The severely underestimated secret gem of Western Sichuan, the enchanting Laba River

🏞 Laba River is just one of the many lesser-known valleys in Ya'an, which is located on the edge of the Sichuan Basin. Surrounded by mountains on three sides except the east, the region's topography and climate characteristics result in high rainfall, which sculpts the landscape into numerous mountains, valleys, and water attractions. Some of the more famous ones include Bifengxia, Longcanggou, and Niubei Mountain. However, on this trip, Laba River truly stood out with its serene beauty, complete with mountains, water, deer, and monkeys. This might just be the most adorable monkey troop in all of Sichuan. 🚌 Transportation It's a 3.5-hour drive from South Chengdu, and the scenic area is suitable for a two-day visit. 2🏠 Accommodation There are three hotels in the scenic area: the Lumingshan Hotel, 0.8 kilometers up the east line from the tourist center; the Blue Crystal Hotel at the end of the east line; and the Qitong Hotel in between. The hotels offer free shuttle services. 📍 Itinerary Arrive at the scenic area on the first day, walk the east line in the afternoon, and stay overnight in the scenic area. On the second day, take the west line and decide whether to get up early to take the cable car to the mountain top to watch the sunrise. 📉 East Line: Enjoy the water, which means walking along the riverside plank road from Lumingshan Hotel to Blue Crystal Hotel. The journey is easy with small waterfalls and chances to encounter monkeys. There are plenty of purple rhododendrons on the mountain walls, and the water in front of Blue Crystal Hotel is very photogenic. 📈 West Line: Enjoy the mountains and animals. Buy a ticket at the sightseeing bus ticket point and take the bus to the lower cable car station. You can choose to take the cable car to the mountain top to watch the sunrise over the sea of clouds, or hike down from there. I didn't take the cable car and hiked down directly. Check-in route: 1. Hug Hug Coffee at the cable car station. You can see the snow-capped mountains and enjoy a cup of coffee with a great atmosphere. 2. Walk 3 kilometers down from Hug Hug Coffee to the Red Stone Beach station. This 3-kilometer stretch is a must-walk with open mountain scenery. At the Red Stone Beach station, you'll find wild monkeys and water deer at the entrance. The monkeys are numerous, sleek, and cuter than those on Mount Emei. I also saw three deer. Continue 2 kilometers towards Red Stone Beach on a stone path to see it. Personally, I found it average, but watching the monkeys was the most interesting part. 3. A few hundred meters down from the Red Stone Beach station, you can head to the Rhododendron Pond. Seeing that it was a 6.5-kilometer climb to the Rhododendron Pond, we gave up and took the sightseeing bus to the Deer Pond. 4. The Deer Pond is also very relaxing. The scenic walk into the mountains is beautiful, and at the end is the Deer Pond. The water is clear and green, but we didn't see any deer. After taking some photos, we headed back. 5. From the Deer Pond station, take the sightseeing bus directly down to the tourist center. The sightseeing bus can be hailed at any time, no need to wait at the station.