Why go
Chengdu runs on a slower clock. The classic first day is pandas in the morning (go early — they nap by noon), a teahouse afternoon, and hotpot for dinner. The second day can be a day trip to Leshan for the Giant Buddha, or the pandas' wilder cousins at Qingcheng Mountain.
Sichuan food is not only spice — it's the layering of numbing (mala), sweet, sour and smoky. Tell restaurants your spice tolerance; 'not spicy' (bu la) is respected and still delicious.
- Giant Panda Base — arrive at opening, pandas are most active at breakfast time
- Hotpot — the loud, communal, life-affirming dinner ritual
- People's Park teahouse for a bamboo-chair afternoon
- Kuanzhai Alley for snacks and Sichuan opera face-changing
Where to go
Giant Panda Base in the morning, then People's Park for a gaiwan tea at the teahouse. Kuanzhai Alley and Jinli Street are touristy but great for a snack crawl — dan dan noodles, sweet water noodles and 'three-pao' rice. Book a Sichuan opera evening for the face-changing performance.
Day trips
Leshan Giant Buddha (1h by high-speed train) can be a half-day trip — take the boat for the full view. Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan are a peaceful, green alternative a little further out.
Getting there
- Metro Line 3 + shuttle from city centre to Panda Base in ~40 min
- Role
- Capital of Sichuan
- Nickname
- City of Heavenly Comfort
- Pandas
- ~70 giant pandas at the breeding base
