Our original itinerary on Day 6 of our 9D8N Jiuzhaigou / Huang Long / Chengdu trip was to visit Mount Emei and ascend via the cable car to the Golden Peak to see the 4-directions / 10-faced buddha as well as the temples atop Mount Emei. As we’re Christians, this part of the trip didn’t really entice us, perhaps except for the possibility of seeing the “sea of clouds” at the peak, also known as 云海 of Mount Emei. This, the group did see and the weather, though started rainy, turned out to be good at the top as well. However, the greatest drawback for us was the 1.5 hours winding bus ride up the mountain. Yup, this also means a 1.5 hours winding ride down. As we’re not that great with windy roads, we decided to give up the day’s itinerary and stay in at our hotel – Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel Emeishan City Leshan . We also heard later that the cable car broke down and the 40 pax cable car had to be activated – which was a close call as well. Turns out that staying in the hotel and enjoying the hot springs was a really good decision eventually and here’s why…
Chilling Out at Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel Emeishan City Leshan
The tour group was to leave at 7:30am this morning. This also meant that breakfast had to start much earlier to make it in time for departure. Breakfast buffet at Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel starts from 6:30am till 10am daily and because we were not joining the group this morning, we were able to have a leisurely breakfast, checking out most of the food before we left.
The food variety was mostly local with some items such as sausages, eggs, pastries and cereals for Western taste buds. Our favourite were of course the local selection, including the beef noodles – which was the “Sichuan-style” that we were searching for since the start of the trip! But as it was quite oily (true authentic style), we only limited ourselves to a small, but shiok bowl. We also had the non-spicy noodles – all of which were made ala minute, which tasted like a beefy pho. Really good as well. As the noodles are made fresh, you’d probably have to queue, especially during the morning peak hours. Having the time to chill at breakfast this morning, also meant that we were there during the “off-peak” hours where we could get our noodles without much of a queue. Most of the local items were actually quite tasty, similar to tastes that we’d get from a Sichuan restaurant in Singapore.
We also got to try the Sichuan Dou Hua (豆花) which is the savoury version – unlike the sweet version we’d get in Singapore. We didn’t really like it – probably first because Dou Hua is supposed to be sweet for us but secondly because it was more of the corn starch gravy and less of the Dou Hua in this dish, so we couldn’t really taste the Dou Hua per se. Lastly, there’s chili and other savoury ingredients that we’re…not really sure what to make of it. Still, we’re glad to have tried this at the hotel instead of searching for the dish in the streets and still be disappointed.
During our breakfast this morning, there was also a group of insurance agents from (中国平安) who were at the hotel for a retreat. We understand from those who sat around us (all of whom were in red jackets as you can see above), that only the top agents from Hubei, were invited for this retreat, which included a trip up to Emei to ask for blessings (祈福). We also asked if they knew where Singapore was – they only knew the approximate area but not exactly. Not surprising for us as this was the same replies we heard from US citizens – which we concluded that countries with big geographical areas probably have less incentive to travel worldwide and with that, less likelihood to know the location of a small country like Singapore. We later learnt that they’d be making a trip to Palau as well – another “battle ground” between China and Taiwan. But we’re still thankful to our folks at MFA, continuing to extend our policy space, ensuring year after year, that Singapore remains as one of the most powerful passports in the world.
After breakfast, we took time to just stroll around the vicinity of Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel Emeishan City Leshan, take in some fresh air and views to the mountains. While checking out the halls below, we heard the “rara-ness” of the insurance company – inspiring the agents to do better to meet sales targets for the year. Nearby, we also saw, what was probably the old entry to the hot springs – which one of the signs described as a “high-end spa club” here in Emeishan city, Leshan.
Thereafter, we went back to the games room – the same area where the table tennis tables, children’s play area and gym were located. We played a couple of games of pool and chilled our room to watch TV – including a remake of 天龙八部. Yup, the kind that Tom likes where an underdog gains pugilistic prowess and rising from someone who knew no kungfu to a pugilistic master through a series of fortunate/misfortunate events. Before long, it was time for lunch – one of our favourite meal during this trip!
