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Huanglong Nanny-Level Guide | Journey to a Travertine Wonderland on Earth

Huanglong Nanny-Level Guide | Journey to a Travertine Wonderland on Earth ✨ Hey everyone! Just got back from Huanglong and put together this super comprehensive guide. If you're planning to go, save this now~ The travertine pools here are truly like God's overturned palette, so beautiful it leaves you speechless! Must-Read Tips Before You Go 🌡️Altitude Warning: Huanglong's altitude is 3000-5588 meters, higher than Jiuzhaigou! Don't stay up late or drink alcohol 3 days before departure. Bring oxygen cylinders (60-80 yuan/can in the scenic area, it's cheaper to buy them in the county town beforehand). 📅Best Time: June-August (rainy season) has ample water, and the pools are super clear; October offers stunning autumn scenery, with colorful forests complementing the pools – absolutely breathtaking! Some boardwalks are closed in winter, but it's less crowded and peaceful. 👔Outfit Advice: Bring a jacket no matter the season! The sun's UV rays are extremely strong on sunny days, so sunglasses + sun hat + sunscreen are essential. Wear non-slip shoes (many steps on the boardwalks, and there might be dew). Transportation Guide 🚗Self-driving: From Chengdu, take the Rongchang Expressway, about 5.5 hours to Songpan County, then another 1 hour to Huanglong Scenic Area. Parking is 10 yuan/day. 🚌Bus: There are direct buses to Huanglong from Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station, departing at 7:30 AM, journey takes about 6 hours, ticket price 140 yuan. ✈️Flight: A taxi from Jiuhuang Airport to Huanglong takes about 1 hour, fare 100-150 yuan. You can also take the airport shuttle bus (50 yuan/person). ⚠️It's 2 km from the scenic area entrance to the cable car station. You can take a sightseeing bus (20 yuan/person), or walk for 20 minutes. Tickets & Route 🎫Tickets: Peak season (April-November) 170 yuan, off-peak season (December-March) 60 yuan; Cable car up 80 yuan, down 40 yuan. 🗺️Recommended Route: Cable car up → Walk to Five-Color Ponds (approx. 30 minutes) → Pass through Contending for Beauty Ponds, Shaluo Reflection Ponds along the way → Golden Sand Paving the Way → Huanglong Middle Temple → Travertine Flow → Welcoming Guests Pond → Scenic area exit (entire journey 4-5 hours, take your time and don't rush). 🌟Key Point: Five-Color Ponds are the highlight! Make sure to go there first, as fog might affect viewing in the afternoon. Must-Visit Attractions ✨Five-Color Ponds: The centerpiece of Huanglong! A group of travertine ponds at 3400 meters altitude, reflecting sunlight like scattered sapphires, with terraced travertine formations along the edges. ✨Golden Sand Paving the Way: A 1.3-kilometer long travertine flow, where water flows over golden shoals, looking like shimmering gold dust flowing across the ground – truly spectacular. ✨Welcoming Guests Pond: Visible right upon entering the scenic area, colorful ponds of various sizes reflect the surrounding green trees, as if welcoming visitors, great for photos. ✨Huanglong Ancient Temple: An ancient temple hidden in the dense forest, with red walls and golden roofs, very charming. You can stop here to rest your feet and experience the tranquility of the mountains. Food & Accommodation Guide 🍲Food: - Yak meat rice bowl at Songpan Ancient City (25 yuan/serving), the meat is very tender. - Highland barley cake near the scenic area (10 yuan/piece), super fragrant with butter tea. - Don't buy overpriced snacks in the scenic area, you can bring your own chocolate for energy. 🏨Accommodation: - For a higher budget, choose Huanglong Serzha International Hotel, close to the scenic area, with oxygenated rooms. - For good value, choose a guesthouse in Songpan Ancient City (100-200 yuan/night), you can also enjoy the ancient city's night view. Avoid These Pitfalls ❌Don't run or jump! Altitude sickness is really uncomfortable, walk slowly, and if you feel unwell, quickly use oxygen. ❌Don't touch the pond water! The travertine pools are very fragile, damaging them will result in a fine. ❌Don't trust the "guides" soliciting customers on the roadside, the Huanglong route is simple, exploring on your own is more flexible. ❌Don't wear high heels! You'll be walking a lot, comfortable shoes are very important. The beauty of Huanglong is both serene and breathtaking. Standing by the Five-Color Ponds, you'll feel that all the travel efforts were worth it~ If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the comments!
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Posted: Aug 8, 2025
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Huanglong National Scenic Area

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The memory of our trip to Jiuzhaigou in September is painted in shades of turquoise and jade, framed by the crisp, thin air of the Tibetan Plateau. It was a journey that began not in the park itself, but on the road winding out of Sichuan Province. Nothing prepares you for the first sight of Jiuzhaigou's water. The local Tibetans call Jiuzhaigou "Jiuzhai" for short, and it felt like we had stepped into a legend they had whispered for centuries. What struck me just as much as the scenery was the brilliantly organised transport within the park. The hop-on, hop-off eco-friendly buses were the silent, efficient arteries that kept this natural heart beating smoothly. At every major site—Nuorilang Falls, a thunderous curtain of water; Five-Flower Lake (Wuhua Hai), a shallow, mystical pool where sunken trees were perfectly preserved in its crystalline depths; and the majestic Long Lake (Chang Hai), a sapphire mirror reflecting the snow-dusted peaks—the buses were there. We would alight, spend moments of pure awe by a lake, follow a wooden plank walk that snaked through silent forests, and then find a bus stop to whisk us away to the next marvel. It was seamless. It allowed us to immerse ourselves completely in the beauty without a single worry about logistics. The system respected both the visitor's experience and the fragile environment, keeping the paths clean and the air pure. the breathtaking scenery, and the effortless flow within the park—all intertwined into a single, perfect memory of blue and green serenity.

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