Lonely Planet China

by Lonely Planet

  Dorms are available for ¥50, but lock your doors and hide your valuables from those monkeys.

  ÉMéI SHāN HIKING ROUTES

  There are many combinations of paths, buses, cable cars and monastery rest stops on Éméi Shān. Below are some possibilities. Estimated times exclude breaks, which you will certainly need after all those stairs.

  AOne day Take the bus from Bàoguó station to Wànnián bus depot (45 minutes, ¥20), then hike to the Golden Summit (five hours) with the help of both cable cars (万年索道站; Wànnián Suǒdàozhàn GOOGLE MAP ; ascent ¥65, descent ¥45-55; h6.30am-6.30pm). Catch a ride from Léidòngpíng bus depot (1½ hours, ¥50) back to Bàoguó Village.

  ATwo days Take the bus from Bàoguó station to Wànnián bus depot, then hike to the summit (6½ hours). Sleep in a hotel at the peak or descend for a monastery, but either way make it back up to the top for sunrise. On the way down, turn right a short distance past Elephant Bathing Pool and take the more scenic path, via Xiānfēng Temple, to Wǔxiǎngǎng depot (eight hours) for a ride back to the village (30 minutes, round trip ¥40).

  AThree days Hoof it up and down the mountain (20 hours or more in total). To see all the sights the mountain has to offer, ascend via Wànnián Temple and descend via Xiānfēng Temple. (Perhaps make offerings to sore muscles at each – you'll be taking a break anyway.)

  4Sleeping

  The tourist district in Éméi town surrounds Bàoguó Temple and the travellers' bus station, where most people will spend a night on their way to and from the mountain. The real draw, though, is sleeping on the mountain itself, whether in one of the many basic temple-run guesthouses or the handful of standard hotels near the peak and bus stations.

  On the Mountain

  The majority of the temples on the mountain (with the notable exception of Jīndǐng Temple at the summit) offer dormitory-style accommodation with shared bathrooms but usually no showers, though they're not always cheap. Some also have guesthouse-quality private rooms with private bathrooms for a significant premium.

  There are also standard hotels on the mountain, mostly by the cable-car stations (上金顶索道站; Shàng Jīndǐng Suǒdàozhàn GOOGLE MAP ; ascent ¥65, descent ¥55, return ¥120; h6.30am-6.30pm). Jīndǐng Dàjiǔdiàn is to the right of the Jīndǐng cable-car exit and is a convenient launch pad for catching the sunrise. You can reach it on foot in about 10 hours up from the lower bus depots, or it's 15 minutes down from the summit.

  oHóngchún PíngMONASTERY$

  (洪椿坪 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 509 9043; dm ¥50, tw ¥60-130; W)

  The smartest temple accommodation on the mountain is at a comfortable 1120m, tucked away in a quiet stretch of forest. Rooms are simple, with wi-fi and shared bathrooms. Approximate walking times from base/summit are three/six hours. Friendly monks-in-residence and a contemplative location make this a great place to sleep if you're not aiming to summit for sunrise.

  Tàizǐ PíngMONASTERY$

  (太子坪 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; dm ¥30-50, r ¥120)

  Blankets are musty and dorms could use a good cleaning, but this closest monastery to Jīndǐng Peak is predictably popular with backpackers. It's about 40 minutes from here up to the peak, so set those alarms early.

  Dorms occasionally fill up and travellers have reported they don't accept guests in winter, so get here in time to pick a backup plan if you can't stay.

  Huáyán DǐngMONASTERY$

  (华严顶 GOOGLE MAP ; dm ¥40)

  Though it sees quite a few visitors en route from Wànnián to Elephant Bathing Pool, very few decide to stay here. Views up to Jīndǐng Peak and a courtyard perfect for contemplation will make it compelling to some, though.

  Yùxiān TempleMONASTERY$

  (遇仙寺; Yùxiān Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; dm/tw from ¥40/240)

  At 1680m the views from this small temple are stunning, as is the quiet that descends when day trippers have stopped passing through. Choose from basic dorms to private twins. It is very remote here, which can either feel glorious or eerie, depending on your travel style. Approximate walking times from the base/summit are seven/three hours.

  Jīndǐng DàjiǔdiànHOTEL$$$

  (金顶大酒店 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 509 8088; Jīndǐng; 金顶 r from ¥980; aW)

  One of the standard hotels on Éméi Shān makes for a convenient base for catching both sunset and an early sunrise. Downhill to the right of the cable-car station at the Golden Summit, you can reach it on foot in about 10 hours from the base. Discounts of nearly 65% make it worth the splurge during off-seasons.

