Jiuzhaigou - The Fairyland Of Lakes Made From Wind And Clouds

Sunday, April 21, 2013  , , , , , , , , , , ,  

Jiuzhaigou (九寨沟) 
Sichuan (四川), China (中国)
March 2013

Covering 72,000 ha in the northern part of Sichuan Province, Jiuzhaigou preserves a series of important forest ecosystems including old-growth forests which provide important habitat for numerous threatened species of plants and animals, including the giant panda and the Sichuan takin, a subspecies of Tibetan goat-antelope. Attaining heights of 4,752 m in the southern Minshan Mountains, Jiuzhaigou also contains an important number of well-preserved quaternary glacial remnants with great scenic value.

It is listed on the UNESCO website as "a reserve of exceptional natural beauty with spectacular jagged alpine mountains soaring above coniferous forest around a fairyland landscape of crystal clear, strange-coloured blue, green and purplish pools, lakes, waterfalls, limestone terraces, caves and other beautiful features".

That was why Merlion Wayfarer travelled 4.5 hours by plane and 440km by bus to see it. Merlion Wayfarer faced "Treacherous Mountain Roads" and combated "Altitude Sickness" for all this!

Passing Maoxian (茂县), the road from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou takes one full day of bus journey, 
or about 7-10 hours...
(Source : ChinaTrekking)

With a development area of 140 square kilometres, the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area gains its name from its nine Tibetan villages. It is composed of three valleys arranged in a Y shape. The Rize and Zechawa Valleys flow from the south and meet at the centre of the site where they form the Shuzheng Valley, flowing north to the mouth of the valley. The three valleys are 14km, 17km and 18km in length, respectively. 

The paths along these valleys are lined with 55km of roads for shuttle buses, as well as wooden boardwalks and small pavilions. The boardwalks are typically located on the opposite side of the lakes from the road, shielding them from disturbance by passing buses and hordes of tourists.


(Source : TravelGuideChina)

Legend has it that long ago, the mountain deity named Dago had a crush on the goddess Semo. As a token of his love, he gave her a mirror that was made from the wind and the clouds. However, a demon appeared and harrassed Semo. Inadvertently, Semo dropped the mirror in the struggle. The mirror broke into 108 pieces, which fell down to Earth and turned into 108 colorful lakes, called "seas" (海) by the locals.

The ticket to Jiuzhaigou costs RMB 80. This is because Merlion Wayfarer went to Jiuzhaigou on one of the last few days of the off-peak season. From 01 April onwards to 15 November each year, the ticket price goes up to RMB 220.

The ticket comes with a postcard on the right and the ticket stub on the left...

For those deciding between the private bus tour and the public bus service, Merlion Wayfarer gives her two cents' worth in "Jiuzhaigou - The Private Bus Option".


Walking through a souvenir alley first before reaching the entrance of Jiuzhaigou - Good planning!

Today's Forest Fire Risk Level was set to "Danger!". OK, Merlion Wayfarer can swim, and there's lots of water out there...



Fur-clad ticketing attendants scanning the tickets...

RFID boxes along the way to monitor the environment...

Rest pavilions and shopping sites are available at strategic stops along the way...

Some posters about the Jiuzhaigou in a dark tunnel linking a bus parking area from a dining area...

Maybe it was the crowd. Maybe it was because she felt rushed with a limited time at each spot. Maybe it was because she expected fields full of springtime flowers blooming by the waters.  Maybe it was because the waters were just blue and green with only a few other shades. Maybe all the lakes look somewhat similar. And Merlion Wayfarer was indeed disappointed by this "fairyland". But, but, but, the photos look really good!

More photos are available on Merlion Wayfarer Goes World's Picasa at :
Sichuan - Jiuzhaigou (九寨沟)
  

 Sources