Bintan Island is located near a mere 45 minutes away from Singapore by high speed catamaran.   It's the getaway to Indonesia's Riao Archipelago.  Sitting astride the Straits of Malacca, one of the world's oldest and busiest trade routes, the Riao islands have centuries of sea faring history and culture.   

We stayed at Banyan Tree Resort, which is only 10 minutes from the island's new international ferry terminal called Bandar Bintan Telani.  It's location is actually in Tanjong Said which is a secluded bay on the north western tip of the island.   

What's great about our stay in Banyan Tree is not that we had our own villa with private jacuzzi, but rather the fact that we spent 24 or so hours doing nothing but lie around, stroll along the secluded beaches and listen to birds chirping.   

But I thought it's still necessary to share with everyone the facilities in the resort, not to make you drool, but at least to let you know what to expect if you get lucky like us and stay at one of the resort's jacuzzi villa:   
- 142 sq. meter w/ king sized bed, ensuite bathroom, spacious dressing room, private  balcony/sundeck   
- sunken bath   
-private open-air jacuzzi and sundeck   

Service was also great for you can call the GRO anytime and ask for someone to pick you up and take you any of the following destination within the resort:  restaurants, pool, beach, etc.  You can also have private villa dining!   

The package we had also includes access to pool, beach, canoeing, sailing, snorkeling, wind surfing, fishing, etc. for free...   
  

This is a small corner of our villa.

You can go canoeing for free!

This year’s May, my sis Debbie, my bro Dondon, our mom and I visited the well known clean and “fine” city - Singapore. Our 6-day adventure wouldn’t have been fun without our official tour guide Wawa.    

Weather   
Tropical, humid and scorching hot!!!   

Food   
A wide variety of asian cuisines, name it and you have it:  Malay, Thai, Peranakan, Indian, Indonesian, etc.  The famous dishes are Ba-kut-teh, Hainanese Chicken Rice and Fish Balls.   

Sightseeing   
Jurong Birdpark   
The Jurong Birdpark is the largest aviary in Southeast Asia. We began our journey in the bird paradise at the Penguin Parade. We also watched the All Star Birdshow which features the birds performing their talents in talking, singing, bicycle race and many more. The Jurong Birdpark is also where the world’s tallest man made waterfall is located.     

Boat Quay/Clark Quay   
A good place to start the evening is at the Boat Quay and Clark Quay where we witnessed the night life in Singapore. With its restaurants, pubs, bars and entertainment along the riverbank, it is makes Singapore’s one of the most popular hang-out where people party the night away.   

Night Safari   
The much awaited Night Safari is a wildlife park where animals are nocturnal. It was an exciting adventure to watch the animals come alive in their natural jungle setting. Visitors can choose to ride the tram or strike out on their own along the walking trail. It was sort of a Jurassic Park experience.   

Sentosa Island   
Sentosa Island is a must-see attraction that should not be missed. One of the highlights of the discovery island is the chance to take a scenic ride on the cable car.    
1) Underwater World   
We were welcomed by the octopus, sting-rays, sharks, snakes and many other marine creatures. Here, you can view the aquatic species while relaxing on the moving walkaway.   
2) Images of Singapore   
Images of Singapore is a fascinating trip into Singapore’s history. It showcases life-size waxworks and state-of-the-art exhibits. A museum that offers a lot of interesting and educational insights.   
3) Merlion Tower   
The Merlion is the famous tourism symbol of Singapore. You can enter the Merlion and get to it’s crown on the 12th floor and experience a panoramic view over Sentosa and beyond.   
4) Cinemania   
A futuristic ride and virtual reality experience.   
* The fun at Sentosa Island does not end here. You can also visit it’s other attractions    like Orchid Gardens, Butterfly Park, Musical Fountain, theme parks, beaches and many more.   

Shopping   
Chinatown   
Amidst it’s narrow streets, it is a place where you can shop. Be sure to check out the Pagoda Temple where you can only enter with bare feet.   

Raffles City Center and Suntec City Mall   
Two of Singapore’s shopping malls where 5 stars hotels and high end boutiques can be found.   

