2011 - China Part 1 - Sichuan Province

Backpacking Adventure

26 days through 6 provinces in China
Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangxi
and 3 days in Hanoi, North Vietnam
29th Mar <> 26th Apr 2011

(L-R) Lee Kam Boon, Ching Neng Bin, Chew Leng Soon, Chan Meng Fye @ Leshan

(L-R) Ching Neng Bin, Chew Leng Soon, Chan Meng Fye, Lee Kam Boon @ Emeishan

Day 01 (29.03.2011) Malaysia > Chengdu (13c – 19c)

"Ni hao" Greeting from China. Departing LCCT at 1.30pm, four of us so called ‘early birds’ arrived at Chengdu airport at 6pm. We took a van for Y60 to the city and stayed at Xinyuan Hotel which is located in the centre of the city.

We got a local travel agency to arrange a 2 day tour to Leshan and Emeishan for Y650 – inclusive of all expenses (one night hotel, food, entrance fee, transport and tour guide). At night we walked around town and had dinner at a restaurant – Y240 for 4pax (crab & prawn porridge with mushroom, fish intestine, roast duck, mixed vegetable, clay port seafood, and fried spring-roll.

Stayed at Xinyuan Hotel – Y80 a room with breakfast

a very modern Chengdu commercial centre along Chunxi Lu Strreet

If New York has Times Square, Chengdu has Chunxi Lu. It has several hundred stores and is surrounded by several large malls selling everything from very basic items to luxury goods. You must really see this shopping street at night when it is brought to life by thousands of lights, music and giant television screens.

beautiful copper tooling art on the Chunxi Street walkway

Day 02 (30.03.2011) Chengdu > Leshan > Emei City

Woke up at 5.15am and had own breakfast in the room. Bus pickup at 6.40 am for a 2 hours’ drive to Leshan to visit the Leshan Grand Buddha. Entrance fee is Y90. Leshan's pride is the serene Grand Buddha carved into a cliff face overlooking the confluence of Dadu River and Min River. The other sight was the Oriental Buddha Park (required a separate Y50 ticket). It has 3000 Buddha statues and figurines including a 170m long reclining Buddha, said to be the world’s longest. We visited the Ebony Museum on the way to Emei City and later checked in to hotel for dinner at 6pm.

vegetables drying on the road - very unhygienic

giant writing on the cliff wall beside Leshan Giant Buddha

a Chinese temple

walking down the cliff-face of the Giant Buddha

a view of Leshan City from the cliff-wall

a Buddhist monk called Haitong started it in AD713 - took 90 years to complete

at 71m tall, his ears stretch for 7m, his shoulder span 28m

each of the big toe is 8.5m long

ancient tea houses

the Oriental Buddha Park has a collection of 3000 Buddha images

the 170m-long reclining Buddha is on the hill behind the bridge

we exit from this entrance

Ebony Museum - not allowed to take photos inside

Ebony Museum is well worth a visit if you are not familiar with ebony
and the amazing carvings that can be made from it.

Day 03 (31.03.2011) Emei City > EmeiShan > Chengdu

After breakfast at 6am, the bus picked us up at 7am to the Emei Shan main entrance. Entrance ticket at Y150. Here the park-bus took us up the mountain on a winding 70km road. We could see the gorges and some snow on the ground. As we went higher up we could see more snow.

On arrival at the Leidongping Bus station (2,430m), we all had to buy the snow sock or spike (Y15) to put on our shoes to prevent skidding on ice. We had to walk 15 minutes up the steps to the cable car station at Jieyin Hall. Walking up the steps, we saw some monkeys receiving food from tourist. We were at the cable car station at 9am and a 5 minutes cable car (Y65) ride took us to the peak at 3,079m. Here at the Golden Summit (Jinding) temple, we were amazed by the magnificent 4 face Puxian Buddha statute sitting on 4 elephants. From here we could also see the other peaks. We spent about 45 minutes here and took the cable car (Y55) back to Leidongping Bus station (2430m). We had lunch at a village on our way down the mountain.

The bus then took us to Wannian Bus Station. Here you can either hike or take the cable car (Y40) up to Wannian Temple (1,020m). The entrance fee is Y120. However, we hiked up for about 30minutes to reach Wannian Temple.

