Chengdu (成都 Chéngdū) is the provincial capital and largest city of Sichuan Province in southwest China. Chengdu is on the edge of the fertile plains of the Red Basin in China's Sichuan Province. Due to its agricultural wealth, Chengdu is sometimes called the "Heavenly Land of Plenty". The Funan River bisects the city, although boat traffic, common until the 1960s, has all but vanished. The Chengdu administrative area is home to more than 14 million people, with about 10 million of them in the Chengdu urban area. Chengdu has the reputation as a very "laid-back" city that emphasizes culture and relaxation. As a result of this and much green space, it is ranked one of the most livable mega-cities in China. It is credited with a good nightlife scene, and contains many new western style buildings in the large city center. Summer weather is hot and humid, as the city is surrounded by small mountains to the east and sits in the Red Basin. Furthermore, an hour to the west lie the foothills of the mighty Tibetan Plateau and the fabulously scenic mountains of west Sichuan. The city is famous for its lack of sun, so don't come expecting to get a sun tan. The city is foggy most of the year and typically warmer than coastal cities. 30.578333103.9469441 Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU IATA) (20 km (12 mi) southwest of Chengdu center). One of the main air hubs in China. It serves flights from most major cities in China, many smaller cities within Sichuan, and some international destinations including Amsterdam Schiphol, Bangkok (BKK), Hong Kong, Osaka, Phnom Penh, Kuala Lumpur, New York City (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), Seoul (Incheon), Melbourne and Singapore. 30.323036104.4447312 Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU IATA). A new airport built to accommodate rising passenger flow for Southwest China. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only domestic routes operates at Tianfu International Airport. Ground transportation options include: Chengdu Metro line 10 runs from Shuangliu Airport (separate stations at Terminals 1 and 2) to Taipingyuan, where you can transfer to Metro line 3 and Metro line 7 , and from there to other Metro lines. Chengdu Metro line 18 runs from Tianfu Airport to South Railway Station, where you can transfer to Metro Line 1 and 7, and from there to other Metro lines. Airport Shuttle buses operate between the airport and the city center, costing ¥10-15 (Shuangliu Airport) or ¥40 (Tianfu Airport). The main line #1 stops at the Air China airline office in a side street just off Renmin Nanlu opposite to the entrance of the Minshan Hotel. There are three other routes but the service is not as regular or frequent, ask at the ticket desk outside the Arrivals lounge. The last bus leaves the airport around 1AM. Taxi fare from the airport to the city center averages ¥45. There is no extra charge for luggage or additional passengers. When going from the city to the airport, add an additional ¥10 to cover the toll on the Airport Expressway. If you intend to take a taxi from the airport, head for the domestic arrival area and exit the terminal where you should see the official taxi stand where you can queue for marked, green-and-yellow or blue-and-yellow taxis. Usual advice applies when distinguishing between official and fake taxis; if a person is too enthusiastic about getting you into their vehicle, you may have to pay more. Use your common sense. Train connections are available from Kunming in Yunnan, Chongqing and Xi'an. 30.69924104.070843 Chengdu Station (成都站) (Huoche Bei Zhan (火车北站 which means "North Railway Station")) (Metro Line 1, 7, North Railway Station). Officially called simply Chengdu Station, however, locals call it "Chengdu North Station" when Chengdu East was opened, and even the metro system do so. Handles most long distance services and most high speed trains to Chongqing, also intercity services from/to Dujiangyan and Pengzhou. (updated Jun 2018) 30.63118104.138524 Chengdu East Station (成都东站) (Chengdu Dong Zhan) (Metro Line 2, 7, East Chengdu Railway Station). New station serving local Sichuan destinations (like Leshan and Shuangliu Airport) and some services east to Chongqing, Nanjing and Shanghai or north to Xi'an and Beijing. (Not to be confused with old freight station, slightly east of Chengdu North Station as marked on some older maps.) (updated Jun 2018) 30.60886104.066025 Chengdu South Station (成都南站) (Chengdu Nan Zhan) (Metro Line 1, 7, South Railway Station). For short distance trains to Leshan, E'meishan, Jiangyou, Dujiangyan and Shuangliu Airport. (updated Jun 2018) 30.60886104.066026 Chengdu West Station (成都西站) (Chengdu Xi Zhan) (Metro Line 4, 9, West Railway Station). For distance trains to Dujiangyan, Pujiang, Ya'an. The station will handle the future Sichuan–Tibet railway. (updated Sep 2021) The Chengdu–Dujiangyan intercity railway connects Chengdu station and Chengdu's suburbans, namely Dujiangyan and Pengzhou. The service operates in a way similar to metro, and provides cheap ticket price (the highest ticket price is ¥15). There are three bus stations in Chengdu, serving different destinations. 30.7077104.011337 Chádiànzi (茶店子汽车站), ☏ +86 28 8750 6610. 30.64724104.071378 Xīnnánmén (新南门汽车站), ☏ +86 28 8543 3609. There is a tourist information center nearby, where you can get a free map of the city and ask for the bus to your hotel. 30.63797104.126349 Wǔguìqiáo (五桂桥汽车站), ☏ +86 28 8471 1692. See Driving in China for detailed advice if you want to get around by car. The Chengdu Metro for a single ride tickets from ticket vending machines (English available) with ¥1 coins or ¥5 and ¥10 notes. Ticket booths are also available if you don't have suitable notes. A contactless metro card is available (card or panda keyring) which gives you a 10% saving on all journeys. When entering the metro you need to put your bags through an x-ray machine. The ticket is flashed by the gates on the reader on your right side. You need the ticket to get out as well so keep it safe. When exiting the ticket is placed into a slot on the right side of the gate. The system contains seven lines: Line 1 runs north–south through the city center along Renmin Rd and Tianfu Ave, from Weijianian to Science City or Wugensong, connecting the North and South railway stations. Line 2 runs northwest–southeast, from Xipu to Longquanyi, serving Chengdu East Railway Station. Line 3 runs southwest–northeast, from Chengdu Medical College to Shuangliu West Station, serving to those hot touristic sites in Chengdu. Line 4 runs east–west, from Xihe to Wansheng. It serves Chengdu West Railway Station. Line 5 runs north–southwest, parallel to Line 1, from Huagui Road to Huilong. It diminuing the population on Line 1, Line 6 runs northwest–east–southwest, from Wangcongci to Lanjiagou; this line has the longest subway tunnel sections. Line 7 runs in a circle around the city. It has interchanges with all other lines, as well as the North, South, and East railway stations. Line 8 runs northeast–southwest, parallel to Line 3, from Shilidian to Lianhua, serves to Chengdu's musical area. Line 9 runs south–west, parallel to Line 7, from Financial City East to Huangtianba, it serves Chengdu West Railway Station. The planification shows that Line 9 will be a circle form line. Line 10 runs south–southwest, from Xinping to Taipingyuan, where you can transfer to Lines 3 and 7. It serves mostly to people go to Shuangliu International Airport. Line 17 runs west–northwest, from Jitouqiao to Jinxing, only transfer to Line 9. The future plan is to become a city fast line. Line 18 runs south–southeast, from South Railway Station to Tianfu International Airport North Station, it serves for members go to Tianfu Interntional Airport. Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 18 all have interchanges with each other in the city center region. Chengdu has an extensive bus system. At each bus stop, there is a list of the bus lines coming through on this road, and on some city maps the whole network is displayed. However, the bus lines and maps only use Chinese characters, and even if the bus announces the station, it will usually only be in Chinese. Tickets are ¥1 for non-aircon (now very rare) and ¥2 for air-conditioned buses. The fare is paid by putting the exact amount to a metal box next to the driver. No change is given, so make sure you have exact change. Normally, you enter via the front door, and alight by the rear door. On the new articulated buses, you can enter at either the front or rear door, with the middle door designated for alighting only. aMaps (Chinese only) is helpful for planning routes by public transport. A separate smartphone app is available. Click on Chengdu on the map, then select the middle tab from (公交) from the search field. To show the route of a particular line, click 高级搜索 and type the line number to the search field that appeared on the right side. You can also select from and to destinations from the map via a context menu (the two topmost options) and the service shows the route with bus line numbers and also where to change the bus if needed. Classical bus useful for tourists are 1 and 99 (inside city), 300 (link between south airport to north railway station). If you will be in Chengdu a while, you may want to purchase the contactless transit card (公交卡) - it's advisable to get the version which works for both metro and buses. They are sold at all Hong Qi markets and at some