Located in Dalu Township, the Fairy Pool Scenic Area is a renowned
attraction in the Jiuzhaigou Paradise. It is situated about 49 kilometers
(30 miles) from the entrance to the Jiuzhaigou
Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area.
The Fairy Pool Scenic Area comprises about 2,000 alpine lakes and
travertine pools. Pools of various shapes and sizes are scattered
throughout the lush forest. The most celebrated attractions are
the Golden and Silver Beach, the Double-Dragon Pool, the Divine
Frog Sea, the Blue Dragon Sea, the Kermes Brooklet and the travertine
waterfalls. These are the artistic treasures fashioned by nature
without any artificial elements. In Tibetan, the Fairy Pool Scenic
Area is called Nen'en Sangcuo. It means a place where fairies bathe.
In addition to the pools, the area has the best preserved virgin
forest and the greatest density of arrow bamboo in Sichuan Province.
Many rare animals such as pandas, Tibetan antelopes and golden monkeys
roam the forest.
Landscape features include the Lotus Platforms Reflecting Beautiful
Colors, the Fairy Pools and the Rippling Golden Stream. The Lotus
Platforms Reflecting Beautiful Colors is formed by some stone dams
and colorful pools. The tranquil surface of the pools reflects the
sky and clouds, making a breathtaking picture. The Fairy Pools are
celebrated for the three huge colorful pools and a group of small
stone dams. The colors of the dams are white or pale yellow. The
calcified stones in the water resemble agates, corals and pearls.
The three pools are known as the Big Lake, the Green Sea and the
Big Sea, each covering an area of about 6,667 square meters (2 acres).
The Rippling Golden Stream features stone dams, colorful pools,
travertine streams and waterfalls.
Historical and cultural attractions in the scenic area include
the Horses Passage where Songtsen Gampo and his troops once passed
and the Tianbao Museum. Songtsen Gampo (617-649 or 650) was the
founder of the Tibetan Regime in ancient China. Some inns and tents
have been built in the willow forests along the path. Entertainment
activities are also held here, such as horse races, barbecue and
campfire parties, and folk performances given by Tibetan artistes.
In the Tianbao Museum, tourists can see many lumbermen's cottages
and tools. They provide evidence of the human destruction of the
environment. Now visitors can plant trees or 'adopt' their own trees
to make a contribution to environmental protection of the scenic
area.
Combining the characteristics of the Jiuzhaigou
Valley and the Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area,
the Fairy Pool Scenic Area features picturesque travertine pools,
beautiful alpine lakes and lush forests.
Tips
1. This scenic area holds no more than 2,000 people per day ensuring
that tourists can enjoy the most appealing sceneries and the best
services.
2. Lunch and the supper are offered. Lunch costs about CNY 78 per
person. There are three kinds of supper, at approximately CNY 128,
CNY 168 and CNY 198 per person.