May 2010Jiuzhaigou 九寨沟 means "Valley of Nine Villages" and is a beautiful national park and world heritage site in the Min Shan mountain range, Northern Sichuan in South Western China. It's famous for the fantastic aqua and green lakes and waterfalls
Their English website is actually quite good for the important details
http://www.jiuzhai.com/language/english/index.html
Here are my photos on Picasa. Some of Ryota's photos are embedded on this post
We stayed at the Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Resort -- I think it was previously something else and Sheraton took it over. Best thing about it is that you can stay there for 3000 starpoints per night, which is ridiculously little if you know SPG. The hotel was fine accommodation and had decent staff. There are two restaurants, a pan-Chinese and more buffet and Western style place that is always filled with the tour groups.
The most interesting thing about the hotel is in the late afternoon when guests are arriving, there are dancers dressed in traditional Tibetan costumes who greet you at the entrance and then dance in the lobby. Now if you are coming off of a bumpy two hour van ride with a splitting head ache, this is less enjoyable of a performance, but still nice touch.
Jiuzhaigou
Jiuzhai Valley is anywhere from 1,990m (6,529 feet) to 4,764m (15,630 feet) above sea level. You do feel the elevation at times and you have to balance drinking enough water with not wanting to use the bathroom.
We had an enormous Sheraton buffet breakfast at 6:30 AM, hearing that there's not a lot of food inside of the park grounds (they were right). It was a bit rainy so we got fleece hats (great purchase to keep your head warm) and a 5 rmb poncho, and cabbed the 5 min to the park entrance.
Entrance fees during peak season are pretty steep at 220 rmb plus the 90 rmb for the full day bus pass (which you need). All cash btw. We got there early enough, but not at 7 AM open so there were already tourists.
The park is shaped like a 'Y' with the entrance at the bottom of the stem (to be accurate, it's an upside down 'Y' with the stem facing north). There are buses to the base of the 'V', and then along each branch which are the more interesting parts. The left (west) fork that goes to Swan Lake has more attractions. The way the guidebooks tell you to do it (and I agree) is take the bus all the way up to the top of one fork, then walk down to Nuorilang junction (the intersection) and take a bus to the other side.
Also, there is little signage to point to it, but cut across the water to find the
walking paths that are on the other side of the lakes from the bus road. It's a beautiful hike on wooden platforms and is soo much less trafficked and quiet (the tour groups seem to get off at the crossing points and back on the bus, rather than walking, missing the best parts of the hike).
We started with the Swan Lake side (btw sit on the left side of the bus up to Nuorilang, then right to get the best views). We went all the way to the top and had braced for the 18 km hike down, until we were denied by the park guys who (we think) told us that the first part of the trails weren't ready yet. To be fair, I think the parts that were maintained were incredible.
So we took the bus back down about 8 km and hopped over the bridge to the walking path at Arrow Bamboo Lake. Next one is Panda Lake, which has cool inlets that have carved the banks along the waterway. Aqua blue and very clear water.
After Panda Lake is a big bus stop and another crossing point that is congested with tourists. It does have some amazing photo ops though, well placed. The Multi Color Lake is next, with amazing green moss that you can see at the bottom (the water is really incredible clear) and many points along the bank to stop and snap photos.
From there you are with tourists the rest of the way. Pearl Shoals Waterfall is spetacular and there are steps along the side. It is a short walk to Mirror Lake and to the Nuorileng Water fall where there is the bus stop to go up other branch to Long Lake or back down to the entrance.
By that point it was past 1 PM and we were HUNGRY, having crackers and a Luna bar since the start. We did stop for a snack (two tea eggs for me, Oreos for Ryota), but again would recommend packing some real food if you go, there is surprisingly little substantial food inside the park.
We hopped on the bus to the right (east) branch to Long Lake at the top. It started raining again and we were both exhausted so we did a few mile walk down to the Five-Colored Pool, and hopped back on the bus home.