pharmacies. Not only do you no longer have to worry about carrying correct change, but you get free transfers for two hours plus some discounts. The card costs ¥20 and can be loaded with three types of credit. The first is cash. You will receive a 10% discount off the cash fare when using your card's cash. So a regular bus ride will cost ¥1.80 instead of ¥2. You can also load credits (次) for this month and credits for next month. Each credit costs ¥0.50, and most bus rides use two credits (the increasingly rare non-aircon buses cost one credit). So most rides then cost you only ¥1. Credits expire at the end of the month for which they were designated, so it can take a little effort to not buy too many or too few. Note that some bus lines (usually higher numbered ones, or those going way out to the suburbs) and the subway only accept your cash balance (not credits), which does not expire. When you board the bus and tap your card, the display will show the number of this month's credits remaining (if you used credits) or the cash balance (if you used your card's stored cash value). The Hi Panda Shuttle Bus (成都景区直通车), also known as the Scenic Shuttle Bus, conveys passengers to many of Chengdu's key attractions and also travels to some attractions outside the city. Destinations include the Wuhou Temple, Jinli Street, Kuanzhaixiangzi, Du Fu's Thatched Cottage, Chunxi Road, the 339 TV Tower, Jinsha Archaeological Site, Panda Research Base, Happy Valley, Haichang Ocean Park, Jinjiang Theatre, the Museum of Sichuan Cuisine, Manhua Manor, Anren Town, Dujiangyan, Qingcheng Mountain, Sanxingdui, Leshan, Emeishan, Taoping Qiang Village, Bipenggou and Bifengxia. Most routes originate from the company's main hubs at Kuanzhaixiangzi and the Wuhou Temple. The company also operates from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu East Railway Station, and Tianfu Square. Fares range from just ¥2 for a short trip to ¥68 for a 3-hour journey to Bipenggou. You can also purchase a combo set, which includes both the bus tickets and the entrance tickets for the attractions you intend to visit. Official taxis are either green or blue and are equipped with meters. An available taxi will display an illuminated sign with Chinese characters in its dashboard. The meter is turned on by tilting the sign, make sure the driver does that and if not, you can try to do it yourself and the driver usually gets your point. Some taxi drivers may try to offer you a fixed price but don't take it unless you know it's cheaper than with the meter on. Taxi drivers don't speak English nor do they understand the map, so have an address written in Chinese with you. Drivers don't know many street names so it's best to have the address to some well known place close to your destination. Collect taxi cards from hotels and restaurants and show them to the drivers, and when close to your destination start instructing by pointing with your hand. This method usually gets you there - some drivers however will not follow your instructions or get angry for you traveling a longer distance than what they expected. Taxi fare is ¥8 on flagfall for the older taxis ¥9 for the new ones, and increase at ¥1.9 per km after the first 2 kilometers. For rides from 10 to 60 km the km fare is increased by 50% to compensate the taxi returning empty. During night time the starting price is ¥1 more and per km price is ¥2.20. Waiting price for the taxi is one km fare per every five minutes, and the meter counts traveling with speed less than 12 km/h as waiting time. Taxis often refuse to accept ¥100 bills so try to have some change on hand. Taxis can be difficult to find depending on the area. There are also unlicensed taxis in the city but they're quite hard to notice. If you use one, know your destination and expected price and negotiate the fare beforehand. Most guest houses have bicycles for hire. Check for technical problems before starting out unless you want to be held responsible for it later. If you leave your bicycle, do so in one of the designated "bicycle parks", where it will be guarded over for a small fee. If you can not find such a place, be sure to lock it securely against some structure. Be careful as the bike traffic flow can be intense. In 2016, Mobike and other companies introduced city-bikes which can be used and paid for via a smartphone app. 30.64845104.047171 Jinli Ancient Street (锦里古街) (Line 3 Metro, Gaoshengqiao Station). This neighborhood is part of the old city of Chengdu; it features hotels and small stores built in an old-fashioned style. Antiques are sold in a variety of different stores. It is very popular among both tourists and locals, especially at night, with many bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. You will find a lot of famous local snack food over there, prices ¥1-10. Restaurants and bars in Jin Li are more expensive than outside. There are also antique hotels in there. Some consider Jin Li is to be tourist trap, which is partly true. However, this 'new old street' offers regional and fairly affordable street food specialties as well and can be combined with a visit to the Wuhouci Temple (entry fee ¥60, unless you are the holder of a Panda Card). Don't forget to take your camera. 