Orchard Road   
Another place for shopping...........and also the home of Planet Hollywood and Hardrock Cafe.   
   
 

I went to Guam in early October of 1997 as a part of the McDonald's Taiwan Marketing/Advertising Team (which totals around 50, excluding family and relatives).  The first time I set my foot on Guam, a sense of familiarity surged within me.  Basically the climate and people of the island are very much similar to what I grew up with in the Philippines.  The only difference is that being a territory of the United States, it's even more "Americanized" (complete with fast foods, huge supermarkets like Kmart, etc.) and has a more mature tourist industry.  There is a sense of "easy- going" all over the place and people seem to be a bit carefree.   

It is often said that each new day of the United States starts in Guam because it is the westernmost territory of the States.  Being the largest island in Micronesia, Guam is the southernmost island of the Marianas group of islands and is very accessible to its Asian neighbors.  You can see lots of tourists, mostly Japanese, roaming all over the place.   

With a population of 150,000, 50% are Chamorros (native), 25% migrated from the States and about 22% are fellow Pinoys (so now you know why the "familiarity"...).  English and Chamorro are the main languages spoken but believe me, Tagalog could easily follow as the next most popular language.  One should learn at least "Hafai Adai" before you go to Guam as you would often hear it from the natives.  It means "Good Day" in Chamorro.   

OTHER INFORMATION:   
currency:  US$ dollar   
ave. temperature:  27 degrees Celcius   
seasons:  rainy --- July ~ Dec/  dry --- Dec.~ June   
voltage:  110 watts   

HIGHLIGHTS:  beaches and water sports   
Guam is rather famous for its blue skies and waters, and of course its wide array of water sports.  You can almost find all types of water sports here, name it and you will most likely have it ---- snorkeling, scuba diving, wind surfing, sailing, canoeing, jetskiing, parasailing and sea walking.  Yup, "Sea Walker" is an activity wherein you can literally "walk" under the sea and still breathe normally with the help of a helmet which provides you with oxygen.  It's best for non-scuba divers like me who'd like to have a glimpse of what it's like under the sea "first hand" and feed the fish!  "Sea Walker" costs around US$85 and Guam is one of the 3 places in this world which offers such activity.   

CITY TOUR:  forget about it   
You'd definitely get disappointed if you are hoping to see something during its city tour.  The city tour we had was really b-o-r-i-n-g and it's really a complete waste of time.   

NIGHT LIFE:  so-so   
Guam has some night spots --- pubs, disco houses and even gigolo/stripper joints.  Going to Manpower (a place with dancing male strippers) is an eye-opener for first timers like me but it is believed that it's by no means exceptional in any way.   
My worst experience in a disco pub took place in Guam.  It costs US$30 to go to Sand Castle Disco but the music, disc jockey and the entire place really sucks!   

SHOPPING:  not very advisable   
With the amount of Japanese tourists Guam gets each year, it has one of the largest DFS complete with all the brand named stuffs.  Also, it has lots of groceries and supermarkets selling PX goods which you would normally find only in Tien Mu or Cash n Carry.  But with the economic crisis in Asia, shopping in Guam using US$ dollar is still a bit expensive.   
   

Sea Walker, where you can really    walk under water!

an afternoon along Guam's finest beaches

  
  
  
  
 

My trip to Phuket Thailand took place late October of 1997, it was a paid vacation, a reward trip for our office for a record breaking year in 1997.  We took on the Club Med vacation package and hopped on a ghastly China Airlines flight (the only choice) to embark on a rather splendid 4 days on the Thai vacation hot spot.  

From the airport to our Club Med Village, the place looks virtually like any other Filipino provincial roads would look like, except the signboards are written in strange Thai strokes I do not recognize.  What I did recognize was the blistering heat of the sun, and the warm hospitality we received by the locals.  

The Village itself is situated by a white sand beach, and has a great swimming pool that makes you want to jump in even with your shirt and shorts on.  It also offered great food (unlimited supply) that covers Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Western cuisine.    

