Ecological Travel in Zhangjiajie during the May Day Holiday

As the May Day Holiday is coming, it is time to decide where to travel during the holiday. City noises have benumbed people’s soul, and sub-health has been approaching us, so we need to listen to the sound of nature and embrace the original ecology. Zhangjiajie is a preferred destination for ecological travel. Zhangjiajie is a prefecture-level city of Hunan Province, China. It is located in the northwest of Hunan. Built and famous for tourism, Zhangjiajie is endowed with amazing sceneries.

As an old saying goes, “see water in Jiuzhaigou, and enjoy mountains in Zhangjiajie”. The core scenic area of Wulingyuan covers 264 sq.km, where there are about 3,000 stone peaks and about 800 meandering brooks. All visitors to Zhangjiajie are fascinated by the special stone peaks and gorgeous karst landscape in Wulingyuan which they feel like a fairyland. Therefore, Zhangjiajie is renowned as “original manuscript of China’s landscape paintings”, “shrunken fairyland and magnified miniascape”. In 2010, the first 3D movie Avatar was shot here, making Zhangjiajie famous around the world.

Recommendation for scenic spots:

1. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is famous for its special peaks of quartz sand which are great, unusual, secluded, wild and wonderful. About 3,000 stone peaks stand high in different shapes with deep canyons and murmuring brooks between the peaks. In spring, mountain flowers are in full bloom with pleasant fragrance. In summer, it’s a best place for avoiding summer heat with cool breeze blowing. In autumn, the mountains are embellished with red leaves and rich fruits. In winter, the mountains are clad in silver white. The climate is pleasant all the year round, and the sceneries are different in different seasons. It is an ideal destination for travel.

2. Tianmen Mountain

Tianmen Mountain is 1518.6 m high. It was once called Yunmeng Mountain or Yuping Mountain, and later it was renamed Tianmen Mountain because of its natural wonder Tianmen Cave. In 1992, it was listed as one of the national forest parks.

It has a long history. It is renowned as “the first holy mountain in western Hunan” and “soul of Wuling”. Tianmen Cave is shrouded with cloud and mist all the year round, which is miraculous and wonderful.

Besides, it is a holy land where people pray and make wishes. The ancient temple on the mountaintop—Tianmenshan Temple is a busy and crowded place of worship for Buddhists. Here visitors can take the longest passenger ropeway in the world—Tianmenshan Ropeway to experience flying up in the air.

3. Huanglong Caves

Huanglong Caves are located in the east of Suoxiyu Nature Reserve. There are dry caves and water caves at four layers. The largest cave covers an area of 12,000㎡ and can accommodate over ten thousand of people.

Longgong (Dragon Palace) is the essence among all the caves. It covers an area of about 1,600㎡. The “Throne of Dragon King” is in the middle with thousands of colorful stalagmites in different shapes around it. Among all the stalactites, the “Key Stand” is the most wonderful one. It is 19.2m high with a diameter of 10cm.

4. Baofeng Lake

Baofeng Lake is an artificial lake with mountains standing around it. The water in it is crystal clear. Visitors can watch the performance by Tujia people on the sightseeing boats. Standing at the high Yingwozhai by the lake to overlook Baofeng Lake, one will find that the lake is like a jade inlaid in the mountains.

5. Tujia Customs Park

Tujia Customs Park was built on the basis of Tusi castle in western Hunan. Here visitors can appreciate the landscape of Tujia buildings and wonderful folk dances of Tujia people. Jiuchongtian Stilted Building is a highlight of this park. It is a wooden building, about 40 meters high with 12 storeys. It is the highest and largest wooden stilted building in China.

6. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is a museum of landforms of Zhangjiajie. It is endowed with mountains, water and caves. Here visitors can appreciate all the sceneries of karst topography in the north temperate zone.