Summer Family Getaway Guide: Puji Sea, Jiuzhaigou, Changbai County, and Ulan Butong Grassland
Travel Guide to Puji Sea, Jiuzhaigou, Changbai County, and Ulan Butong Grassland
1. Puji Sea (Haixin Pond at Puji Temple, Putuo Mountain, Zhoushan)
- Transportation: First arrive at Zhujiajian Wugongzhi Pier in Zhoushan, then take a ferry to Putuo Mountain. After arrival, take the scenic area bus to Puji Temple.
- Attraction Highlights: Haixin Pond, located in front of Puji Temple, was built during the Ming Dynasty and is filled with mountain spring water. The pond features swaying lotus flowers, creating a stunning contrast of green and pink during summer blooms. Schools of koi fish swim freely in the water. Three stone bridges cross the pond, connecting Puji Temple’s main gate, the Octagonal Pavilion, and the Imperial Stele Pavilion, exuding ancient charm.
- Family Fun: Feed koi fish with your kids and enjoy interacting with the animals; teach them about lotus flowers and their growth habits; stroll and take photos on the stone bridges while admiring the blend of ancient temple and water scenery, and share stories about the temple’s history and culture.
- Suggested Duration: 1–2 hours.
- Nearby Food: Putuo Mountain has many vegetarian restaurants where you can introduce kids to light and healthy Buddhist cuisine, such as the affordable and diverse vegetarian meals at Puji Temple.
2. Jiuzhaigou
- Transportation:
- By Air: Fly to Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport, then take an airport shuttle or private car to Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area.
- By High-Speed Rail: Take a train to Chengdu, then transfer from Chengdu East Station to Songpan County’s Zhenjiangguan Station, followed by a scenic area shuttle.
- Attraction Highlights: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jiuzhaigou features emerald lakes, cascading waterfalls, and dense forests. The Y-shaped valleys are dotted with breathtaking sights like Long Lake, Five-Color Pond, Nuorilang Waterfall, Five-Flower Lake, and Pearl Shoal Waterfall.
- Family Fun: Explain the scenery to kids while riding the sightseeing bus; let them feel the power of Nuorilang Waterfall; admire the vibrant colors of Five-Flower Lake and try transparent boat rides to get close to the water; hike the plank roads to spot squirrels and observe forest plants.
- Itinerary:
- Morning: Take a bus from the entrance to Long Lake, enjoy its vast serenity, then walk to Five-Color Pond.
- Noon: Have lunch at Nuorilang Center (try yak beef noodles).
- Afternoon: Visit Nuorilang Waterfall, then explore Panda Lake, Five-Flower Lake, Pearl Shoal Waterfall, and Shuzheng Waterfall.
- Suggested Duration: 1–2 days.
- Accommodation: Stay at hotels or guesthouses near the entrance for convenience.
- Tips: Due to high altitude, prepare for potential altitude sickness and avoid strenuous activities for kids. Bring warm clothing for large temperature swings.
3. Changbai County
- Transportation: First reach Changchun, then take a train or long-distance bus to Changbai County.
- Attraction Highlights:
- Orchard Folk Village: A 3A-rated scenic spot and ethnic minority village showcasing Korean traditions, with museums, memorial arches, and scenic walls.
- Thousand-Year Cliff City: A hidden gem blending Bohai Kingdom architecture with Korean folk culture, featuring ancient villages, traditional markets, glass walkways, and cliff swings.
- Changbai Nili River National Wetland Park: Lush wetlands with diverse flora, including mixed forests of Korean pine and larch.
- Family Fun: Learn Korean etiquette and make traditional rice cakes at Orchard Folk Village; challenge fun rides at Thousand-Year Cliff City; explore wetland plants and observe birds at the park.
- Itinerary:
- Day 1: Arrive in Changbai County – Visit Orchard Folk Village – Night stroll in the cultural town.
- Day 2: Explore Thousand-Year Cliff City – Stay at Sihai Weijia Xijing Xuelu Campground (book in advance).
- Day 3: Wetland Park – Xinfangzi Great Lake Waterfall – Try local cold-water fish – Return.
- Suggested Duration: 3 days.
- Accommodation: Stay in Korean-style guesthouses or camp outdoors.
- Food: Try Korean dishes like cold noodles, kimchi, soybean paste soup, and barbecue.
4. Ulan Butong Grassland
- Transportation: First reach Beijing, then take a long-distance bus or private car to Ulan Butong Grassland.
- Attraction Highlights: Vast grasslands, herds of livestock, clear lakes, and sites like European Scenic Zone, General’s Lake, and Colorful Mountain.
- Family Fun: Ride horses across the grasslands; fly kites and play by the lake; join a bonfire party with Mongolian performances and roasted lamb; watch the sunrise over the grassland.
- Itinerary:
- Day 1: Arrive at Ulan Butong – Explore European Scenic Zone – Enjoy grassland cuisine.
- Day 2: Visit General’s Lake – Horseback riding – Bonfire party.