Highlights of our trip include an excursion to see the famous Thai Transvestite show.  I was wowed by how "authentic" they looked and I have posted a picture to prove just how women-looking they are.  The "guy" to my left looked absolutely ravishing and could put any pouting Asian supermodels to shame with his looks and physique, don't you agree?  

We also went on a disastrous boat rafting in a shallow, muddy river that almost trapped some of my colleagues (don't sign on that of you go), but had a pleasant afternoon riding on elephant back and watching a monkey split Coconuts to extract juice from it with ease and mastery.  

The highlight of highlights had to be the two snorkeling trips we took to the pristine waters off the tropical fishes.  The experience was unimaginably magical and after an hour under water, none of wanted to go back to dry land! See photo 2 of me in full snorkeling gear.  I would have wanted to take pictures of the tropical fishes but my underwater instant camera did not work out very well.  
 

Bali has stunning emerald scenery, a thousand years of culture and a range of exciting activities that await the adventurous visitor.  It is easily a favorite destination for city slickers like you and me mainly because it still has some untapped natural beauty and rich culture.  And at the same time, it also has one of the nicest resorts in the world where you can definitely spend your "getaway" out of your little cubicle in the office.   

I wasn't really able to tour around Bali last year when I was there 'coz we were trapped inside the conference room most of the time.  But the two foremost things I remember about Bali are --- the colors blue and green and the Balinese smile.     

On our way to and fro the airport, you'll see vast greenery that surround you.  And if you're lucky, you'll also get a glimpse of the blue seas where tourists are engaged in all types of water sports.  And during your stay, you'll probably be amazed at how friendly is the smile of a Balinese.  Although the locals in Bali look very much like any Malay descendant, or even resemble that of a Filipino, they have somehow mastered the art of smiling.  Their friendly greeting will surely make you feel like you've known them for ages!  Whether it's their nature or they were trained that way to treat tourists will forever remain a mystery.   

Great resorts - As mentioned, Bali houses probably few of the world's greatest resorts.  Some famous names are the 4 Seasons, ANA, Hyatt, etc.  I was fortunate enough to stay at Grand Hyatt Bali and I must say the overall experience has been quite satisfactory.  Service, amenities, ambiance and facilities are all exceptional..   

Kuta - Kuta is home to hundreds of shops selling clothing, art and crafts, ceramics and antiques.  It also has a stretch of shops, pubs, restaurants where most tourists go to shop and eat.  Just remember that when you shop there, make sure you slash the price by at least half to get a good buy.  It's said that vendors will lose "face" if you don't bargain with them.  So, why not have the fun of bargaining and at the same time get the item you want at a lower price?  You'll find McDonald's, Hard Rock Cafe, convenience stores along this stretch.   

Rafting - Had my very first experience of rafting in Bali when the Int'l Marketing people arranged a group activity called "Managing the Swirling Waters of Change".  When we first saw this item in the agenda, we didn't have the slightest idea that we'd actually go rafting!  But we sure were glad we did coz we really had a great time!   
The location for rafting was in Ayung River, where the 2-hour rafting takes you through a total of 25 rapids, past numerous waterfalls, throught verdant, fern laden canyons and sleepy grottos, down narrow gorges and swift moving torrents.  For professional rafters, this whole activity might not be that challenging, but for first timers and non-swimmers like me, it's fun enough!   
   
 

Known as the Paris of the East, a shopping paradise to the mainlanders, even to people from Guangzhou.  To me, having lived here for three years now,  Shanghai is a whole 'melting pot' of East and West, of what is contemporary , yet reminiscence of what is left as shadows of the past French, Japanese concessions;  American ,  English, Anglo-Indian settlements. 

Shanghai is  growing to be very much like Hongkong.  When you stand at the famous BUND (considered the boarders of Pu-xi)  on this end, you see all the well-preserved neo-classic, old building edifices which is like any old street in Europe.   These dates back to 1930's which once was the 'Wall Street' of Asia, where all major transactions took place with blue chip players like Jardine Matheson who joined the band.   Now, all the major banks are claiming back their presence by re-opening business here. 

