A Six-Day Journey in Western Sichuan, Scenery Distinct from the North
I had long wanted to explore Jiuzhaigou!
As a foodie who can’t handle spicy food, Chengdu wasn’t my first choice, but it had always been a place I dreamed of visiting. From October to December, every time I planned a spontaneous trip, unexpected incidents would pop up. Fortunately, in December, I finally made it.
Travel gear: 2 phones, 1 compact camera
Clothing: 1 down jacket, a windproof jacket, hiking shoes, gloves, hat
Essential items: Toiletries, slippers, motion sickness pills, Yunnan Baiyao, insulated water bottle, band-aids, portable charger, selfie stick, charger, cash (people in Jiuzhaigou and Chengdu really dislike using cards, so bring extra cash), etc.
【Day 1】 Capital Airport – Chengdu Shuangliu Airport
On the bus, we decisively purchased bus tickets from Jiuzhaigou back to Chengdu, from Chengdu to Dujiangyan and Qingchengshan, and from Chengdu to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, which saved us a lot of time. The journey from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou was long—7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. While drowsy, I could still enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way: Wenchuan, Mao County, Diexi Lake, and Songpan Ancient City.
Around 6 PM, we arrived at Jiuzhaigou. The sudden white landscape made me incredibly happy. Local Tibetans said it was rare to catch snowfall. That night we stayed at a hotel near the entrance of Jiuzhaigou. The environment was average, probably due to the off-season, but the price was cheap, suitable for budget travelers. It was only a 10-minute walk to the Jiuzhaigou entrance, very convenient. Since it was already late when we checked in and put away our luggage, many shops were closed. We just ate at a place near the entrance. So in the off-season, you need to eat early in Jiuzhaigou.
【Day 2】 【Day 3】 Exploring Jiuzhaigou
We booked a 2-day itinerary for Jiuzhaigou. Off-season tickets: 80 yuan, bus fee 80 yuan, insurance 10 yuan. On the second day, entry fee 20 yuan, bus fee 80 yuan, total 270 yuan. Few people, beautiful scenery, no need to rush—very cost-effective.
*On the second day, you need to inform the staff when buying tickets on the first day and have your photo taken at the entrance!
Itinerary Day 1: 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-Color Lake) – Nuorilang Center – Return
Itinerary Day 2: Hike Shuzheng Valley (Rhinoceros Lake – Tiger Lake – Shuzheng Group Lake – Shuzheng Waterfall – Crouching Dragon Lake – Spark Lake – Reed Lake – Bonsai Shoal)
Without further ado, snowy scenery:
On the second day, the weather cleared up, and the contrast of light and color immediately emerged. I impulsively ran back to Arrow Bamboo Lake, Panda Lake, and Five Flower Lake to take a few photos. Hiking Shuzheng Valley was also extremely enjoyable. We strolled down from noon, with very few people around, enjoying delicious food in front of the beautiful scenery—quite pleasant.
*Lunch at the Nuorilang Visitor Center is relatively expensive; it's recommended to bring your own lunch.
Foodie recommendations: Highland barley cake, yak meat, potato ci (a glutinous rice cake), cheese
Foodie summary: Not necessarily super tasty, just about trying new things.
【Day 4】 Jiuzhaigou – Chengdu
Although the two days in Jiuzhaigou were comfortable, maybe because we seldom exercise, we felt tired. We slept the whole way on the bus and arrived at Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station at 5 PM, refreshed.
Accommodation: Wren Boutique Hotel in Kuanzhai Alley, a bit of a splurge.
The moment you step inside, you’ll be amazed by this Chengdu guesthouse. It’s fantastic! Located right in the Kuanzhai Alley scenic area, you can go out and stroll and eat conveniently. It’s not far from Chunxi Road, Taikoo Li, Tianfu Square, etc. You can take the subway or a taxi; if you take a taxi, it’s about 10 yuan.
The overall style of this guesthouse is exactly what I like. The room design is Japanese-style, made of pure wood structure. The room has a unique pleasant fragrance, very soothing. There are hand-embroidered Sichuan 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.
There is a dedicated dining area in the room, and lunch and dinner taste very good.
No matter whether I stay in a hotel or guesthouse, the thing I care most about is the bathroom. Its cleanliness can definitely affect my mood. I give full marks to the bathroom of Wren.
Lying down was so comfortable; I fell asleep instantly. The quilt and mattress were soft and skin-friendly. I like buckwheat pillows, and the hotel thoughtfully provided one for me.
In the evening, the two of us headed straight to Wenshu Monastery. My best friend, who loves spicy food, went directly to Zhang Liangfen and ordered the famous yellow liangfen and sweet noodles. But surprisingly, they were not particularly spicy but a bit sweet, which annoyed my friend for a while. Then we moved on to Long Chao Shou, ordering a snack set. The taste was average, except for dandan noodles, which impressed my friend; the rest were mediocre.