Thanks to Xiao Zhu, there were arrangements made for the lunch to be served in our room. Another of our group mate decided to rest in and lunch was served in their room as well. This afternoon, we were given dishes such as the fish tofu in green chili (a tofu made of fish paste), pork stir-fried in mala sauce, chicken and mushroom, greens as well as a soup. As you can see from the picture, the dishes were so nicely plated in plates and bowls that elevated the entire dining experience. As we were able to see views of Xian Xia Ju Ji Xiao Zhen (仙侠居集小镇) from Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾酒店) Royal Spring Hotel, the meals was so so enjoyable. Of course, the taste, as we mentioned previously, was probably one of the best we’ve had during this trip. Despite having a really full buffet breakfast meal, we were able to clear up every single dish (and grain of rice) except for the chicken and mushroom dish. The uncle who came to clear our table, saw that this dish was left almost untouched and we shared that it was a little too salty – which he promised to feedback to the kitchen. He then asked us to scan his Weixin (which didn’t work because we didn’t download WeChat) – probably to get some reviews. This also meant that the chat is also widely used that uncle (despite being in his sixties, yet tech savvy), assumed that we’d have the app installed as well. 🤔
Hot Springs at Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel Emeishan City Leshan
After lunch, it was time for our main highlight for day 6 of our Chan Brothers 9D8N Jiuzhaigou / Huang Long / Chengdu trip and it was to soak it up in the beautiful hot springs at Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel Emeishan City Leshan!
The usual price per entry to the hot springs at Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel was 198RMB (or about $40 SGD). However, thanks to the linkages between Xiao Zhu’s company and the hotel, we were able to enter the hot springs for 80RMB ($15 SGD) per person. After paying 160 RMB for the both of us (via Alipay), we were given wristbands as identifiers – just like entry to an amusement park. Thereafter, we entered via the gantry that led to the ladies and gents changing rooms for a shower before heading to the common areas. Unlike Japanese hot springs that have dedicated men and women hot springs, the hot springs at Yu Quan (Royal Spring Hotel) were accessible to both genders. The indoor areas starts at 9:30am while the outdoor areas only start at 1:30pm (till 11:30pm at night).
Indoor Area of Yuan Quan (Royal Spring Hotel) Hot Spring
As we were about 30 minutes before the outdoor area started operating at 1:30pm, we checked out all the offerings within the indoor hot springs area of Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel first. Once you enter from the changing room into the common area, you’ll arrive at the main hall where the wave pool is located. As we were not interested to ride the waves just yet, we didn’t request for it to be operated. Yup, we were the only ones in the hot springs at this time! We then headed to the indoor hot springs areas to the right and there were various pools of different herbs, minerals and flowers that ranged from rosewood to iron to wormwood at varying degrees from low 30s to mid 40s. One of the main things you must remember is not to stay in the pool for longer than 10 minutes. For each pool, we stayed for about 5 minutes before we rested.
And how did we rest?
On the hot stone bed of course! There were a row of beds which we thought at first would be cold but when we layed on it, it was nicely warm and we closed our eyes to rest beneath the LED lights before heading out to the next pool. The warm stone bed was superbly comfortable and rejuvenating. Before heading over to the outdoor outsprings area, we discovered the Himalayan salt bath room – similar to what we experienced at Spaland Busan. The salts are a little jagged and may be difficult to sit on but apparently it can enhance circulation and relax the body. After rehydrating with the water coolers around the indoor area, we headed outdoors to check out the outdoor spa pools at Yu Quan Wan Hotel (Royal Spring Hotel)!
Outdoor Area of Yuan Quan (Royal Spring Hotel) Hot Spring
The outdoor hot springs area of Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel is another huge area to explore. If you refer to the map, it spans another 30 hot spring pools. Although not all the hot springs were operating while we were there, there were sufficient hot springs for us to check out and enjoy. During our visit, we didn’t see more than 5 of us in total. This meant that most of the time, we had the hot springs to ourselves.
There were several areas of the hot springs that we enjoyed.
Firstly, the infinity pool. The infinity pool is like a huge swimming pool that is actually heated – not to a warm temperature, but to a nice 28/29 degrees that even on a cold day, you’d be able to swim in. There are views to the nearby Xian Xia Ju Ji Xiao Zhen (仙侠居集小镇) aka Village of the Diety and Heroes – an artificially constructed village in Leshan, which is why it’s so beautifully designed.
Secondly, the massage water jets. Just like the streams that massaged our shoulders at Seashells Phu Quoc Hotel, we enjoyed the various water jets while lying down and standing up that massaged our muscles in the various hot springs.
Lastly, because there were not many people during our visit, we felt that it was an exclusive experience for us. We were able to try out all the spa pools, chilling with tea at the various rest house (complimentary for guests) and then revisit another hot spring. A relaxing and rejuvenating experience. 3 hours just zoomed past while we soaked, chilled, rinse and repeat. 😅
Before we left the hot springs, we enjoyed some beverages by the main area, in front of the wave pool. Tom was browsing through the beverage menu and discovered a beverage called Emei Xue (峨眉雪). After ordering it, we found out that its a lychee-based beverage, sold by a company of the same name. This means that unlike Coca-Cola, being the holding company for many other beverages such as fanta, sprite, schweppes, Emei Xue produces and sells only Emei Xue. Turns out, its a very tasty drink – a drink that we grew to enjoy fondly and were even on the lookout for during our last days in Chengdu. Try Emei Xue while you’re here in Emeishan City!