Along the BUND, it is a must to see for tourists' first visit.   You will stroll along the walkway to discover interesting things.  It is a meeting place of foreigners, visitors outside Shanghai and local residents  moving around in the evenings in their most relaxed attire : nightgowns and pajamas!  It's also a lovers lane. 

Across the BUND,  beyond the busy Suzhou Creek,  you have under-water tunnels like HK,  ferry to take you over to PUDONG.   You will witness PUDONG's  incredible landscape of high-rise buildings, landmark of the 'Orient TV station Tower', the 88th story monstrous new Financial center.   Huge Neon advertisements not sparing any chance to hit the tens of thousands of  people moving from both sides.  To me, PUDONG now is just like Kowloon of HongKong . 

Some basic tourist spots worth visiting are: 
Peace Hotel :  along the BUND, Nanjing Road.   Beautiful old architecture, classic decors with the famous old Jazz band that plays to the delight of senior citizens. 

French Concession area (Huaihai road near the Embassy centers;  Ruijin road;  Si-nan road; Heng-shan road)     :   here, bring your cameras along and take a 2-3 hour walk along these streets.   You will discover a lot of interesting old houses, though some dilapidated,  still carries certain ambience that strongly connects with feelings of deep history, a feeling that so many people lived in these places once, so much must have crossed amongst their lives…between the Westerns and Chinese. 

 Shanghai Museum  :   State-of-the-art design, from inside out.   A whole array of collections around China, maybe not as grand when compared to the Beijing Imperial Palace or as abundant a range as to that of Xian museum.   But Shanghainese knows best how to package things to make the treasures look even better, more impressive and most valuable.  Equipped with high-tech sensor lightings,  multi-lingual recorders for tour guide, computer scan library reference check-points.   

Song Qingling and Sun yat Sen  Gu-Ju (old residence):  Recently visited the place with mom, impressed with the findings on the depth and breath of knowledge of this remarkable lady , and the die-hard relationship  with the National Hero Dr. Sun-yat sen.     Read through the excerpts and copies of the letters, memorandums, diary that she wrote in English, and you will realize what I mean. 

Some shopping sites for the avid 'shop-till-you drop':  
Nanjing Road   :   On the east end are smaller boutiques, which caters best to the non-Shanghai residents who plan to buy something of fashion but at good unbeatable price.    As you travel towards the western Nanjing Road,  there you will find  the latest  WESTGATE MALL, with all the world's top signature brands under one roof,   PORTMAN  SHANGHAI CENTER where you find Welcome supermarket catering to all the auspicious variety groceries for expats; Hard-rock, Toni-Romas, Watsons,etc. 
Huai Hai  Road   :    My mom's favorite place.   Less crowded than Nanjing Road, it's pretty much like the 'Ting-Hao district of Taipei'.    You will find high-end  PRIMTEMPS,  average ISETAN, PARKSON, TAIPINGYANG department stores ;  boutiques like ESPRIT, SISLEY, NIKE, DISNEY all with the latest fashion and equal competitive prices as in Hongkong and or Taiwan. 

Friendship Stores :     5-storey department store, run state-owned but also well-designed to offer a good shopping environment.   Used to be "the only" shopping sites for tourist back in the 70's when I first visited China.   Now, they also carry some signature brands , but their Chinese handicrafts, silks, carpets comes in wide selection.    Air-conditioned, well-litted and most important of all,  guaranteed quality with good and reasonable prices, government controlled , no cheating nor haggling for bargaining. 

Hua Ting Road / along Changxhou Lu:     Small make-shift stalls where you find all the counterfeit brands of fashion items, sold at unbeatable and unbelievable prices.    Learn to bargain at 50% off from asking price,  and wear the latest ESPRIT, ELLE, NIKE, CK, JORDAN, PRADA, CAT  shirts, bags, shoes, lingeries…with cheap deals.      

TongTai Lu   /   Fu You Lu :    For those interested in "old antique curio markets", visit these two places where antique afficionados may fall in love with small collections of the old Shanghai stuffs.   I found some pretty neat items now I proudly display in my home : crystal oil lamp used in the railway,  metal clip bread toaster, carved incense holder, small ceramic bowls,  leather suitcases, old negatives , SW electric fan, Jumu wooden trays, metal locks, …  check out for yourself to find your own link to the past. 

