Adin in winter - A paradise on the edge of Tibet

Having traveled along so many barren roads, I no longer crave smooth paths; instead, I seek out places that both challenge me and conceal nature's treasures, which only those who truly appreciate them can discover.

A journey lost in winter in Cam Tu

From Chengdu, the capital of the Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period and now the capital of Sichuan Province, we hired a car to head straight to Daocheng, while some other travelers chose to fly. The short flight to Daocheng is often subject to cancellation due to unpredictable weather conditions at the civil airport located at the world's highest altitude of 4,411 meters above sea level. Furthermore, traveling by car gave us the opportunity to fully appreciate the breathtaking natural scenery of this region, a sight more enchanting than any paradise.

The Tibetan Autonomous Regions of Sichuan generally have extremely rugged mountainous terrain. Villages and towns are scattered hundreds of kilometers apart along winding mountain roads, some sections boasting up to 18 hairpin bends like stairways reaching to the sky. Cars are the almost only means of transportation; local buses are rare, with only one trip a day, and it often takes a whole day to cover the approximately 400 km. My itinerary took me around the western arc of Sichuan, stopping at the scenic Four Maidens Mountain, visiting the most beautiful Tibetan village in China, chatting at the Yarchen Gar Buddhist Academy where thousands of nuns gather, exploring the oldest Buddhist scripture printing workshop in China, and then heading down to the Ganzi Plateau to reach Daocheng – a much-anticipated destination on my journey, especially since Jiuzhaigou was devastated by earthquakes in early autumn the previous year.

In this Tibetan region of Ganzi, despite the Chinese government's efforts to improve infrastructure in recent years, the roads we traveled were, frankly, still quite poor in some sections, narrow with only two lanes, winding through endless snow-capped mountains. The car sped along amidst the stunning changing scenery of early winter, between two snow-capped mountain ridges, along murmuring streams, and clumps of yellow and red trees stretching from the mountain slopes down to the stream banks. Following the deep valleys were vast grasslands at altitudes above 3,000 meters, where herds of long-haired cattle grazed peacefully, adding to the magnificent natural landscape. The sky was a clear, bright blue, the pristine clarity of the vast grassland sky untouched by dust. We kept exclaiming in admiration, so much so that the driver chuckled and said he didn't know how much more excitement Daocheng would bring us. The long, arduous journeys seem to shorten in the blink of an eye thanks to the breathtaking scenery.

Before entering the gateway area to Daocheng, the car stopped at a checkpoint where we heard a briefing about altitude sickness in this snow-covered mountain region. To reach Yading, we had to go to Daocheng County, from there it was another 74 km drive to Shangrila town (Yunnan also has a very famous Shangrila with magnificent Tibetan temples nestled against the eternal snow-capped mountains) before a park internal bus took us another 32 km to the Yading scenic center.

Our guide explained that the area has a significant altitude difference. While Shangri-La has an average altitude of 2,800 meters, Yading can reach 4,400 meters above sea level. Therefore, altitude sickness is more likely to occur than in Tibet, Huanglong, or Jiuzhaigou. Chinese people also prepare their belongings carefully before going to Daocheng and take a medicine called Hongjingtian to mitigate altitude sickness. Currently, there is no specific cure for altitude sickness; the only treatment is rest and minimal physical activity to gradually adapt to the altitude, and avoiding sleeping in the car to prevent sudden changes in oxygen levels in the brain upon waking. Yading is a new tourist destination, lacking medical facilities, shops, and restaurants, so we had to be self-sufficient during our winter days in Yading.

A world of its own at Yarchen Gar

Before Largung Gar opened its doors to foreigners, I certainly couldn't miss Yarchen Gar, the world's second-largest Buddhist academy for nuns. Yarchen Gar is a wonder created from spiritual faith, nestled in a valley over 4,000 meters high. Compared to other areas, winter arrives much earlier here.

Thousands of rickety houses are scattered across a vast peninsula embraced by the Jinsha River, which flows from the surrounding snow-capped mountains. The peninsula is home to a nun who has come here to study Tibetan Buddhism. The driver warned men like me not to enter the peninsula itself, but only to climb the high hill overlooking Yarchen Gar or wander around the outskirts. Most of the nuns here are Tibetan, with a few Han Chinese and other ethnic groups from China. They usually arrive at the beginning of winter and begin a 100-day retreat. They bring a small amount of food and necessities. Their small, square huts are only about 2 meters wide.²The tent was completely covered with cloth, and stones were placed around and on top of it to withstand the biting cold winds.

Before entering meditation, the monks and nuns must bow their heads. They raise their hands high three times in prayer, take two steps, and then bow their heads, their foreheads touching the ground. They will do this for more than 1 km before reaching Yarchen Gar. Then, they will go to their hut and begin their meditation process. Every day, the monks and nuns pray, read scriptures, sit and talk about Buddhist teachings, while others read books or draw the majestic scenery. The monastic life of the monks and nuns endures a harsh winter where there is only wind, snow, and Tibetan scriptures about the philosophy of Buddha.

The breathtaking beauty of A Dinh in winter

Yading, located in Sichuan Province, China, is a gateway to the mystical land of Tibet, possessing the allure of a paradise on earth, blended with the enigmatic charm of one of the world's most mysterious Buddhist civilizations.

Late autumn and early winter are the ideal times to admire the beauty of Yading, when the vast pine forests, with their golden hues, are suddenly covered in pristine white snow. Compared to this, the paradise of Jiuzhaigou is merely a collection of miniature mountains scattered within a grand landscape.

The bus took us from the park gate over the high mountains to the central area before branching off to the main attractions in Yading. We followed the longer branch, starting from the Chonggu Tibetan Temple, taking a tram for about 5 km to Luorong Cattle Farm and then trekking 6 km to reach the "two stunning beauties": Milk Lake and Five-Colored Lake. From the cattle farm, I saw quite a few Chinese tourists, young and old, riding on shaggy horses for 300 yuan per ride or 500 yuan for a round trip to reach an altitude of 4,400 m. I chose to walk so I could freely take photos that looked like ink paintings.

The Chinese trail system was quite well-built, with Tibetan stone houses nestled on the mountainside, their prayer flags seemingly unable to withstand the winter chill. Frozen waterfalls created an ethereal, dreamlike scene. As I climbed halfway up the mountain, tiny snowflakes began to cling to my shoulders and hat. Beyond the frozen waterfall amidst a bare pine forest, the temperature dropped, and snowflakes began to appear, heralding an impending snowfall.

The group continued their arduous climb up the mountain amidst the increasingly evident winter landscape. The temperature dropped to -5°C.^oAs the altitude increased, some tourists began resorting to oxygen tanks. I started to feel tired from the cold, but luckily I didn't suffer from altitude sickness as I was used to places with thin air like this. The snow was falling thicker, limiting visibility to about 3-4 meters. The tourists coming in the opposite direction told me to keep going, that we'd be there after a few steep slopes. So I trudged along, counting each step towards Milk Lake, regardless of the wind and snow clinging to my short eyelashes, typical of an Asian person. Milk Lake before me was completely frozen, a somewhat indifferent chill rising from its surface, only the faint outlines of a few discolored rocks piled up around the lake by the Tibetans were visible. Behind me were towering snow-capped mountains shrouded in mist.

Therefore, beyond its breathtaking scenery, Yading is also captivating because of its hidden beauty, the beauty of the Tibetan people. Its rich culture, steeped in Tibetan religion and beliefs, and its strange, mysterious customs and traditions, always offer a fascinating and alluring experience. For those who constantly pursue the mysteries of history and the future of humanity, this is nothing short of a land brimming with treasures waiting to be conquered, explored, and contemplated. Yading is one of the rare sacred lands that still preserves the footprints of history, of a primitive Buddhist civilization, and still holds many hidden meanings that travelers like me cannot possibly comprehend. I can only humbly bow in admiration before the way the Tibetan people and their spirit respectfully preserve their culture and their belief in the wheel of reincarnation, along with the legendary mantra that resonates throughout the ages, spanning tens of thousands of years to this day.

A Dinh has given me endless inspiration about nature, people, and meditative, spiritual life…

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Tour itinerary:

- Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi – Chengdu – Wide Alley, Narrow Alley – Cam Ly Street

- Day 2: Chengdu – Four Maidens Mountain – Danba Tibetan Village

- Day 3: Dan Ba ​​– Cam Tu

- Day 4: Cam Tu - Yarchen Gar Buddhist Academy - Duc Cach

- Day 5: Buddhist Scripture Printing Workshop - Xinluhai - Cam Tu

- Day 6: Cam Tu – Ly Duong – Dao Thanh – Shangri-La

- Day 7: Ading – Chonggu Temple – Luorong Ox Farm – Milk Lake – Five-Colored Lake

- Day 8: Ading – Chonggu Temple – Pearl Lake – Daocheng

- Day 9: Dao Thanh – Ly Duong – Tan Do Kieu – Khang Dinh

- Day 10: Khang Dinh – Thanh Do – Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City

2. Visa: The procedure is quite easy. You can apply for a 15-day visa to China yourself for $65 USD.

3. Route: Vietnam Airlines operates daily flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to Chengdu. From Chengdu, there are also daily domestic flights to Daocheng; however, due to harsh weather conditions, these flights are occasionally cancelled during the winter.

4. Hotel:

There are many options for tourists here, from homestays to luxury 4- and 5-star hotels. Room prices range from 120 yuan (guesthouse) to 300 yuan per person (3-star hotel). All rooms are clean and have heated mattresses. Reservations are not necessary as the area is still quite unspoiled and rarely visited, even by domestic tourists.

5. Cuisine:

- Enjoy a Sichuan hot pot buffet in Chengdu, in the Jinli pedestrian street area.

- Bring your own dried food or snacks when entering the A Dinh Park area.

- Apples and pears are abundant in this area.

Tibetan yak is a popular food among the people; they often prepare Tibetan yak jerky or smoked meat, which is very fragrant and delicious.

- Enjoy the unique and delicious cod hot pot in Li Tang County.

6. Means of transportation

You should opt for a package deal involving car rental; you can inquire at the hotel reception. For this trip, I asked an acquaintance for a recommendation and booked a package deal, which included car rental.

7. Weather: Winter temperatures are quite cold, with snowfall in mountainous areas potentially dropping below freezing, and daytime temperatures ranging from 5-8 degrees Celsius.

8. Medical: You should prepare altitude sickness medication and thermal clothing.

9. Trip costs: China visa: 1,500,000 VND/person; round-trip airfare: Ho Chi Minh City - Chengdu - Ho Chi Minh City: 6,100,000 VND/ticket; transportation and hotel costs during the trip: 8,550,000 VND/person; food costs: 4,000,000 VND/person; sightseeing costs: 2,100,000 VND/person; souvenirs: 500,000 VND.

Nguyen Hoang Bao