Heavenly Jiuzhaigou: A 'Bashi' (Comfortable) Trip

I've long wanted to visit Jiuzhaigou!

As a foodie who can't handle spicy food, Chengdu wasn't my first choice, but it had always been on my mind. From October to December, every time I planned a spontaneous trip, something unexpected came up. Fortunately, I finally made it in December.

Travel gear: 2 phones, 1 compact camera

Clothing: 1 down jacket, trekking jacket, hiking shoes, gloves, hat

Essential items: toiletries, slippers, motion sickness pills, Yunnan Baiyao, insulated water bottle, band-aids, power bank, selfie stick, charger, cash (people in Jiuzhaigou and Chengdu really dislike card payments; bring extra cash), etc.

[Day 1] Capital Airport → Chengdu Shuangliu Airport

On the bus, we decisively purchased bus tickets for the return from Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu, Chengdu to Dujiangyan and Qingcheng Mountain, and Chengdu to the Giant Panda Breeding Base, which saved us a lot of time. The ride from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou was long — 7:00 to 17:00. While drowsy, I still managed to enjoy the scenery along the way: Wenchuan, Mao County, Diexi Lake, and Songpan Ancient City.

Around 18:00 we arrived at Jiuzhaigou. The sudden white landscape made me extremely happy. The local Tibetans said it's not easy to catch snowfall. That night we stayed at a hotel at the entrance of Jiuzhaigou. The environment was average, but probably due to the off-season, prices were low — suitable for budget travelers. It was only a 10-minute walk to the Jiuzhaigou entrance, very convenient. Since we checked in quite late, many shops were already closed, so we just ate near the entrance. In the off-season, you need to eat early in Jiuzhaigou.

[Day 2] [Day 3] Enjoying Jiuzhaigou

We booked a 2-day itinerary. Off-season ticket: 80 RMB, bus fee: 80 RMB, insurance: 10 RMB. Second day entry fee: 20 RMB, bus fee: 80 RMB. Total: 270 RMB. Few tourists, beautiful scenery, no rush — totally worth it.

*For the second day entry, you must inform the ticket booth on the first day and have your photo taken at the entrance!

Day 1 itinerary: Rize Valley (Arrow Bamboo Lake → Panda Lake → Five Flower Lake → Pearl Shoal → Pearl Shoal Waterfall → Mirror Lake → Nuorilang Waterfall) → Nuorilang Center → Zechawa Valley (Long Lake → Five Flower Lake) → Nuorilang Center → Return

Day 2 itinerary: Hiking Shuzheng Valley (Rhino Lake → Tiger Lake → Shuzheng Lakes → Shuzheng Waterfall → Crouching Dragon Lake → Sparkling Lake → Reed Lake → Bonsai Shoal)

No more words — snow scenery:

On the second day the weather cleared up, and the contrasts of light and color immediately stood out. I got excited and ran back to Arrow Bamboo Lake, Panda Lake, and Five Flower Lake to take more photos. Hiking Shuzheng Valley was also thoroughly enjoyable. We strolled down from noon, with very few people around, enjoying food while facing the beautiful scenery — extremely pleasant.

*Lunch at the Nuorilang Visitor Center is expensive; it's recommended to bring your own food.

Foodie recommendations: highland barley cakes, yak meat, potato ciba, cheese

Foodie summary: not super delicious, but it's all about trying new things.

[Day 4] Jiuzhaigou → Chengdu

Although the two days in Jiuzhaigou were relaxing, we — who rarely exercise — still felt exhausted. We slept the whole way on the bus and arrived at Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station at 17:00, fully revived.

Accommodation: Kuaizhai Alley Jiaoliao Boutique Hotel — a bit luxurious.

The moment we stepped in, our eyes lit up. This Chengdu guesthouse was amazing! It's right in the Kuanzhai Alley scenic area, so we could go out and wander around easily. It's not far from Chunxi Road, Taikoo Li, Tianfu Square, etc. You can take the subway or a taxi (about 10 RMB).

The overall style of this guesthouse is exactly what I like. The room design is Japanese-style, made of pure wood, with a unique pleasant fragrance. The room also features hand-embroidered Shu embroidery and a wren bird painted by a famous artist.

The hotel has many calligraphy, paintings, and antiques that the owner worked hard to collect. Every detail is thoughtful and impeccable.

Room: The door uses an electronic lock, ensuring safety. The entire room, including decorations and bed, is made of sycamore wood, giving off a faint woody scent that is very relaxing.

There is a dedicated dining area in the room, and lunch and dinner are quite tasty.

No matter where I stay, the bathroom is always my top concern. Cleanliness can absolutely affect my mood. The bathroom at Jiaoliao deserves full marks.

When we arrived, the housekeeper learned that I can't eat spicy food, so they specially prepared non-spicy wontons for breakfast.

