Huanglong National Park (Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area)

Although it’s a time-consuming 234-mile (376-kilometer) drive from Chengdu, Sichuan’s biggest city and the provincial capital, many travelers visit Huanglong National Park on a multi-day tour from Chengdu. Tours almost always also visit Jiuzhaigou Natural Reserve, another UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s around a 4-hour drive from Huanglong Valley. For a day trip, your best option is to base out of the historic walled city of Songpan, just 37 miles (60 kilometers away): The nearest airport to both Songpan and the park is Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport (also known as Jiuzhaigou).

Huanglong National Park tickets are priced in line with other Chinese national parks, but only available as 1-day options: the Huanglong Valley, which is the star attraction, is just a few miles long. Cable car tickets cost extra but can be well worth it for travelers who struggle with hills and/or altitude.

• Huanglong National Park is a must-visit for photographers, Instagrammers, and nature lovers.
• Food and drink in the park is expensive by Chinese standards. Consider bringing a picnic and a bottle of water.
• The valley is 11,811 feet (3,600 meters) above sea level. Bring layers even in summer.
• Huanglong National Park is not wheelchair friendly.

Once the Chengdu-Jiuzhaigou high-speed railway opens, the easiest way to visit Huanglong from Chengdu will be by high-speed rail to Jiuzhaigou and shuttle from the station. Travelers who aren’t concerned about their carbon footprint can also fly from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou for the day and visit the park using the airport shuttle service. But it’s better to enjoy the Tibetan culture and magical landscapes of this part of Sichuan on a multi-day overland tour.

Huanglong’s travertine limestone pools are at their most colorful and photogenic between June and October when they are full of water: July and August are the warmest months to visit. Avoid visiting over the National Day holiday (the first week in October), when travel in China is extremely difficult and cultural and natural attractions are spectacularly crowded.

Most often associated with Pamukkale in Turkey but also found in locations including Yellowstone National Park, travertine terraces form an eye-catching sequence of terraced pools, often full of water and linked by springs and waterfalls. They take thousands of years to form, often around hot springs, as the water deposits minerals which build up into a series of ridges and dams.