Thorn Tree travel forum

1

Qingcheng Hou Shan is said to be nice, though I haven't been.

2

Yes OP, Qingcheng Shan can be another excellent day trip where you can see Taoist Temples amidst lush forest with big enourmos trees and beautifully constructed bridges. Though the climb to the peak may be tedious, it is really a rewarding day. There is a further possibility to make the other side of the mountain which is said to be even more beautiful because of its nature, though I myself didn't do it the other side since I felt too exhausted.

3

Note that Qingcheng Hou Shan IS the other side of the more famous Daoist temple strewn Qingcheng Shan, which I did see and liked but which is hardly a getaway into nature.

4

What time of the year will you be going? Maybe the flower-peach festival in longchuan is a good option? I think it is around this time of the year... not exactly nature but rural.
Busses go there from the easter bus station every couple of minutes.

5

Great, I'll look into each of those. Thanks!

6

I'd agree that, given your time, Qingcheng Shan is a good choice. Go up and down the back side, unless you really want to see some Taoist temples. Spring is very pleasant; lots of green and running water along the route and during the week it will be fairly quiet. It's not the wilderness, but you don't have the luxury of heading north or west for that.

Skip Longquan: it's an absolute zoo when the blossoms are out...especially on the weekends with crowds of people tromping up and down the hillsides, sitting in makeshift teahouses playing mahjong under the peach trees, and garbage everywhere. It's great for the farmers who make a nice bit of side income, but that's about it.

If you really want to push the time, you might ask an agency at your hostel/hotel about getting out to the Xiling Xue Shan area for a day. That, or possibly Bi Feng Xia. Both are developed tourist areas, but both have possibilities for walking. Xiling would make for better scenery (mountains), although I have a brochure from an animal park at Bi Feng Xia that features a guy throwing a chicken out of a bus window to a waiting lion...if that's your idea of getting out into nature.

7

You would be able to do a very rushed trip to Jiuzhaigou if you fly both ways.
Cheers!