Xiamen (Another name - Amoy) is the locals of the most beautiful coastal cities of Fujian province. Located at the mouth of the Jiulong River, includes the city of Xiamen) Xiamen Iceland, Gulangyu Islet and Tong’an County (mainland. As one of the first special economic zones in China, it is well developed in infrastructure and diverse in culture.

Salty sea air and plenty of sunny days, so the city is a popular tourist destination. During the summer months, often the high temperatures of the thirties (around 100 º F chilled) driving sweaty locals and holidaymakers to the beach around. Although surrounded by beaches, some banks tend to Xiamen’s are not guarded, or a little grubby. Swimmers are advised to join the masses on the official bathing beaches.

Apart from its generous tax cuts for foreign investors, Xiamen is probably best for Gulangyu, a small island only by ferry from Xiamen Island, south-western coast. Cars are banned on Gulangyu and pedestrian traffic there, although a small armada of electrically powered golf cart-style vehicles are available to whisk leg-weary or less price-conscious tourists between scenic spots.

History

Xiamen, blessed with a deep water ice and silt free port, has a long history of foreign trade. The trade with Europe began in the mid-15th Century, when tea leaves were exports. The increase in trade relations and dealing with foreign cultures over the centuries has been to Xiamen left hand, now in a unique “city of Sino-Mediterranean architecture, local settings and hospitality.

In the early 1980s, under the guidance of Deng Xiaoping, Xiamen has been designated a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and started a new wave of foreign trade and growth. Significant tax and other incentives lead to an influx of foreign firms and the creation of a large number of factories.

In 1999, Xiamen “lost face” on the world stage revealed as the biggest corruption scandal in Chinese history. About 200 officials and members of the local Public Security Bureau were involved in it, threw the leadership of a major smuggling operation whose proceeds were used to build a movie studio and various other systems, invested to finance the local soccer team fund and into a brothel .

Climate

There are basically no bad time to visit Xiamen, but if you plan on jumping into the South China Sea, it would be late spring to early autumn is the best time to visit. The climate is subtropical monsoon, so expect summer rains. Average annual temperature is a comfortable 21 º C (70 F) with peak heights of just over 38 º C (100 ° F) and lows at 2 ° C (36 º F).

Haikou City, means the entrance of the sea, it’s a tropical city with rich resources and a history of more than a thousand years as a port. It was from the provincial capital of Hainan province,  and Hainan island is one of the biggest land in China.

The city lies at the northern end of Hainan Island is located. The land is flat and the longest river in the island of Hainan, the Nandu River, winding through the city in the north. The area is usually terraces and plains, with an average height of not more than 100 meters.

The Hainan-street in the north of the city separates the island from the province of Guangdong. There are about 131 kilometers offshore in the city, occupying an area of 830 square kilometers. The beaches in Haikou are long and wide, with fine white sand. Beaches like the Holiday Beach are the Dongzhai Port Beach and Beach Guilinyang popular places for visitors, together with islands and mud flats of the sea.

Haikou features natural vegetation in tropical shrubs. It is known as the “Coconut City” by the coconut trees that line the streets. The Dongzhai Harbor Mangrove Nature Reserve area is located northeast of the city of Haikou, and is of mangrove trees and other plants together.

Phone Code: 0898
ZIP: 570,126
Area: 2304.84 kilometers ²
Population: 1600000
Nationality: The majority of the population is of Han, some of them are Li, Miao and Zhuang.
Administrative divisions: Xiuying, Longhua District, and Qiongshan Meilan District.

Kinds of people visit Lhasa everyday, it emblematizes holiness in many hearts, Lhasa is the cultural capital of Tibet, as well as the political and administrative center of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). And while many visitors are surprised or disappointed by the sight of tall buildings, karaoke bars and other expressions of Chinese economic growth, there are many unexpected pleasures of a visit to that emotional capital to make it very worthwhile.

