Green--Bashang Grassland: Beyond the Horizon(1)

Bashang

Where:

     The first recommendation is Fengning Bashang Grassland in Chengde, Hebei Province. Located about 240km north of Beijing, Bashang Grassland is the nearest prairie destination to the capital, Beijing. If leaving from any Major city, it's very convenient to get to Bashang, either by train, by car, or by coach, and the grassland is completely free and open all day. It's not totally a off-beat trip but it's less crowded compared to Hulunbuir Grassland. There are many side trips you can do while you travel in Chengde, like the Summer Resort, and Small Potala Palace, a mini-replica of Lhasa's Potala Palace. The entrace fee is less than $20 for each.



Chengde is very close to Bejing

What to see:

     It's geographical position at the junction of the Northern China Plain and the Inner Mongolia Plateau makes Bashang a vast plateau with cool weather in the summer. If you want to escape from the steaming weather and avoid the crowded tourist sites, Bashang is a perfect summer resort. It's an ideal site to escape the hustle and bustle in city life and enjoy the peace and tranquility.
     My mom took me there in the summer when I was 13. We took a slow train and spent the night sleeping on the train. Then we took a shuttle bus next morning to Bashang Grassland. Before I even opened my eyes when I got off the bus, the first thing I noticed was the pleasant smell of the grassland, of the soil, of the nature. I kept my eyes closed. A gentle breeze brushed against my face, with mixed flavour of the wild flowers and roast sheep. I felt like the breeze blew away all my worries and eased my heart. Opening my eyes, I was stunned by the openness of the grassland. It's beyond my words to describe. I can only show you in the pictures. The grassland has stretched beyond the horizon and you heart will suddenly open up, just like the open plateau.



Bashang in summer



     Local nomadic people will graze their horses, cows, and sheep on the grassland and let them wander. Although the livestock are bred in the wild, they are mostly harmless and tame if you don't offend them. There will always be some people watching over the animals. Here you see truly grazed cows and sheep. If you ever see the Emmy Award-winning movie Food Inc. which examines the industrial production of meat, the livestock in Bashang are living in the heaven compared to the poor chickens and cows in the movie who are compacted in tiny spaces so that the factory can squeeze as many animals as possible.          Even in the winter time Bashang was still beautiful with the ice coating, but the wind breeze might be chilly and unpleasant. The best time to travel to Bashang is still in the summer, especially late July to August.




Bashang in winter

White--Yulong Snow Mountain: Emrbace the Sky(2)

  Yulong Snow Mountain

Activities:

     Once inside, there are three cable cars to different destinations on the mountain. The most popular stop, and the highlight of the mountain, is the Glacier Park with an elevation of 4506m ($25). You can enjoy the spectacular views of the glaciers around and the Lijiang countryside below. Or you can trek a bit further up the mountain. The highest Fan Peak seems so close and so attainable that you have an impulsive to conquer the peak, but it's not open to tourists for safety reasons.

View from the glacier park



Surrounding Glaciers

    The other two cables will take you to Spruce Meadow ($12) and Yak Meadow ($14). If you only plan to spend one day in Jade Dragon, I suggest you only visit the Glacier Park.

     Or you could choose to ride a horse to go up. It's $5 round trip to Spruce Meadow (3240m) and it takes about an hour. But I don't suggest riding a horse. You have to get high to enjoy the  beauty of the nature.

     There is a show in the mountain, "Impressive Lijiang" for $35. Although it’s a little pricey, but it's a very memorable experience. With the Snow Mountain as a backdrop, Impressive Lijiang is an outdoor musical show with lots of singing and dancing. I watched Impressive Lijiang in Jade Dragon and Mountains River show in Lijiang. Impressive Ljiang is definitely the one worth watching. There is no point of watching other shows offered at other tour site in Yunnan. As the name indicates, the show is very impressive. I can't find the video I took, so I found a link online and you can get an idea what it's like.

     For skiers, Dragon Snow Ski Resort has long been famous for its pure, unspoiled, natural snow resulting from its high altitude. The Ski Resort is around 4500-4700m above sea level and is covered with snow all year around. Beside its picturesque scenery, you can enjoy a bird's-eye view of the alpine lakes, rivers, grasslands below and all types of modern glaciers scattering around. You can take a cable car to the ski resort.


View from the skiing resort

      I have a map with the major worth-seeing sites. You can plan your own trip but I labeled the best route in the nmerical order.

Map of Jade Dragon

No.1 Dry Sea Meadow (Ganhaizi)
No.2 White River
No.3 Impressive Lijiang
No.4 Glacier Park
No.5 Serac Foret (Bing Talin)
No.6 Spruce Meadow
No.7 Blue Moon Valley

Where to Stay & Food:

     There is no special food or place to stay in the snow mountain. It's just an half-hour drive from downtown Lijiang, so I will write about food and hotels in the Ancient Lijiang Village section.

