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Voykit pocket guide · China
Baoguo
Use Baoguo as a base for Emeishan National Park: one night before the climb, or skip it if you're not hiking the mountain.
Baoguo is the gateway town to Emeishan National Park, a sacred Buddhist mountain. It has basic accommodation, cheap noodle shops and a few temples, but the real reason to come is the mountain. Most visitors stay one night before starting the climb, then move on.
- Country
- China
- Best months
- Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded, hot), Jan–Feb (cold, some trails icy)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥100–200 excl. bed · Mid ¥200–400 excl. bed · High ¥400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire 119 · Ambulance 120
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bowl of noodles | ¥10–12 |
| Steamed buns (corn skin) | ¥2–5 |
| Bus to Emei city | ¥2–5 |
| Taxi to Emei city | ¥30–50 |
| Hotel dorm bed | ¥30–80 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) · Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
- About 2 h by bus or taxi to Baoguo; check direct buses to Emeishan
- Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) · Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
- About 2.5 h by taxi or bus; check connections
Typical fares
- Bus from Chengdu to Baoguo
- about ¥70, about 2 h (check)
- Taxi from Baoguo to Emei city
- ¥30–50, about 20 min
- Emeishan park entrance
- ¥160 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk. The town is small; everything is within 15 minutes on foot. Taxis and local buses connect to Emei city (about 10 km (6.2 mi)).Walk. The town is small; everything is within 15 minutes on foot. Taxis and local buses connect to Emei city (about 6.2 mi (10 km)).
See and do
Known for
- Gateway to Emeishan National Park
- Baoguo Temple
- Hot springs and winter skiing
- Cheap street food
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Emeishan National Park | Walk from Baoguo town to the park entrance (about 10 min); then hike or take the cable car. | Immediate |
| Emei city | Bus 5 then bus 1, or taxi (about 10 km (6.2 mi), 20 min).Bus 5 then bus 1, or taxi (about 6.2 mi (10 km), 20 min). | About 30 min |
| Leshan Giant Buddha | Bus from Emei city to Leshan (about 1 h), then local bus. | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Baoguo Road / near bus station
- Closest to the park entrance and bus station; most budget hotels and hostels here.
- Side streets towards the mountain
- Quieter, with a few guesthouses and the 'Food Street'.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 你好nǐ hǎo |
| Thank you | 谢谢xiè xiè |
| How much? | 多少钱？duō shǎo qián? |
| I don't understand | 我不懂wǒ bù dǒng |
| Where is the bus station? | 车站在哪里？chē zhàn zài nǎ lǐ? |
| One bowl of noodles, please | 一碗面，谢谢yī wǎn miàn, xiè xiè |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Prices are higher than in nearby towns because of tourism.
- Some restaurants may not serve non-Mandarin speakers well; walk away and find another.
- Last buses from Emeishan summit leave by late afternoon; plan your descent.
- Hot springs are in resort hotels; check if they are open to non-guests.
Baoguo is safe for tourists. Watch for pickpockets in crowded areas and slippery paths on the mountain. Summer heat and winter ice are the main hazards.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Baoguo yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gateway to Emeishan National Park
- Baoguo Temple
- Hot springs and winter skiing
- Cheap street food
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Baoguo, revision 5339079 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5339079
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/baoguo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.