The hotel is situated in a valley at 3700 meters (11,100 feet flows) by even higher mountains and the picturesque river surrounded Kyichu across the city, Lhasa can be wonderfully picturesque, despite the rapidly modernizing city skyline. In the older parts of town, especially near the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, spinning prayer wheels, you find colorful flags and traditionally dressed Tibetans that their Buddhist business. Take your time in Lhasa, and you are practically guaranteed an unforgettable experience of reason as you explore the streets, squares and sights of this vibrant city in the heart of the old country.
History
The destruction of buildings and historical records over the years has a lot of history left Lhasa to story-telling, solve puzzles and myth, but it is known that Tibet’s capital has seen everything from long periods of violence and unrest is a triumphant glory days and stretches of undisturbed rest. It is unclear when the first nomads migrated to travel to Lhasa, but the city’s official history begins with King Songtsen Gampo, his kingdom, established in the capital of the beautiful river valley in the seventh century. The region had already been trading on what is now northern India and eastern China, and that outside influences affected the king directly: he was the first prominent region to convert to Buddhism. In his devotion to the religion, he built many temples around Lhasa, of which there are two today: the Jokhang and Ramoche sealing the connection between the words “Tibet” and “Buddhism” forever.

Over the next hundred years, contracted Lhasa political importance, since increased its religious significance, so it is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site. During the fifteenth century, Tsongkhapa the founder of the school of Buddhism, Shamanism, built three major monasteries in Lhasa (the Ganden, Sera and Drepung) in the middle of a puritanical Buddhist renewal, which was the result of a revitalization of the city and its people. Soon after came authorized Lobsang Gyatso was the fifth Dalai Lama, to combine his religious and political power. He began the reconstruction of the massive Potala Palace in 1645 and again succeeded as a political center of Lhasa.

The following centuries were many outsiders to express interest in Tibet and foreign visitors started with all sorts of agendas that were once isolated kingdom of flooding, including their Western Christian missionaries to convert from their Tibetan Buddhist sages. By the mid-nineteenth century, decided to political leaders in Lhasa and maintain close the doors to the roof of the world, effectively shutting off Tibet from outside influences in an experiment, its culture and its autonomy. Lhasa remained together, the Tibetan Buddhist center in the next ten years, during which nearly half of the population of monks. Although autonomous in a number of ways, Qing Dynasty Tibetan representatives held firmly in the orbit of Chinese power and political control until the dynasty itself began to crumble under the pressure of the Western imperialist powers and internal dissent.

Tibet, after a high degree of autonomy in the chaotic times of the two world wars and the civil war and revolution in China, was covered under the direct supervision of the Chinese Communists after the decisive victory. After the Kuomintang fought and won control of mainland China in 1949, the People’s Liberation Army entered Tibet in 1950, a year later, the Tibetan government a treaty granting the PRC signed the control and ownership of the land. Damaged in the course of the next twenty-five years, many Buddhist temples, monasteries and shrines were destroyed, and the tumult of the Cultural Revolution was sweeping the west of the Chinese heartland. During this time, many Tibetans died from violence and hunger. Choose to let others, including the Dalai Lama, who was still in exile. In recent years, the development and the influx of Chinese settlers in the face of the city changed significantly, although it is still visiting the vital heart of Tibetan culture and a phenomenal location.
Climate
Winters are brutally cold and is Lhasa, the temperatures often fall below freezing. Fall is usually dry and green during the spring is lush and humid. Summertime brings crowds of tourists willing to enjoy pleasant temperatures that average in the 80s during the day and drop into the 50s at night. It is important to note that no matter what time of year you visit, Lhasa could amount to cause serious problems until you are accustomed. Note also that the rays of the sun are due to the high altitude and thin air to be intensified, so load on sunscreen and bring a hat and good sunglasses.

          Urumqi situated in a pocket of green on the north face of the Tian Shan (Heavenly Mountains) and surrounded by expansive grasslands, desert basins and rugged, snow-capped peaks, Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is full of surprises for newcomers. The resident Muslim Uygur often look more Central Asian or European than Chinese, and their culture is just as distinct. Urumqi is a landlocked city—in fact, the world’s most landlocked, over 2,500 km (1,400 miles) from the nearest seacoast—surrounded by vast areas of harsh wilderness. Yet it is also a very modern city, sporting its share of new skyscrapers, highways and gourmet restaurants and luxury malls.

