Date: 19 Dec 2014 – 27 Dec 2014
Route: ChongQing重慶 > CheungDu成都 > Easten Tibe東藏 (JiuZhaiGou Nationakl Park九塞溝風景區) > CheungDu成都
ChongQing 重慶
CiqiKou ancient town 瓷器口古镇
It was an ancient town, but has transformed into a touristy food and handcrafted market
If you walk away from the main street, you will find village with local living there
Transport: Shapingba District , easily access by Metro and get off in CiqiKou station 瓷器口站
About CiqiKou ancient town:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/chongqing/ciqikou.htm
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From ChongQing to CheungDu:
Gaotie高鐵– High Speed Railway
- Tickets are only available 3 weeks before your departure
- Comfy, modern, non smoking rail
About GaoTie:
http://www.gaotie.cn/ (google translate the whole page,
OR reserve a accommodation first and ask the front desk to help you)
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CheungDu 成都
KuanZhaiXiangZi/ Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley 寬窄巷子
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Once again, it was an ancient town, but has transformed into a commercial, high ended narrow alley market
About Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley
http://www.cits.net/china-guide/places/wide-and-narrow-lanes.html
But the Dragontown International Youth Hostel located inside KuanZhaiXiangZi definitely worths a stay!
Transport: Qingyang District, walking distance from People’s Park Station 人民公園站
People’s Park 人民公園
Local chilling area for tea drinking
Buy a cup of tea (RMB15-20) and spend a afternoon here
About Chinese Tea drinking culture:
http://chineseteas101.com/
Group of DaMa(local auntie) 大媽 dancing in the public square
Spicy ToFu (soy bean)Pudding
Transport: Qingyang District, walking distance from People’s Park Station 人民公園站
About Spicy ToFu (soy bean)Pudding:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douhua
Tibetan neighborhood 藏族社區
Look for traditional Tibetan food, decoration and clothes
Transport: Wu Hou Ci District, Wu Hou Ci station 武候祠站
Cheungdu Panda Reservation Park 成都熊貓基地
All pandas are sleeping in the afternoon, go there in morning seriously
As a HongKonger, we have both giant pandas and red pandas in the Hong Kong Ocean Park, so its pretty much the same here.
However, if you haven’t seen one or you’re willing to take RMB 3000 (data of 2014Dec) from your pocket to hug a panda for 2 mins, it worths! It could be the only place where you can hug panda in the world.
Transport: Get the tourist shuttle bus, there is no accessible metro, it’s still under construction
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Eastern Tibet 東藏 (around JiuZhaiGou National Park )
You don’t need any tour to Eastern Tibet or JiuZhaiGou National Park , look for a long way local bus terminal, get a ticket, you have to buy the ticket one day ahead usually (both for the go and return ride)
Route for the local bus:
Accommodations – Inside JiuZhai V.S Outside JiuZhai:
| Inside JiuZhai | Outside JiuZhai | |
| Number | 5 | Uncountable |
| Choice | hostel to stars hotel | hostel to stars hotel |
| Food | 1 main restaurant inside the park, plus some snack shop |
many Tibetan restaurants and a food street (not open in winter) |
| Cup Noodle | RMB 25 | RMB 5 |
| Entrance Fee | just pay once | charge per entrance (special discount for re-entrance in winter) |
| Transport | take shuttle bus within park | depends (some accomendations are just 5 minutes away the park entrance) |
JiuZhaiGou National Park 九塞溝風景區
When traveling in the winter time:
Most of the walking path was blocked due to the snow
No tap water supply as water got frozen
But you can enjoy the nature with no crowd! 😉
ZhuoMa Homestay 卓瑪體驗之家
ZhuoMa is the founder of the homestay, but she unusually works elsewhere, so her mom (AhMa) and her older brother (Mr. Tao) took care of us. Real Tibetan Homestay!!! Had real Tibetan meals!
Transportation: give them a call, and they will pick you up
Yellow and sour wild plant for treating sore throat
Crashed the annual worship event
Riding hairy horse up to the hill (RMB 80 for an hour in winter) and got lost in the forest
Suggestion for leaving JiuZhaiGou National Park:
- you can actually travel around by the shuttle bus, to different part of SiChun
(as the bus map shown before) - or you can head up to HuangLong National Park
- and of course Fly back from the HuangLong Airport
Enjoy your trip everyone 😉
by Lilian Lai / 賴展宏
