With this guide in hand, head for the mountains and seas

After many trips to Western Sichuan, each time I am greeted with different surprises: vast grasslands, emerald lakes, towering snow-capped mountains, a feast of rainbows, and the Milky Way in the sky. All these wonderful things can be fully appreciated in Garzê. I have compiled some of my favorite treasure spots for everyone. In just a weekend, you can check off many classic sights. With this guide in hand, head for the mountains and seas! 1️⃣ Tagong Grassland🏔️ 'Tagong' means 'a place the Bodhisattva likes', and every time I go to Western Sichuan, I enjoy my time on the Tagong Grassland, where I see Mount Yala in the shape of a lotus throne surrounded by petals. 2️⃣ Balang Shengdu🌇 This place is known as the secret realm of Garzê and is also known as the pasture closest to the sky. From the viewing platform, you can see Mount Gongga and Mount Yala 360 degrees, just like in Yuzixi. On a clear day, you can witness the sun shining on the golden mountain, and capturing a silhouette of the sunset is also very photogenic~ 3️⃣ Yajiang Tianlong Lake🌈🌈 This is not the Norwegian fjords, but Tianlong Lake in Yajiang County, Garzê Prefecture. The shape of the lake is very similar to a dragon and it originates from the celestial Yalong River, hence the name Tianlong Lake. I remember reaching the lake after passing through more than a dozen, nearly twenty tunnels, enduring a journey of wind and rain before it finally cleared up, and a double rainbow appeared in the sky, hanging over Tianlong Lake, reflecting beautifully with the lake and mountains. 4️⃣ Muya Monastery🏔️ The exact location of Muya Monastery is in Kangding City, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, on Provincial Highway 215. Muya Monastery has the world's largest Mani stone pile and is known as the 'Little Sêrtar of Garzê'. There is no commercial atmosphere here yet, cattle and sheep roam freely, and you can gaze at Mount Yala from a distance, with different scenery throughout the four seasons. 5️⃣ Xinduqiao Gongga Snow Mountain Viewing Platform🌤 Every time I go to Xinduqiao, I hike to this viewing platform. What attracts me is not just the view of Mount Gongga, but the continuous meadows and colorful flowers, as if I've stumbled into the animated world of Hayao Miyazaki. 6️⃣ Yala Snow Mountain Viewing Platform🐼 The viewing platform is located on Panda Avenue in Daofu County. The journey along this road with its high mountains, canyons, streams, and snow-capped mountains is breathtaking. 7️⃣ Danba Tibetan Village🌲 Located in Danba County, Garzê Prefecture, in the western part of Sichuan, from afar, the spiritually vibrant valley is filled with emerald green grass and trees, heavy fields, and village houses hidden deep in the dense forest. Accompanied by the occasional babbling streams, a dynamic and exquisite mountain village painting unfolds before your eyes.