Its unique combination of urban sophistication and proximity to natural beauty, along with its mix of Central Asian and Chinese cultures, makes Urumqi a wonderful place to visit, whether for its own sake or as a base for explorations of Xinjiang’s outlying destinations. Get a taste of old Silk Road commerce by shopping at the Grand Bazaar and Erdaoqiao Market, explore the history of Xinjiang and see the famous 3,800-some-year old “Loulan Beauty” mummy at the Xinjiang Museum, head into the Tian Shan for a hike or horseback ride before spending the night in a Kazakh yurt on the shores of Tian Chi (Heavenly Lake), then return to the city to spend the next night in luxury at one of Urumqi’s modern hotels.

History

Long an important stop on the northern Silk Road, Urumqi (the name means “Beautiful Pastures”) has outlived a number of other ancient cities whose ruins presently dot the Xinjiang landscape—two of them, Gaochang and Jiaohe, are within visiting distance of Urumqi. In 628 AD, Tang Dynasty emperor Zhenguan first established firm Chinese control of the area with the garrison town of Luntai, situated some 10 km south of present-day Urumqi, monitoring Silk Road caravan traffic and collecting taxes.

The city was renamed Dihua in 1763 during the Qing Dynasty, becoming the capital of the newly formed Xinjiang Province in 1884. In 1954, after Xinjiang was firmly incorporated into the People’s Republic of China, Dihua became Urumqi, and with the completion of the Lanzhou-Urumqi railroad line in 1963, the city’s connection to China was strengthened—an important point for the government in Beijing, as elements of the region’s Muslim population has long sought independence from China. The huge influx of settlers from the east—mostly ethnic Han Chinese—has changed the cultural complexion of Urumqi and large parts of Xinjiang, but the local minorities, including the Turkic Uygur, Kazakhs and Hui Chinese (ethnic Han Muslims), proudly maintain their identities in the face of widespread change.

Visit our Xinjiang Overview for more historical background on the province as a whole.

Climate

Urumqi experiences hot and dry summers with average temperatures in July at 26 °C (78 °F) and damp and cold winters with average temperatures in January of -15 °C(5 °F). It’s a good idea to pack for extremes if you plan to travel much outside of Urumqi, as temperatures can vary greatly with elevation and time of day, even in summer.

The snow-capped onion domes and facades are more Petersburg, Paris, Beijing, and with its winding cobbled streets, brilliantly lit ice sculptures and modern Chinese economic vitality, Harbin is surprisingly warm and inviting for a city on the edge of Siberia.

The most famous among travelers for the annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, this unique city and its surroundings begin to fame for other qualities that are different from Russian architecture of the former church of St. Sophia today Harbin Archictecture and Art Center) to The ski resort near Yabuli and the “Gallery of the European architecture” (including many examples of the great Chinese styles) along Zhongyang Dajie, a cobblestone-paved pedestrian street.

Harbin’s Shopping is the best in the northeast of China, the local cuisine is an interesting mix of Chinese and Russian north, and the surrounding countryside Heilongjiang province was formerly known as part of Manchuria, is one of China’s better-kept secrets, full of forests, lakes and mountains that are still feeling the sting of overdevelopment and overcrowding.

History

Originally a small fishing village of Songhua River, Harbin, a city, if Russia for permission to build a railway line in China in 1897. The border region of extreme terrain of mountains, fields and forests of the city is reflected in the rough and ready force of Railroad workers, nomads and traders from all over Asia, including in a Russian community, which culminated around 200,000. After the Russian Revolution, a number of Belarusians from Harbin, the permanent home. The city fell under Japanese control during World War II, so that a large proportion of the foreign population to flee. The Chinese control of Harbin in 1946 after a short period of Russian domination after the end of the war.

Today, a number of Russians are back in Harbin. Together with the rest of China, Harbin is determined by an economic boom, though not without a cost-benefit factory in 2005, accidentally dumped huge amounts of toxic benzene into the Songhua River, the city temporarily shut down water supplies and Harbin is a good example of China’s need for environmental protection with industrial growth.

Climate

Harbin has a long, cold winters and cool, short summers. Between July and September, the city for a pleasant holiday, an average temperature of 20 º C (68 ° F). Harbin Winter can be very cold, with temperatures plummeting as low as -40 º C (-40 º F). Snow starts in November and the coldest month is January. However, the winter months are a good time for a visit to Harbin, where the city is a fantastic world of snow and ice. Dress in many layers, and shape that you have visited the festival, with frequent trips inside for a hot drink or hearty stew.