- Day 3: Sunrise at Colorful Mountain – Free time – Return.
- Suggested Duration: 3 days.
- Accommodation: Stay in yurts for a unique experience or choose hotels.
- Tips: Apply strong sunscreen due to intense UV rays; follow guides’ instructions for safe horseback riding.
The fairyland on earth is well-deserved! The first stop of the graduation trip is super worth it. When you wait for winter, you will come here to enjoy the snow scene. The people of Aba are warm and hospitable, a very good experience.
Jiuzhaigou is so beautiful, 280 tickets are definitely worth it, the weather is also very good on this day, personally think that the most beautiful is the Pearl Beach Waterfall, said to be the 86 version of the west travel note, other must-go attractions have also gone, a perfect day
Jiuzhaigou is so beautiful, 280 tickets are definitely worth it, the weather is also very good on this day, personally think that the most beautiful is the Pearl Beach Waterfall, said to be the 86 version of the west travel note, and several other must-go attractions have also gone, a perfect day.
Jiuzhaigou 🏞️-Huanglong 🐉 is really beautiful, it can be called a paradise on earth, a natural ecological scenic spot created by nature. The water is like a mirror, and the scenic spots are more beautiful than one another👀, making you feel like you are walking into a colorful world of fairy tales! Jiuzhaigou-Huanglong must be visited in this life!!!
As a Sichuanese, I wanted to come here a long time ago, but I always felt that it was very close and I could come anytime, so I delayed it. Finally, in September 2023, I had a spontaneous trip. It was very convenient to drive by car. In order not to rush, I set out from Chengdu and stayed overnight in Songpan. I came to Jiuzhaigou the next day. I entered the valley at around ten o'clock in the morning. One day was not enough. I visited half of the attractions and continued the next day. It is recommended to spend two days. My favorite is Wuhua Lake and Wucai Pool. The other attractions are also stunningly beautiful. They are really the ceiling of domestic attractions. You can eat boxed lunches at the visitor center in the valley, and the price is not expensive. You can also eat at the villagers' homes. Language cannot describe the beauty of Jiuzhaigou. You must be there to know its beauty. It must be listed as a must-see attraction in this lifetime.
🌳Jiuzhaigou | A trip to a fairyland, a journey of a thousand years 🌳 Finally checked in at Jiuzhaigou, which I had been thinking about for a long time. It is really a place favored by nature! As soon as I entered Jiuzhaigou, it was as if I had stepped into a fairy tale world. The water was pure blue and clear green, like countless gems inlaid in the valley💎. 💙Mirror Sea is like a huge mirror, calm and waveless, perfectly reflecting the surrounding mountains, green trees and blue sky. It is so clear that people can't tell the difference between reality and illusion, as if there is an identical world hidden under the water, which truly interprets what "the harmony of lakes and mountains" means. 🌸Wuhua Lake is even more unique, with colorful colors like a painter overturning the palette, with red, yellow, green and blue intertwined. When the sun shines, the travertine and algae at the bottom of the pool interact with the light and shadow to create a dreamlike pattern. Every glance is a unique painting, beautiful to the point of suffocation🌈. 🌟The colorful pool is small but exquisite. Under the caress of the sun, it presents a variety of colors such as goose yellow, emerald green, dark blue, and navy blue. It looks like a colorful gem box left by a fairy in the world, exuding a mysterious and charming atmosphere. The waterfall is also a spectacular sight that cannot be missed. The Nuorilang Waterfall is wide and vast, and the water rushes down with a thunderous sound. The mist splashed by the water forms rainbows under the sunshine, just like a water curtain cave in fairyland🌈. The Pearl Beach Waterfall is like a string of pearls falling, lively and lively. Walking on the plank road, feeling the water vapor coming on your face, refreshing and pleasant. The mountains and waters of Jiuzhaigou are full of aura, and every scene is worth stopping to savor. Here, time seems to stand still, and the soul has gained unprecedented tranquility and healing.
The upper reaches of the Jialing River and the Min River, including Jiuzhaigou, are called the Diqiang land. The human activities recorded in history date back to the Shang Dynasty. Jiuzhaigou has long been a Tibetan settlement. The ancestors of the Tibetans in Jiuzhaigou were the Oluo tribe living in Maqu, Gansu. They were originally members of the Dangxiang Qiang Miyao branch, and were later conquered by Tubo. When Tubo went eastward in the early Tang Dynasty, Songtsen Gampo took them as the vanguard and kept them there after occupying Songzhou (Songpan). Among them, the Oluo tribe living on the banks of the Baihe River formed an alliance with the Baima tribe, and their descendants are the Tibetans in the nine villages in Jiuzhaigou.
Now there is a direct train to Jiuzhaigou in Chengdu. You can take the train to play without choosing a tour group. First do a good job in the strategy, book a ticket and stay near the Jiuzhaigou scenic spot. The next morning, the scenic spot opened the park and went in to visit. All day, you can finish it. The evening train returns to Chengdu.