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Jiuzhaigou
is no doubt a 
site. However
I would not recommend it as one of China's top destinations
to independent travelers, especially for those who have never
visited China before.
Comparing with Yangshuo,
Langmusi,
and Tiger
Leaping Gorge, Jiuzhaigou would bring you bitter experience
more often than enjoyment. |
> Expensive,
absolutely not for budget travelers. Ticket
costs RMB 200 including the bus ticket. Unfortunately this is
one of the effective measures to discourage tourists in order
to limit the number of visitors. The park administrator limits
the daily visit to 12000 persons. Avoid the Chinese holidays.
> Submerged
by Chinese tourists
in spite of the expensive cost, as many Chinese consider it
as a fairyland and the most beautiful park in China. Check
how to avoid the crowd.
> Overnight
stay is not permitted.
Check
where to stay. Only one restaurant operated by the park
offers expensive fast-food style lunch for individual travelers.
Check where to
eat.
> Tibetan
cultural traditions are hard to find. A number
of Tibetan villages transformed to lodge tourists became deserted
when an overnigh stay in the park was prohibited. Now the park
administrator is persuading these Tibetans to move out from
the park in order to better preserve natural resources.
> Being cheated is hardly
evitable if one goes on an organised tour from
Chengdu or other places to Jiuzhaigou. The coach drivers and
guides would always try to reduce the time for visiting the
park and make as many stopovers as possible to visit shops and
temples where they can earn a fairly good commission.
> Deteriorating environment.
During my second visit in 2001, vegetation along the
main road was covered by thick dust. Heavy black smoke was emitted
by so-called “environment-friendly” buses of the park
which had not been designed for mountain utilisation. (An almost
1000 meters ascent from the park entrance to the highest site
in the valley.) One kind of vegetation which survives only in
a very clean environment was everywhere during my first trip
in 1999 and disappeared in 2001.
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