[2025 Danba Attraction] Travel Guide for Ancient Scuptures, Suopo Tibetan Village (Updated Apr)

There's a place hidden in western Sichuan that's both understated and stunning - Danba. Certified by National Geographic of China as the most beautiful village in China, it's even more pristine than Switzerland. With its thousand-year-old watchtowers and mysterious Jiarong Tibetan culture, it offers picturesque views all year round: enchanting pear blossoms in spring, lush green valleys in summer, colorful forests in fall, and snow-capped mountains in winter. With few tourists, beautiful scenery, and preserved natural ecology, plus minimal commercialization, it's absolutely a perfect travel destination! 📍Location: Danba is located in eastern Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan. 🚗Transportation: It's about a 5-hour drive from Chengdu. If you don't want to drive, you can take a bus to Danba from either Xinnanmen or Chadianzi Bus Station in Chengdu. However, bus services are relatively limited, so plan your schedule ahead. For more flexibility, you can also arrange carpooling with friends, allowing you to stop anywhere along the way to enjoy and photograph the scenery. 👍Must-visit attractions: 1. Jiaju Tibetan Village: Known as the "Fairy Tale Town of Tibet," it features over 200 red and white Tibetan houses scattered across the mountains, creating a stunning picture. You can stay in a Tibetan homestay to experience local culture, start your day with a warm bowl of butter tea to ward off the cold. In the early morning, you can capture the dreamlike morning mist and smoke, where every shot looks magnificent. 2. Zhonglu Tibetan Village: Compared to Jiaju, Zhonglu Tibetan Village is more primitive and rustic. When the first rays of sunlight fall, the view of watchtowers framed with Mount Moerduo is truly mesmerizing. The viewing platform offers an excellent hidden spot for aerial shots. In autumn, when the pear trees turn golden, the photos are breathtakingly beautiful. 3. Suopo Ancient Watchtowers: Known as the "Oriental Pyramids," 84 ancient watchtowers still stand today. Here's an interesting fact: the towers are categorized into different types including beacon towers, family towers, and boundary towers. Each carries profound historical significance. Standing beneath these towers, you can almost hear the echoes of history. 4. Dangling Huluhai: Reaching this hidden gem requires about 3 hours of hiking, but it's worth every step. It's comparable to Milk Lake, with snow-capped mountains reflected in the water - absolutely stunning. October is the most beautiful time here. After hiking, you can soak your feet in the mountain hot springs to relieve fatigue. 🎟️Tickets: Jiaju Tibetan Village entrance fee is usually around 50 yuan, with occasional promotional discounts available online. Zhonglu Tibetan Village is currently free to enter, though parking may incur a fee. Suopo Ancient Watchtowers has no entrance fee, but there might be small charges for entering some towers. Dangling Huluhai currently has no entrance fee, but please remember to protect the environment. 💗Additional tips: 1. Clothing: Danba has significant temperature differences between morning and evening. Even in summer, bring a thick jacket. For autumn and winter visits, warm down jackets, scarves, and gloves are essential. 2. Altitude sickness: Though Danba's altitude isn't particularly high and most people won't experience significant altitude sickness, it's still wise to bring altitude sickness medication just in case. Avoid strenuous activity upon arrival to let your body adjust. 3. Food: Must-try items include stone-grilled momo (freshly baked highland barley bread that's crispy and fragrant), Jiarong-style sour vegetable noodles (tangy and appetizing), Tibetan pork jerky (smoked with pine branches, rich but not greasy), and Danba apples (sweet and juicy). 4. Photography: Beautiful scenes are everywhere, so bring fully charged cameras or phones. For stargazing photos, a tripod is recommended. When photographing in Tibetan villages, respect local customs and ask for permission first. Danba is truly a place you'll fall in love with once you visit. Its beautiful scenery, delicious food, and folk culture will leave a lasting impression. Pack your bags and embark on a spontaneous journey to Danba to discover these hidden treasures!

#chinatravelitinerary 🏔️ – A Tibetan Wonderland Without the Crowds (A remote Tibetan town in Sichuan province with snowy peaks, ancient monasteries, and yak-filled meadows! 🏔️✨ Perfect for Tibetan culture lovers & off-the-grid adventurers. 🌿) 🗓️ Day 1: Arrival & Tibetan Monasteries ✈️ Flight: Bangkok (BKK) → Chengdu (CTU) (~4 hrs) 🚗 Drive to Barkam (~6 hrs) through stunning highland roads 🏡 Stay in a Traditional Tibetan Guesthouse 🏯 Afternoon: Explore Suopo Ancient Village – A fairytale-like village with stone watchtowers! 🛕 Visit a Hidden Monastery & Join a Tibetan Tea Ceremony 🍽️ Dinner: Authentic Tibetan Meal 🥩 Yak Meat Stew & Tsampa (Roasted Barley Flour) 🌙 Evening: Watch the Sunset Over the Snowy Mountains ✨ 🗓️ Day 2: Highland Meadows & Scenic Drives 🌄 Morning: Walk Through Vast Grasslands & See Yaks Grazing 📸 Drive Along the Scenic ‘Sky Road’ – A Winding Road with Epic Mountain Views! 🚗 Drive Back to Chengdu & Fly Home ✈️