The mist glides across hundreds of towering, sandstone pillars topped by trees before plunging down into the green-swathed ravines below. A verbose description of Zhangjiajie’s scenery will never quite do the place justice, perhaps this is why the area is such a popular filming and tourist destination. Lying on the border of Hunan, the main draw is the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 and is made up of the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Suoxi Valley, Tianzishan mountain ranges and Baofeng Hu. Avid hikers and nature lovers flock to Zhangjiajie explore the mountains, caves and forests of the area, enjoying one of China’s most famed landscapes. 

While Zhangjiajie is most known for its unusual sandstone pillars, its caves with their numerous stalactites, underground cataracts and rock formations are also impressive: Huanglongdong and Longwangdong are both worth a visit. The wildlife in the National Forest Park is one of the main draws: giant salamanders, rhesus monkeys and golden pheasants are among the usual suspects you might stumble upon. And if you are not the hiking type, access to many of the mountains and caves has been made easier with paved paths and even a new glass elevator that hoists you smoothly to the top of one of the peaks without you even breaking a sweat. Sixty percent of the city’s 1.5 million person strong population are Tujia, Miao and Bai minorities–­giving the area a unique cultural feel.  Take some time to properly explore this unusual place, if for no other reason than to return home with the necessary “China scenic” photos.

History

Zhangjiajie city was originally named ‘Dayong’ and has historical records going back as far as 221 BC. The name Zhangjiajie was assigned in 1994 in order to draw attention to the area after being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. The Zhangjiajie region covers an area of 91,563 square kilometers and is made up of two districts: Wulingyuan and Yongding, and two counties, Sangzhi and Cili. The region was at one time heavily under Korean influence, both because of investment and tourism, however, more recently, visitors are flocking in by the thousands from China and other Asian countries. International tourists are still in the minority.

Climate

Situated in the midst of the semitropical monsoon climate zone, Zhangjiajie has a moderate climate, lots of sunshine and enough rainfall to keep the vegetation gloriously green. After Kunming, Zhangjiajie is also called a “city of spring” due to its comfortable year-round temperatures, that hover around 16°C. The fog and heavy rain in July create a few snags for hikers and mountain climbers, so plan accordingly. While the winters get heavy snowfall, the park remains open. Although April and October are the best times to visit, Zhangjiajie is good all year round.

A landscape of pristine alpine lakes, waterfalls and meadows sprinkled throughout a forested valley on the northern border of present-day Sichuan and home to nine traditional Tibetan villages, Jiuzhaigou is now a carefully managed tourist attraction that, during the high season, sees over ten thousand visitors a day.

The Nature Reserve has largely preserved the beauty of Jiuzhaigou’s multicolored lakes, dramatic waterfalls and mixed evergreen and deciduous forests while also making a priority of access and accommodation, with hotel rooms for around 20,000 visitors in the vicinity. The days of getting away from it all may be gone—it’s no longer permissible to go backcountry camping, leaving regulated day visits the only legal option—but you can still get away from most of it, and there are few places on earth as stunningly beautiful as this.

A couple of wrenching hours on the mountain highway from Songpan, Jiuzhaigou is “doable” in a long day, though you’ll miss a lot on a quick guided tour. If you can manage a weekend or more, it’s nice—if not particularly cheap—to stay in one of the numerous hotels that have sprung up outside the park boundaries.

Budget options are somewhat limited, as the humble “Valley of the Nine Villages” (the rough translation of “Jiuzhaigou”) has become a high-end destination for China’s burgeoning leisure class as well as growing numbers of foreign travelers. Be sure to book ahead in July and August when the high season peaks. Check out our Jiuzhaigou hotels and Jiuzhaigou transportation pages for details on where to stay how to get around. 
 

Park entrance fees include bus tickets, which are a must for day-trippers trying to squeeze as much as possible into a limited time. It’s common practice to take a bus from the entrance gate to Long Lake and work your way down. You’ll be going against heavy foot traffic if you choose to start at the bottom and work your way up. A bus change is required at Nuorilang, which involves a lengthy line wait—a good time to apply liberal amounts of sunscreen. Buses go towards Long Lake or the Primeval Forest leave frequently from Nuorilang. There are also restroom facilities and an overpriced restaurant at this half-way point.

