I try to tune out the chatter around me, and focus on the otherworldly sight before me, because it is magical and I do not know when I will see it again.
The photos I had seen before my trip did not do justice to Jiuzhaigou National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Sichuan, southwest China, an area that is rich with endemic wildlife, vegetation and also ethnic diversity.
The iconic calcium-carbonate-rich lakes that come in an assortment of aquamarine, turquoise and jade colours are so translucent that even the trees that have fallen in during the 2017 Jiuzhaigou earthquake can be seen clearly.
As I am here in autumn, the lush forests teeming with wildlife and birdsong are a myriad of reds, yellows and browns. In spring, the mountains turn into kaleidoscopic carpets of wildflowers. At 2,490m above sea level, I spot lichen hanging from fir trees—a sign that the air is very clean.
Like me, many others have also come seeking paradise. The other visitors, largely a domestic crowd, are understandably very proud of their national treasure and cannot contain their excitement. The crowds that pack the park-regulated buses that take visitors to many of the permitted sights on a fixed route are rather boisterous. While I am grateful to be able to see Jiuzhaigou in person; by noon, I am looking forward to returning to Rissai Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, where I am staying.
Retreat In The Roof Of The World
Fortunately, Rissai Valley is located just 20 minutes away from the national park by car, on the foothills of the snow capped Minshan mountains, soaring over lush forests and opalescent lakes. While not Jiuzhaigou, the sights here are dreamy too, and one can enjoy them in peace.
Like the other guests, the opening of Rissai Valley in 2023 has given me the impetus to tick Jiuzhaigou off my bucket’s list. I am now assured that in this unspoiled, far-flung corner at the Roof of The World, I will sleep and eat well, and also receive flawless service.
While there are other international hotels in its vicinity, Rissai Valley is a game-changer. It is not the average five star hotel. It is also not the regular Ritz-Carlton hotel or resort. A Ritz-Carlton Reserve is designed exclusively with the property’s unique host destination in mind. A significant proportion of the hotel’s hardware will be made by the best local craftsmen, and the software and activities are designed to immerse guests into the locale and culture. At Rissai Valley, guests may visit a Tibetan family for butter tea or forage for mushrooms as the locals do in late summer.
In designing the 87-villas only resort, WATG took inspiration from the nearby Tibetan village of Bo Ri, and also the cultures of other ethnic minorities that live around Rissai Valley. The villas are arranged in a similar manner to Bo Ri, while the main public complex that houses the dining areas, reception and function room is laid out like an endless Tibetan knot.
Inside each villa, the verandah opens up to an expansive vale where landscape artist John Pettigrew has planted endemic plants that will thrive in different seasons. The sumptuous interiors were designed by the late Jaya Ibrahim whose works include the Amandayan in Lijiang and Capella Shanghai, with local inflections. To reflect the jewel-coloured lakes of Jiuzhaigou, palettes of chalcedonies, emeralds and opals are used for soft furnishings, while Qiang (another dominant ethnic minority group in the area) embroidery decorates the bedlinen. Tibetan craftsmanship is celebrated throughout, whether in the form of furniture or the elaborate knots the hotel staff place thoughtfully by my bed to convey blessings and protection. Guests who are more spiritually inclined may also place faith in blessings bestowed by the Tibetan Buddhist paintings by renowned Thangka artist Pema Rizin hanging on the walls.
Rest And Regenerate
While a visit to Jiuzhaigou National Park is a must for first-time visitors like me, some of the well-heeled locals I meet at Rissai Valley are return guests and therefore happy to stay in to rest and recharge. After all, the grounds and facilities entreat one to do so. The verdant valley is wonderful for long walks, while the sprawling spa feels like a sanctuary.
I book an Eaglewood Vibration Ritual. I am told that this treatment which combines a massage with agarwood oil with the soothing vibrations of Tibetan singing bowls will help me sleep better that night. It is not clear if the Tibetan singing bowls are used during the massage or at the end. I won’t know as I fall asleep soon after the therapist lays her hands on me. Those seeking to reboot or rejuvenate can also sign up for yoga or sound meditation classes.
A kindly, motherly waitress at all-day dining restaurant Bo Ri (it’s named after the nearby village) tells me that being at high altitudes increases one’s metabolic rate, and therefore, I should eat more. I ditch my diet. A hot pot with a flavourful stock and an assortment of vegetables and meat including yak meat on a cold night feels as comforting as a warm hug. As yak meat is a staple food in high altitudes, it features in most of the menus at Rissai Valley. Besides in a hot pot, I also have it as a steak for lunch the next day when Executive Chef Herry Ying flame-torches the highly marbled ribeye on a slab of Himalayan pink salt at Chinese fine dining restaurant Cai Lin Xuan. Lightly perfumed with the oils from crushed Sichuanese peppercorns, it is delightful and juicy.
At Mediterranean restaurant La Montagne, I have a postprandial discussion with sommelier Byron Bi on the rising profile of Chinese wines. Bi’s pride in how far local winemakers have come in recent years is palpable. The 2014 Jiabeilan Reserve from Helan Qingxue Winery in Ningxia I am savouring is medium-bodied with a long finish. The perfect balance of cherry, spices and chocolate touches the right notes with me—just like the hotel.
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