九寨沟

Why this place

Jiuzhaigou is a valley of more than a hundred lakes, each a different shade of turquoise and jade, separated by waterfalls and travertine dams. The colour comes from dissolved minerals and the lake beds themselves, and nothing else in China looks like it. It is a UNESCO site and it is genuinely as good as its reputation.

What to see

• The Five Flower Lake, the most photographed, with submerged tree trunks visible in the water
• The Nuorilang and Pearl Shoal waterfalls, and the Panda Lake
• The Long Lake at the top of the valley, and the Small Five-Flower Lake
• The Tibetan villages in the valley, which give the site its name

What to eat

• Tibetan and Qiang food in the villages: yak meat, butter tea and highland barley
• Mountain mushrooms and the local herbs

How to plan

One full day in the valley, plus a day's travel each way. Usually combined with Huanglong.

Best time

October for the autumn colour; April–May for fewer crowds; winter is cold and the lakes stay unfrozen

Practical tips

• Daily visitor numbers are capped and tickets sell out — book online days ahead, and note the valley is at 2,000–3,000m