Section. 1 History

Jiuzhaigou, the “Valley of the Nine Villages” (Sicadegu in Tibetan), earns its name from the Tibetan settlements that for centuries were the only significant human presence this once-remote region. The Tibetans long shared the valley with small groups of Qiang, one of the PRC’s 56 officially recognized ethnic minorities, but little trace of the Qiang remains in Jiuzhaigou today. 

The valley remained in isolation until the early 1970s, when its rich forests began to attract loggers. Fortunately for today’s visitors, logging stopped in 1979. In 1982, the government declared the area a national park, and by 1984 planning was underway to develop it as a tourist destination. In 1992, UNESCO named Jiuzhaigou a World Heritage Site and, in 1997, a World Biosphere Reserve. Today, the park is carefully protected, with all major tourist infrastructure and development being relegated to Nuorilang, Zhangzha, Jiuzhaigou Town and other settlements outside the protected zone.

Today’s indigenous inhabitants, the Tibetans of the original “Nine Villages,” are forbidden to pursue agriculture or animal husbandry within the park and, as a result, make their livings in the tourist trade. You can view the remaining settlements of Heye, Shuzheng, Zechawa, Rexi and Heijiao, but you should remember that these are long-standing living communities, not simply tourist attractions featuring “exotic” Tibetans, and you should respect them as such. However, the locals are often more than indulgant of tourist wishes; Shuzheng is a particularly popular place to don Tibetan clothing and get pictures taken.

Jiuzhaigou has proven incredibly appealing to tourists, drawing over 7,000 visitors a day on average, and well over 10,000 a day during the high season. Along with nearby Huanglong Park, it has become one of China’s top natural attractions. 
 

Section. 2 Climate

Despite Jiuzhaigou’s considerable altitude—ranging from 2,000 meters (6,561 feet) to about 4,300 meters (14,107 feet) above sea level—it enjoys a relatively temperate climate, with plenty of sunshine, a cool summer, and a moderate winter (as long as you stick to the lower reaches of the valley).

Fall—September into late November—is a wonderful time to visit, as forest leaves turn red and gold and light snows begin to dust the mountains. The cooler temperatures also discourage large crowds, though the October 1 National Holiday “Golden Week” is a popular time to visit for the foliage. July and August are peak season.

The town of Nuorilang, at 2,400 meters above sea level, enjoys a mean July temperature of 16.9° C (62.4° F); in January, the mean drops to a chilly but bearable -10° C (14° F). Precipitation varies with altitude and season. The cloud forest zone (2,700-3,500 meters above sea level) is, predictably, damp year round. 

Between May and October, 80% of the regions overall annual total average of 761 mm (30 inches) falls, thanks to the Southeast Asian monsoon season. Snow begins to fall in October and usually carries through to April.

As with all high-altitude destinations, layers of warm clothing and sun protection are keys, and remember to drink plenty of water.

Spot 1: Haikou    Haikou is really kind of a dump. I went there on my way to Sanya because I got a really sweet a…

             Once dubbed “the Gate of Hell” by a former Tang dynasty prime minister exiled to the island, most travelers now head to Hainan for Sanya’s beaches, seafood, swimming and luxury hotels. This former gate o’ hell has been dubbed “the Hawaii of China”. For China’s city dwellers, Hainan provides a 300 km spread of beaches, mountain scenery and the ultimate short-escape destination as its easy-acces airport make it convenient as a weekend getaway.

Hainan Island (Hainan Dao) perched off the mainland in the South China Sea, is famous for having the best beaches in China, palm trees and clear water for swimming and body boarding. The island was once a place of exile for disgraced officials, now the island is mainly a hotspot of tourism. That being said, travelers rave about the quiet beaches and laid back atmosphere. Between March and November are ideal times to visit to get hotel discounts and beat the tourist rush. Hainan’s main popularity is as a winter vacation destination due to its frequent typhoons in summer.

Made up of the largest island in China, a few small islands and over 200 mini islands, Hainan is China’s southernmost and smallest province and has one of the smallest provincial populations which lends to the relaxed beachy atmosphere.

While the beach is the obvious main draw, the island also offers some excellent and challenging hiking through dense tropical forests. The island is large and there is a lot of unexplored territory, so don’t just stick to a couple kilometers of sandy beach.

