Located in the far northeast of Sichuan Province, Jiuzhaigou
Valley Scenic and Historic Area lies isolated from other cities
in the province, however the construction of the Jiuhuang Airport
in Chuanzhusi Town and a new road link between Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou
has meant that the journey to Jiuzhaigou has become a great deal
easier for today's traveler.
Chengdu remains the starting point for visitors to Jiuzhaigou,
as there is no direct plane or long-distance bus service to the
region from elsewhere within China. The city itself can be easily
arrived at through international and domestic flights or by train
and long-distance bus services.
In
1999 the Jiuzhaizhou Ring Way was opened in an
effort to encourage further tourism in the area, although even
with this new link, the journey time by road is still 10 hours.
Fortunately, the beautiful natural scenery along the route is
such that it is easy to forget the immediate surroundings of coach
or bus. Most long-distance buses depart in the early morning and
arrive at dawn, and now even provide a service throughout the
winter months. Traveling by bus can also help with gradual acclimatization
to the local high altitudes (it is recommended that those prone
to altitude sickness take appropriate medication before departure).
For those visitors who want to save time on travel there is the
Jiuhuang Airport, located in Chuanzhusi Town. First opened in
2003, it takes just 40 minutes to fly between Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou.
Since there are a number of attractions around Jiuzhaigou, some
visitors prefer to drive there by themselves or hire a car. The
advantage of this is that you can plan your journey freely without
too many limitations. However, unless you are skilled driver,
it is recommended that you hire someone who is familiar with the
local conditions, since some sections of the road are hazardous
and especially dangerous at night.

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