The Joy of Independent Travel: Savoring the Endless Charm of Chengdu
For me, one of the most important purposes of travel is to relax. If you set out with a heavy heart and end up with a light one, that trip will be meaningful. Traveling with companions makes it even more interesting. Life doesn't have to be a spontaneous journey, but you should always be ready to go at a moment's notice.
**No. 1: A Leisurely Retreat in Kuanzhai Alley**
Most people come to Chengdu to enjoy its food, as the city is renowned worldwide as a food capital. Kuanzhai Alley, Jinli, Wuhou Shrine, Du Fu Thatched Cottage, and others are all must-visit spots. The most famous is probably Kuanzhai Alley, known as "Chengdu's Living Room."
Several winding, elongated alleys crisscrossing each other outline the essence of old Chengdu.
Snacks, the steam from stoves, loudly hawking vendors, and bustling travelers—along the three main alleys and dozens of narrower side alleys, the purest human warmth fills the air.
Walking through the antique Kuanzhai Alley, I strolled through the sea of people. On both sides, a dazzling array of local snacks caught my eye: sugar-coated fried dough balls, stinky tofu, ice cream, and more. Unfortunately, my stomach wasn't big enough to hold all the snacks, so I’ll have to save some for next time.
Suddenly, a tightly shut door caught my attention. I looked up at the plaque and saw two characters that made me deeply realize the vastness of Chinese culture and how much I still have to learn.
"鹪(jiāo)鹩(liáo)" — at first glance, I had no idea how to pronounce these two characters. Seeing from a nearby introduction that this seemed to be a hotel, and since I hadn't yet found a place to stay, I decided to take a look inside.
When the door opened, the long corridor before me deeply captivated my gaze.
"A winding path leads to a secluded spot, and the meditation room is deep in flowers and trees. The mountain light pleases the birds, and the pool reflection empties the mind." Though it’s not a meditation room, it feels even more like one. Though there are no mountains or pools, the presence of flowers, trees, water, and birds creates a very poetic atmosphere.
After experiencing everything about Jiaoliao, I immediately decided to stay here. Staying here brought me even more surprises. It truly felt like a leisurely retreat hidden in a bustling city.
This hotel is small, with only 10 rooms. But although it's small, each room is nearly 100 square meters. The entire hotel offers excellent privacy, with attentive butler service to help arrange all kinds of matters, big and small. One unique feature is a small window called the "butler service window." When it's inconvenient, small items like takeout or room supplies can be placed inside, ensuring complete privacy. It feels just like home, free from outside noise, allowing you to enjoy your own space in peace.
Service is one thing, but the hotel's hardware is also excellent. The room's decoration and layout give a very comfortable feeling, and the overall style is traditional Chinese with an old-culture aesthetic, which I love.
Later, the butler told me that the hotel is centered on Zhuangzi's culture. The whole place exudes the atmosphere of Zhuangzi's philosophy, with many antique objects and artifacts, creating a rich cultural ambiance.
Although I stayed for only a short day, I deeply felt the charm of Jiaoliao. The hotel is small but exquisite, leisurely and comfortable. The environment, atmosphere, and service are all impressive. If I come to Chengdu again, I will definitely come back to experience the charm of Jiaoliao.
Since I was staying in Kuanzhai Alley, I naturally wanted to explore it thoroughly, even though I was only there for one day. Kuanzhai Alley is an ancient street that carries the historical culture of Chengdu. Nowadays, it has become more commercialized, crowded with tourists from all over.
Compared to other pedestrian streets, Kuanzhai Alley is paved with neat, wide gray stone slabs, exuding a leisurely atmosphere. Slowing down, the daily life of old Chengdu unfolds before your eyes. In the misty, cold weather of late November, there were still many tourists. The street was bustling with the relaxed, cheerful chatter of people from all over. The ancient walls and doorways, along with green branches reaching over the walls with unknown flowers blooming freely, subtly teased visitors in the dim light of night.
In Kuan Alley, there is a Chengdu Life Experience Hall where you can experience local folk customs. Zhai Alley is a refined lifestyle area themed around Western dining, light meals, coffee, art and leisure, health life halls, and specialty cultural shops, catering to all kinds of people. The Starbucks here is also very distinctive, fully integrated into the alley, and is my personal favorite Starbucks so far.
How could a fun place lack food? Speaking of food, I don't even know where to start—there's so much. Rabbit heads? Rabbit meat? Chicken legs? Stinky tofu? Hot and sour noodles? Herbal jelly? So many things, I ate until I could barely walk.
As a representative of Chengdu's slow lifestyle, Kuanzhai Alley embodies a carefree attitude. You must visit Kuanzhai Alley when in Chengdu. It lets you escape the city life obsessed with fame and fortune, spending a leisurely afternoon with family and friends, feeling time stand still.
I had always wanted to find a place to ski, so I started looking for nearby ski resorts. Xiling Snow Mountain? Emeishan Ski Resort? Zhegu Mountain? Or Jiu Ding Mountain Taiziling Ski Resort? In the end, because of its relatively complete services and skiing facilities, I chose Jiu Ding Mountain Taiziling Ski Resort.
Address: Taiziling Ski Resort is located on the side of National Highway 213 from Wenchuan to Mao County in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, at Qinglongping (turn right at Tongzhong Tunnel and go uphill for 25 kilometers) within the Jiu Ding Mountain Scenic Area. It is 180 kilometers from Chengdu. The ski area has an altitude of 2750 meters and 3310 meters of ski runs.