HongMei Road Antique Furniture shops:  There are lots of these, shops with window displays which are becoming more entrepreneural .   These items are also my weakness and even if I don't buy a lot,  I frequent these sites on weekends, which makes me the 'expert reference source' for every expat in the agency to check out for contacts.   My favorite is the warehouse shop of Mr. Huang, where you need a little bit of imagination to see appreciate  the original old pieces , make your negotiations, specify your personal polishing looks and they'll take care of the rest. 

Food, fun and entertainment: 
Shanghainese  food   :   sweet, smaller portions,  very oily but tasty.  Special delights are  'hairy crabs' during fall season;  zhong you mien = onion leeks fried noodles;  'qiang xia, qiang xie' = drunken shrimps or crabs, raw and freshly immersed in wine 
 Lu Lu Restaurant ,  Grapevine Pu Tao Yuan, the GAP Jing Ting Restaurants,  Hua Ting 

QSR, Ice-cream parlors, supermarkets , CVS: 
KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Ginos,  Hagen-Dazz,  Baskin n' Robins 
Parkson, Tops, Wellcome,  Carrefour,  Megamart, Lawson, 24 hr. Basics 

Other Chinese cuisines,  Westerm , Japanese, Indian foods are also available.  What is still missing to date are Filipino restaurant,  which I believe may happen in near future. 

Pubs, Bars, Discos     : 
O'Malley's  Irish pub ,   Paulaner,  Sally's ,  Judy's,   Blues & Jazz,  Internet Cafe 
DDs,  Timesquare,  Hard Rock,  Casablanca, Galaxy 
 

The Bund(European Neo-Classic Architecture)  Shanghai, China

China Flag  Suzou River, Shanghai China

The Summer Imperial Palace  = Mountain Resort Hide-away for Summer Heat" during Emperor Qian Long era in 1703.     Just 4 hours by train from Beijing (230 kms),  you can buy your tickets at the train station for the Y225 line, but remember to specify for 'soft seats'.  RMB56 per person/one way. 

Mom and I was there in early July when it was 35-37 degrees in Shanghai and Beijing.   I recognized the pricky sunrays that greeted us but was pleased with the breeze of wind that accompanied it.    The only descent hotel worth checking in is  "YUNSHAN  Hotel", 5 minutes by taxi at RMB10 maximum rate.  You can negotiate with the front desk staff to give you a 40% discount off rack-rate = RMB300 per room night. 

People are nice and friendly, and the place is small, easy to get access for various points with taxis, and tricycles if you dare venture on one.      No need for tour guides, just buy a map, ask around and you will find your way.   The best recommended routes as we have mapped down from our travel tips: 

Day one: 
Train line 225 :  Beijing to Chengde  ETD07:29 / ETA 12:10 
Check-in hotel :  Yunshan Hotel  5 minute ride from Train station 
     Let loose, relax and take the Cantonese lunch at 2nd floor 

"Summer Palace" visit:   
- 5-8 minutes ride from hotel / RMB5.00 flag-down rate 
- entrance ticket  RMB30 to see the Emperor palatial buildings, museum collection and the huge parkland that would easily take 4 hours strolling around 
- enter through the southern  LIZHENG MEN gateway (there are 5 gates) and head north, you can finish the tour leg passing through Mongolian tents, open fields 

Evening Dinner :  adventure through Lizheng road, local cuisine but nothing special.   Mom was too eager not to go back to Hotel for a rest and we ended up with shopping in local street night market along Nanyingzi Jie.     

Day two: 
"Eight Outer Temples"  outside the northern landscape of the Summer Palace.    A grand , resplendent and magnificent site to see how vain the Emperor was in imposing against the minority groups, representing the Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Tibetan, Buddhist to center around him.  All built different temples to make it convenient for his worhips, and re-state his power by insisting that all entrances needs to face the Summer Palace circular landscape from all directions. 

