Jiuzhaigou National Park is a new tourist attraction dating back only to the 1970s. It is located in remote northern Sichuan, a 11-hour hair-raising bus ride from Chengdu. In 1992, Unesco declared it a World Heritage Site.

Jiuzhaigou has several Tibetan settlements. Scattered throughout the region are Tibetan prayer wheels and scripture banners.

Jiuzhaigou offers alpine sceneries reminiscient of Banff-Jasper National Park in Canada. But the scenes seem to be more compacted. Sight-seeing on Park buses are very regimented. And the large crowds rob one of any feeling of serenity and openness one usually experiences in Northern American national parks. Souvenir-photo crowds made getting clear shots almost impossible.

Jiuzhaigou offered a welcome relief from smog-filled Chengu. The air pollution was so bad that I almost wanted to fly out of Chengdu on my way from the airport to my hotel. The smog over Chengdu was clearly visible coming back from Jiuzhaigou. I doubt there are ever blue skies in Chengdu.

K. K. Fung
Date of trip: May 2002.
Date of notes: July 2002.