**Recommended combination of cable car + walking** (about 4-5 hours total)
1. **Scenic Area Entrance** → Take the uphill cable car (80 RMB/person, 10 minutes)
2. **Cable Car Upper Station** → Walk the wooden plank road (gentle slope, 40 minutes) to the **Five-Color Pool**
3. **Five-Color Pool** (3,900 meters) → Huanglong Temple → Zhenyan Pool → Golden Sand Beach → Welcome Pool → Exit
⚠️ Note: Hiking down is easier than going up and allows you to enjoy all the highlights!

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🌈 **Four Must-See Summer Wonders**
💚**Five-Color Pool** | Over 700 travertine pools with blue, green, and yellow gradients | Best light before 10 AM
💚**Golden Sand Beach** | Golden travertine terraces like "dragon scales" | Sunny afternoons (glittering gold)
💚 **Zhenyan Pool** | The largest group of colorful pools | All day
💚**Flying Waterfall** | The waterfall with the largest water volume in summer | 2-4 PM

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🚗 **Transportation Guide**
- **Flight**: Chengdu/Chongqing → Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport (1 hour), 40 minutes from airport to scenic area
- **Bus**: Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station → Songpan County (6 hours), transfer to Huanglong (1.5 hours)
- **Self-drive**: Chengdu - Wenchuan - Songpan - Huanglong (about 6 hours), good road conditions

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🏨 **Accommodation Recommendations**
| Location | Reason for Recommendation | Suggested Hotels |
|------|----------|----------|
| **Chuanzhusi Town** | Lower altitude (3,000 meters) suitable for altitude adaptation | Minjiang Haoting Hotel |
| **Sercuo International Hotel** | Closest hotel to the scenic area entrance | 5-minute walk to the scenic area |
| **Jiuzhaigou Entrance** | For combining with Jiuzhaigou itinerary | Jiuzhai Paradise Intercontinental |

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⚠️ **Summer Essentials Checklist**
1. **Cold Protection Gear**: Windbreaker/thin down jacket (big temperature difference between morning and night)
2. **Sun Protection**: SPF50+ sunscreen + sunglasses + hat (strong UV on the plateau)
3. **Altitude Sickness Prevention**: Oxygen bottle (available in the scenic area), Rhodiola (take in advance)
4. **Rain Gear**: July-August is rainy season, carry a foldable raincoat

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🍜 **Local Food Recommendations**
- **Yak Meat Hotpot** (recommended at "Tibetan Family Restaurant" in Chuanzhusi)
- **Butter Tea** (relieves altitude sickness, freshly made by Tibetan families)
- **Highland Barley Cake** (served with honey, a staple food in Tibetan areas)

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📸 **Photography Tips**
1. **Five-Color Pool**: Use a polarizing filter to eliminate water surface reflections
2. **Golden Sand Beach**: Shoot "dragon scales" effect with side backlight in the afternoon
3. **Portraits**: Wear red or white clothes for the best shots

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💡 **Itinerary Suggestions**
**Day 1**: Chengdu → Songpan (acclimate to altitude)
**Day 2**: Full day tour of Huanglong → Stay in Chuanzhusi
**Day 3**: Head to Jiuzhaigou (classic combined tour)

**Huanglong’s summer is like a spilled palette, every frame looks like a Windows desktop!** 🌈