Only Mount Emei Show (只有峨眉山)
After everyone got back at the hotel, we had dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. There was alot of food but taste wise, even though it was from the same restaurant, we thought that our lunch tasted much better. There was also a “premium” tour group who were with us and we saw that their food was more beautifully plated – probably with more expensive ingredients as well. So, it could be that the chefs who made the lunch for us were working for the premium tables or that when prepared in smaller batches, the food really tasted great.
Soon, it was time for a show for the evening known as Only Mount Emei Show (只有峨眉山)…
Only Mount Emei Show (只有峨眉山) was the show included as part of our tour this evening. Also known as Uniquely Mount Emei, it is a large scale production as you can see from the photos above. Before the show started, the actors would be going around the show grounds for guests to take a photo. We saw the Emperor (and maid) as well as the Bei Fu (背夫) – people who used to transport items up the mountain manually, walking the show grounds. When it was time, the characters left and it was time for us to enter the “theatre”.
We mentioned that the “theatre” is a “theatre” because unlike most shows, the Only Mount Emei Show is one that allows visitors to move from venue to venue, interacting with the installations and actors throughout the show. We recalled watching a show like that in Singapore but at such a large scale, it was a first. The show started with the clouds of Mount Emei (云海对话空间) where the costume of the actors were fluffy and floated in the air as the actors danced. Visually stunning. As an immersive show, we were able to see and walk through various parts of the show from the top-down perspective, bottom-up perspective (platforms elevated), same-level perspective with rains and walking through an “ancient village”. Our favourite segment was probably the Bei Fu (背夫) part where people used to carry stuff up Mount Emei physically. However, the show alluded to the fact that we’re also Bei Fus today, carrying a different load in our lives. Deep. But it does say in 1 Peter 5:7
“Cast all your worries on Him, for He cares for you.”
So whatever burdens you’re carrying, know that the Lord wants to carry that burden for you for He cares for you 😄
@2bearbeartravel Uniquely Mount #Emei (#只有峨眉山) is an immersive #show that directs audience around various parts of the premise. For us, it was a little too #arty ，moreover we couldn’t sit during a show and had to vie for a good spot to see the show was not palatable to us (and many others as observed in the audience). Nonetheless, it was unique and the last part of the show about everyone being a 背夫 – someone who carries a load, struck a chord – in a sense that everyone does bear a burden albeit in different sense of the word – financial burden, family burden, work burden and illness. But did you know that Jesus has told us to «Cast your burden unto the Lord…» in Psalms 55:22. We hope that you too may know this Jesus who grants peace, love, joy and eternal hope in those who trusts in Him! #Jesus #Love #Gospel #emeishan #travel #traveltiktok #travellife #traveltok #traveling #traveltheworld #china #2bearbear ♬ 原声 – ★𝑲𝒆𝒏𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒍★
Xian Xia Ju Ji Xiao Zhen (仙侠居集小镇) – Village of Deities and Heroes Leshan Emeishan City
After we returned back to our hotel at Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾酒店) Royal Spring Hotel, we decided to check out lights from the “ancient village” next to our hotel. We were very much intrigued by the beautiful lights that litted up the entire village at night. Hearing from a fellow tour group mate that it was just a 10 minutes walk away, we set out by foot. There, we found ChaPanda to be opened and bought a superbly delicious cup of Yang Zhi Gan Lu (杨枝甘露) for 22RMB ($4 SGD) – inclusive of 1RMB for extra mangoes. We also found out from the staff that the name of the village was Xian Xia Ju Ji Xiao Zhen (仙侠居集小镇) and got the opportunity to take beautiful instagrammable photos within its facade. Yup, it’s beautiful both inside and out. We heard from the staff at ChaPanda that it was to officially open in early 2025 and shops and restaurants should be opened now. If you have visited the village recently, share more with us and our readers in the comments section below!
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@2bearbeartravel While in Emei City, we found a new gem that is being built – Xian Xiao Ju Ji Xiao Zhen (#仙侠小镇 #仙侠聚集小镇). Literally translated to where gods and heroes gather in a small town, it is slated to open by late #2024. Let us know more once it reopens in our comments section! For more details, visit 2bearbear.com today! #emei #emeicity #emeitown #ancientcity #china #travel #traveling #traveler #singaporetravelblog #singaporetravelblogger #singaporean ♬ nhạc nền – Thích Ngắm Siêu Xe – ❤
We hope you have enjoyed our coverage of the hot springs at Yu Quan Wan Jiu Dian (峨眉御泉湾) aka Royal Spring Hotel Emeishan City Leshan Hot Springs. Staying in for the day turned out to be such a wonderful and relaxing experience. Stay tuned as we return back to Chengdu for the last couple of days of our 9D8N travels with Chan Brothers!
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