Since the beginning of my passion for travel, I have set a goal to go to Qinghai - the source of the Mekong River, to see with my own eyes the "heaven on earth" Jiuzhaigou. But it was not until my third time in China that I was able to fulfill my wish.
Jiuzhaigou has long been a famous scenic spot ranked 5A - the highest ranking of Chinese tourism. This land was also recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage in 1992, World Biosphere Reserve in 1997.
However, after the earthquake on August 8, 2017, Jiuzhaigou was closed indefinitely to restore the ecosystem, causing many people to regret and worry that the magnificent natural beauty may never be the same again. I am no exception. Therefore, in the last days of September, when I heard that Jiuzhaigou had recovered about 80% and reopened to serve tourists, I was extremely happy and surprised that the opportunity came so early in the late autumn and early winter days.
The road to "heaven"
My flight to Chengdu was late at night, so I stayed overnight in Chengdu and then traveled the next day to Jiuzhaigou. The route from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou was so fascinating that I did not sleep a single minute on this journey, just to admire the majestic mountain ranges, take pictures of herds of mountain goats and yaks grazing on the mountain slopes; and admire the apple and plum orchards of the Qiang people in the Aba autonomous prefecture (which in the past only had a tradition of nomadic herding).
Along the way, we also stopped to visit Diep Khe Lake - a lake formed by a landslide blocking the flow after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake in 1933, and Mau Ni Cau Scenic Area - one of the most beautiful landscapes of Hoang Long Mountain.
The beautiful scenery along the way had already captivated me, but when I stepped into the scenic area, I was completely captivated by the majestic and stunning scenery, worthy of the name “heaven on earth”. I wondered, Jiuzhaigou has only been restored to about 80%, so how captivating was Jiuzhaigou before…?!
Jiuzhaigou is located in the northern mountainous region of Sichuan province, formed on a range of sedimentary limestone mountains with an altitude ranging from 2,000 to 4,500 m above sea level, including 17 large and small waterfalls, about 108 high mountain lakes, 2,000 species of plants. The beauty of Jiuzhaigou changes with each season, each season has its own characteristics. Most people think that Jiuzhaigou is most beautiful in autumn... But only after admiring the scenery of Jiuzhaigou in winter, I was truly captivated, when the deep blue jade lakes without any ice stood out in the midst of the white snow-covered landscape.
The word “Jiuzhaigou” in Tibetan means “valley of nine villages”, referring to the area of nine villages of the Tibetan people who have long lived here, including Shuzhenggou, Tachawagou, Heijiagou, Ritzegou, Panyagou, Alagou, Xianpangou, Rexigou and Guodugou. Of which, the three villages of Shuzhenggou, Tachawagou and Ritzegou that have been put into operation for tourism have a sand shape similar to the letter Y.
Symphony of the Lake
Shuzheng Gou (树正沟, Shuzheng Gou) is located in the north, is the largest and most prosperous of the nine Tibetan villages in Jiuzhaigou, and is also the main sightseeing route, 14.5 km long. What impressed me most here is the rich and beautiful lake system, accounting for 40% of the total lakes in Jiuzhaigou. Twin Dragon Lake was formed after an earthquake, where two reefs look like two lurking dragons from above. Nearby is Reed Lake with a peaceful and gentle scene of reeds swaying in the wind and the sound of water trickling through the reeds. Fire Flower Lake is covered by limestone mountains and dense forests that change color with the seasons, looking from above like a jade in the middle of the old forest. With rotten tree trunks, diverse aquatic layers in the lake bed combined with clear, deep, mirror-like blue water, Hoa Hoa Lake is like a giant masterpiece aquarium that no artist could create.
In addition to the lakes, the largest waterfall of Jiuzhaigou - Nuo Rilang and the nine white pagodas called the Bodhi Lotus Pagoda (symbolizing the nine Tibetan tribes united, praying for happiness and eternal prosperity) are also the most popular tourist attractions in Shuzhenggou.
