A Family Journey from Singapore to Sichuan, China
Real Experience | Travel Tips | Itinerary Reference (with Official Booking Links)
Last week, I flew from Singapore to Chengdu with my family. Chengdu city itself is full of amazing food and cultural attractions, but what truly took my breath away was the stunning beauty of Jiuzhaigou.
One important reminder for anyone planning a trip to China: most famous scenic spots now have daily visitor limits and require advance reservations. If you don’t book early, you might end up traveling all the way there for nothing. Sichuan is vast and its attractions are spread out, with long travel times in between. If you’re not familiar with local hotels, transportation, or ticketing, arranging everything on your own can be quite stressful. My strongest advice—plan ahead so your trip is smooth and worry-free.
We spent 8 days and 7 nights in Sichuan, with an average cost of less than RMB 4,000 per person. From my firsthand experience, it was truly an unforgettable and worthwhile journey. Today I’m sharing our real itinerary and lessons learned—hopefully it helps those who are planning a trip to Sichuan.
Travel Notes
Peak Season in Sichuan is April–November. Tickets and hotels should be booked at least 7 days in advance.
Independent Travel: More freedom, but much more hassle—you’ll have to manage transport and tickets by yourself.
Group Tours: Hassle-free, but you sacrifice flexibility.
Semi-Independent Travel (Recommended!): What we chose—a small group of 15 people, arranged through a local licensed agency with full contracts and insurance. Pricing was transparent, service professional, and it gave us the perfect balance of freedom and comfort.
Official Booking Links (for independent travelers):
Jiuzhaigou: https://www.jiuzhai.com
Huanglong: https://www.huanglong.com
(Tickets are released 7 days in advance at 8:00 p.m. local time. Without a Chinese phone number, you’ll need to book through trip.com. Plan ahead.)
Why I Recommend Semi-Independent Travel
At first, I wanted to do a fully independent trip, but I quickly got overwhelmed by the complicated bookings, dispersed attractions, limited ticketing, and endless hotel comparisons. Then a friend recommended a local guide, 梦梦.
She not only helped us book all transportation, hotels, and tickets, but also customized the itinerary according to our family’s needs. To my surprise, the hotels she secured were nearly half the price of what I found online, and she even got discounted entrance tickets. We had private transfers with a driver experienced in mountain roads—safe and reliable.
Most importantly, she listened carefully to our needs and made the whole trip feel warm and personal, almost like visiting family.
For anyone considering a trip to Sichuan, I highly recommend 梦梦. Beyond the professional service, the cost savings and peace of mind made our experience so much better.
Contact 梦梦 via WeChat: 17780239985
Our 8-Day, 7-Night Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Chengdu
Airport pickup with a driver holding a panda sign with my name—such a warm welcome! In 40 minutes we were at our central hotel. Right away, 梦梦 introduced us to Sichuan’s famous food scene.
Dinner tip: She booked Yu Shao Xia Hotpot (Chunxi Road branch) for us, with a mild broth suitable for kids—spicy enough to taste authentic, but not overwhelming.
Day 2: Chengdu → Huanglong → Jiuzhaigou
After breakfast, we set off by car from Chengdu towards Huanglong. The drive was long but incredibly scenic, winding through valleys and mountains shrouded in clouds. Upon arrival at Huanglong, we explored the dazzling colorful pools before continuing on to our hotel, the InterContinental Resort Jiuzhai Paradise. From the balcony, we could see snowcapped mountains and Tibetan villages—like a postcard come to life.
Dinner: A traditional Qiang long-table banquet in Chuanzhusi, complete with local performances arranged by 梦梦.
Day 3: Full Day in Jiuzhaigou
梦梦 advised us to enter the park as early as possible to avoid crowds—and it was the best advice. From the deep blue Long Lake to the rainbow-colored Five Flower Lake, and the frozen Nuorilang Waterfall, the scenery was magical. We even had a picnic with instant hotpot by the icy waters!
In the evening, we enjoyed Tibetan-style hotpot with butter tea, which warmed us right up.
Tip: This is the most tiring day—wear comfortable shoes with soft soles.
Day 4: Jiuzhaigou → Tibetan Village → Chengdu
On the way back, we visited a Tibetan village, full of colorful prayer flags and the smell of freshly baked barley cakes. Returning to Chengdu, we walked to Wide and Narrow Alleys for shadow puppetry and Sichuan opera face-changing performances.
Day 5: Chengdu → Mount Emei
We took a shuttle bus and cable car straight to the Golden Summit of Mount Emei. Standing above the clouds, the golden statue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva shone brightly, with cotton-like clouds rolling below.
Tip: We were lucky—although it rained on the way up, the clouds cleared at the top and revealed a spectacular sea of clouds.
Day 6: Mount Emei → Leshan Giant Buddha → Chengdu
A short drive brought us to the Leshan Giant Buddha. Looking up from the base, the sheer size and the Buddha’s serene smile left us speechless.
梦梦 then guided us through Leshan Food Street, where we tasted fried skewers and the famous sweet-skinned duck—perfect for our tastes.