Top Ranking, worth visiting and taking careful look for half-a-day : 
- Tibetan temple "Puduozhongcheng"  or the mini-version of Pu-da-la-gong from Tibet.   Red walls with blind windows,  Ivory Elephants on the gateway,  hundreds of step-ladders leading through multiple-small worhsip sites and highlighted with the top level of  pure gold roofing that housed the Emperor's theater stage. 

If you are lucky, you would also catch the Tibetan cultural dance group programs in the same theater stage where the Emperor once enjoyed his own entertainment. 

Two to three other Temples to run around: 
- "Puning Temple" ??? which houses the world's largest wooden carved Thousand Arm Buddha.   I climbed up the eery staircase to view the higher level (extra RMB5.00 for that site, no picture taking alowwed) .    Incredible craftsmanship, all hand-made. 
- "Puyou Temple" ??? Han architecture, Mongolian colorful murals, distinctive carved 508 Lohan statues around the temple. 
- "Puleh Temple" ???  similar to the rounded architecture of Beijing's Temple of Heaven, it is now under heavy renovation, hoping to get better restoration make-over. 

Evening tour :  
- ten minutes drive down south of the hotel  at RMB10.00 maximum , climbing up the hill, where it is at it's best view for sunset and clear view of the Chengde city 
- "KweiTouXing Temple"  , newly constructed one to commemorate the "Kweitou Spirit" who blesses all scholars and students who pray for successful studies. 
- Descent dinner , only one restaurant up in the hills,  owner is very friendly and offered to bring our table out in the open veranda for us to enjoy the nice 20 degrees evening breeze. 
- Evening short stage play in the open theater stage, "Kweitou" story.   Entertaining 30 minute classic show, free-of-charge too. 
- Lights up to decorate the façade of the temple, roadpath of the hill, making it a beautiful evening scenic spot seen from the flat lands. 

Day Three: 
Adventure outside Chengde city   :   visit to  "Zaoyangdong" ??? 
- Paid exclusive taxi ride (two way) at RMB100 for 4 hours.   Lady driver we befriended the day before and asked her to take us to a nearby site. 
- Landed in a vast openfield,  clean air,  high mountains, cliffs, and one small old shed where you pay RMB20.00 to enter the place. 
- Horse ride available to climb up the hills, of which I passed the offer, being alone and not wanting to leave mom behind. 
- Tedious climb, first with stone steps which is roughly 1/3 of the path.  Small pagoda where old people can make their final stop and rest, with natural spring water from the cave, sold at RMB3.00 in re-packed distilled bottles.     After a hot and exhausting climb, the cold tingling taste is unbeatable from any branded mineral water from the city. 
- Further climb up would take another  2 hours, through rocky path, no more steps.   Test your determination , and you will discover an old temple hidden in the rocks with a Taoist priest holding on to his post to preach to the believers visiting this place. 

Lunch at one of the local specialty noodle shop :   order the "You mien" steamed noodles, they're good. 

Late check-out at 2:00 to catch train back to Beijing  Y226 route  :   ETD14:29 / ETA 19:13 
 

A relaxing visit, practical budget, reasonable accomodation and bountiful discoveries.     CHENGDE,  indeed, the great hide-away of the Emperor in the past,  the perfect hide-out for the contemporaries of today. 
 

Patalakong Temple  Chengde, Hebei, China

Facade of Tibet Temple  Chengde, Hebei, China

 

Jiuzhaigou 

Termed as "Childhood land of Fantasy".   God created this world in it's natural state of beauty.  Babies are born to this world with all  innocence and pure state.  Children are brought up with dreams.

Man , universally, had taken these childhood dreams to greater heights by making ends meet.  And in this process, comes all the individual interest that brings  harm to others, to the environment.

Nature was all pure and clean.  Manhood pollution caused all the changes, of which casted layers and layers of fog, dirt of which were all damaging.   China was not spared of these changes, specially in the urban cities. 

Much was spoken about  a "Fantasy land up in Sichuan province - JIUZHAIGOU".   I came across the pictures once 5 years ago when my friends went there once.  I could not believe all the serenity imbued , as it was captured through the lenses.   These caught my breath and was a dream I hoped to see for myself, to see the original state of nature that God has blessed us with.