30.66797104.046752 Kuanzhaixiangzi (宽窄巷子) (Line 4 Metro, Kuanzhaixiangzi Alley Station). Very nice place with lots of (expensive) tea houses, restaurants and local snacks. Great for relaxing. Streets date from late Qing-dynasty style but have been rebuilt. Free government Wi-Fi in this place. 30.6598104.063393 Tianfu Square (天府广场) (Line 1/2 Metro, in the city center). This square, overlooked by an enormous Chairman Mao statue in the center of the city, has been spruced up. Every evening at dusk, as well as at noontime, an elaborate water show, synchronized to music, bursts out from the square's fountains. Below the square is the hub of Chengdu's subway system. In the subway entrance plaza, a small shopping mall has been built, almost literally under Mao's nose. 30.55881104.046974 A Thousand Plateaus Art Space (千高原艺术空间; Qian Gaoyuan Yishu Kongjian), 87 Fangqin St 芳沁街87号 (In Yulin Community, next to Little Bar and K Gallery. ), ☏ +86 28-85126358, fax: +86 28-8512635, 1000plateaus.cn@gmail.com. A contemporary art gallery in Chengdu exhibiting Chinese and international artists. Exhibit openings generally happen once a month, and other events also take place. Free entry. 30.661044104.0590545 Sichuan Art Museum (四川美术馆), 6 Renmin Road West, Qingyang District (青羊区人民西路6号) (300 metres west of Tianfu Square Station at the intersection of Lines 1 and 2), ☏ +86 28 86636199, scmxyqxx@163.com. 09ː00-20ː00, no entry after 19ː00, closed on Mondays. Free. (updated Dec 2018) 30.65975104.061256 Chengdu Museum (成都博物馆), 1 Xiaohe Street, Qingyang District (青羊区小河街1号) (Metro lines 1 and 2, Tianfu Square Station. The museum is on the west side of the square), ☏ +86 28 62915593. May to October: 09:00-20:30, November to April: 09:00-20:00, no entry in last 30 minutes, closed on Mondays. A 6 floors museum containing different interesting things about Chengdu civilization from ancient times to modern times. Recommended to start the visit from the second floor upwards. The visit should take 2.5 hours. Free, Foreigner needs to register from the opposite side of the entrance to get ticket.. (updated Apr 2019) 30.66329104.03177 Sichuan Museum (四川博物院), 251 Huanhua Road South, Qingyang District (青羊区浣花南路251号) (Take a train to Chengdu University of TCM and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital Station at the intersection of Metro lines 2 and 4, then either walk or catch bus no. 58 and get off at Songxian Bridge (送仙桥)), ☏ +86 28 65521888, +86 28 65521569. Summer: 09:00-21:00, Winter: 09:00-20:00, no entry in last 30 minutes, closed on Mondays. 3 floors museum containing artifacts (bronze, pottery, carving, etc. ), including coverage of different tribes in Sichuan. Visit can be completed in about 2 hours. Free, foreigner needs to go through the 'Foreigner' entrance and register.. (updated Jul 2018) 30.66249104.063218 Sichuan Science and Technology Museum (四川科技馆), 16 Renmin Middle Road Section One, Qingyang District (青羊区人民中路一段16号) (Metro lines 1 and 2, Tianfu Square Station. The museum is on the north side of Tianfu Square), ☏ +86 28 86609999. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays (except during the summer holiday period). This huge four-storey museum is filled with interactive exhibits about science, aerodynamics, space, mathematics, robotics and physics. Children will love the interactive displays and indoor playground on the 4th floor. Adults will appreciate the descriptions in both English and Chinese. Everyone will love the crowd-pleasers like the robotic orchestra and walk-through maps of Sichuan's waterways. During weekdays this museum can either be overrun by local school groups or be so deserted it's almost creepy. Overall, quite good value for money, especially on a rainy day. Free. 30.63901104.088229 [dead link] Sichuan University Museum (四川大学博物馆; Sichuan Daxue Bowuguan), 19 Wangjiang Rd, Wuhou District (武侯区望江路19号) (about a 15-min ride or a 40 minute walk from Xinnanmen bus station; you may also catch buses 19, 256, or 1107), ☏ +86 28 85412451. 