First glimpse of Daocheng Yading in July: Roaming alone in a foreign land without you, starting from Chongqing via Chengdu to Daocheng

Ever since the movie "I Belonged to You" was released in 2016, the name Daocheng Yading has been echoing in my mind, along with that unforgettable line: "There is a place called Daocheng, I want to go there with the person I love, to see the azure sky, the white snow-capped mountains, the golden grassland, and a fairy tale of autumn." The Daocheng in the movie fascinated me so much that I was determined to visit this place. For this trip, we started from Chongqing, the starting point of the movie, to Chengdu, which served as our transit point, with Daocheng Yading as the final destination.

Travel dates: June 27, 2020 – July 4, 2020

DAY 1: Chongqing – Chengdu

DAY 2: City tour of Chengdu: visiting Du Fu Thatched Cottage and Jinli Ancient Street

DAY 3: Chengdu: a day at Happy Valley

DAY 4: Chengdu – Daocheng

DAY 5: Long hiking route in Daocheng Yading

DAY 6: Short hiking route in Daocheng Yading

DAY 7: Daocheng – Chengdu

DAY 8: Chengdu – Chongqing

On the 27th, we departed from Chongqing to Chengdu: our group of three bought high-speed rail tickets at 2 p.m. from Chongqing North Station to Chengdu East Station. On the first day, we didn't plan any sightseeing. After arriving in Chengdu, we headed to the pre-booked accommodation. The accommodation in Chengdu was also a very impressive part of this trip. For three nights in Chengdu, we chose to stay at "Chengdu Backpack 10 Years Youth Hostel." This hostel can be described as the best youth hostel in China in terms of quality, environment, hardware, and software facilities. Calling it a five-star youth hostel is not an exaggeration. We booked a 6-bed room, costing 60 RMB per person per day. The location of the hostel was also excellent, just two streets away from Chunxi Road, a 20-minute walk or a 10-minute bike ride. It was not far from famous attractions in downtown Chengdu such as Jinli, Wuhou Shrine, Du Fu Thatched Cottage, and Kuanzhai Alley. The atmosphere of the entire hostel was great. On the first floor, there was a coffee bar and a beer bar. When tired or weary, you could go downstairs to order two glasses of the hostel's craft beer, watch a ball game, or chat with strangers and enjoy a wonderful folk singer performance. On the second floor, there were pool tables, book lending, and every night the hostel staff organized games like Werewolf. The vibe was absolutely amazing. That day, after putting our luggage in the room, we went downstairs. Each of us ordered a beer and some takeout, drinking, eating meat, and chatting—it was incredibly enjoyable.

On the 28th, it was a very laid-back day with no special itinerary. The main goal was to experience the slow pace of life in Chengdu. No need to wake up early; we didn't get up until 9:30 a.m. Having had a few extra drinks last night, we slept very soundly. After getting ready, it was already 10:30 a.m. We had a bowl of Chengdu-style Dandan noodles downstairs, combining breakfast and lunch. Then we set off for Du Fu Thatched Cottage. The most convenient and fastest mode of transportation in a big city is still the subway. The distance was over 10 kilometers, and the subway took only 20 minutes. The ticket for Du Fu Thatched Cottage was 50 RMB each, which is not cheap. We bought three tickets and entered. Inside, the vegetation landscape outweighed the cultural elements. It felt like we were there to admire the greenery, ponds, and small fish. We saw many tourists holding DSLR cameras, taking photos, each appearing very professional. With so many people taking pictures, we also pulled out our phones to capture the charming scenery. We didn't leave Du Fu Thatched Cottage until 3 p.m. Checking the map on our phones, Jinli was not far away, so we set it as the next destination. Strolling through Jinli was similar to strolling through Ciqikou in Chongqing. As a native Chongqing native, I am very familiar with ancient-style pedestrian streets like Ciqikou and Jinli. The things sold there are mostly for tourists, and the quality is not great. Only the architecture and decorative style of the buildings caught my eye. I took many beautiful photos of the Jinli architecture with my phone. After wandering around for most of the day, we decided to have a good meal in the evening—Japanese grilled meat. We found a chain restaurant called "Cang Tan" and ate a lot of meat and drank a lot. Before we knew it, the three of us had spent over 700 RMB. Each of us drank a 1000 ml Kirin draft beer from Japan. Seeing those huge glasses, we were stunned. Even now, that scene makes me laugh. Back at the hostel, we had another couple of drinks on the first floor. Some friends said we were just finding a new place to drink. I think drinking and traveling don't conflict at all. Sometimes, after a drink, you might see things differently around you.