  In Town

  Stay in the tourist centre near Bàoguó Bus Station (报国车站; Bàoguó Chēzhàn GOOGLE MAP ), from where early-morning departures for the mountain bus depots are just steps away. There's a selection of hostels, hotels and high-end spas; you won't lack for choice except during the very busiest parts of the year.

  3077 HostelHOSTEL$

  (三零七七客栈; Sānlíngqīqī Kèzhàn %0833 559 1698; Bàoguó tourist area; 报国寺景区 dm ¥35, r ¥160)

  With a hip bar to complement the clean and stylish rooms, this new hostel is one of the nicest in central Sìchuān. Turn left off the main street through the Bàoguó tourist area towards the large spa gateway; it's on the right just behind.

  Happy HotelHOTEL$$

  (幸福树酒店; Xìngfú Shù Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %400 823 0917; 31 Bàoguó Village, 4th group; 报国村4组31号 r incl breakfast from ¥148; pW)

  This straightforward, very tidy hotel also has a surprisingly good, reasonably priced Chinese restaurant (a rarity in Bàoguó Village). Some English spoken and there's bike rental, too.

  Teddy Bear HotelHOSTEL$$

  (玩具熊酒店; Wánjùxióng Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 559 0135, manager 138 9068 1961; www.teddybear.com.cn; 43 Baoguo Lu; 报国路43号 dm ¥35, r ¥80-260; aiW)

  If you can get past the theme (bears, bears, everywhere), this very clean backpacker hotel offers nice rooms and an English-speaking staff that provide solid, hostel-style travel services plus decent coffee and Western food. The left-luggage service is free, as are maps and pick-up from Éméi town (call Andy, the manager). It's next to the bus station.

  5Eating

  Hard Wok CafeCAFE$

  (晓雨小餐店; Xiǎoyǔ Xiǎocāndiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; hhours vary)

  As surprising as it is delightful, this tiny cliffside cafe reaches beyond the standard Sìchuān noodle menu to include jiānbing (煎饼; ¥25), something between a crêpe and a pancake. Apple and honey? Chocolate and banana? Mix and match to your stomach's content. It's about 15 minutes downhill from Hóngchún Píng.

  8Information

  Agricultural Bank of ChinaBANK

  (农业银行; Nóngyè Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; h9am-5pm)

  Has a foreign-exchange desk (open 9am to 5pm) and a 24-hour foreign-card-friendly ATM.

  China Construction Bank ATMATM

  (中国建设银行; Zhōngguó Jiànshè Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; h24hr)

  Attached to the Bàoguó bus station, this ATM accepts foreign cards.

  8Getting There & Away

  The town of Éméi (峨眉山市; Éméi Shān Shì) is the transport hub and lies 6.5km east of the park entrance. Most buses terminate at Éméi Shān central station (峨眉山客运中心; Éméi Shān kèyùn zhōngxīn), directly opposite Éméi Railway Station (峨眉火车站; Éméi Huǒchēzhàn). If you ask, some drivers will go all the way to the more convenient Bàoguó Village bus station (报国汽车站) – which confusingly is also known as the Éméi Shān tourist bus station (峨眉山旅游客运中心; Éméi Shān lǚyóu kèyùn zhōngxīn) – for ¥10 more. The newly finished High-Speed Train Station (高速列车站; Gāosù Lièchē Zhàn) is the closest to Bàoguó Village, around 4km away.

  A taxi from Éméi town to Bàoguó Village is about ¥25, or many guesthouses will pick you up if you arrange it with them in advance. Local bus 8 (¥1) connects the Éméi town train station with the park entrance.

  Bus


  While it’s not possible to travel directly to Bàoguó from most long-distance destinations, some long-distance buses do leave from Bàoguó:

  AChéngdū South ¥50, 2½ hours, every two hours from 9am to 5pm

  AChóngqìng ¥140, six hours, 8.30am

  ALè Shān ¥11, 45 minutes, every 30 minutes from 8am to 5.30pm

  Destinations from Éméi Shān central station include:

  AHóngyǎ (for Liǔjiāng) ¥19, 1½ hours, frequently from 8am to 5pm

  AKāngdìng ¥120, seven hours, one daily (9.50am)

  AYǎ’ān ¥46, three hours, four daily (8.10am, 9.30am, 12.30pm, 2.20pm)

  AYíbīn ¥75, four hours, four daily (7.10am, 10.30am, 12.50pm, 4.30pm)

