Comparatively remote Zhonglu, 13km from Danba, is less a village and more a collection of grand, traditional stone houses spread across a lush, green mountain slope. It's blissfully cool and quiet, and though there's not much to actually do (the energetic could hike up to the mountain ridge behind the village) it's a peaceful place to rest up and to acclimatise if you'll be heading further west afterwards. Many of the houses have watchtowers that you can visit.
The village has a thriving accommodation scene. Most places to stay are marketed as homestays but nowadays most are guesthouses and some of them are very plush indeed. Over the holiday period, the place is packed out with city folk.
To get here from Danba, catch a minibus from a small parking lot across from 42 Sanchahe Nanlu (¥15, 25 minutes), about 10 minutes' walk from the hostels, or take a taxi (¥80). Minibuses return from the village to Danba until around 6pm.
