Qionglai is stunning, but I honestly don't recommend going in July because............

Qionglai: A Thousand-Year Poetic Secret Journey Hidden in Western Sichuan, Where Ancient Charm Meets Everyday Life Keywords: Starting Point of the Southern Silk Road, Tiantai Mountain Fireflies, Slow Life in Pingle Ancient Town, Tipsy Qionglai Liquor Budget: 600-1000 RMB per person (including transportation + accommodation + tickets, 2-day trip from Chengdu) Best Seasons: March-May (flower viewing and spring outings), June-August (summer retreat and firefly watching), September-November (autumn colors and ancient villages) 1. Must-Visit Highlights: Fragments of Time Through a Thousand Years 1. Pingle Ancient Town: The "Living Fossil" of Western Sichuan Water Towns Highlights: The first town on the Southern Silk Road, Baimo River flows through the town, Ming and Qing stilted buildings built by the water, known as the "Western Sichuan Water Town"; Activities: Bamboo raft drifting (40 RMB/person, 30 minutes), listen to boatmen sing mountain songs; Walk across "Leshan Bridge" (Qing Dynasty seven-arch stone bridge), stroll through "Ancient Street Jiufang" (intangible cultural heritage experiences like porcelain bamboo weaving and oil-paper umbrellas); Stay overnight in a local guesthouse, enjoy "Qionglai Black Tea" (20 RMB/cup) at a riverside teahouse, watch the starry sky reflected on the river. Tips: Every Saturday night there is a "Ancient Town Light Show," and in summer you can join the "Water Splashing Festival." 2. Tiantai Mountain: One of the World's Top Eight Firefly Viewing Spots Highlights: Asia's largest firefly viewing base, "Star Waterfall" visible at night from April to October, summer resort with an average temperature of 22°C; Activities: Daytime: hike to "Xiangshuitan Waterfall" and "Little Jiuzhai" Xiaojiayuan, play in the water and stream tracing; Night: after 7:30 PM, watch fireflies at "Zheng Tiantai" and "Monk Street" (flashlights and catching fireflies are prohibited); Family-friendly: catch tadpoles at Butterfly Beach, forest hiking to find the "Tiantai Mountain Yew" (thousand-year-old tree). Tips: Accommodation inside the scenic area must be booked in advance, recommended "Tiantai Mountain Grand Hotel" (300-500 RMB/night, including firefly guide). 3. Linqiong Ancient City: The "Love Landmark" of Western Han Talented Woman Zhuo Wenjun Highlights: 2300 years of city history, the place where Western Han Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun's story of "selling wine at the tavern" took place; Activities: Visit "Wenjun Well" (Zhuo Wenjun's former residence, free), watch Sichuan opera face-changing (performances on weekends); Climb "Huilan Tower" (Qing Dynasty six-story brick tower, panoramic view of the ancient city); Check in at "Qionglai Kiln Archaeological Park" (free), try pottery making (80 RMB/person). Tips: "Xingxian Street" in the ancient city preserves Ming and Qing architecture, perfect for wearing Hanfu and taking photos. 2. In-Depth Experience: The Everyday Life and Poetry of Qionglai 1. Southern Silk Road Culture: The "Western Sichuan Memory" of the Tea Horse Road Route: Pingle Ancient Town → Chayuan Township → Datong Ancient Town Chayuan Township: Visit the ancient tea gardens of "Qionglai Black Tea," participate in tea picking and making (spring only, 120 RMB/person); Datong Ancient Town: See the blend of Western Sichuan stilted buildings and colorful town, check in at the old teahouse on "Zheng Street" (5 RMB/cup, listen to elders chatting). 2. Qionglai Liquor Culture: A Tipsy Journey in the Hometown of Chinese Baijiu Raw Liquor China Wine Village · Daliang Winery (ticket 30 RMB): Wear Hanfu to enter the "brewery," taste "Wenjun Liquor" and "Chuan Chi Liquor," stay at the "Winery Guesthouse" (400-600 RMB/night, including breakfast and tasting); Family-friendly "Countryside Fun" (80 RMB/person, grass sledding, feeding small animals). 3. Qionglai Cuisine: A Flavorful Feast from Mountains to Streets 1. Must-Try Signature Dishes Milk Soup Noodles (8-12 RMB/bowl): Qionglai people's breakfast favorite, pork bone boiled milky broth, paired with "Bobo Chicken" (25 RMB/portion); Recommended restaurant: "Yu Qiao Stewed Chicken Milk Soup Noodles" (main store). Zhouji Barbecue (50 RMB per person): Charcoal-grilled "Qionglai tender rabbit" and pork belly, brushed with secret chili sauce, paired with chilled "Wenjun Liquor"; A late-night food haven, still packed at 2 AM. Guyi Old Brand Sweet-Skin Duck (35 RMB/jin): Crispy skin and tender meat, sweet with a hint of salt, recommended "Liu Roast Duck" and "Zhang's Sweet-Skin Duck." 2. Hidden Snacks Buckwheat Noodles (7 RMB/bowl): Handmade buckwheat noodles topped with spicy meat sauce, recommended "Wenjun Street Buckwheat Noodle Shop"; Bobo Chicken (0.5 RMB/skewer): Pingle Ancient Town's "Zhang's Bobo Chicken," spicy and fragrant, paired with iced jelly to cool the heat. 4. Accommodation Recommendations Ancient Town Style: Pingle "Pingsha Luoyan Resort Hotel" (400-800 RMB/night, riverside stilted building); Summer Mountain Retreat: Tiantai Mountain "Tianfu Honggu · Gengdu Taoyuan" (800-1500 RMB/night, forest hot spring guesthouse); Cost-Effective Choice: Qionglai City "Jun Yue Plaza Hotel" (200-400 RMB/night, near high-speed rail station). 5. Classic 2-Day Itinerary Day 1: Pingle Ancient Town + Tiantai Mountain Morning: Drive 1.5 hours from Chengdu to Pingle Ancient Town, stroll ancient streets, take bamboo raft; Afternoon: Drive 40 minutes to Tiantai Mountain, hike and play in water; Evening: Watch fireflies in the scenic area, stay overnight at Tiantai Mountain. Day 2: Linqiong Ancient City + Qionglai Liquor Experience Morning: Return to Qionglai city, visit Wenjun Well and Huilan Tower; Afternoon: Brewing experience at China Wine Village, taste Qionglai liquor; Evening: Yu Qiao stewed chicken milk soup noodles + Zhouji barbecue, then return. The beauty of Qionglai is the gentle flow of the river in Pingle Ancient Town, the fireflies lighting up Tiantai Mountain, the fragrance of Wenjun liquor in Linqiong Ancient City, and the sound of horse hooves on the Southern Silk Road. Here, there are no crowded tourists, only a slow life interwoven with thousand-year-old charm and everyday scenes— Come to Qionglai, be a leisurely "Wenjun selling wine at the tavern" for a day, in the faint glow of fireflies, in the mellow aroma of black tea, and rediscover the truest form of life.