Sichuan Sheng Travel Forum

Hi I am going to Chengdu on 2 Dec 07 and leave on 9 Dec 07. I need to attend 2 days seminar there, it will leave me with 5 days to explore Chengdu. I did have my own plan out as well as contacted the local travel agent for advice and quote, however the cost wasnt low.
Thats why would like to seek HELP HELP here... stated below was my plan during my stay in Chengdu...
Sunday ~ 2 Dec 2007
2pm Arrive airport
4pm Wuhouci temple
Dufu's Thatched Cottage
Jinli Old Street (either today or 8 Dec 07)
Dinner


Monday ~ 3 Dec 2007
7am Leaving hotel to Panda reserve (feeding time is 8am) 25min from Shangri-La Hotel
8am-10am Visit Panda reserve and photo taking ~ Admission
Visit Panda reserve and photo taking ~ Photo Taking with Red Panda
Photo taking alongside Giant Panda (optional ~ RMB 400)
10am - 12pm Travel to Sanxingdui ruins & Lunch
1pm - 3pm Sanxingdui museum
3pm - 4pm Chengdu downtown
4pm - nite Free & easy




Tue/Wed ~ 4/5 Dec 2007
6pm-9pm Shopping/Dinner around Zongfu road / Chunxi Road (Shangri-La Hotel)

Extended tour:
Thurs ~ 6 Dec 2007
7.30am Check out and check in at hotel OR may keep luggage at Shangri-La Hotel
9am - 11am Leaving to Leshan (apprx 2hrs) then take Bus#3 from Leshan to Dafo <RMB37>
10.00am - 1pm Leshan& Lunch (ferry)
1pm - 2pm Emei Shan(28km from Leshan City) Bus
2pm-4pm Emai Shan (entrance RMB120, Buses up to near top RMB40)
5 / 6pm Back to Chengdu / collect luggage at Shangri-La Hotel
Hotel ( Wenjun Mansion)



Friday ~ 7 Dec 2007
8am-10am Leaving Chengdu (appro 2 to 3 hrs to reach Xiling Mt.)
1 Day + Night Xi Ling snow mountain (&#35199; &#23725; &#38634; &#23665;)
To Huashuiwan ~ HotSpring Bathing & overnite
(Hotel at Chengdu for Luggage)

I know the QUESTION was "slightly" long.. however, really want to seek HELP .... whether my plan workable? too rush? PLEASE HELP




Saturday ~ 8 Dec 2007
8am-10am Leaving Xi Ling to Dujiangyan / Mt Qing Cheng
10am - 1pm Mt Qing Cheng with lunch
1pm - 2pm Travel to Dujiangyan (17km from Mt Qing Cheng)
2pm - 5pm Dujiangyan
5pm Travel to Chengdu (RMB10)
Hotel ( Wenjun Mansion)



Sunday ~ 9 Dec 2007
8am-10am Free & Easy
12:30pm Leaving to Airport

I think your Thurs ~ 6 Dec 2007 junnal is too tensity, commonly, people go to Leshan and Emei for a 2 day's trip.

Really rush!!! 2 days tour for Leshan & Emeishan

Agree with above. You won't see much in 2 hours at Emei Shan. There are many interesting sights along the way in Emei Shan. The mountain top is only ONE of the many sights, and it takes a long time to go up to the mountain by bus and cable car. I spent a night there.

Also on the first day, I don't know if you'll be able to see the temple and the thatched cottage. I think there is opening and closing hours for both.

For Qing Cheng Shan, there is the front mountain and the back mountain. I've only been to the back and similar to Emei Shan, the sights are spread out. If you don't want to hike, maybe you'll need half a day to cover it using the cable cars. But you'll miss some of the nice scenery along the way. I'm not sure about the front mountain.

Sunday ~ 2 Dec 2007
Comments:
Program on Sunday is fine.
By the way, Jinli is more beautiful at night.


Monday ~ 3 Dec 2007
Comments:
Transportation is a problem. No bus from Panda Reserve to Sanxingdui Museum.

Suggesntions:
1. Take a taxi to “Zhao Jue Si” Long Distance Bus Station. (Taxi fee might be 20 RMB)
2. Buy a ticket from Chengdu to Guanghan. (Many routine buses running between Chengdu and Guanghan)
3. After arrival in Guanghan, take a taxi to Sanxingdui Museum.(Taxi fee might be about 25 RMB)
4. After the visit to Sanxindui Musuem, take No.1 Bus to Guanghan Long Distance Bus Station if there is no taxi waiting out of the entrance of the museum.
5. Others will be easy. Long Distance Bus back to Chengdu. Then, taxi back to the hotel.