 

White--Yulong Snow Mountain: Embrace the Sky(1)

 

  Yulong Snow Mountain

Where:

     Located in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, Yulong Snow Mountain is the southernmost glacier in the northern hemisphere. If translated word by word from Chinese, the mountain has a very pretty name, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Looking from the ancient village Lijiang, the snow-covered and fog-wreathed mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence comes the name, Jade Dragon.

    The mountain is just a half-hour drive from the Ancient Lijiang village, or you can take a shuttle bus leaving from downtown Lijiang for less than $3. The admission fee is $30, including a $15 protection fare. 

Map of China

Map of Yunnan

     Yunnan is China's most diverse province, biologically as well as culturally. 26 ethnic groups live in this province and among the 25 minorities, 15 are exclusive to Yunnan. The different ethnic groups and their fascinating customs make Yunnan a great place to trace back the ancient history of China and explore in depth the remarkable culture diversity. For example, you can go to Lijiang to experience Mosuo’s “mobile marriage” and their matriarchal society.

     There are 18 odds about Yunnan, many of which are quite funny. You can read about it and I will explain further in detail when I write about different tour sites in Yunnan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighteen_Oddities_of_Yunnan

     You could literally spend a whole week in Yunnan. There's no side trip. Every tour site is a major attraction. I will introduce the snow mountain first in this post, and you can continue to follow me on this journey to explore this mysterious province.

What to see:

      Jade Dragon is best known for its unparalleled scenic snow landscape. There is a story behind that mysterious and beautiful place. Once upon a time, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain were twin brothers. They had lived happily on Golden Sand River until one day an evil fiend usurped the river. The brave brothers had a fierce fight with the fiend. Unfortunately Haba died in the fight and Jade Dragon drove off the fiend after using up 13 swords. To guard the people and prevent the fiend from returning, Jade Dragon held the 13 swords in hands day and night. As time passed, the brothers had turned into the two snow mountains, and the 13 swords had become the 13 peaks of Jade Dragon. The mountain is a holy place for the local Naxi people not only because of the legend, but also because long time ago, it was a place for young lovers to sacrifice their lives to honor true love and escape the arranged marriages and feudal ethics.



A pavilion along the path



      All of the 13 peaks attain an altitude of over 5000m, with the summit peak, Fan Peak, 5596m above sea level. I travelled there in winter and it was a little cold on the mountain. I advise you to bring a coat if you are planning to go to the top. Although many people don't actually need oxygen tanks, many still prefer to bring one as a placebo. If you are afraid that you will have altitude sickness, you’d better buy a portable oxygen tank at the foot of the mountain or in downtown Lijiang. It’s typically $7/tank. There are people selling tanks all the way along the path. But they won’t cut their price down and they know that you will pay whatever they ask if you really need it. If you have serious altitude sickness, I suggest you take the medicine rhodiola root (Hongjingtian) before you leave. It’s $8/box.

     Although I didn't get to go the peak, the scene along the way was remarkably beautiful. Standing on the mountain, I looked up to the sky. The azure sky was so pure and crystal that I felt I could purge my soul by simply looking at it. Everything around you was all white, which gives you a feeling of sanctity. The sky seemed so close to me and I could not helping myself stretching out my arms and embracing the sky.



Embrace the Sky

     Because of its high altitude, Jade Dragon combines the stunning scenic beauty from subtropical zone, temperate zone, and the Arctic zone. Climbing up the mountain, you could experience all 4 season in one day. The best time to travel is March-late June. You could enjoy the beautiful meadow covered with blooming flowers and avoid the rain season (June-late August).

      There is a meadow 3000m above the sea level in the mountain called Dry Sea Meadow (Ganhaizi). Surrounded on all three sides by the superb mountains, Dry Sea is the closest and also the best place to get a panorama of Jade Dragon. Many minority villages are built here and the establishments are self-contained. Tourists can enjoy many activities here, like skiing, grass-sliding, gliding, and racehorse…etc. Dry Sea is also a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants, like snow lotus, spruce, yaks…etc.



Blooming flowers



A yak in the meadow



Green--Bashang Grassland: Beyond the Horizon(2)

Bashang

Where to stay:

     Hotels are everywhere. If in Bashang, you should definitely stay in the local feature dwelling--Mongolian yurt. It's a wood-framed mobile house used by the nomads. It's designed to be easily dismantled and carried by camels. The complete construction only takes two hours. But now people build commercial yurts at Bashang for tourists to stay. They are a lot bigger and stronger. I stayed in the yurt for one night and it was like a regular hotel room, except the strangely shaped ceiling. It's the same price as regular hotels ($25-30), and if you don't mind, you can share a yurt with other people (there is a wall in the middle but not all the way to the top). It can get very cool even in summer. So bring a thin coat with you. There are also yurt restaurants. Now you can imagine how big it is.