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:30, closed on weekends. Excellent display of local artifacts and is worth while way of spending an hour or two. The museum is one of the better in China and there are four floors of well lit, air conditioned displays with decent English translations. Starting in the basement, enter the first room where dozens of stone carvings dating from the Han dynasty to the Tang are on display. The room next door has a moderately interesting display on the museum's history and numerous examples of ancient bronzes and stone age artifacts. The first floor is mostly artifacts from the Ming and Qing dynasty, including furniture, silk clothing, and an interesting display of leather puppets. The second floor has the perhaps the most engaging display: artifacts and daily use items from ethnic minority groups in China's southwest, including Tibetans, Miao, Yi, Qiang, Jianpo and Naxi. The third floor has a decent display of calligraphy scrolls, paintings, and ceramics. ¥30 (students ¥10). 30.6441104.083410 Anshun Bridge (安顺廊桥), 66 Binjiang Road East, Jinjiang District (锦江区滨江东路66号) (The nearest bus stop is Hejiang Pavilion (合江亭), which is served by bus nos. 343 and 1093). A scenic, historic bridge crossing the Jin River in the middle of Chengdu. A bridge at this location was mentioned in the writings of Marco Polo. However, in the 1980s the bridge was destroyed by flooding, and was rebuilt in 2003. There is a restaurant on top of the bridge. (updated Mar 2017) 30.66272104.0260311 Du Fu's Thatched Cottage (杜甫草堂), 37 Qinghua Road, Qingyang District (青羊区青华路37号) (Take a train to Chengdu University of TCM and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital Station at the intersection of Metro lines 2 and 4, then either walk or catch bus no. 58 and get off at the Du Fu's Thatched Cottage bus stop. Alternatively take a train to Caotang Road North Station on Metro Line 4 and walk south for about 900m), ☏ +86 28 68921800. May to September: 08:00-20:00, October to April: 08:00-18:30. Du Fu was a renowned poet during the Tang Dynasty. The thatched cottage was where he lived from 760 to 765 and wrote many of his best works. The cottage eventually fell into ruin and had to be rebuilt. The current buildings date mostly from the Ming and Qing dynasties. ¥60. (updated Jul 2018) 30.68362104.0110612 Jinsha Archaeological Site (金沙遗址), 2 Jinsha Site Road, Qingyang District (青羊区金沙遗址路2号) (Metro Line 7, Jinsha Museum Station), ☏ +86 28 87303522, cdjsbwg@jinshasitemuseum.com. May to October: 08:30-20:00, November to April: 08:30-18:30, no tickets sold in last 60 minutes, closed on Mondays. Site featuring various tools and art pieces from around 3,000 years ago. The amount of unearthed items is just massive. They include pottery, blades, jade items, building foundations and various golden art pieces. There are two main buildings: the hall constructed over the centre of the excavation site and the modern exhibition hall with various artifacts on display. ¥80. 30.67698104.0447813 Yongling Mausoleum (永陵, 王建墓 Wang Jian's Tomb), 10 Yongling Road, Jinniu District (金牛区永陵路10号) (Take metro to Fuqin Station at the intersection of Metro lines 5, exit the station via Exit C1, then walk through your left for about 7 minuts OR Take metro to Chengdu University of TCM and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital Station at the intersection of Metro lines 2, 4 and 5, then catch bus no. 42 and get off at the Yongling Intersection (永陵路口) bus stop), ☏ +86 28 87789003. Tomb and museum: 08:30-18:00, Gardens: 06:30-22:00. Yongling is the tomb of Wang Jian, the founding emperor of the Shu Kingdom, also known as Great Shu or Former Shu, which ruled over much of Sichuan during the early 10th century during a period known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. The burial chamber has been excavated and is open to the public. An on-site museum displays artefacts that have been excavated from the tomb. ¥20. (updated Jul 2018) 30.645442104.18645214 Ming Prince Tombs (明蜀王陵), Longquanyi District, in Qinglonghu wetland park (Take Line 4 of the Metro to Chengdu University station). Five tombs of the princes of the Ming Dynasty, who were given estates in the area by the emperor, and subsequently buried here. Their burial chambers have been excavated, two of which are open to the public; the tomb of Prince Xi (僖王陵) and the tomb of Prince Zhao (昭王陵). The former is lined with beautiful carvings, and is often said to be the grandest burial chamber to have been excavated to date in China. Adults: ¥12 Youth/Students: ¥6. (updated Mar 2020) 30.66252104.038715 Qingyang Temple (青羊宫; Qingyanggong; lit. Palace of the Black, Green or Blue Ram), 9 Xierduan, Ring Rd One, Qingyang District (青羊区一环路西二段9号) (Take metro to Qingyang Taoist Temple Station of Metro lines 5, exit the station via Exit C, the destination is in your sight. ), ☏ +86 28 87710035. 