Turquoise lakes and waterfalls in Tibetan valleys
Jiuzhaigou, named for nine Tibetan villages in its valleys, is a UNESCO site known for lakes of vivid blue and green, coloured by travertine and algae and so clear that fallen trees are visible on the bottom. Boardwalks and park buses link lakes such as Five Flower Lake and Long Lake with the broad cascades of Nuorilang and Pearl Shoal waterfalls. Autumn colour is spectacular. Nearby Huanglong has terraces of golden travertine pools. Allow a full day inside the park.