In the evening, we went straight to Wenshu Monastery. My friend, who loves spicy food, headed directly to Zhang Liangfen and ordered the famous cold jelly noodles and sweet water noodles. Surprisingly, they weren't very spicy but a bit sweet, which disappointed her. Then we went to Long Wonton and ordered a snack set. The taste was average except for the dandan noodles, which impressed my friend.

Foodie recommendations: Zhang Liangfen, dandan noodles, five-spice oil tea.

[Day 5] Giant Panda Breeding Base, People's Park, Wuhou Shrine, Jinli, Kuanzhai Alley

You must go to the Giant Panda Breeding Base in the morning. Pandas come out to sunbathe and play in the morning — they are very cute. Especially the one-year-olds, who climbed trees and ran around with the keepers' help, stretching our planned 2-hour visit into 4 hours.

After leaving the base after 12:00, we went straight to Laoma Pig Trotters near People's Park. We ordered pig trotters, kung pao chicken, and husband-and-wife lung slices. Then we started eating and complaining. Review: the pig trotters were too greasy for us northerners — a layer of oil. After two sips of soup, we gave up. The husband-and-wife lung slices were good; my friend finished a large plate. The kung pao chicken wasn't spicy at all, quite different from the northern style, with diced bamboo shoots instead of peanuts — slightly sweet. I, who can't eat spicy food, finished most of it.

After eating, we took a short walk in People's Park to experience the slow life of Chengdu people.

After a leisurely time, we headed to Wuhou Shrine and Jinli. Since we're foodies and not very interested in Three Kingdoms culture, we skipped Wuhou Shrine and went straight to Jinli to feast. Jinli is a gathering of Chengdu snacks — so many varieties that we were overwhelmed. We decided to have dinner there. Food recommendations: Li Changqing's Three Cannon Balls, cold rice cake, beef crispy cake, Zhang Fei beef, egg puffs. After strolling, it wasn't too late, so we wandered to Chunxi Road to feel the commercial street vibe. We found that Sichuan really produces beautiful women — we were jealous!

[Day 6] Qingcheng Mountain, Dujiangyan

Originally we wanted to go to Mount Emei, but due to weather and health reasons, we chose the closer Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan. Tickets were 90 RMB each. How to describe it? Very average — not worth the nearly 100 RMB price. Maybe we're used to Beijing's Forbidden City ticket costing only 40 RMB.

Dujiangyan: Very famous. The route was simple: Yulei Mountain → Qinyan Tower → Erwang Temple → Anlan Bridge. Despite its historical significance, the park is very small. We finished slowly in 2 hours, including lunch at Luodai Old Town outside. We arrived at 9:00 and were already waiting for the bus to Qingcheng Mountain by 11:00.

Qingcheng Mountain: We chose the cable car, so it was just a mountain — we rushed through it. We were more looking forward to the evening Yulin Chuanchuanxiang (skewer hotpot).

Since the bus stopped at Kuanzhai Alley, we strolled around there. Few people — a typical post-development commercial street. At the Panda Post Office, we bought some interesting postcards and small panda pendants. Recommended: alley yogurt — not bad, the only food we bought at Kuanzhai Alley.

Then the evening highlight: Yulin Chuanchuanxiang. Must recommend. Great taste, very cheap. Although there are similar places in Beijing, the price and taste are far off. We ate until full for less than 100 RMB — unforgettable.

[Day 7] Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Huanhua Creek Park, Sichuan Museum, Qingyang Palace

On the last day in Chengdu, it was drizzling. We slowly walked to Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Huanhua Creek Park, and Sichuan Museum — all close by. Du Fu Thatched Cottage is small, adjacent to Huanhua Creek Park. With plenty of time, we preferred strolling slowly in Huanhua Creek Park to experience Chengdu's slow life. The Sichuan Museum is small — only three floors. No reservation needed; you can enter with an ID card. Not many exhibits, but many visitors — we saw many elderly people and children carefully viewing the exhibits. On the way back, we passed Qingyang Palace. With enough time, we took a quick stroll. Ticket: 20 RMB. If you're interested, you can visit.

You can't leave Chengdu without shopping. Our last stop was Wenshu Monastery. For the final meal, we chose Chengdu snacks and Zhong Dumplings: dandan noodles, ye'er ba (glutinous rice rolls), brown sugar helmet, candied oil fruit, bang bang chicken. Satisfied, we headed to the Royal Pastry Shop recommended by friends. Long queue. Strongly recommend: pepper salt small peach crisps — strong Sichuan pepper flavor. A bit unacceptable at first, but the more you eat, the more you like it. Quite oily — dieters beware. Red bean cake and mung bean cake were also tasty. My mom loved them after we brought them home. Of course, we also visited Hongqi Supermarket and Carrefour. Since I can't eat spicy food, I only bought Zhang Fei beef, while my friend bought Sichuan pepper, red oil hotpot base, Pixian bean paste, etc. Hongqi Supermarket and Carrefour have everything. There's also a market in the city center where my friend bought local green Sichuan pepper — strong flavor and cheaper than supermarkets — recommended. Satisfied, carrying big and small bags, we headed back!