Tue/Wed ~ 4/5 Dec 2007
Comments:
None


Thurs ~ 6 Dec 2007
Comments:
Really rush. Not workable. Without any visit in the mountain and any minute for waitting for the green bus and the cable car , the drive including the cable car and necessary walking from the bottom to the top will take you about at least 6 hours.

Suggestions:
1 Skip the trip to Mt. Emei or set aside one/two more day for it.
2 By the way, book the bus ticket for next day’s trip at “(Xin Nan Men) Chengdu Tourist Transportation & Service Center”, which is next to Traffic Hotel. Earliest depature of the bus for the next day’s tour to Xiling Mountain might be 8am.


Friday ~ 7 Dec 2007
Comments:
2-day-trip for Xiling Mountain is common. It sounds practical though I have never been there myself.

Suggestions:
1. Buy a through tickect at (Xin Nan Men)Chengdu Tourist Transportation & Service Center, which is next to Traffic Hotel. The bus will drive directly from Chengdu to Xiling Snow Covered Mountain.
2. On the arrival in Chengdu, book a ticket for the trip to Qingcheng Mountain at (Xin Nan Men)Chengdu Tourist Transportation & Service Center.


Saturday ~ 8 Dec 2007
Comments:
Rush, but workable.
Not sure for the transportation means between Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan. Anyway, it is not far in between. Taxi fee might be 50 RMB at most for single way.

Suggestions:
1. Buy a through tickect at (Xin Nan Men)Chengdu Tourist Transportation & Service Center, which is next to Traffic Hotel. The bus will drive directly from Chengdu to Qingcheng Mountain from 8:40am.
2. Route for Qingcheng Mountain: up and down by cable car. You won’t have time to climb the whole mountain. You will climb for sure besides cable car.
3. Route for Dujingyan: QinYanLou Tower – ErWangMiao Temple – AnLan Chain Bridge – (Golf car: 10RMB to ) LiDui Park(which is included in Dujiangyan)


Sunday ~ 9 Dec 2007
Comments:
None

On Monday ~ 3 Dec 2007

Visit Panda Reserve first, then take a taxi to “Zhao Jue Si” Long Distance Bus Station. (Taxi fee might be 20 RMB)

No.1 Countryside Bus passing by the entrance of the Panda reserve will aslo drive to Zhao Jue Si Long Distance Bus Station. The countryside bus is not clean usually. The information given only for the sake of time if there is no taxi out of the panda reserve.

It is not a good season going Qingcheng. Suggest you spend 2-3days in Leshan/Emei, enjoying the hot spring. 1 day in Snxindui, another half day for panda.

Hi all, thanks a lot for all your kind advices. Honestly, never expect the reply was that fast and LOT... really feel GLAD that i choose a right "place" to seek help.

On top of that, would like to find out
1) is that possible to travel from Emei to XIling Mountain? Convenince? Far?
2) should i seek help from local travel agent? the charges not "low".. got any good recommendation?
3) any good suggestion for budgeted hotel at EMei as well as Chengdu?

Thank you for helping to make my trip success..

At Emei Shan, there are some small hotel/restaurants at the bus terminal at the mid-mountain level. We got there in the evening, and were approached by the locals for a place to stay. I couldn't remember the price, but it was quite cheap for a comfy room. We got up early for the first cable car ride up to the mountain top. Too bad it was a misty day and we didn't see the sea of clouds.

1) It is 230km from Mt.Emei to Xiling. Inconvenient without a private car. No bus to go to Xiling from Emei though the road lies there.

2) Travel agent? hard to tell. It depends on how much Chinese you can speak. Most of local people don't know English. Some places have English signs, others don't.

3) Check this site for your budgeted hotel:

http://www.hostelcn.com/en/

In Emeishan, foreigners like to stay overnight in "Teddy Bear"(no star). In Chengdu, They like Jiaotong(Traffic) Youth Hotel (2-star). Receptionists at both hotels can speak English. Maybe you can exchange experience with foreigners there. If you can not speak Chinese, I think the locations of both hotels are good for you. "Teddy Bear" is almost next to BaoGuoSi Bus Station at the bottom of Mt. Emei. Traffic Hotel is next to (Xin Nan Men) Chengdu Tourist Transportation & Service Center.

The Shangri-La Hotel you would stay is the best hotel among 5 star hotels in Chengdu. Big difference between that and Teddy Bear or Traffic Hotel. I wonder if you can survive in Teddy Bear or Traffic Hotel after Shangri-la Hotel.

By the way, on Thurs ~ 6 Dec 2007 , if you skip the trip to Mt. Emei, you may spend your spare time in the afternoon in Jinsha Ruin Museum which is located in downtown of Chengdu. It's a world-class museum in which cultural relics are beautifully displayed.