  AZìgòng ¥51, three hours, frequently from 7.40am to 5.10pm

  Train

  AChéngdū C/K&T ¥65/24, 1½ to 2¾ hours, 13 daily from 7.13am to 9.20pm

  AKūnmíng K seat/hard sleeper ¥124/215, 15½ hours, one daily (4.02pm)

  ALè Shān C ¥11, 15 minutes, seven daily from 7.13am to 9.06pm

  Lè Shān 乐山

  %0833 / Pop 1.12 million

  With fingernails larger than the average human, the world’s largest ancient Buddha draws plenty of tourists to the relaxed riverside town of Lè Shān (乐山). This Unesco World Heritage Site is an easy day trip from Chéngdū or stopover en route to or from Éméi Shān, but the laid-back vibe and newly opened higher-quality accommodation options may convince you to linger.

  Lè Shān

  1Sights

  1Grand BuddhaB3

  2Máhàoyá Tombs MuseumB4

  3Oriental Buddha CapitalB4

  4Wūyóu TempleB4

  2Activities, Courses & Tours

  5Mr Yang's ToursA2

  6Sightseeing CruisesB3

  4Sleeping

  7A Ding InnA2

  8Jiāzhōu HotelA2

  5Eating

  9Zhanggong Qiao JieB1

  10Zhao Family Crispy DuckA2

  6Drinking & Nightlife

  11Shelter BarB2

  1Sights

  Grand BuddhaBUDDHIST STATUE

  (大佛; Dàfó MAP GOOGLE MAP ; adult ¥90, students & seniors ¥45; h7.30am-6.30pm Apr-early Oct, 8am-5.30pm early Oct-Mar)

  Lè Shān’s serene, 1200-year-old Grand Buddha sits in repose, carved from a cliff face overlooking the confluence of three busy rivers: the Dàdù, Mín and Qīngyì. The Buddhist monk Haitong conceived the project in AD 713, hoping that Buddha would protect the boats and calm the lethal currents.

  It was 90 years after Haitong's death that the project was completed, but afterwards the river waters obeyed. Believers credited Buddha’s grace; others pointed to the construction process, in which piles of surplus rocks reshaped the rivers and changed the currents.

  At 71m tall, he is indeed grand. His shoulders span 28m, and each of his big toes is 8.5m long. His ears are 7m. Their length symbolises wisdom and the conscious abandonment of materialism. It is said that heavy gold baubles left Siddartha's earlobes elongated even after he was no longer weighed down by material things. Inside the body, hidden from view, is a water-drainage system to prevent weathering, although he is showing his age and soil erosion is an ongoing problem.

  To fully appreciate this Buddha’s magnitude, get an up-close look at his head, then descend the steep, winding stairway for the lilliputian view. Avoid visiting on weekends and holidays, when traffic on the staircase can come to a complete standstill and queues can top two hours or more.

  Afterwards, head up the path to Sū's Garden (苏园, Sū Yuán) just above the entry and exit area to the Buddha, a manicured garden around a cliffside teahouse (from ¥20) that's lovely when not hosting lunchtime tour groups.

  Admission also includes access to a number of caves and temples on the grounds, though they are a decent hike from the main attraction. Máhàoyá Tombs Museum (麻浩崖墓博物馆; Máhàoyámù Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h7.30am-6.30pm Apr-early Oct, 8am-5.30pm early Oct-Mar) has a modest collection of tombs and burial artefacts dating from the Eastern Han dynasty (AD 25–220). Wūyóu Temple (乌尤寺; Wūyóu Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h7.30am-6.30pm Apr-early Oct, 8am-5.30pm early Oct-Mar), like the Buddha, dates from the Tang dynasty, and has Ming and Qing renovations. This monastery contains calligraphy and artefacts, with the highlights in the Luóhàn Hall – 1000 terracotta arhat (Buddhist celestial beings, similar to angels) displaying an incredible variety of postures and facial expressions – no two are alike. Also inside is a fantastic statue of Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin), the Goddess of Mercy.

  A separate park (not included in the Grand Buddha admission), the Oriental Buddha Capital (东方佛都; Dōngfāng Fódū MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 230 1177; ¥80; h8am-6pm), houses a collection of 3000 Buddha statues and figurines from across Asia, including a 170m-long reclining Buddha, one of the world’s longest. There is an entrance near the Grand Buddha's south gate; otherwise exit and take bus 3 or 13 (¥1) to the Oriental Buddha Capital (东方佛都; Dōngfāng Fódū) stop. The entrance is further than it looks on the park maps.