Day 7: Dujiangyan Irrigation Project → Panda Paradise
We explored the ancient engineering marvel of Dujiangyan, where the river still flows exactly as designed over 2,000 years ago. At the Panda Paradise, the kids couldn’t stop squealing as young pandas rolled around with bamboo.
Day 8: Departure
梦梦 personally picked us up for our flight, handing us two bags of spicy rabbit heads and hotpot base as a farewell gift. Such a heartwarming gesture—it made us feel like we were leaving family behind.
Travel Tips for Sichuan
Altitude: Huanglong reaches 3,570m. Take Rhodiola (Hong Jing Tian) 5 days prior if you’re worried about altitude sickness. One oxygen bottle is enough.
Sun Protection: UV is intense—SPF 50+ sunscreen, reapply every 2 hours.
Clothing: Weather changes quickly. Best combo: T-shirt + down jacket/raincoat.
Final Thoughts
This 8-day trip across Sichuan was more than just sightseeing. What truly made it special was how 梦梦 turned “traveling” into “coming home.”
It was her careful planning of trains, hotels, and transfers.
It was her local food recommendations tailored for us.
It was the peace of mind when she said: “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”
Because of her, we had a smooth journey without missing a single highlight—only beautiful memories to bring back home.
If you’re planning a trip to Sichuan, I sincerely recommend contacting 梦梦.
WeChat: 17780239985
Travel isn’t just about seeing the world. It’s also about sharing the joy of the journey. I hope this firsthand guide can be a small reference for your future trip to Sichuan.
评论
@Lorraine So it really takes about six hours to travel from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou by road? I thought there was a high-speed train—I assumed it would only take around two hours.
Is Jiuzhaigou beautiful in April?
@This zheng It takes 2 hours by high-speed rail. After getting off the train, it is 146 kilometers away from the entrance of the valley. It takes about 2 hours by car to get to Huanglong Station. Chengdu is 434 kilometers away from Jiuzhaigou. 梦梦 told us that it takes about 6-7 hours to drive, and the scenery along the way is also very good, so compared with the high-speed rail and car, the distance is not much.
Perfect for the places I want to go
I'm very interested in the travel options you've mentioned. Could you share more information? Also, is the person you recommended, 梦梦, affiliated with a local travel agency? Could you share their contact information?
@Freda Chong Yes, 梦梦 has a great reputation for Sichuan tours and offers several different ways to visit. The specific options depend on your needs and availability. You can ask her. I've seen her WeChat Moments promoting promotions lately. I've included 她's contact information here. Add her and ask for details! she contact information: WeChat: 17780239985 or WhatsApp: 17780239985 (China +86)
Are their hotel accommodation arrangements good? I'm traveling with my family and need a better hotel.
I've also contacted 梦梦, the person the original poster mentioned! She specializes in catering to independent travelers like us and has a great online reputation. A classmate recommended her to me. Her strengths are excellent service, fair pricing, and the ability to recommend or customize itineraries based on our needs. Last time, we booked our trip in advance and even got a discount. My boyfriend and I spent a week in Sichuan and had a wonderful time!
Thanks for sharing. I also want to go to Sichuan with my boyfriend to see Jiuzhaigou and Leshan Giant Buddha. The main problem there is that it is difficult to get tickets and hotels. I have contacted 梦梦 and hope to book tickets and hotels.
@小kim哥 recommends contacting your tour guide 梦梦 in advance to plan your trip. That way, you won't have to worry about missing out on tickets and hotels! You can tell 她 that a friend recommended you to book a tour for a discount! Contact 梦梦: WeChat: 17780239985 or WhatsApp: 17780239985 (China +86)
A while ago, I took my family on a 6-day, 5-night trip to Daocheng Yading. I also consulted and booked the trip with 梦梦. The cost per person was just over 3,000 yuan, including all entrance fees, tour guide fees, meals, insurance, and more. The price was very transparent, and I really give them a thumbs up. I chose them both times I went to Sichuan, and I had a blast! Their service is proportional to their online reputation; it's really good! I've recommended several groups of friends to visit there, and they all came back very satisfied! 梦梦 is a Sichuan native and knows the province very well. He took us to all the attractions in Sichuan, big and small. It was amazing! - 梦梦 is also a travel expert, so if you're planning a trip to Sichuan, feel free to contact him. - Tour guide 梦梦's contact information: WeChat: 17780239985
Thanks! I've already contacted 梦梦, and he seems pretty good. He's quite enthusiastic and provided very detailed and thorough answers!
Only a little over 4,000 yuan, including accommodation and meals? My last trip to Sichuan with friends cost nearly 7,000-8,000 yuan per person. We had to queue up for tickets, and because it was peak season, hotels were jacking up their prices. It turns out some things are better handled by professionals.
I agree. I personally experienced it. Last time we also contacted the tour guide 梦梦. After we went there, we were able to play many of the highlights of the scenic spots. It was easy to play throughout the whole process without having to arrange various things by ourselves. I felt much more relaxed. I highly recommend the tour guide 梦梦