RECENTLY a travel review about western Sichuan was published on Mafengwo, a leading Chinese independent online travel platform, and attracted thousands of views online. What endows this place with such an attractive magic? Basically all you can think of and even cannot think of: its lofty snow mountains like that of the Himalaya, its crystal-clear lakes which appear in Jiuzhaigou Valley, its splendid views which will remind you of the Dolomites in Italy, its extraterrestrial surface which may give an illusion of entering “Interstellar,” and its daily experience of watching the golden sunlight shining on the snow mountain… The stunning views along the way are sure to leave you in awe of the power of nature. Let’s hit the road and embrace this splendid place! Cuopu Valley Cuopu Valley, located in the west of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, boasts of a brilliant condensation of mountains and rivers. It’s not completely developed yet, thus is still in its natural state. The pristine land combines natural and cultural views including peaks, glaciers, virgin forest, lakes, valleys, waterfalls, springs, grasslands and Tibetan temples. Approaching Cuopu Valley, you will see many mountains rising up in front of you, giving you an illusion of visiting the Dolomites in Italy. Enter the mountain forest and track up the trail, and you will be embraced by a jade-green lake, which will remind you of Sichuan’s own Jiuzhaigou Valley. Looking in another direction lies the Cuopu Lake. Standing alongside the lake you will feel as if you were traveling to Shangri-La. Embraced by forests on both sides and with Snow Mountain as the backdrop, the green and crystal-clear lake water shines under the sun. Moshi Park Located at the Tourist Center of Bamei County and a geological science center, Moshi Park is a national 4A level attraction featuring unique geographical landforms. It is China’s only plateau stone forest landscape. It has a mylonite forest formed by the crushing, grinding and shearing of rocks in the fracture zone of the part of Xianshui River in Daofu County that took place during the neotectonic movement in the Quaternary period. Affected by air humidity, the color of the mylonite forest changes according to the weather. During the wet season, the stone forest turns dark black. Such a metamorphic stone forest is extremely rare in the world. Looked at from a distance, the stone forests appear to be mountains. If you stand on top of the mountain and look down at it, it may give you an illusion of visiting an extraterrestrial planet. Siguniang Mountain Siguniang Mountain is located in Xiaojin County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It consists of four peaks, namely Daguniang Peak (1st Peak), Erguniang Peak (2nd Peak), Sanguniang Peak (3rd Peak) and Yaomei Peak (4th Peak). Erguniang Peak, enjoying an altitude of 6,250 meters, is the second-highest peak in Sichuan. Famous for its beautiful scenery, Siguniang Mountain is reputed to be the “Oriental Alps.” Throughout the year, the four peaks are covered with white snow, looking like four girls covered with white veils standing between Changping Valley and Haizi Valley. White Tibetan towers, colorful prayer flags and Mani stone piles can be seen everywhere in the tourist resort. Once you come to Siguniang Mountain, don’t forget to check out Shuangqiao Valley. The name “Shuangqiao” means two bridges for this scenic area has two bridges; one is made from willow trees and the other is made of redwood. It’s a well-developed tourist site. There are sightseeing buses that can take you around to check out the area. Sitting inside the bus, you will see the views outside keep changing as the altitude increases. Walking deep into the valley, you will find that the surrounding area is covered with rich vegetation and in the distance stand snow-capped mountains. Daocheng Yading Daocheng Yading, the harmonious utopian land of snow-capped mountains, awe inspiring glaciers, steep cliffs, magnificent canyons, vibrant virgin forests, grassy marshlands, vast pastures, crystal clear lakes, dense woods and pure air, is reputed to be the last pure land on earth. Located at an elevation of 3,800 meters, Yading is home to three holy mountains and three lakes, namely Jambeyang (Yangmaiyong), Chanadorje (Xianuoduoji) and Chenresig (Xiannairi) and Pearl Lake (Zuomalacuo Lake), Five-color Lake, and Milk Lake. The three holy mountains are all covered by snow and Xiannairi, the highest of the three, boasts a height of 6,032 meters. Yangmaiyong and Xianuoduoji enjoy the same altitude of 5,958 meters above sea level. Hiking to see Five-color Lake and Milk Lake is not an easy job but definitely worth the effort. Five-color Lake, at 4,600 meters above sea level, is located between the Xiannairi and Yangmaiyong snow-capped mountains. The name comes from the appearance of five different bright colors in the lake caused by the refraction of the sunlight in the water. The crystal blue water of Milk Lake, at an elevation of 4,500 meters, is shaped like a water droplet, and is surrounded by a snow-covered mountain. Pearl Lake is an ideal place for taking pictures of Mount Xiannairi. The banks of Pearl Lake bloom with life in the warmer months with large fields of Indian Azelea swarming around the bank of the lake as gentle waves lap against its shore. In autumn the lakeside turns a rusted yellow with all the plants preparing for winter. This lake is truly a magical place. (Chen Xiaochun) | 