The coolest place during the summer vacation is definitely the northeastern region, so my boyfriend and I decided to escape the heat at Changbai Mountain. As two lazy people who love having everything arranged for us, we opted for a tour package. During the booking process on the Asia Travel website, we had many itinerary options to choose from, and we picked the one with the best value for money.
Changbai Mountain is a very magical mountain in the northeast. The highest peak of the Changbai Mountain range lies within North Korea, while the second highest peak on the Chinese side is called Baiyun Peak, standing at an elevation of 2,691 meters, making it the tallest peak in China’s northeast. However, our side of Baiyun Peak is more developed, which is why you’ll see many visitors from North Korea or South Korea at the Changbai Mountain scenic area—they’ve all come specifically to see it.
We explored two slopes of Changbai Mountain: the West Slope and the North Slope. The West Slope was truly exhausting, as it required climbing over a thousand steps just to see Heaven Lake, and there were relatively fewer other attractions. On the second day, we visited the North Slope, where we could drive all the way to the mountaintop. The drive was incredibly thrilling—I have to say the driver’s skills were outstanding, navigating steep, winding mountain roads. Moreover, the North Slope offers more attractions, with plenty of other sights worth stopping for.
Actually, seeing Heaven Lake depends on luck. When we went to the North Slope on the second day, we didn’t get to see it. The weather on the mountain is different from that at the base—while it was sunny down below, the mountaintop was hit by heavy rain. Right after entering the scenic area, we were informed that the top was closed due to strong winds. We hoped it would reopen soon, and only in the afternoon were we notified that we could go up. After taking that thrilling ride up the mountain, we found it completely shrouded in clouds and mist—we couldn’t see Heaven Lake at all. Disappointed, we headed back down.
On the first day, however, we saw Heaven Lake from the West Slope. This is where the reliability of our Asia Travel tour agency (ag123.vip) shines—they knew Heaven Lake isn’t easy to spot, so they arranged for us to visit on both slopes over two days. We were still somewhat comforted by this. I’d recommend choosing the same route as us, because many friends who visit Changbai Mountain end up not seeing Heaven Lake. Sometimes, due to bad weather, the Changbai Mountain scenic area even closes.
The most important reminder is to bring warm clothing when going up the mountain—this will make your trip much more comfortable. My boyfriend wore shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, and he was practically treated like a weirdo on the mountain. You can rent heavy coats inside the scenic area, but the prices are a bit steep, so I’d still recommend bringing your own warm clothes.
The best part of this trip was definitely where we stayed. We stayed at the Wanda Changbai Mountain Resort, where our room was beautiful, comfortable, and spacious. Most importantly, there were so many activities to enjoy—the Wanda Water Park (we were amazed by the facilities and thought, “Wow, the Wang family really is loaded!”), the Mount Halla Hot Springs (a soak here left us feeling completely relaxed), and best of all, all these were complimentary for resort guests. Oh, and you can also take the cable car up to the mountaintop—you’ll see little yellow wildflowers among the mountains, which are absolutely stunning.
We also ate lots of northeastern specialties, which were delicious. The success of this trip was largely thanks to the arrangements made by Asia Travel’s official website—it was truly perfect. For my next trip, I’ve already decided on this agency: great routes and excellent service.