A Hidden Gem in Western Sichuan for Free – Changlie Temple in Barkam

Normally, people just treat Barkam as a transit point, resting for a night before leaving. This time, I didn't want to rush, so I decided to stay in Barkam for a day. I skipped visiting the Tusi Castle because I was attracted by a photo of a grassland above the clouds that looked like it came straight out of a Hayao Miyazaki anime, which led me to the Changlie Mountain, a dozen kilometers away from the city area. Destination: Barkam (about 4.5 hours' drive from Chengdu) Directions to the scenic area: Changlie Temple (18 kilometers from Barkam city center, the road is a tarred mountain path with good conditions, but with many bends) Admission: Free Transportation: You can choose to drive yourself, or take a taxi from the city, with a round-trip cost of about 200 yuan Recommended way to visit: Spend 1-2 hours in the morning touring the temple, which covers a large area; at noon, you can taste vegetarian meals at the temple restaurant, which has a nice environment, with buffet vegetarian dishes at 25 yuan per person, or order a vegetarian hot pot for 30 yuan each; in the afternoon, you can go camping and relax on the back mountain, where the scenery is absolutely beautiful and very suitable for photography. If you are driving, a sedan can also reach the top of the mountain in about 5 minutes; if walking, it only takes about ten to twenty minutes from Changlie Temple to the top of the back mountain.