In the southeast branch of Jiuzhaigou, about 18 km long, is Zechawa Gou (则查洼沟, Zechawa Gou). Zechawa Gou owns Changhai Lake, the deepest and largest lake in Jiuzhaigou, running in a crescent shape of 7.5 km long and up to 103 m deep. It seems that the lake was formed by melting ice from the surrounding snowy mountains and is the only lake in Jiuzhaigou that freezes in winter. From Changhai Lake, go down about 1 km and then walk about 300 m along the trail to reach Five-Color Lake. Although Five-Color Lake is just a small lake in the scenic area, it also has many breathtakingly beautiful angles for taking photos and filming. Due to the color difference of the sediment layers at the bottom of the lake, the water color changes from dark blue to yellow to light blue. Therefore, in addition to the name Five-Color Lake, this lake also has the beautiful name "Eye of Jiuzhaigou".
Rize Gou (日则沟, Rize Gou) is an 18 km long valley in the west of Jiuzhaigou. Perhaps Rize Gou has the least tourist attractions, but is the most visited place because it owns the Buffalo Waterfall. This waterfall is not only famous in China but also very close to the young generation in Vietnam because this is a setting of the movie Journey to the West, in the scene where Tang Monk and his disciples wade through the waterfall that appears at the end of each episode.
Coming to Jiuzhaigou on a sudden and unplanned trip, but for me this was a wonderful trip beyond all expectations. I was even luckier when I got to see the late autumn scenery during the day visiting Jiuzhaigou and enjoyed the early snowfall on the way back.
The snowflakes were so beautiful that I felt like I was lost in a movie scene. That did not satisfy me, but only made me more excited and wish to return to Jiuzhaigou as soon as possible in the snowy winter.
More information
Visa:China is issuing ordinary visas valid for 3 months, allowing single or multiple entries with stays of 15-30 days each. If your trip is longer, choose a visa valid for 6 months or 1 year, with no restrictions on the number of entries.
Trip: You can choose to fly from Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City to Chengdu and then take a bus for about 8-10 hours to get to Jiuzhaigou.
Weather: Jiuzhaigou is cool all year round. Winter is quite cold, the temperature can drop below 0oYou should prepare warm clothes, thermal clothes, waterproof jackets or shoes with grip to prevent slipping.
Means of transport: The entrance fee to Jiuzhaigou (220 yuan/day) includes a bus to travel between destinations in the scenic area. However, you will have to endure the jostling of Chinese tourists. Therefore, if you are traveling in a large group and only have one day to visit, you should rent a private service car from the tourist area (4,000 yuan/day, including a tour guide) to easily arrange the destinations as you wish, saving time and health.
Cuisine:
You should try the Yak beef hotpot or the Sichuan style catfish in soy sauce that every restaurant here advertises. The fish meat is very fragrant and fatty, quite similar to the Vietnamese catfish.
Don't try to order pork because the Hui, Tibetan, and Qiang people don't eat pork so pork becomes an expensive dish.
The water in the lakes is limestone sediment with many minerals that give the water a beautiful color, but it cannot be used for daily activities or drinking. All culinary activities in Jiuzhaigou are provided from outside so the prices are quite expensive. A lunch buffet costs 160 yuan but for me, it is not attractive. To save money, you can bring food and drinks.
Accommodation:Tourists visiting Jiuzhaigou usually choose to stay overnight at Chuanzhu Temple - the central town of Songpan County because from here they can choose to visit Jiuzhaigou or the famous Huanglong scenic area with Zhaga Waterfall. Accommodation and nighttime entertainment services here are also bustling. However, individual visitors often choose inns near the entrance to the scenic area for the convenience of buying tickets early the next morning or will stay overnight in Tibetan villages inside Jiuzhaigou (if traveling for a long time).
Some other notes:
Currently, Jiuzhaigou limits visitors, only welcoming about 5,000 tourists per day, with priority given to group visitors, and individual tickets are only sold in special cases. Therefore, to get to Jiuzhaigou during this time, you need to join a tour group or wait until Jiuzhaigou loosens its ticket sales for independent visitors.
The altitude of Jiuzhaigou cannot be compared to Tibet or Shangrila... However, with an altitude of about 3,000 m above sea level, some people who have not adapted to the altitude may also have headaches, difficulty breathing and dizziness. I am one of them, although I am in very good health. Therefore, you should buy an oxygen tank for 20 - 50 yuan to ensure your health and full spirit to explore this scenic area.