  TTours

  Sightseeing CruisesBOATING

  (游船; Yóuchuán MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Lè Shān Dock; 乐山港 20min round trip ¥70, kids under 12yr free; h7.30am to 6.30pm Apr-Oct, from 8am winter)

  Tour boats leave regularly from Lè Shān dock, passing by the cliffs for views of Dàfó, which reveal two guardians in the cliff side not visible from land. The ride is short and otherwise unexciting.

  Mr Yang's ToursTOURS

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %159 8438 2528, 0833 211 2046; 2nd fl, Apt 1, 186 Baita Jie; 白塔街186号二楼1间 per person ¥200)

  Affable Mr Yang has been guiding foreign tourists around Lè Shān since the 1970s. His hearing is going fast but his expertise is not. It's best to text message him to make arrangements. His signature half-day tour includes a calligraphy demonstration, an old-town stroll and a visit to a villager’s home. Transport, lunch and his services as an English-speaking guide are included.

  4Sleeping

  Ā Dīng InnGUESTHOUSE$

  (阿丁客栈; Ādīng Kèzhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 211 3123; 134 Dong Dajie; 东大街134号 r ¥88)

  Tucked down a small lane off Dongda Jie, this excellent little guesthouse's private rooms are attractively furnished and spotlessly clean. It's also just by bus stops for both the Grand Buddha and bus stations.

  Jiāzhōu HotelHOTEL$$

  (嘉州宾馆; Jiāzhōu Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 213 9888; 85 Baita Jie; 白塔街85号 r incl breakfast from ¥360; aiW)

  Rooms aren’t as grand as the lobby suggests, but this place is more upmarket than most and makes for a comfortable stay. Even some of the cheaper rooms have river views.

  5Eating

  Zhao Family Crispy DuckBARBECUE$

  (赵记油烫甜皮鸭; Zhàojì Yóutàng Tiánpíyā MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 211 4196; 169 Xincun Jie & Renmin Nanlu; 新村街169号人民南路与新村街交界处 meals ¥20; h10am-6pm)

  Foodies flock to this tiny barbecue stand for its speciality – sweet, crispy roast duck (jīn; ¥22). The draw is the skin, which is best described as duck candy, a miraculously ungreasy bite of heaven. Eat it while it's hot – in the middle of the sidewalk with your bare hands, if necessary. Look for the sign 'Zhaoyazi, 赵鸭子'.

  Zhanggong Qiao JieMARKET$$

  (张公桥街; Zhānggōng Qiáojiē MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h4pm-late)

  Zhanggong Qiao Jie's small night market is full of seafood restaurants that pull fish and more straight from tanks in front of the restaurant to throw into the pan. Dishes are priced by weight, so clarify a total cost before you place an order.

  6Drinking & Nightlife

  Shelter BarBAR

  (栖堂酒吧; Xītáng Jiǔbā MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 242 3456; Binjiang Lu, north of Xuedao Jie; 滨江路南段乐山港万象楼 h6.30pm-2am)

  European beers (and prices; from ¥48) are available here in an old-style pavilion overlooking the river.

  8Information

&n
bsp; Bank of ChinaBANK

  (中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 213 2807; 16 Renmin Nanlu; 人民南路16号 h9am-5pm)

  For all your money-changing and ATM needs.

  China PostPOST

  (中国邮政; Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng GOOGLE MAP ; 62 Yutang Jie; 玉堂街62号 h9am-5.30pm)

  People’s HospitalHOSPITAL

  (人民医院; Rénmín Yīyuàn GOOGLE MAP ; %0833 211 9310, after-hour emergencies 0833 211 9328; 222 Baita Jie; 白塔街222号 )

  Has some English-speaking doctors. Pharmacies cluster around the entrance.

  Public Security BureauVISA AGENCY

  (PSB; 公安局; Gōng’ānjú %0833 518 2555; http://lsscrj.gotoip1.com; 3rd fl, 548 Fenghuang Lu Zhongduan; 凤凰路中段548号3楼 h9am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Fri)

  Visa extensions the next working day. Take Bus 6 (¥1) from the centre.

  8Getting There & Away

  Bus

  Lè Shān has three main bus stations, all within 5km of each other. Buses from Chéngdū’s Xīnnánmén station usually arrive at Xiàobà Bus Station (肖坝旅游车站; Xiàobà Lǚyóu Chēzhàn), the main tourist station. The Central Bus Station (乐山客运中心车站; Lè Shān Kèyùn Zhōngxīn Chēzhàn) and Liányùn Bus Station (联运车站; Liányùn Chēzhàn) are also useful.