Mongolian Yurt hotels

 

Inside of the yurt



     Late July to August is the busiest time for Bashang. There is a campfire party basically every night. People sing, and dance, and drink. There is no age limit for drinking in China, so have fun with that. And of course there are lots of delicious food. There is no social barrier at Bashang. People are known for their simplicity and hospitality. They welcome every visitor and bring out the best food.

People dancing at the campfire party

Food:

     Food is a very important aspect of the Mongolian life. People at Bashang are heavy in diary and meat, especially beef and lamb. The most famous food of Bashang is the roast whole lamb. People used to save the little lamb for the most honored guests. The cook will skewer the lamb after they clean the inside. The seasoning is mixed ahead of the time, containing oil, sesame paste, salt, pepper, and many other seasoning. When the outside meat is ready, people will slice the outside layer. Layer by layer, the lamb is finished and only the bones are left. Don't waste those bones. You can ask the cook to make bone soup while you enjoy a cool drink. The soup is very delicious because of all the seasoning left on the bones. And it's very nutritious, high Calcium, high protein.

     Lamb kebab is also a local special. People skewer small cubes of soft lamb and roast them. It's very delicious relatively cheap.



Roast Whole Lamb

Lamb Kebab

Tips for Travelling in China

For readers:

• Are you travelling on a budget?
• Do you enjoy scenic natural wonders?
• Do you enjoy companies and making friends?
• Are you willing to try local food?

     If all are yes, this is the place for you!

     For young travellers who want to explore China as much as possible on a limited budget, I recommend the following tourist resorts in my blog. Those sites cover many different types of tourist attractions, including grasslands, ancient villages, snowy mountains, and seascapes, etc. Many of the places have both stunning natural scenery and a relatively busy downtown area where you can buy necessities and have fun. So don't worry about ending up in the middle of nowhere.

     But before everything starts, I want to give you some suggestions about travelling in China.

Travel Options:

• Indenpendent Travel:

     Good:

     You can design your own itinerary. You can get up whenever you want and go wherever you want to go. You don't have to wait for others in your group. Basically you are travelling with a free spirit.

     Bad:

     You have to do a comprehensive research before you go, including where to stay, where to go, what to eat, where to shop..etc. When you don't know the place very well and it's not a very popular site, it's very hard to judge whether the information is accurate or it's just a sale advertisement.

• Travel Agency:

     Good:

     The agency will arrange everything for you, including a pre-designed itinerary that packs major tourist sites, feature activities, places to stay...etc. Some meals are included but you also have the choice to try local food on your own. Transportation is included, mostly by bus if it's under 6 hours, but depending on the places you travel, trains are also very common.

     There are many itineraries available and it can be very flexible. You simply look for the one that includes the places you want to go and search for the right trip length and price.

     Depending on the service you choose, you can have the assembly place in your city. Kind of like a teacher taking students on a school trip, students will meet in school and the teacher will take the students to the trip. People from your city will meet in the assembly place and the group will go the destination together. Or you can a regional guide or a ground guide who meets you at the train station or airport or bus station and takes you to the hotel. You are responsible for the transportation to the travel site place. The ground tour guide will take everyone in the hotel and start the tour as soon as possible but no later than the next day.

     Bad:

     If your own group doesn't have enough people for the agency to start the trip, most likely you will be combined with strangers. You can't predict what team members you will get. They could be annoying. Sometimes when you finish the tour at one site, you have to wait for others who linger for an extra 15 min just to take a photo or buy a souvenir.

     Most tours are very exhausting. The agency will try to pack as many sties as possible into the itinerary. You don't have much time on your own outside the schedule. But you can always skip a site you don't want to go and stay in the hotel.

     The agency guarantees the hotel star level and meals, but sometimes they are not as good as you expected. Even the tour guide sometimes say: "We don't guarantee the quality of the meal, but we definitely guarantee the quantity of it. So eat your fill."

     Economic tour itineraries will have shopping places built in. I guarantee that the sale market has business partnership with the travel agency and the agency get a certain percent of the sale profit. That's the reason why the tour guide will strongly persuade you to buy souvenirs. Don't get into the trap. The sellers know that you won't come back just for a souvenir, so it's hard to guarantee the quality.



Lunch with other tour groups

• Recommendation:

     It would be the best if you have enough people (4-8,depending on the travel) so you can start a tour on your own. I experienced many travel agencies personally and I recommend the following ones. They are very credible and they will try to meet the customers' need. All of them have tour guide that speaks fluent English or other foreign languages. I strongly recommend ground guides. They only charge service fees, and it's pretty cheap if group members are sharing the cost. You can arrive the city and explore around on your own for one day or two before you start your tour. When you design your own tour with them, you can skip the shopping places and ask them to take you to a legitimate mall.

http://kanghuitravel.com/

http://www.cytsonline.com/

http://www.cits.net/

http://www.chinatravelsolution.com/



Typical Chinese Tour guide