In end September,  our company trip made it up to the mountains in the northern province.  Not an quick tour type and  it started with 2.5 hours by plane into Chengdu city in Sichuan.  An easy overnight stay in the decent "CHENGDU HOTEL" with an interesting visit to  the "BONN BAR" proves that the teen-agers in the inland province are just as upbeat as the Shanghainese!

Drive on the bus coach for the next 5 days basically made the trip more interesting for me to witness the wonders of nature along the path,  how well paved were the new roads up to the mountains, and how one small township differs from the other as we pass by them.

Peak of the visit is  JIUZHAIGOU where you are brought into a land of  trees, mountains, waterfalls, all interwoven into natural orchestration.    Breath the clean air, enjoy the sounds of the waterfalls,  walk through the pearl river paths down to the falls,  every turn is an exciting adventure.

What is most unbelievable are the waters which are "Aqua - turquoise blue / blue green" in color!!!   Aside from the swimming pool colors in the city life,  I have never seen nature in this state and you have to see it to believe for yourself.   I felt this was the place when God was cleaning his brushes during his ' 7 day creation'  , of which the color blend from the skys were then cleansed into the rivers of JIUZHAIGOU. 

In year 2000,  the Chinese government will build an airport nearby to make it more accessible to the rest of the world.   But please, don't wait until that time for all will be different.   Take the adventure and challenging path,  it's worth visiting it… JIUZAIGOU is next to Shangri-la.

Basic tour taken and recommended:

Day one:
Plane trip :  Shanghai to Chengdu ETD16:30 / ETA 19:10
Check-in hotel :  Chengdu Hotel  Approximately 30 minutes from airport
     City night life closes early at 8:30-9:00 pm.  Worth to
     Check-out on the small eateries and try the famous hot 
     And spicy "Chengdu snacks".   BONN BAR - Buo En Bar
     Has the latest disco beats, reasonable prices for snacks / drinks
 
 
 

Day two:
Early morning riser, good Chinese breakfast at the hotel to set everyone for the 'whole day ride' up to our highlight destination "JIUZAIGOU??? ".   17 seater bus coach with local tour guides took 3 buses from the group out of the city, passing through the provinces, and exciting changes start taking place when you see open wooden houses , straw and corn clad facades built by the Tibetan tribes.

Lunch at the 'Shan Zai Wang ???' with gun-shoot greeting, wine and red ribbon well-wishes by the Qiangzhu ??  tribal ladies was a good eye-opener.     Further ride brings us to rest after 11 hours on the road, eager for each of us to check-in at the "TIAN EH HOTEL" for a decent rest to stretch our bodies.   Cool night breeze at  10 degrees forces us to take out all our jackets, take an easy and early night rest.

Day three:
"JIUZHAIGOU VALLEY ??? " has been inscribed by the 'World Heritage Committee from the United Nations".  With respect for the benefit of all humanity,  this environmental protected place started with the baptismal rights of getting all tourist out of the bus upon entrance and 'disinfecting process' . 

Entire route around the valley is a "Y route".  With the west end of  "CHANGHAI - Long Lake ?? " and the east end of "YUANSHISHENLIN - Premival Forest ???? ". 

Stops all around the valley with captivating sites are:
? JINGHAI - Mirror Lake  ?? (pictures taken can be inverted to see which is which as the reflections of the mountains, clouds are all exact images on the waters)
? WUHUAHAI - Five-flower Lake ???  (captivating  aqua-shaded water sites)
? XUNGMAOHAI - Panda Lake 
? KONGQUELEDAO - Peacock River ???
? ZHENZHUTAN , PUBU -  Pearl Riverbed and waterfalls ???  ( easy in the start and thrilling as you travel through the falls)
? YUANSHISHENLIN - Premival Forest ????
? CHANGHAI - Long Lake ?? (scenes like those in European mountains)
? NUORILANG PUBU - Nuorilang Falls ????? (another magnitude of giant waterfalls)
? WUCAIZHI -  Five colored pool ???  (Turquoise colored waters hidden below under the  red, yellow autumn forest blanket)
? Tiger, Rhinoceros, Sleeping Dragon, Double Dragon, Reed, Potted-landscape  lakes

Evening dinner perked up with the "TIBETAN Cultural Show"  with barbeque roasted YAKS (Maoniu ?? or hairy cow) and sheep meat,  dancing to the beat of the Qiangzhu tribes.

