峨眉山

Why this place

Mount Emei is one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains of China, and the highest — a 3,099-metre peak with temples all the way up, a golden summit statue of Samantabhadra, and a distinct population of Tibetan macaques that will take your food if you let them. The summit sunrise above the cloud is the reward.

What to see

• The Golden Summit and its 48-metre statue of Samantabhadra, above the clouds
• The Baoguo and Wannian temples, and the Qingyin Pavilion on the river
• The staircase from Qingyin to the summit, with the monkey troops on the lower paths
• The sunrise and the 'Buddha's halo' optical phenomenon at the top

What to eat

• Emei vegetarian temple cuisine — the mountain has a serious tradition
• Sichuan mountain vegetables and the local bamboo shoots; Emei 'xueya' tea

How to plan

Two days: up by bus and cable car, stay on the summit, descend on foot the next day.

Best time

April–June and September–November; the summit is cold year-round

Practical tips

• The monkeys are bold — do not carry visible food and do not try to feed them