2021: Returning from Jiuzhaigou, Don’t Look at Water

Number of days：5 days
Time: October
Average cost: 5,000 yuan
With whom: husband and wife
Updated: 2022.04.25

In the fall of 2019, I first visited Chengdu for a few days on my way to the March 18th shopping festival, and I became deeply fascinated by the city. During the 2021 National Day holiday, the pandemic wasn't too severe, so I decided to return to Chengdu. My destination was Jiuzhaigou, which I had missed in 2019 (it reopened in October 2019 after the earthquake), and I also wanted to learn more about the culture and history of Bashu.

After arriving at Shuangliu Airport for this trip, I stayed at the Blue City Yuexing Gourmet Hotel again. Those of you who've read my previous travelogues will know why: they offer free authentic snacks. I missed my aunt's Nanchong rice noodles so much.

October 6th:

My morning flight departed from Pudong for Chengdu. After checking in, I had a filling bowl of rice noodles.

I visited the Jinsha Ruins and saw artifacts from the 4,000-year-old Shu Han civilization and the legendary Sun Bird. After leaving, I visited Kuanzhai Alley, but it didn't quite live up to my first visit.

In the evening, I went to the distinctive Liyuan and watched Sichuan Opera for the first time. Sichuan Opera is not just about face changing and manual likes. I spent a magical day happily.

We met up early on October 7th and departed for Jiuzhaigou. After breakfast in the car, we arrived at our first scenic spot (Dujiangyan) about two hours later.

The water conservancy project built by Li Bing and his son over 2,000 years ago is another remarkable feat, and the prosperity of the Bashu Plain is largely due to this project. Admission is free for Shanghai tourists, as a token of gratitude to the government for the financial assistance Shanghai provided after the 2008 earthquake.

We'll travel upstream along the Min River, passing through Wenchuan, a county known to all Chinese. Witness another miracle: the new Wenchuan County, rebuilt from the ruins.

Later, we'll arrive in Jiuzhaigou and check into a local five-star hotel. Please be sure to confirm your accommodations in Jiuzhaigou before your trip. There are many hotels near Jiuzhaigou, and there are also numerous shops in the county center where you can buy what you need. The altitude is approximately 2,800 meters. Most of the better hotels are equipped with oxygen concentrators, but avoid using them until you feel less sick. This will allow your body to gradually acclimate to the high altitude, preventing further discomfort when you reach the higher elevation of Huanglong.

October 8th:

After a good breakfast, we leisurely walked to the entrance of the magical Jiuzhaigou Valley (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Jiuzhaigou is a scenic spot, but be sure to explore it within your means. Jiuzhaigou has a main road that splits into two at Nuorilang Waterfall (the waterfall featured in the filming of Journey to the West). One road leads to the Jianzhu Lake, Panda Lake, and Five Flower Lake, while the other takes you to the Chang Lake and Five Color Pool. Most attractions are shuttled by electric buses, though some require hiking. The highest elevation is over 3,100 meters. No matter how beautiful the sights are, please don't get too excited and slow down to avoid altitude sickness.

Once you enter Jiuzhaigou, you can choose to charter a bus or take an electric bus. The difference is that one waits for the bus, while the other waits for the bus. During peak hours, there might be a long wait. Waiting for the bus is actually quite nice in front of such beautiful scenery. The tour takes a full day, and hot meals like lunch are only available at Nuorilang. Otherwise, you'll need to bring your own food.

We left around 5:30 PM, just in time for the Jiuzhaigou Eternal Love performance. Since we weren't hungry, we went to see the show first. The quality of the performance was excellent, so if you have the time, you should definitely check it out.

October 9:

After a well-deserved rest, we woke up and headed to Huanglong, another magical scenic spot (a World Heritage Site). I've heard that if you're lucky, you can spot golden monkeys and giant pandas.

Huanglong Scenic Area is beautiful and stunning, but the highest point is around 4,000 meters above sea level. Why does it mention the altitude so many times? My wife, who didn't experience severe altitude sickness even at Everest Base Camp, vomited at Huanglong. Fortunately, she slowly descended with oxygen. Don't assume you won't experience altitude sickness before; your body's reactions can vary from moment to moment.

Huanglong Scenic Area strongly recommends taking the cable car up and walking down. There are no electric carts or other vehicles in Huanglong Scenic Area, and there are only a few small shops selling water and oxygen.

Huanglong's beauty might be enhanced by drone photography, but drone photography was prohibited in Huanglong Scenic Area at the time, so I couldn't capture the scenery better.

Another magical moment occurred. After lunch, I received a call from work saying I needed to rush back to work. I had to regretfully cut short my trip and return to Chengdu.