On the 29th, it was a day to visit Happy Valley in Chengdu. I had also been to Happy Valley in Chongqing, but compared to that, the one in Chengdu is larger, has more attractions, and is more fun and unique. From a bus stop a few hundred meters from Backpack 10 Years, we took a 50-minute bus ride (18 stops) directly to the entrance of Happy Valley. The ticket for Happy Valley was about 220 RMB per person, a two-day pass, which is much more expensive than in Chongqing. The advantage was that we could play for an extra day, but that didn't matter to us because we had a flight to Daocheng early the next morning. Today, we planned to have fun and try to ride all the attractions. At an amusement park, of course, we had to ride the most thrilling attractions. If there is one thing that embodies the soul of an amusement park, it's the roller coaster. Happy Valley in Chengdu has five different types of roller coasters with varying sizes and themes. There was the "Western Paradise" roller coaster with a 50-meter drop and a 90-degree vertical drop, the "Star Flight" roller coaster with two 360-degree loops, and the "Cloud Dragon" so fast that you couldn't even open your mouth. Each one left us with happy memories. Besides roller coasters, we also rode the pirate ship, drop tower, and giant pendulum—all must-rides. The only thing we stopped at was the bungee jump platform, haha.

On the 30th, we had a flight at 10:55 a.m. from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport to Daocheng Yading Airport. We dragged our suitcases to the airport early. The excitement on the way was indescribable. We had been in an excited state since last night and couldn't calm down until we boarded the plane. I knew that in 50 minutes, we would step onto the last pure land on this blue planet. 4,411 meters—remember this number. The highest altitude civilian airport in the world is Daocheng Yading Airport. As soon as the plane landed, we saw some passengers on the same flight experiencing altitude sickness: weak limbs and dizziness. Fortunately, none of us had any problems. If we had also started to feel dizzy, I don't know how the trip to Daocheng Yading would have gone. We might have been sent back right after landing, haha. After exiting the terminal, we contacted the driver who was picking us up. The original fee was 400 RMB, but we bargained it down to 300 RMB. In this area, you can bargain for almost anything, and you might get unexpected results. The drive from the airport to the scenic area took two hours. We had lunch in Shangri-La Town, about 10 kilometers from the scenic area, and bought a lot of dry food before continuing to the scenic area. The ticket for Daocheng Yading was 150 RMB, and the sightseeing bus was 120 RMB, both mandatory. Our accommodation was booked in Yading Village inside the scenic area. From the entrance of the scenic area to Yading Village was about another 20 kilometers, only accessible by the scenic area's sightseeing bus. The altitude of Yading Village is 3,900 meters. Due to the high altitude, every guesthouse is equipped with oxygen. If you have severe altitude sickness, you can inhale oxygen in your room, but oxygen costs extra. The price is not low, so try to choose your accommodation before the trip. You can stay in Shangri-La Town at an altitude of about 2,800 meters. Currently, it's the low season, and room rates are around 150 RMB. In October, they mostly exceed 1,000 RMB, so book in advance. There are fewer entertainment options near Yading Village, but Shangri-La Town is much more bustling.

On July 1st, the three of us chose to first challenge the long route in Yading Scenic Area: Yading Village – Zhaguanbeng – take the electric car (80 RMB round trip) – Luorong Cattle Farm – Five Color Lake – Milk Sea (about 8 hours in total).

