Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area in Sichuan, China

The icy beauty of Huanglong

Fancy a dip? Don't rush in. These inviting pools are fed by underground geothermal springs but the water is a chilly 5C. These terraced, limestone pools cascade downwards for nearly two miles. Formed over thousands of years, calcium deposits give the water that unique turquoise hue, that may be best enjoyed from dry land.

Huanglong is a designated Scenic and Historic Interest Area, and we can see why. There are plenty of other things to do at this huge park nestled between snow-capped peaks in central China’s Sichuan province. With abundant forests, lakes and glaciers, the diverse mountain ecosystem is home to a rich variety of animals, including endangered giant pandas and golden snub-nosed monkeys. So extensive and breathtakingly beautiful is this landscape that roughly 200 square miles of it were designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1992.