Biking Southern Sichuan

Posted in: Forums > Travel Sichuan • 17 posts • Newest

• • AlexKMG
    September 10, 2012
    82 posts
  • I'm planning a biking trip from Panzhihua to Xichang to Leshan.

    Anyone have any recommendations or comments on roads and scenery? Ideally, some scenic route with little truck traffic. I think I could follow the Yalong for a bit.

    For anyone looking to bike in Yunnan, I highly recommend the eastern ring road from the Shangrila to Tiger Leaping. It's beautiful with very little traffic.

• • moreif
    September 10, 2012
    27 posts
  • 1st, dont do it alone. never and ever
    2nd, u will climb a montain named "small montain" but not small. u'd better finish it in one day because no motel on montain and wont be safe in night.
    3rd, from Yuexi to Ganluo to Jinkouhe, ride carefully, the truck and rock will be the biggest risk
    4th, Jinkouhe is a nuclear base of china. no expats allowed to cross. or u have to move round to Ya'an. But there still a reservoir is building in Hanyuan, not sure expats is allowed or not.
    5th, open lights in tunnel.

• • moreif
    September 10, 2012
    27 posts
  • missed one thing.

    during Yuexi to Jinkouhe, every children who walk on road will run to u and salute just for some candy or pencil. think about the situation that what u gonna do if many run to u. u are not in a car.

• • AlexKMG
    September 10, 2012
    82 posts
  • Thanks for the advice, especially 3rd and 4th. I might decide to use bus, and save my time and energy for riding after Leshan.

    Anyone else been around southern Sichuan?

• • moreif
    September 11, 2012
    27 posts
  • whatever the traffic u use is still can not pass Jinkouhe.

    So u wanna be in Leshan from Xichang, first have to reach Ya'an. That's a long way.

• • AlexKMG
    September 11, 2012
    82 posts
  • Thanks again moreif.

    I guess I will just take the train from Xichang to Emei or Leshan.

    Has anyone biked or driven along the Yalong river from Panzhihua to Dechang on the way to Xichang. The sat map makes it look like their are very few villages or towns along that route. I am wondering if their are enough services along the way for biking.

• • moreif
    September 12, 2012
    27 posts
  • i have a good line for u. take bus from Xichang to Ya'an. then cross Zhougong Mountain to Wawu Mountain, then go to Gaomiao town reach Emei mountain. u can ride this line and it's great beauty. easy to get supply and motel.

• • Dragon Expeditions
    September 12, 2012
    162 posts
  • Not done it on a bike, but Xichang to Meigu's not terribly busy and should be a nice ride. North from Meigu via Ebian or Mabian are really bad roads (and very hilly), but the small road East to Leibo is pleasant enough. From Leibo you've got a choice of routes. It's a while since I've done that bit of the journey, and even then in a car, but with a bit of thought you should be able to get to Qianwei at least before encountering too many trucks.

    Hanyuan is definitely fine for foreigners incidentally. I've stayed there a few times. Jinkouhe I have passed though a couple of times but I think is supposed to be closed and certainly wouldn't recommend it on a bike.

• • moreif
    September 12, 2012
    27 posts
  • Leibo is building Xiluodu Power station right now. no expats allowed.

• • Dragon Expeditions
    September 12, 2012
    162 posts
  • I've heard a few people say that Leibo is closed to foreigners because of the dam construction but have never heard of anyone being turned away, though know of several people, myself included, who have been there recently without any problems. Don't believe everything you read on the Internet!

• • moreif
    September 12, 2012
    27 posts
  • i had a trip to horse lake in july. i saw it by my eyes that corps set checkpoints on road which u have to pass through and check everyone. 1 checkpoint is on the new road and 2 is in town.

• • Dragon Expeditions
    September 13, 2012
    162 posts
  • Just because there are checkpoints doesn't mean that it's closed to foreigners...

• • Dragon Expeditions
    September 13, 2012
    162 posts
  • Not sure if this is still current, but the number for Ms Song in the (decidedly not very helpful) foreign affairs department of the PSB in Leibo at least used to be 0834 8896803 if anyone wants to call and confirm.

• • Izzkidiotoo
    September 29, 2012
    2 posts
  • How about mountain biking around Chengdu? 1hr drive or less?

• • Dragon Expeditions
    September 29, 2012
    162 posts
  • Long Quan Yi seems to be the traditional destination as that's about the closest hills.

• • Stephe
    September 29, 2012
    12 posts
  • Yes Dragon Expeditions is right, that close to Chengdu is more or less LongQuan. Usually LongQuan and then the hills that go south, I usually ride specifically above a village called BaiHe 柏合. Just went out today and unfortunately most of the trails are still super overgrown. Things start to get better in a month or so when the grass stars to die down. Also went out a little while ago with a friend east of HuaYang, so farther south on that same ridge of hills and found some promising stuff. If you are ever interested in heading out send me a PM and we can see if we can work something out.

• • invisible
    October 3, 2012
    817 posts
  • if you read Chinese you could check http://bbs.scbike.net/ for specific updates on remote locations

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