Museum's website: http://www.jinshasitemuseum.com/homee.asp

Personally, I think it is fine to go to Mt.Qingcheng anytime as it is green all year round. I like the Daoist music from the hidden speaker in the mountain, the skyscraper-like cypress trees along the path, the frequent drizzle, the sophisticated Daoist temple and less tourists.

For Question 2:

Undoubtedly, It is easy to find the scenic spot, the hotel and the bus station. The problem for you is that how you ask (communicate with) passers-by so to organize all things well when necessary.

Hi all, is me again.. thank you.. thank you so much for all replied.. :-)

LUCKILY... i can speak Mandarin (even though Mandarin in China might difference from what i learn).. so.. is that POSSIBLE.. is that OK for me to travel without local tour guide?

I think with all the information given, I think i will still maintain the plan but change the plan to Leshan and Emei on the same day.. i think mostly i will go to Leshan only.. (even though might be wasted not going to Emei..)..

I really dont want to miss the trip to Xi Ling mountain because i heard that place is very well operate, very nice scenery.. For Dujiangyan.. i read from the web.. it was really amazing project (cant imagine how they carried out the project in those days..) i think i should not miss that.. am i right?

for the recommended hotel.. like Traffic, teddy bear.. Do i need to make reservation now? or i can just walk in on the day itself?

for Mt Xiling.. can i hv some recommendation? like hotel, what should i aware of..

about the weather... is that COLD in sichuan now?

1) You may travel without a tourguide if you can speak necessary Chinese.

2) Dujiangyan is the oldest water controlling project in the world, worthy of visiting. The scenery is beautiful too.

3) As to the reservation, the price might be cheaper if you book the hotel in advance via internet or local tour agency. If you don't have time to do so, that's all right to walk in and check in as it's low season. Rooms are available, I assume.

4) I don't know much of Xiling Mountain. It's told there are two tour spots with 25km in between in Xiling Mountain. South Entrance leads to scenery spot and tiring mountain climbing, while East Entrance leads to snow skiing. The snow skiing spot is not good enough for ski enthusiasts. no good scenery in snow skiing area.

About accomodation: Cheap guest house in Sceinic spot. 2-3 star hotel in snow skiing spot. Never expect good food there.

Might-be-Route:

D1:
Early departure from chengdu. Arrive at Xiling Mountain after 3 hour by drive. Take a cable car to snow skiing spot. Play. Lunch. Take another cable car to RiYuePing. Climb 2km to the top of the mountain. Sightseeing. Back to RiYuePing Cable Car Station. Take the cable car back to snow skiing spot. On the way down in the cable car, you may ask to stop at half way so to get off to enjoy the 1,600 meter long slide board if you want to try. (extra 20 RMB needed). Arrive at snow skiing spot. Play. Take another cable car down to the bottom of the mountain. Take a taxi/mini van to HuaShuiWan JinQuan Hotel (3 star standard) which takes half hour by drive. Check in. Enjoy hot spring. Overnight there. (The best Hotel in HuaShuiWan is 4-star-standard Sakura Hotel or "Yin Hua Bin Guan" in Pin Yin. Almost every hotel there has hot spring.)

D2:
Departure from the hotel. Take local peasants' mini van back to Chengdu directly (around 50 RMB/p.p). Or take a bus/local taxi/mini van back to Dayi Long Distance Bus Station and transfer the regulated bus back to Chengdu.

ATTENTION:

1) It's dangerous to go to scenic spot in Xiling Mountain in winter. Too much snow. The path in the mountain near the top is extremely slippery. Special hiking shoes/claws and walking stick are needed.

2) In Anren Town of Dayi County, you may go to Liu's Mansion if time is allowed. Liu's Mansion is a very big architectural complex of traditional yards which have been built since 1920's. Before 4pm at Liu's Mansion, regulated bus starts every 30 minutes back to (Jinsha Long Distance Bus Station in) Chengdu.

5) It is 9~15 degree centigrade in Chengdu now.

Tip for tirp to Leshan on Thurs ~ 6 Dec 2007:

There are 2 ways to watch Big Buddha. 1) from a boat; 2) In Scenic Spot.

Suggest you watch Buddha from a boat because the distance is better. Port is not at the same place of where the scenic spot is. Mention where you want to go is the port (or "Ma Tou"in Pin Yin) if you want to watch it in distance.

Take a 2 days trip to Xiling and 1 day trip to Dujiangyan. I've been to Sichuan several times in differen seasons, December is not a good season to see the mountain scenery but to enjoy the hot springs.