Name in Chines: 丹巴 Dān Bā [dæ ba:]
Location: Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Highlights: Tibetan Culture Exploration
Reputations: The Valley of Beautiful Maidens
Must-go Attractions: Jiaju Tibetan Village and Suopo Ancient Watchtowers
Danba County is located 325 km(202 miles) to the west of Chengdu. It is a small town in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The county seat lies in a narrow valley. Danba severs as a very important stepping stone for people to go to the higher places in western Sichuan. It is well-known as the Valley of Beautiful Maidens. Danba is inhabited by Gyarong Tibetans. They have completely maintained their own tradition and folk custom. The traditional villages scattered in the valley are considered to be the places where foreigners can appreciate the authentic Tibetan lifestyle and culture. Among those villages, Jiaju and Suopo are quite famous.
Folk Customs
Miss Danba Beauty Contest
Danba has become famous for its pretty women since ancient time. The Miss Danba Beauty Contest is held annually on May 20th. It is supposed to be the most beautiful time of Danba.
Guozhuang Dance
Guozhuang Dance is a typical folk custom of Tibetans. Local people gather at meadows, sing their own folk songs and dance together. Visitors may also join them. It must be an impressive experience.
Food
Tibetan Zanba(Roasted Barley)
Zanba is made of highland barley. It is the staple food of Tibetan people.
Tibetan Styled Bacon
The Jiarong Tibetans like bacon. The pigs that the locals rear look much smaller than the captive ones.
Accommodation
Tourists may stay overnight in the town or spend the night in the villages. The villagers can offer bedrooms and breakfast for their clients. But compared with hotels in town, the accommodation of guesthouses or inns is relatively poor. Hotels suggested in the town are Danba Lanfeng Grand Hotel and Jinhe Grand Hotel.
Transportation
Danba is about 325 km(202 miles) to the west of Chengdu. It takes about six and a half hours to get to Danba from Chengdu by car. Both Jiaju and Suopo are located near the county seat. It takes less than half an hour to get to the both from the town by car.
Weather
The temperature in Danba County ranges from 2℃(35.6°F) to 16℃(60.8°F) in spring, 13℃(55.4°F) to 27℃(80.6°F) in summer, 17℃(46.4°F) to 29℃(62.6°F) in autumn and minus 5℃(41°F) to 18℃(64.4°F). The apple and pear bloom from the late March to the early April. The most ideal time to visit Danba is between September and October. Visitors should try to avoid going to the west part of Sichuan in the rainy season. The rainy season in Sichuan lasts from July to August.
In the western Sichuan highlands, visitors should prepare warm coat and try to decrease the risk of catching a cold.
Recommended Tour:
Twelve-day West Sichuan Pure Land and Tibetan Culture Exploring Tour
Related Articles:
Jiaju Tibetan Village
Suopo Watchtowers
Siguniang Mountain
Huiyuan Lamasery
Altitude Sickness
Author: Tina Luo
Update:
