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Text and photos: Harry Trung Nguyen
After two years of being busy with the worries of everyday life, and almost forgetting about travel and enjoying nature, my wife and I finally had the chance to enjoy our "honeymoon" again to celebrate our second wedding anniversary.
A truly wonderful journey begins. Before arriving in Jiuzhaigou, Chengdu – the capital of Sichuan province – proved to be an even better stop than expected. The ancient Jinli district was dazzling, as beautiful as something out of a historical drama, with enchanting lanterns illuminating the narrow, winding streets lined with small stalls selling traditional Chinese goods. Sitting there, sipping tea, enjoying some dumplings, gazing at the lanterns, and listening to the music, it felt like being in a movie, not in reality.
From Chengdu, a bus ride of about 9-10 hours will take you to Jiuzhaigou, with picturesque scenery along the way. At the two rest stops, hot Tibetan grilled meat and bread are a great way to warm yourself up in the chilly weather.
We arrived in Jiuzhaigou late in the afternoon, and it was quite cold. Unfamiliar with the area, we tried to find a taxi to the hotel. One thing I really liked was that taxis in China in general, and Jiuzhaigou in particular, are quite reliable. The drivers are all very professional; there's no overcharging or scamming. In Jiuzhaigou, anyone can be a taxi driver, and the fare for anywhere around is a standard 10 yuan. A pleasant surprise was hearing music right next to us, along with traditional Tibetan singing and dancing performed by young, energetic, and vibrant men and women. In my opinion, it was a very welcoming reception.
The next morning, the couple woke up at dawn and joined the crowds of tourists visiting Jiuzhaigou. As the car drove along, the scenery gradually unfolded, majestic and magnificent. From the clouds and sky, the snow-capped mountains, the lakes, and the trees, everything combined to create a true paradise, making one wonder if this scenery was real.
Jiuzhaigou (Chinese transliteration) is a nature reserve located in northern Sichuan Province. It is one of China's most beautiful tourist destinations and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. This recognition is due to its colorful lakes, multi-tiered waterfalls, sedimentary limestone mountain ranges, and stunning red and yellow foliage – features found nowhere else. Combined with a commitment to conservation and a professional and sustainable approach to tourism, it has created a unique and rare natural complex.
Jiuzhaigou is vast; you could spend two or three days exploring it and still not see everything. Usually, from the entrance, people take a bus along a designated route, stopping at various points for visitors to explore. However, we preferred the opposite experience: taking a bus straight up to Swan Lake early in the morning and then walking down. I found this way much more enjoyable. From Swan Lake downwards, the scenery unfolded gradually, breathtakingly beautiful and captivating, from the green and red hues of the forests to the mystical turquoise of the Five-Colored Lake and Little Panda Lake… It was a journey of wonder followed by wonder, a constant enjoyment.
In this place where nature and people harmonize, the couple felt more in love, and everything seemed more romantic to each other. However, you should also be prepared for the crowds at certain times in this scenic area, because, like you, everyone wants to visit here at least once in their lifetime.
The next day, the couple decided to spend the whole day relaxing, strolling along the small streets covered with fallen golden leaves, feeling as if they were in autumn in Europe—quiet and breathtakingly beautiful. Hand in hand, huddled in their warm panda-shaped hats, they wandered leisurely, admiring the green and red leaves, enjoying hot grilled skewers with boundless delight, and secretly wishing time would stand still.
The next morning, on the way back, I kept reminiscing through the mist that had settled on the bus window. A pleasant surprise of the trip: outside, the landscape was covered in a blanket of snow. All the buses stopped, and everyone rushed out to take pictures with delight. Even though my wife had lived in Europe for many years, she had never seen snow before. When we got off the bus, the scenery was a vast expanse of white snow.
All the emotions, surprises, and feelings of the trip made my wife and I long to return to Jiuzhaigou, a dream paradise that has now become a reality.
Additional information:
Each season in Jiuzhaigou is beautiful in its own way, but the best time is in October, when the forest turns golden. This is a very busy time for tourists because it coincides with Chinese holidays. Other times of the year are also quite crowded with tourists.
TravelFrom Vietnam (Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City), fly to Chengdu, then take a bus to Jiuzhaigou (approximately 9-10 hours). Another option is to take a train from Hanoi to Nanning, then fly or take a train from Nanning to Chengdu. The train journey from Nanning to Chengdu is quite long, about 32 hours, but the cost is relatively cheap, only about 800-900 thousand VND per seat ticket. Most people usually fly to Chengdu and then continue on to Jiuzhaigou. If you have more time, you can also visit Huanglong Mountain. Chengdu is also a very interesting tourist destination.
Travel and sightseeing expensesShort taxi rides in Jiuzhaigou usually cost around 10 yuan (approximately 35,000 VND); entrance tickets are quite expensive, costing nearly 1 million VND per person. Accommodation can also be booked quite easily on the website www.agoda.com, with prices ranging from 500,000 to 800,000 VND for a comfortable double room. We did it this way.
Clothing/ShoesP: The weather here is quite cold, especially at night. You should bring a warm hat, ginger tea, a hairdryer, gloves, and warm clothes…
Eat and drinkSichuan cuisine is generally quite spicy, hot, and oily; ordering food can be difficult if you don't speak Chinese. It's best to go to restaurants with pictures of the dishes; you can visualize the food and order accordingly. If you're unfamiliar with the language, you can try fast-food restaurants like KFC.
Buy souvenirs:Yak beef is a local specialty; there are various ways to prepare it, varying in spiciness and texture, and it's not too expensive. It's a great souvenir to bring home for family and friends.
Photography equipment:Jiuzhaigou is quite suitable for compact cameras; lenses with focal lengths from 24-70mm are appropriate, a telephoto lens isn't necessarily required. For a couple, a compact mirrorless camera setup would be a good choice, still producing beautiful photos with quality comparable to DSLRs. Mirrorless cameras from Sony and Fuji can both satisfy your needs.