The returned journey was hiking down through the White Dragon Cave, Qingyin Pavilion and Niuxin Pavilion before reaching Wuxiangang Bus Station. The tourist bus took us back to Xinyuan Hotel in Chengdu city reaching at 9pm.

Sleeping at Xinyuan Hotel – Y100 a room for two with breakfast.

at the Emei Shan main entrance

snow-sock and spike on our shoes for walking on ice

naughty macaque monkeys are very accustomed to tourists

view of the the winding road from Jinyin Palace

view from cable car

a view of the Sheshen Cliff and the summit from Woyun cable car station

the Golden Summit peak at 3,079m

the Golden Summit Temples

at the entrance to Wannian Temple

start of the climb up to Wannian Temple

Mr Lee with a Tibetan monk

Wannian Temple at 1,020m - reconstructed in the 9th century, it is the oldest remaining Emei temple. It's dedicated to the man on the white elephant, the Bodhisattva Puxian, who is the protector of the mountain. This 8.5m high statue cast in copper and bronze dates from AD980 and weighs an estimated 62,000 kg.

a cup of snake wine at the tea shop

Qingyin Pavilion temple on the mountain slope 710m

dried up lake and river during the dry season

at the Wuxiangang Bus Station to get back to Chengdu

Day 04 (01.04.2011) Chengdu (14c – 22c)

After breakfast we explored the city-square and later check-out of the current hotel and walked 20 minutes to Traffic Inn where we stayed. Here we waited for the other 5 members (regular birds) to join us. It was also our rest day in Chengdu. The 5 members from Malaysia arrived at 11pm. Stayed at Traffic Inn Hostel – Y90 a room for 2.

friendly staff of Traffic Inn, No.6 Lin Jiang Zhong Lu, Jing Jiang District, Chengdu

Alex in black jacket, another friendly staff of Traffic Inn

Day 05 (02.04.2011) Chengdu (14c – 22c)

Breakfast at the Inn was Y5. Ms. Shannon a Traffic Inn staff took us for a walking city tour. We first walked out to the main road and then took bus No.43 (Y2) to Chengdu People’s Park. We visited the famous Small Alley and had lunch at the Big Alley. We then walked to Mao Statue, Tian Fu Square and later walked straight back to Traffic Inn Hostel. Bernard and See did not go for the walk as they had to buy our train tickets for Chongqing. Ms. Gan the late bird arrived at 2.30pm from Malaysia that makes a total of 10 of us.

We had a very good dinner at the same Cantonese restaurant we ate last year. We then walked to Jinli Ancient Street. Stayed at Traffic Inn Hostel – Y90 a room for 2

at the entrance of the People's Park

It was filled with locals dancing, singing, strolling and also practicing taichi.
There are numerous tea-houses of ancient architecture.

a red cherry blossom plant all over in the garden

entrance to Big and Small Alley - souvenir hunting
in restored street and a taste of old Chengdu

Chairman Mao statue

the 4 musketeers - Ching, Chew, Chan, Lee at Tianfu Square

Tianfu Square is just opposite of Chairman Mao statue.
Shopping and subway system is located directly under the square

Nanhe River runs through Chengdu

we had very good dinner at this same Cantonese restaurant we ate in 2010

after dinner, walked towards Jinlin Ancient Street passing by this eating square

Jinli Street is another ancient street a good place to go and take pictures, try some unusual snacks, buy souvenirs and enjoy the environment. It has night-time bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Next to Jinli Street is the Wuhou Temple.

this guy selling tickets at the face changing theatre - it's a Sichuan art!

a ship turned into a restaurant on our way back to Traffic Inn

Air-Asia : KL - Chengdu is RM304-00

5 days total expenses in China is RM665 per person

Please take note of this while traveling in China:

1. To wear face mask in China as it is very dusty and smoky.
2. Never ever pay any hotel booking deposit through a 3rd party.
3. Never ever accept any deal as proposed by tout or individual acting as agent of hotel or travel agency at airport, bus or train stations and along the road. Always go to a reputable travel agency or in hotel.

continue in part 2