Jiuzhaigou, or the Valley of the Nine Villages, is a national park and nature reserve in China covering over 72,000 hectares (nearly 180,000 acres) of mountains and valleys. For centuries it was the home of Tibetan and Quiang groups, but until the 1970s few others visited this area on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau in Sichuan province. Today, you can hike its virgin woodlands and view striking multi-level waterfalls. You might even see a giant panda or two.