While the capital is the port town of Haikou which organizes commerce with the mainland, it is mainly a transit point to get to the beach capital, Sanya, is far more well-known for it’s beautiful Yalong Bay. While not much is going on in Sanya city, the southeast beaches are where it’s at.

Haikou has a certain rundown colonial quaintness with its palm-tree lined Sino-Portuguese architecture mainly clustered around Xinhua Lu and a few temples and historical buildings

Travelling south along Hainan’s east coast from Haikou to Sanya, you pass through Wenchang, Qionghai, Wanning, and Lingshui. This area, known as the Typhoon Corridor, gets an abundant amount of rainfall that bathes Hainan’s east coast in tropical greenery. The east coast of Hainan boasts hot springs, beautiful beaches, coconut plantations and nature parks. Adventurous travelers take advantage of Sanya’s body-surfing, hiking the island’s highest mountain Wuzhi Shan, visiting Monkey Island, the waterfall at Baihua Shan, driving through a Miao village on the back of a motorbike or a visit to a coffee plantation in Xinglong.

Whatever you choose for your Hainan itinerary, be sure to try some of the island’s famous dishes: Wenchang chicken, roasted duck, mountain goat, juicy crab and wash it sucking through a straw of a headless green coconut and dessert on fresh-picked mangoes, bananas and sugar cane.

In Chinese tale, Emei shan is a woman Moutain.  Emei ShanThe mist-shrouded peaks, forested slopes, Buddhist temples, well-worn paths and winding stone stairs of Emei Shan (Mount Emei) have drawn countless pilgrims over the centuries. Today, it is one of Sichuan’s most popular tourist destinations. Though huge crowds converge on Emei Shan during peak seasons, you can still find plenty of secluded spots on this vast mountain if you’re willing to hike a bit off from the main attractions. Whether you walk and climb all the way or take shortcuts via bus and cable car, Emei Shan offers splendid views of rugged mountains, classical Chinese temple architecture (with some Tibetan characteristics) and insight into Chinese religion, aesthetics and their relationship to the nation’s sublime natural landscapes.

Keep an eye out for representations of the six-tusked elephant who symbolizes the Bodhisattva Puxian. Also watch out for pesky monkeys looking to snack on whatever food you might have with you (if held up at a monkey checkpoint, show your hands, palms up and empty, and don’t let them intimidate you). The mountain is huge—its long profile seen from a distance gives it its name, which translates to “Eyebrow Mountain” (one belonging to a beautiful woman, of course)—and you can easily spend two or three days trekking about, sleeping in temple guest houses and exploring sites natural and man-made. Sunrise from Jinding (the Golden Summit) can be exquisite. If you’re lucky, you might catch sight of “Buddha’s Halo,” a phenomonon in which your shadow, cast against clouds beneath the peak, takes on a rainbow aura. 

For more on individual Emei Shan attractions, from Baoguo Temple to Wanfoding (Thousand Buddha Summit), visit our Emei Shan Attractions page.
 

History

Emei Shan’s sublime beauty makes it rather apparent why it’s sacred to Buddhists. It’s not just Buddhists, either—before the Bodhisattva Puxian arrived on his trusty six-tusked elephant in the 6th century, the mountain was primarily a Taoist retreat. 

Many claim that China’s first Buddhist temple was built on the mountain in the first century BC. It remained a spiritual sanctuary for both religions until, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1634 AD), the mountain experienced a temple-building boom along with the conversion of almost all religious sites to Buddhism. 

Given its remoteness and rugged landscape, Emei Shan remained relatively unchanged through the 19th century. By the mid-twentieth century, fires, the war against the Japanese and the destructive excesses of the Cultural Revolution left many of the temples and monasteries worse for the wear, but many have been renovated or rebuilt in recent years.
 

Climate

Thanks to its unique microclimates, the mountain is home to a rich diversity of plant and animal life. From its subtropical lower reaches to its sub-alpine peaks, Emei Shan is well watered, making it lush in spring and summer, gracing it with colorful foliage in the fall and mantling it in snow in winter. The mountain’s peaks average 15ºC cooler than the surrounding countryside, making it a pleasant escape from Sichuan’s scorching summers but freezing cold in the depths of winter. 

