Until a few years ago, the beauties of China, South America and exotic regions far from Europe and USA were accessible to only selected few. Excessive distance, high prices, uncertainty in terms of movement and accommodation, have led to the fact that some beautiful areas do not have many tourists and remain marginalized, compared to others. With the popularization of tourism, cheaper flights, simple booking over the Internet, the interest of more tourists from all over the world for distant and specific destinations has increased.
That is how China has become a real dream come true for many world travelers. Given its vast territory, millennial civilization and culture, every traveler is in a dilemma of where to go and what to visit. The offer is huge, from modern, big cities, such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, through the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, to national parks and authentic, preserved and unusual nature, special beauty.
One of the gems to visit is the Zhangjiajie Forest National Park. It is located in central China, in the north of Hunan Province and belongs to the Wulingyuan mountain system. Its distance from Hong Kong is 1000km. It is the first park in China to have the honor of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. It can be visited all year round, although autumn and spring are the best, and its beauty is equal to Wonderland. It is a reserve, created naturally and stunning with its richness of flowers, various greenery that changes with the seasons. Rivers and streams flow through it, rocks of incredible shapes, trees and flowers of the tropical type… were the inspiration and coincided with the vision of James Cameron, where he set the plot of his futuristic world in the movie ‘Avatar’.
If you have decided to sail into this amazing fairy tale, created by Mother Nature herself, it is good to know what is best to visit, in what order and in what way, in general, to organize and thus see the maximum:
1. Transportation
Plane
An important thing in the planning of any trip is transportation. It is especially important to know this when you go on trips like this. It is not a metropolis with a metro and a taxi on every corner. It is best to get to Zhangjiajie airport by plane. It is a small airport, surrounded by high mountains and it is best to fly from Shanghai, Beijing or Guangzhou. There are daily flights and that is the best way to get there, with the least complications.
Train
The train is not recommended for several reasons. There is no bullet train, yet, and the journey from the big cities would take about 10 hours. You would arrive exhausted and exhausted, and it is very likely that the crowd would be big. So it would be good to travel by plane. You will save time and energy and arrive quickly, rested and ready to go on a tour.
2. The Best Places to Stay
Although this area is a tourist area, you must know that the hotels here are not too luxurious and that they differ from those in major Chinese cities. The number of stars is not valid and does not promise the level of accommodation, food or English speakers.
The accommodations that are available are relatively decent, but it is best to stick to those closest to the National Park and their structures. There is a tourist village Wulinguyan that specializes in this purpose. So it is possible to quickly and easily organize and join tours that go on trips and sightseeing. There are also information points, official guides and signposts and you are the safest. Also, a good place to stay in the center of Zhangjiajie, where you can comfortably stay. But don’t worry, you don’t have to stay at a boring or messy place, just check out vacation rentals with cozycozy to find the best fit..
3. Food
There are probably very few people who have not tried Chinese food nowadays. Its fame has spread all over the world and occupies one of the highly ranked places among national cuisines. Given that China is huge and that its territory borders many civilizations, the diversity of its cuisine is very common.
Tastes are different, depending on where you stay. Here, in the National Park, you have the opportunity to try original, authentic Chinese cuisine and prepare for strong food with many aromatic and strong spices. If you are not a fan of it or your stomach does not tolerate experiments, you have at your disposal European food and McDonalds, KFC, within the National Park. There are no vegetarian restaurants, but you can always agree to make a combination of exclusively herbal ingredients. It is recommended to try home cooking, it gives a special note to your stay in China.
4. Tour
Try to get to as many places as possible, join as many tours as possible and get a real impression of this amazing place. You are offered fantastic excursions, take advantage of it, even at the cost of a little more fatigue and effort. You are probably the only opportunity to see such landscapes, which border on imagination and fantasy. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, Tianmen Mountain is the highest peak in Zhangijajie National Park, Avatar mountains and clouds over them, exotic vegetation, clear, fast rivers and waterfalls, Bailong elevator, Glass bridge, Yellow Dragon CaveFenghuang Ancient Town, Mengdong river rafting… countless places with the sights of this magical natural wonder. Depending on the number of days ahead of you, plan your stay here. Consult experienced guides, visit here and make a detailed plan.
5. Clothes
No matter what season you visit this National Park, you must be aware that you are going into deep and wild nature and that your wardrobe must be adequate. Forget fashion, light things and light footwear. The main role here must be played by soft shell waterproof jackets, walking (hiking) shoes, waterproof and comfortable, breathable T-shirts that will allow you to stay dry, shorts, jeans, breathable leggings, microfiber towel, quick-drying socks, caps or hoods. jackets, backpack with necessary retraining, water and snack bars. Bring a universal adapter for your phone and camera, bring medicines used by the pharmacy.
Conclusion:
Coming to this beautiful landscape is already an adventure. Try to listen to the advice of the guide and not to go on your own initiative to places where you can get lost or injured. You will have the best time if you see, visit, find out as much as possible, and at the same time stay alive and healthy. This can be a journey to remember, which you will remember with admiration and talk about. Don’t let recklessness put you at risk and ruin this fantastic experience. Enjoy this opportunity, to experience everything.