| A once-a-year spectacle in Western Sichuan, save this guide. As March arrives, so does the vibrant spring season, and as one of the most enchanting spring landscapes on the Western Sichuan Plateau, the pear blossoms of Danba are a must-see. I visit almost every year. · Danba's pear blossoms are not just simple spring flowers, but a magnificent scene of a "Snowy Land of Rivers and Lakes," formed together with Tibetan villages and valleys. Danba's pear blossoms are renowned for their grand scale and breathtaking scenery, earning them the title of "China's Largest Pear Blossom Sea." · 📆Best Viewing Time The best time to admire Danba's pear blossoms is from mid-March to early April, with a peak blooming period of about 10 days. The specific timing may vary slightly due to temperature fluctuations. · ⛳Recommended Locations ✅Jiaju Tibetan Village: Known as the "Most Beautiful Village in China," pear blossoms complement the Tibetan houses and watchtowers, making it ideal for panoramic photography. ✅Zhonglu Tibetan Village: Compared to Jiaju, Zhonglu is more tranquil, with pear trees nestled among ancient watchtower clusters, perfect for an immersive experience. ✅Suopo Ancient Watchtower Cluster: The world's largest concentration of ancient watchtowers, where pear blossoms and watchtowers create a unique landscape. ✅Badi Township: A pristine village far from the tourist crowds, where pear blossoms and rapeseed flowers intertwine in yellow and white, ideal for hiking enthusiasts. · 🚗Transportation ✅Self-driving: Chengdu - Dujiangyan - Yingxiu - Xiaojin - Danba or Chengdu - Ya'an - Tianquan - Luding - Danba, the journey takes approximately 5-6 hours. ✅Public Transportation: Daily buses from Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station to Danba, the journey takes approximately 6-7 hours. · 🏡Accommodation Both Jiaju and Zhonglu Tibetan Villages offer unique homestays. Staying near the pear blossoms is recommended for convenient early morning photography. If you're on a budget, Danba County offers more options. · 📸Recommended Photo Spots ✅Zhonglu Tibetan Village Viewing Platform: Overlooks the entire village and pear blossoms. ✅Jiaju Tibetan Village Pear Blossom Avenue: Perfect for capturing beautiful portraits amidst the pear blossoms. · ⭕Important Notes ✅Danba experiences significant temperature differences between day and night in spring, so pack warm clothes and sunscreen. ✅Please refrain from picking pear blossoms or littering to protect the natural environment.

1. Altitude: about 2000 meters 2. Tickets: The Ancient Diaolou Museum is free, but some other Diaolou charge 20 3. Basic information: Danba is known as the country of a thousand fortresses and the Oriental Pyramid. There are currently 562 seats, of which Suopo occupies 176. The height of the Diaowang is about 60 meters (20 stories high) 4. Route: If you want to see the 4 or 5 ancient watchtowers by the river at the foot of the mountain and go to the Ancient Watchtower Museum (the most photographed place), directly navigate to "Danba Suopo Tibetan Village Ancient Watchtower Group". After the navigation ended, we arrived at a parking lot with a tourist sign with the words "Bajiaodia" and "Wujiaodia" written on it. Continue driving upwards, there is a small shop, take the left fork and keep driving upwards, stop when you see the watchtower. You can also park your car in the parking lot at the tourist sign and walk for about 20 minutes. If you want to go to the middle of the mountain for a panoramic view, turn right after crossing the bridge, pass the intersection of Suopo Township Convenience Center, and then drive up the mountain on the cement road at the next intersection. When you reach the middle of the mountain, turn right at the signpost and stop to watch. 5. The road condition is basically cement road, but it is narrow and has many bends. 6. Accommodation and meals: all in Danba County. 7. If you want to see the 60-meter-high Diaowang, you must find a guide at the foot of the mountain, because there are too many forks in the road on the mountain, and some roads are not familiar to the locals. 8. There is also a viewing platform between the Ancient Diaolou Museum and the asphalt road opposite. You can directly navigate to the "Suopo Ancient Diaolou Group Viewing Platform" where you can look up at the ancient Diaolou group. 10:25 Sichuan live map... 9. Surprise: At the foot of the mountain, at the several towers of the Ancient Tower Museum, we met the crew of the "Planetary Research Institute" who were filming a documentary on the balcony under the ancient towers. They were accompanied by staff from the local tourism bureau. The crew consists of more than 10 to 20 people. There are also colorful forests on the mountains of the ancient towers, which will last until mid-December. 10. Best shooting location: Camera 1: The Diaolou of the Ancient Diaolou Museum On the balcony, camera position 2 is halfway up the mountain, and camera position 3 is the viewing platform of the ancient watchtower group.