(original article from http://www.thestar.com)
Published On Wed Jun 15 2011
JIUZHAIGOU, CHINA—I jolt awake as the flight prepares for landing. Looking out the window, the flat, cloudy plains of the Sichuan Basin have given way to towering white-capped peaks as far as the eye can see. The traffic and noises of China’s rapid development seem worlds away. The fresh mountain air is crisp and the sun beats down on healthy river valleys.
Welcome to Jiuzhaigou.
Chances are your itinerary to China involves a whistle stop tour of the big hitters: from the Great Wall to the terracotta warriors there’s no shortage of memorable sites in China. But ask a Chinese person about the most beautiful spot in the country and invariably their answer will be Jiuzhaigou.
You’ve never heard of it? Think of it as the Banff of China.
Located in a northern corner of Sichuan province, Jiuzhaigou National Park (pronounced ‘joe’s-eye-go’) was one of China’s first protected areas. Chairman Mao himself decreed that the destructive logging of the 1960s would have to stop here. Millennia of earthquakes and glaciers have created a landscape of towering karst rock faces and impossibly blue lakes. There are day hiking and mountain trekking possibilities, but as one Chinese guide explained in broken English:
“It’s a place to see.” I follow that advice.
My first stop is the Primeval Forest, the highest you can travel up the Rize Valley, one of the park’s three enormous gullies. At an elevation just over 3000m, during my April visit the area is blanketed in snow: that thick, heavy snow that melts in the strong sunlight, bringing promise of spring. Even to a Canadian, the trees are tall, a magnificent grove of old-growth forest that have miraculously avoided the Chinese growth machine. Further up the valley, high altitude peaks emerge above the forest canopy.
This is the eastern front of the Tibetan plateau, constituting some of the highest mountains on the planet. Jiuzhaigou is the easiest Tibetan area you could visit while in China. Not that it’s easy to get here. In terms of distance, Jiuzhhaigou isn’t far from the Sichuan capital of Chengdu. The forty-minute plane ride is anywhere between eight and twelve hours on the road. That route passes through the epicenter of the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, and the same difficulty that faced rescuers faces anyone passing through by land: in the narrow valley there’s only one way in and one way out.
I continue down the valley, arriving at Arrow Bamboo Lake and Five Flower Lake. The lakes of Jiuzhaigou, high in calcium and other minerals, are mesmerizing, deep shades of turquoise and emerald blue.
Fallen trees shrouded in algae lay like ghosts beneath the clear waters. The water is inviting but turns my fingers into ice. I most certainly will not be swimming.
The crown jewel of this park, the image that has captivated poets, artists, and to some extent, a nation, is the Pearl Shoals Waterfall.
The long curtain of water does look like something out of a fairy tale, and I wonder how something so much smaller than Niagara Falls can be equally stunning.
Jiuzhaigou translates to “Nine Villages Valley”, referring to the nine Tibetan villages that traditionally settled this area. Walking along Reed Lake I pass several prayer wheels, cylinders adorned with Tibetan prayers that spin like waterwheels; Tibetans believe that this spinning is akin to reciting prayers, and the water that touches the wheels carries good fortune downstream. The valley widens and I approach Shuzheng Village, one of these nine villages. It is guarded by a forest of towering prayer flags and nine white stupas, earthly representations of Buddha’s presence.
Like the other remaining villages, nowadays the population of Shuzheng has shifted to a more tourism-based industry. Nevertheless, the romance of Tibetan Buddhism is still strong in these valleys. Next to the inevitable sameness that arises in a country of 1.3 billion, Tibet brings a colour and vibrancy that can only come from generations living on the high plains. They sing better, cook stranger, dress brighter and are devoutly religious. I doubt Jiuzhaigou would be nearly as beloved without its Tibetan roots.
And therein lies the only discernible drawback to a place like this: The domestic Chinese tourist crowds. Relatively unknown a decade ago, Jiuzhaigou’s popularity continues to skyrocket. The buses that ply the access points get busier and busier, and the surrounding towns are swelling with large hotels. While it’s unwise to visit anywhere in China during a holiday or weekend, Jiuzhaigou is on its way to soon joining the list of places that should be avoided during most of the summer.
Still walking on the long road out of the valley near the end of the day, I start to look for a bus to give my legs a break. A car passes, stops, and a waving hand offers me a ride. With ’80’s music blaring and a Buddha swinging from the rearview mirror, we race down to the entrance. In halting Chinese, I try to convey my impressions from the visit. The man driving, middle-aged and with rounded features, doesn’t take his eyes off the road. “Jiuzhaigou is very beautiful” is all he offers me in the way of conversation.
For all the language difficulties I have encountered in China, that accurate description is as concise as they come.
Matt Colautti is a freelance writer based in China.
JUST THE FACTS
GOING: Tickets do not need to be purchased in advance. The entrance fee is $30 and a day pass for the park bus is $13. Discounts are available for students and children. Try to get an early start to beat the crowds. Start at the top of the valleys and work your way down, using the park bus to cover the longer distances.
ARRIVING: Air China operates a direct daily flight from Beijing to Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport. Flights from Xi’an, Chongqing, and Chengdu are more frequent. A shuttle bus from the airport to the park gate costs about $7.
DINING: Many hotels will prepare bagged lunches that you can bring into the park, where dining options are expensive and limited. Outside the park, be sure to try some of the specialty Tibetan restaurants.
SLEEPING: Sleeping inside the park is not permitted. Peng Feng Village, a short walk outside the park gates, has a good selection of accommodation starting at $30 per night. More comfortable options exist, such as the five-star Sheraton Resort ( www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/jiuzhaigou), with high-season rates around $150 (if you book through an online operator such as www.elong.com).
