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 This
park is absolutely worth a 
rating.
The spectacular
travertine, rimstone pools are unique.
The forest is better protected than nearby Jiuzhaigou valley.
The 5588 m snow-crowned Xuebaoding, the summit of Minshan
Range, emerges at the background during fine days.
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Profile:
Huanglong
was inscribed in Natural
World Heritage Sites in 1992.
See a detailed report from WCMC (World Conservation Monitoring
Canter): detailed Information
on Altitude, Physical feature, Vegetation, Climate and so on.
“The
most important feature of the site are the outstanding karst
formations, the most notable being the travertine falls and
limestone shoals in Huanglong, a valley set between high hills
and snowy mountains in a protected environment.”
-- Praise from WCMC. |
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Tips
and problems:
 >
Be careful with high altitude and cool
temperature.
At the entrance of the park, the altitude is at 3160 m, the
ascent is around 300m.
> Walk up slowly.
Travel agency would advise Chinese tourists to rent oxygen
bags.
> Don't forget your umbrella.
Lot of rain falls between May and September in the region.
 >> No
direct bus link.
>> Submerged by Chinese tourists:
Travelers should follow one plank path up while enjoying the
surprisingly beautiful landscape, and go down with another
path of stone steps hidden in the forest. Worth
a trip despite of the crowd.
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Getting
there and away:
Songpan
<--> Huanglong
Huanglong is 56 KM from Songpan. An ideal way is to share
a minibus with other individual travelers to do this trip.
Alternatively you can take a bus heading for Pingwu from Songpan
in the morning. But don't count on the public buses in Huanglong
to return to Songpan as nobody knows exactly when they pass
by.
 Jiuzhaigou
--> Huanglong --> Songpan
No
direct connection by public bus. The best way to go to Huanglong
is to rent a minibus (for 6 persons) from Jiuzhaigou, which
costs around RMB 200 - RMB 280 depending on your negotiation
skills. The driver would like to wait for you in Huanglong
when you visit the park and send you to Songpan in the evening
if you pay another RMB 100 to RMB 150. Luggage:It's
possible to leave your luggage in the park's administration
office if you give the staff a nice friendly smile.
We managed to find two couples to share the minibus. Normally
it should not be a problem as most of individual travelers
in Jiuzhaigou would like to visit Huanglong.
The new
Jiuzhaigou airport has bus running between Jiuzhaigou and
Huanglong. See Jiuzhaigou
Transport.
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Where
to stay:
In the park: Lodging is not possible.
Outside
the park: only midrange hotels, no budget lodges. Group
tourists stay in Chuanzhusi, a
boring town built for Chinese tourists.
The best solution is to overnight in Songpan.
It's easier for you to leave for various destinations: Jiuzhaigou,
Chengdu, Zoige in the next morning.
In Songpan, Sun Grand Hotel (Taiyang
Dajiudian) has doubles for RMB 80, clean with hot water after
20:00. Rooms of RMB240 have 24-hour hot water, and are newly
renovated. Always negotiate the price.
Where to eat:
In
the park:no restaurant, neither shops
for snacks.
Outside the park: various expensive restaurants,
most of them reserved for group tourists |
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Itinerary:
Before
Huanglong: Songpan, Jiuzhaigou.
After Huanglong: Songpan.
Link: The official Huanglong web site
at
www.huanglong.gov.cn
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