Shimian is back, things you must know.

🌄 In the hustle and bustle of life, we always yearn for a spontaneous trip to encounter different scenery and experience unique local customs. Today, let's explore Shimian and embark on an extraordinary journey! 🎨 Impression of Shimian: Shimian, a small town located in Ya'an, Sichuan, is like a dazzling pearl hidden in the western Sichuan land, exuding a unique charm. Here, you can find magnificent natural landscapes, profound historical and cultural heritage, and mouth-watering delicacies, each place intoxicatingly beautiful. 🗺️ Travel itinerary: Day 1: Chengdu - Menghuo City - Shimian County Morning: Depart from Chengdu and drive to Menghuo City to start a romantic date with nature. Afternoon: After sightseeing, head to Shimian County to taste local specialties and feel the small town’s lively atmosphere. Day 2: Shimian - Wanggangping - Shimian Morning: Go to Wanggangping Scenic Area, take the cable car up the mountain, and encounter breathtaking views. Afternoon: Enjoy the scenic area fully, then return to Shimian County for rest in the evening. Day 3: Shimian - Anshunchang - Chuan Mining Memory - Chengdu Morning: Visit Anshunchang to trace the red revolutionary footprints and appreciate the revolutionary spirit. Afternoon: Tour Chuan Mining Memory to learn about Shimian’s mining culture, then return to Chengdu. 🌟 Must-visit attractions: 1. Menghuo City: The place where Zhuge Liang captured Menghuo seven times during the Three Kingdoms period, with an average altitude of about 2600 meters. Vast alpine meadows under blue skies and white clouds seem to stretch to the horizon, with rolling mountains in the distance and magnificent scenery. There are also Red Stone Beach, Beacon Tower, Moon Lake, and other spots perfect for photography 📸. Travel tips: You can take the sightseeing bus in the park; note the last bus is at 17:30. Horse riding enthusiasts should not miss Renran Horse Ranch, galloping freely on the meadows and feeling the joy of freedom. 2. Wanggangping: One of the closest natural viewing points to Mount Gongga, with an altitude ranging from 1100 to 3600 meters, offering rich natural landscapes. You can enjoy the golden sunlight on the mountain, cloud waterfalls, sea of clouds, and vast starry skies. It is known as "a snowy mountain feast under the starry sky, a holiday paradise above the clouds." Travel tips: Take the cable car up the mountain, about 10 minutes, enjoying the snowy mountain views all the way. Once on the mountain, visit Eden Pasture, feeling like you are in Xinjiang, with vast lawns and cattle and sheep forming a beautiful picture. 3. Anshunchang: A famous historical and cultural town in China, featuring reconstructed ancient-style buildings. You can also visit the Memorial Hall of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army’s heroic crossing of the Dadu River, feeling the bravery and fearlessness of the Red Army and inheriting the red gene. 4. Chuan Mining Memory: Bearing Shimian’s mining history, the former Chuan Mining site has been transformed into a historic-themed scenic area. Here you can see old factory buildings, mining equipment, and feel the changes of time and industrial development, perfect for photo ops with a high chance of great shots. 5. Tianwan River: Originating from the southern slope of Mount Gongga, the scenic area extends along the river, with more than ten peaks over 5000 meters high covered with snow all year round. The mountains are high and the waters swift, snow peaks sparkling, lakes clear as mirrors, cliffs towering into the clouds, strange trees hanging in the air, and bizarre rocks standing. In autumn, Tianwan River looks like a painter spilled a palette, with colorful forests covering the hillsides, breathtakingly beautiful. 6. Cigeda Haizi: Hidden deep in the mountains of Xinmin Tibetan and Yi Ethnic Township, Shimian County, it is the largest high-altitude freshwater lake in Sichuan Province. Surrounded by green mountains, the lake surface glistens like a pearl embedded in the mountains, peaceful and serene. There is also a transparent glass church here; you can row a boat on the lake to the church and enjoy floating island afternoon tea, very relaxing. 7. Xieluobaozi: A Tibetan village founded in the late Qing Dynasty, located between high mountains and valleys, with stone and wood watchtowers and houses clustered together. The residents belong to the Ersu Tibetan ethnic group, a smaller branch of Tibetans. The Mountain Chicken Festival here has been recognized as a provincial intangible cultural heritage. You can experience an original ecological lifestyle and feel the unique customs of ethnic minorities. 8. The Most Beautiful Double Helix Tunnel on Yaxi Expressway: Known as the "Sky Road above the Clouds," the Yaxi Expressway in Shimian County features the most revolutionary double helix climbing structure and the world's longest steel pipe highway bridge—the Ganhaizi Grand Bridge. Standing on the viewing platform, overlooking this magnificent engineering marvel, you will marvel at human wisdom and creativity. 🍱 Must-try foods: 1. Shimian Barbecue: A must-eat in Shimian! Fresh ingredients, aromatic dipping sauces, with various forms like skewers, fire-floating, net grilling, pot cover grilling, a feast for the eyes, ears, nose, and taste buds. Recommended dishes: grilled fish slices, grilled kidney slices, small intestines, pork belly, spicy beef, each bite extremely satisfying. 2. Caoke Chicken: A unique breed in Shimian, large in size with delicious meat, edible as food and medicinal. Used for stewing soup, the broth is rich, nutritious, and tasty. 3. Tantan Meat: Soft and delicious, one of Shimian’s traditional dishes, fatty but not greasy, melts in your mouth, leaving endless aftertaste. 4. Yi Family Tuotuo Meat: Pure and fragrant, made from highland native pork, naturally ecological, tastes fatty but not greasy, full of rich ethnic flavor. 🏠 Accommodation: 1. Junlan Hot Spring Resort Hotel, Shimian: The largest hot spring hotel in Southwest China, with complete facilities and attentive service. After a day of fun, soaking in the hot springs to relax body and mind is simply delightful. 2. Tongqu 108 Chuan Mining Memory Private Hot Spring Boutique Hotel: Renovated from old factory buildings at the Chuan Mining site, perfectly combining industrial and wabi-sabi styles. Various room types to meet different guests’ needs, equipped with a café, entertainment lounge, and pet-friendly. ❗ Travel tips: 1. The western Sichuan area has strong UV rays and large temperature differences between morning and evening. Remember to do sun protection and keep warm, bring sunscreen, sunglasses, warm jackets, etc. 2. If you choose self-driving, check your vehicle in advance to ensure driving safety. Some roads in Shimian have many curves, so drive slowly and carefully. 3. Please help protect the environment in scenic areas by taking your trash with you and not feeding wild animals. 4. Respect local customs, especially in ethnic minority areas. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and travel civilly. 🌈 The beauty of Shimian needs you to experience it in person. This charming small town is waiting for you to explore and discover. Pack your bags and set off on a spontaneous trip to Shimian! #ShimianTravel #ShimianGuide #TravelGuide #OffTheBeatenPathTravel