An Enchanting Journey Through Zhangjiajie, China
Towering pillars of stone reach for the skies amid forests of green. Mountains in the mist stretch across forever. A gate of rock leads to the heavens. These are just some of the wonders that await in magical Zhangjiajie, in Hunan province in central China.
We flew to Guangzhou via Cebu Pacific, and from there, took a domestic flight to Zhangjiajie, although if you'd rather take a Cebu Pacific flight to the more popular Shanghai, a domestic flight will get you to Zhangjiajie as well.
Our holiday was arranged by Jaison Yang of Travel Warehouse Inc. in partnership with UOS China as this is one of those trips where you will definitely need a well-planned, detailed itinerary, and a travel guide. We were hard pressed to find English speakers anywhere. Even our hotel receptionists spoke no English.
The most spectacular part of the visit of the visit was the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, part of the larger Wulingyuan Scenic Area. In 1992, the area was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Â
First, we rode the Bailong elevator—translated as One Hundred Dragons Elevator—that is reportedly the highest in the world, built into a cliff that climbs up to over a thousand feet into the sky in about a minute and a half. It opened its doors to a magnificent sight.
The quartz and sandstone pillars, a product of millions of years of erosion, were some of the inspirations for the floating mountains of Pandora in James Cameron's 2010 Oscar-winning film Avatar. One of them is named Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, an homage to the film, and really, it took our breath away.
Elsewhere in the park, a glass-bottomed bridge, one of the world's longest and highest, hangs above a canyon. It's not for the faint of heart, or those afraid of heights. We were lucky it was foggy when we first arrived, and the mist hid the depths at first. But as it cleared, and we stood over the area used by bungee jumpers, I must admit we felt quite woozy.
More relaxing was a cruise down the Baofeng Lake, the color of jade, surrounded by mountains, with rock formations in the shape of animals and the like, pointed out by our guide. Locals called out to visitors in song, and visitors sang our responses in reply. Close by is a waterfall falling over a cliff, gushing down toward a landing set amid lush bamboo trees.
On another day, we took a cable car up Tianmen mountain, one of the longest passenger cableways in the world. The views from the ridge are spectacular, rolling hills as far as the eye can see, playing hide and seek with the clouds.
Looking down, one also sees the Heaven Linking Avenue, a vertiginous ribbon of a road, that twists and turns 99 times as it leads to the holy Tianmen cave, or Heaven's Gate.
The natural portal through the mountain that is Heaven's Gate can be reached by walking up 999 steps on foot, a stairway to heaven. The number nine, as you may have noticed, is a lucky number in Chinese numerology.
Still another highlight of our trip were the shows we watched in Zhangjiajie.
The indoor show was held at the Charming Xiangxi Theater, the oldest theater in Zhangjiajie. Fire and drums. Flying daggers and acrobatics. Song and dance, as the actors played out stories and legends that weave the cultural tapestry of Zhangjiajie.
On the second night, we froze our butts off and shivered on the cold seats as we watched an outdoor show with over 600 performers with the silhouettes of the actual Tianmen mountain and other peaks as its backdrop. Such a spectacle of light and sound and a set that included houses built into the mountainside.
If you have more time, take a day trip to Fenghuang, which means "phoenix ancient town," a picturesque town, home to members of the Miao and Tujia ethnic minorities, with different customs and culture from the Chinese Han majority.
Houses on stilts are built on the banks of the river Tuo, spanned by beautiful bridges that make the perfect photographs. The town is dotted with little boutiques where many local tourists don period costumes and makeup for their own photographic moments.
Wander down little lanes and sample exotic snacks of smoked meat, deep fried scorpions, and those roasted insects on a stick. Or not. We preferred to wait for dinner with fiery dishes of chicken, duck, beef, pork, and lamb cooked with chili and black pepper sauce. Slicked with oil but not fatty, with heat is quite bearable, with fresh green vegetables on the side. Everything goes well with cold beer and hot tea. And steamed cake is always a sweet ending.
Must say we slept very well night after night on our glorious trip to China.
Cebu Pacific flies to Shanghai five times a week, and to Guangzhou three times a week. Travel Warehouse Inc. can be reached at [email protected] or +63-2-8687-2490 to 92.