At 8 a.m., we borrowed trekking poles from the hotel, packed energy bars, compressed biscuits, and each brought a bottle of water, then set off. It had rained outside after dinner in Yading Village last night, but this morning the fog cleared and the sun was shining—perfect for hiking. From Yading Village, we took the scenic area bus to the hiking entrance. This entrance is also the junction of the long and short routes. For the long route, you can either take the electric car to Luorong Cattle Farm or hike 6.7 km to Luorong Cattle Farm before starting the 10 km round-trip high-altitude hike. Luorong Cattle Farm is the place where Yang Yang proposed to Bai Baihe in the movie "I Belonged to You." Since we came in July, the area was lush green. If you come from mid-September to November, the land turns golden, which is also the most beautiful time of the year in Yading. From Luorong Cattle Farm at an altitude of 4,180 meters to Five Color Lake at the highest point of 4,700 meters, the entire distance is about 5.3 km. You can choose to ride a horse at Luorong Cattle Farm for 300 RMB per person, but the weight must be under 200 jin (100 kg). The horse ride is one-way and covers 3.5 km; the last 1 km is steep stairs that you must walk on foot. The round trip on the long route takes about 8 hours. With this information, we started our hike from Luorong Cattle Farm. It was our first time hiking at high altitude, and no one knew who would persist to the end or who would be the first to collapse. We decided to move forward while taking photos. The scenery on both sides was incredibly beautiful. The distant snow-capped mountains pierced the clouds, appearing and disappearing. The snowmelt from the mountains flowed gently into the stream ahead, merging into Luorong Cattle Farm. Everything was so harmonious and peaceful. We started at 8 a.m. and finally arrived at Five Color Lake at an altitude of 4,700 meters at 11:30 a.m. We were immediately captivated by the azure blue lake water; we couldn't look away. It was too beautiful. Following the path for a few hundred meters from Five Color Lake, we reached Milk Sea. Unlike the azure blue of Five Color Lake, Milk Sea was wrapped in a faint milky white, like a thick armor protecting it from harm. These two sacred lakes in the hearts of the locals are so holy and inviolable. Behind them, the three sacred mountains Xiannairi, Yangmaiyong, and Xianuoduoji have always guarded them. When you overcome altitude sickness, challenge your physical limits, and finally ascend to the highest point to see these two lakes, you will find that everything is worth it. These two lakes seem to have the power to heal all fatigue and exhaustion. All difficulties and pains dissolve like clouds in the sky in an instant. The three of us must have accumulated so much good karma over the years that Yading, which had been crying all day before, showed us its brightest smile the next day. On the way down the mountain, we kept encouraging those who were challenging themselves and bravely moving forward. A simple "jiayou" (keep going) or "Tashi Delek" might motivate them more than their oxygen cylinders several times over. In the end, we completed the long route challenge in 6 hours. Two of us, including me, didn't even use oxygen at all. For many people, "Daocheng Yading is a paradise for the eyes but a hell for the body." But for us, from the moment we got off the plane, both our eyes and bodies were already immersed in this last pure land on the blue planet.

On July 2nd, short route in Daocheng Yading: Yading Village – Zhaguanbeng – Chonggu Temple – Pearl Sea (about 3 hours in total).

With the experience of the long route yesterday, the short route was much easier and simpler for us. Today's short route was more about relaxing and enjoying the beautiful scenery, since we had to return to Shangri-La Town in the afternoon. On the short route, there is the once glorious but now dilapidated Chonggu Temple, as well as Pearl Sea, which is as famous as Milk Sea and Five Color Lake. It is like a dark green jade dropped on earth, displaying a kaleidoscope of scenery with the changing colors of the surrounding vegetation throughout the four seasons, enchanting everyone who sees it. For those with mild altitude sickness, I suggest taking the short route first to acclimatize to the altitude change. Make a careful choice based on your physical condition. Remember, never overexert yourself in high-altitude areas. That afternoon, we returned to Shangri-La Town and found the most popular restaurant in town. We enjoyed their specialty dish that combines grilled meat and hot pot. The taste was really good. After dinner, we went to a small bar across the street for a couple of Belgian beers and listened to folk songs. It felt like I was back in the days of listening to music in a quiet bar in Dali Old Town—so comfortable.

On July 3rd, we originally planned to take a flight from Daocheng to Chongqing, but recently all flights to Chongqing had been canceled. So we chose the only remaining means of transportation: taking a bus from Shangri-La Town back to Chengdu, and then taking the high-speed rail from Chengdu to Chongqing. The bus from Yading to Chengdu runs once a day, departing at 6 a.m. sharp. The journey takes about 16 hours, covering over 800 kilometers, and the ticket price is 300 RMB. Before this trip, we saw many online guides complaining that the bus ride was too tiring. But since we had never taken such a long bus ride before, we wanted to try it. The whole experience completely overturned my expectations. We departed at 6 a.m. and arrived at Chengdu Xin'nanmen Bus Station at 8 p.m. After a whole day on the bus, we didn't feel much discomfort. The seat cushions were very comfortable, soft enough not to hurt the back. The scenery outside the window was picturesque: yaks grazing everywhere, in herds. The Tibetans there are really wealthy, with almost every family owning hundreds of yaks and several mountains of land. It made me want to become a cowherd there, haha. Back in Chengdu, we stayed at the youth hostel again and had some Chengdu-style barbecue downstairs. To be honest, Chongqing-style barbecue suits my taste best, with a stronger hometown flavor.

On July 4th, we took the high-speed train at 5 p.m. Before returning to Chongqing, we strolled around Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li, buying some small gifts for family and friends. After arriving home, I immediately ordered a portion of Chongqing-style barbecue—it was indeed that familiar taste.