We drove there, taking about 3 hours to reach the ski resort directly.
After arriving at Jiu Ding Mountain, we stayed at the Heming Zhuang Holiday Hotel, located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Taiziling Ski Resort equipment hall. It has 71 rooms of various types, all decorated with wooden sauna panels and equipped with heating. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer a broad view of the snow scenery in the scenic area. The design is unique, the decoration is novel, and it has a strong Qiang ethnic flavor.
Of course, the food is also carefully selected: pure, natural, pollution-free, and locally characteristic green ingredients, such as highland yak meat, lamb, wild vegetables, highland wild mushrooms, and so on.
The scenic restaurant provides convenient, hygienic, nutritious, and uniquely flavored Tibetan and Qiang cuisine. At the same time, large floor-to-ceiling windows allow you to enjoy the sunny snow views of Jiu Ding Mountain while dining.
Ski gear: Be sure to bring sunglasses and ski goggles (strong UV at high altitudes), a hat, gloves (otherwise, scraping your hands in the snow is quite painful), and socks (wearing an extra pair is very warm).
From the beginner slope to the intermediate slope, I had a great time skiing, though my butt hurt a bit. I might have annoyed the ski patrol a bit (I fell and needed help many times). I fell so much I forgot things, and laughed until my chest hurt. Due to my obsession with skiing, I'll return to Taiziling next year.
We returned in the evening, so I also got to see the night view of Wenchuan. With tender, moving songs playing in the car, I looked out the window at the rushing water crashing against the new bridge.
Passing through New Wenchuan, the night scenery was beautiful—dazzling lights, bright and quiet, gentle and slow.
I hope the people here will always be safe, happy, and blessed.
Here, winter is in full swing, and so is skiing.
I believe everyone has a fondness for ancient towns. I remember the last time I went to Huanglongxi was a year ago, in summer. Since my companions were all wearing sandals, I didn't join them in the water play, which I regretted a bit.
Here’s a summer photo.
Huanglongxi Ancient Town feels like the largest ancient town I've ever visited. However, I felt that there were fewer people in winter than in summer. The weather was nice today—sunny and bright—so I decided to go to Huanglongxi with my best friend. Huanglongxi Ancient Town is a classic blend of artificial constructions and ancient relics. Entering the town, you see stone paths and small streams lined with imitation ancient buildings,
But this doesn't diminish the poetic atmosphere of small bridges and flowing water. The scene is picturesque, beautiful and intoxicating. At the entrance, there is a large tripod with a fountain spraying water from it. The sunlight made it sparkle in all directions. Following the stream downward, I came to an arched bridge, where I could go up for a stroll.
The main street is paved with stone slabs, flanked by traditional stilted buildings with upturned eaves. Shops sell food, clothing, handicrafts, and miscellaneous goods—perfect for a quick browse. The second-floor buildings serve as residences on the inner street side and as businesses near the river. After walking through one street, I found another alley. The smooth, shiny stone paths, the black, glossy door panels, and the antique signboards all exude a strong ancient charm.
Feeling hungry, I looked for something to eat. Last time I came, I didn't get to eat the "one-thread noodle" because it was too crowded. This time, I came early and there weren't many people, so I went in and ordered a bowl. The noodles were 20 yuan per bowl, which felt a bit expensive. They came quickly; the noodles were quite thick, like pulled noodles. After mixing, each strand was full of flavor, with some beef tripe and beef added. The broth was made with traditional Sichuan seasonings—spicy and numbing. Finishing with a sip of the soup was perfect.
Along the way, I ate many other snacks, mostly grilled items, all quite tasty. The shop attendants didn't push sales; they said it was fine just to look. Some even offered free samples to tourists. We spent about an hour eating and drinking and walking.
Countless shops and ancient buildings lined the route. Starting from the dragon's head fountain, I walked to the end, turned left, and saw the dragon's tail, which marks the end. The view at the dragon's tail is a magnificent river with a spectacular bridge in the distance. There are many boats on the river, and it's even more exciting in summer.
In this ancient town with its classic charm, small bridges and flowing water, there is no noisy, pushy commerce—only happy people.
I heard that here you can see many beautiful girls and handsome guys, and that’s exactly what we came for. Tai Koo Li, adjacent to Daci Temple, is not only a combination of fast fun and slow living but also a collision of tradition and modernity. Fast and slow, old and new, stand together in the busiest center of the city, reflecting the city's inclusive spirit.
Here, you can see fashionably dressed beauties and handsome men, various online influencers and internet celebrities, as well as locals in casual wear walking their dogs. Everyone goes their own way—some walking, some taking photos—as if in two different worlds. Tai Koo Li in Chengdu is a popular check-in spot for internet celebrities and an important commercial center with international luxury brands.
Tai Koo Li has an excellent location in the city center. The pedestrian street is exceptionally wide. From afar, you can see a giant panda climbing on the top of a mall in Tai Koo Li.
Many brand stores gather in the Tai Koo Li business district. Most international luxury brands can be found here. Famous luxury stores abound, and many world brands consider it an honor to open flagship stores here.
There are many young people here, so it feels more fashionable. In the central square, some people are performing artistic activities. There is also a specialty food street with very local flavors. When visiting Chengdu, Tai Koo Li is a must-go place.
Bravely accepting invitations from all over the world, I float, with myself, without any reason. A path of growth for young people, many transformative travel experiences, just to find my own spiritual journey. Even if alone, I cherish the scenery along the way.