The most popular period to visit runs between May and October, with national holidays bringing the tour-bus crowds. Winter can be a wonderful time to visit too—you’ll have much of the mountain to yourself, the skies are clearer and the views jaw-dropping—but you must be prepared for alpine winter conditions.

Precipitation is a constant. You can expect at least a little rain or snow if you’re on the mountain for a day or two, depending on the season, so pack and dress accordingly. Parkas are useful, as are umbrellas, especially fixed-length ones that can double as walking sticks to steady you on often-slippery trails and stairs. Good shoes or boots with heavy, treaded soles are recommended, especially if you tackle the mountain in winter, when you’re also advised to strap on some cleats for extra traction (you can rent them at various spots along the way or in Emei Town, where you’ll likely start out). 

Also recommended is a good flashlight (torch), just in case you find yourself out on the trail at dusk surrounded by hungry monkeys (seriously… and a walking stick might help, too, as the monkeys can get a bit pushy).

Leshan’s claim to fame is Dafo, or the Grand Buddha, carved from the red-rock cliff face overlooking the confluence of the Min, Qingyi and Dadu Rivers. Dafo is the world’s largest Buddha, measuring 71 meters (233 feet) in height. A number of temples are scattered along the cliffs surrounding the Buddha, and one can spend several hours exploring the area. Stairs carved into the cliff connect the area at his feet with the land above, allowing visitors to view this astonishing sight from a range of vantage points. River approaches made by boat are also popular, and most take a ferry across from Leshan to reach the Buddha.

Above Dafo, on Wuyou Shan (Wuyou Mountain), Wuyou Si (Wuyou Temple), founded in 742 AD is a worthy destination in and of itself. Featuring impressive sculptures illustrating scenes from the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West, the temple provides an excellent contrast with the monolithic mass of Dafo. Additional attractions in the immediate area include ancient Han tombs, scenic Lingyun Shan and the Lingyun Temple Museum (see Leshan Attractions for more).

The modest city of Leshan itself doesn’t offer much in the way of additional attractions, though it is convenient to nearby Emei Shan via bus. The station, on the north side of town about 5 km from the city’s heart opposite the Dafu on the banks of the Min and Dadu Rivers, also connects directly to Chengdu, Xichang and Chongqing, among other destinations. If you’re planning on exploring the surrounding countryside, Leshan is the place to make sure you have cash (the Bank of China branch should serve your needs) and perhaps spend a night en route to elsewhere.
 

Section. 1 History

The intersection of two regional rivers, the Dadu and Min, has long made the site of today’s Leshan important. It was boat traffic that led to the creation of the giant Buddha Dafo—swirling waters at the base of the cliff where the rivers meet were a major hazard to boats and, therefore, a hindrance to commerce and trade. This unhappy situation persisted until 713 AD, when a monk named Haitong decided that a massive religious/engineering project was necessary: An enormous Buddha watching over the rivers would provide divine protection on one hand, and the dumping into the water of the massive amount of rock removed from the cliff would alter the turbulent flow of the rivers, making passage safer for Sichuan boatmen.

This marriage of practicality and spirituality worked beautifully, though Haitong did not live to see the final realization of his dream. One story has it that, when corrupt officials attempted to redirect funds meant for the Buddha project, Haitong tore out his own eyes in protest, freaking the officials out to the point that they let the monk have his way, and his money. Whether Haitong tore his own eyes out or not, he passed away nearly a century before the Buddha was completed by his successors.

Today, the popularity of Emei Shan has helped ensure a steady stream of tourists coming to see Dafo. The hope is that the combination of heavy tourist traffic, natural erosion and damage from acid rain and other atmospheric pollution won’t cause irreversible damage to this ancient wonder. The builders took erosion into account, building an ingenious system of drainage channels into the sculpture, but they did not anticipate coal-fired power plants or group package tours. The Buddha, who has undergone waves of restoration and preservation projects since the 1960s, remains in amazing shape for all of his years and, with further care, promises to continue his vigil over the waters of the Dadu and Min for many more.
 

Section. 2 Climate

Situated in the southwestern Sichuan Basin, Leshan’s climate is relatively moderate for the area, with mild winters and fairly cool summers. Spring and fall see significant rain.