Day Three:
Early morning check-out,  drive down the hills to the "GANZHI Lake ??? ?? " for a great, relaxing  rubber boat rifting ride to enjoy the early morning sun and the breeze of the wind.   Quick lunch in a small town and further adventurous drive up to  "MINSHAN- Min mountains ?? " which is 5400 meters above sea level.   We reached a viewing ground of 4200 meters to see the Min mountains from distance, courageous scene with the snow mountain tops reflecting the sunlit glaze.   This was the place where the red army once straddled through to the fields on foot fought with bloodshed  with rebels.

Zig-zag rocky rides through the mountains brought us to the highlight of the day :  "HUANGLONG - Yellow Dragon ?? ",  the natural swimming pool spa site of Sichuan.      It's a clean steep climb up through the hills,  a 3-4 hour walking path with scenic sites throughout till you reaching the top of 4,000 meters high.  As the sun sets, it was timely to rush down the slope for a warm ride back into the township of SONGPAN ?? / ???  for another overnight stay.     Conditions of accomodation  in this place is pretty tough so don't expect too much. 

Day Four:
SONGPAN is a very remote place, poor conditions in living standards.   However,  this is most self-contained township where genuine Tibetan antiques can be bought.    Even real snow leopard skins are laid out in the open with asking prices as high as RMB3800 each.     Army clothing shops,  Tibet attires,  silver ornaments,  knives, take your pick.

AHBA GRASSLAND ?????  was the next destination.    More driving up to the mountains, into the open fields.   Here, you find 200 plus horses, managed by Tibetan tribes eager to take you around the horizon.    Before taking your pick, it is advised that you wear their Tibetan overcoat made of sheepskin underlining.   You would be amazed how warm it is to keep you against the chilly windy blow of the mountains.

Riding in trails, followed by the Tibet young men and women singing their mountain songs were all but pleasant feeling.    Looking beyond the fields, the sky were of no boundaries.   Such great enchantment of being free, feeling  loose is just great.

Evening check-in at the township of  WENCHUAN ?? was a lot more civilized with decent food, warm bath waters and TV sets to connect us back to the city world happenings.

Day Five:
Enroute back to Chengdu city would be worth stopping by :
? DUJIANGYEN - Water Damn ???  (famous construction in early decades designed to protect the Chengdu people from heavy water damages all these years)
? Curio shopping along the JIN JIANG HOTEL side streets where you can still hunt for good bargains of Tibet collections

Last evening was celebrated most with a great meal eating "CHENGDU XIAOCHI - Famous Spicy Foods/ Snacks of great variety ???? " that leaves you with a rumbling stomach and a numb tongue after all the tasty , heaty, spicy thrills.

Day Six:
Early morning check-out for the 8:00 am morning first flight from Chengdu back to Shanghai.   Everyone takes back great memories to rekindle, all captured in pictures with continued sharing.
 

An adventurous,  thrilling travel but worth taking the challenge.   Not everyone's cup of tea with the long rides,  tough living conditions,  plain food along the trip but once your eyes are captured with the scenery, lungs breathing real clean air,  hearing natural sounds of nature rhythms,  you are brought back closer to God's enchanting paradise -  JIUZHAIGOU.   Visit them now before it becomes invaded by mankind.
 

Huang Long Natural Scenes Sichuan, China	Turquoise Wonders Wu Hua River, Jui Zai Guo, China
See-through Growth Jui Zai Guo, China	Aquatic View, Wu Zai Chi Jui Zai Guo, China
Huang Long Scenic Views Sichuan, China	KK, the fake Tibetan up in the Ah-Pa Hills