Foodie recommendations: Zhang Liangfen, dandan noodles, five-spice fried dough tea.
【Day 5】 Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, People’s Park, Wuhou Shrine, Jinli Ancient Street, Kuanzhai Alley
You must go to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base in the morning. Pandas come out in the morning to sunbathe and play. They are extremely cute, especially the one-year-olds, who climb trees and run around with the help of keepers. Our planned 2-hour visit turned into 4 hours.
After leaving the base past 12 PM, we headed straight to Mama 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 a bit greasy for us northerners, with a layer of oil. After tasting the soup twice, we gave up. The husband-and-wife lung slices were not bad; my friend finished a large plate. The kung pao chicken was not spicy at all, very different from northern versions; the side dish was diced bamboo shoots, slightly sweet, so I, who can't eat spicy food, ate most of it.
After eating, we strolled in People’s Park to experience the slow life of Chengdu people.
After the leisurely time, we headed to Wuhou Shrine and Jinli. Since we are two hardcore foodies with little interest in the Three Kingdoms culture, we didn’t enter Wuhou Shrine but just ate a lot in Jinli. Jinli is a collection of Chengdu snacks—so many kinds we couldn’t take them all in. We decided to have dinner there. Recommended foods: Li Changqing’s Three Cannonballs, cold rice cake, beef crispy cake, Zhang Fei beef, and egg puffs. After strolling, it wasn’t too late, so we wandered to Chunxi Road to feel the commercial street atmosphere and discovered that Sichuan really produces beautiful women—we were envious.
【Day 6】 Qingcheng Mountain, Dujiangyan
We originally wanted to go to Mount Emei, but due to weather and physical condition, we didn’t make it. We chose the closer Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan. Tickets were 90 yuan each. Well, the experience was average, not worth nearly 100 yuan, perhaps because we are used to the Forbidden City’s 40-yuan ticket price.
Dujiangyan: Very famous. The route was simple: Yulei Mountain – Qinyan Tower – Erwang Temple – Anlan Cable Bridge. Although significant, the park is really small. Taking it slow, we finished in 2 hours, including lunch at Luodai Ancient Town outside. We arrived at 9 AM and were waiting for the bus to Qingcheng Mountain by 11 AM.
Qingcheng Mountain: We chose the cable car, so we only had a mountain left and passed through quickly. We were more looking forward to the Yulin Chuan Chuan Xiang in the evening.
Since the bus stopped at Kuanzhai Alley, we strolled around. There weren’t many people—a typical post-development commercial street. At the Panda Post Office, we bought some interesting postcards and small panda pendants. Recommended: Alley yogurt, which was not bad—the only food we bought in Kuanzhai Alley.
Then the highlight of the evening: Yulin Chuan Chuan Xiang. This is a must-recommend. Tastes great, very cheap. Although there are similar places in Beijing, the price and taste are quite different. The two of us ate until we were full for less than 100 yuan, with a lingering aftertaste.
【Day 7】 Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Huanhua Stream Park, Sichuan Museum, Qingyang Palace
On our last day in Chengdu, it was drizzling outside. We strolled slowly to Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Huanhua Stream Park, and the Sichuan Museum. These places are close, so you can walk leisurely without spending much time. Du Fu Thatched Cottage is small, right next to Huanhua Stream Park. If you have plenty of time, I recommend strolling in Huanhua Stream Park to slowly experience Chengdu’s slow life. The Sichuan Museum is very small, only three floors. No reservation needed; enter with an ID card. There are not many exhibits, but there were many people, including elderly people and children carefully looking at the displays. On the way back, we passed Qingyang Palace. Since we had enough time, we took a quick look. Admission is 20 yuan. If you’re interested and have time, you can visit.
You can’t leave Chengdu without shopping. Our last stop was Wenshu Monastery, and for the final meal we chose Chengdu snacks and Zhong Shui Jiao. We had dandan noodles, ye’er ba (glutinous rice cake), brown sugar guokui (pancake), sugar oil fruit, and bang bang chicken. After eating to our hearts’ content, we headed straight to the Palace Pastry Shop, recommended by friends. The line was long. Strongly recommend: salted pepper small peach crisps. The pepper flavor is strong; it might be a bit hard to accept at first, but the more you eat, the more you like it. It’s quite oily, so girls on a diet should be careful. Honey bean cake and green bean cake were also good. My mom loved them when we brought them home. Of course, we couldn’t miss Hongqi Supermarket and Carrefour. Because I can’t eat spicy food, I just bought Zhang Fei beef. My friend bought Sichuan pepper, red oil hotpot base, Pixian bean paste, etc. Hongqi Supermarket and Carrefour had everything. There was also a market in the city center where my friend bought local green Sichuan pepper, which had a strong flavor and was cheaper than the supermarket. Recommended. Satisfied, we returned with big bags and small bags!