08:00-18:00. This Taoist temple is the oldest and biggest of its kind in the area, located in the west of downtown. A large and still-active temple that takes into consideration Taoist philosophy in its construction, and with both a park next door and a number of relaxed courtyards inside. While it has a long history, the buildings are modern, cheaply-made concrete constructions, and it quite frequently shows. The statues inside are also cheap modern constructions of no real interest. A teahouse and a vegetarian restaurant can be found within the temple complex. ¥10. (updated Sep 2021) 30.67778104.0699716 Wenshu Temple (Wenshu Monastery, 文殊院), 66 Wenshu Temple St, Qingyang District (青羊区文殊院街66号) (Metro Line 1, Wenshu Temple Station), ☏ +86 28 86930623, +86 28 86952273. 09:00-17:00. This Tang Dynasty Buddhist temple is the most impressive, and perhaps also the most used, temple in Chengdu. It is dedicated to the Buddhist representation of Wisdom, Wenshu Pusa (Manjusri Bodhisatva), and contains more than 450 Buddha statues and other precious relics. In addition to the halls and gardens, the temple also has a charming tea house that offers an insightful window of Chengdu life as it is frequented by locals who engage in games of chess, reading, knitting and just chatting with family and friends. The temple also has a delightful vegetarian restaurant with seats offering views over the gardens. There are many shops around the temple, including some of the best street food in the city, such as a sweetwater noodle shop. Free. (updated Jan 2020) 30.64863104.0469517 Wuhouci Temple (Wuhou Temple, 武侯祠), 231 Wuhouci Main Street, Wuihou District (武侯区武侯祠大街231号) (Near Jinli Street, south-west of Tianfu Square and 750m from Gaoshengqiao Station on Metro Line 3. You may also take bus routes 1, 57, 82, 334, 335, 1126 and Night 11), ☏ +86 28 85552397, cdwuhouci@163.com. May to October: 08:00-20:00, November to April: 08:00-19:00, no tickets sold in last 60 minutes. This temple is built to commemorate Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮), who was the minister of Shu (蜀) in the Three Kingdoms Period. He is famous through the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. There are dozens of dust covered statues of obscure historical figures behind glass and not much else. The gardens are attractive, but not extensive. ¥60. 30.7388104.141318 Chengdu Panda Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (成都大熊猫繁育研究基地) (From Panda Avenue metro station (Line 3), take Exit B which will lead you the HiPanda counter (staff are wearing yellow uniform), where you can buy entry tickets with return shuttle bus for (¥54). After the bus ride, follow the signage and pawprints on pavement to go to he Panda Base. Alternatively, you can take public bus 198 or a taxi, and pay for entrance fee at the ticket booth for ¥55. ), ☏ +86 28 83510033, pandabase@panda.org.cn. This is the biggest facility of this kind in the world. Due to habitat destruction and other reasons, the giant panda is maybe the most famous endangered animal. It is home to some 60 giant pandas, but also has some red pandas and a colony of black-necked cranes. The pandas are basically on display for tourists but views are much closer than is possible at most Western zoos. (If you want to get even closer and hold a panda or volunteer all day to feed them bamboo and clean the panda cage, visit the Dujiangyan Panda Base, about an hour's drive outside Chengdu.) A small museum and a cinema screening related documentaries is also available. A restaurant and souvenir-stalls top off the tourist installations. The best time to visit is in the morning, when pandas are most active. Pandas sleep during the hottest time of the day. Feeding time is around 09:30-10:00. Expect some crowd. It is recommended to arrive as early as you can to avoid the hordes of school and tour groups that arrive every morning. Entry fee is ¥53. English-speaking tour guide ¥100. (updated Apr 2019) 30.7116104.102719 Chengdu Zoo (成都动物园), 234 Zhaojue Temple Road South, Chenghua District (成华区昭觉寺南路234号) (Line 3 Metro, Chengdu Zoo station), ☏ +86 28 25479611, chengduzoo@aliyun.com. April–November: 08:00-17:00, December–March: 08:30-17:00. Offers all the typical animals that one might expect in a zoo (elephant, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, as well as panda bears). While the zoo itself is large and spread out, some of the cages are woefully small and the facility seems understaffed. Might be good for a family to visit. The zoo has vendors selling Chinese snacks as well as some carnival type rides. ¥20. 30.65926104.0549420 People's Park (人民公园) (Two blocks west of Tianfu Square). This park is a rare island of tranquility amid the noise and hustle of central Chengdu. It contains beautifully landscaped walking paths, lakes with paddle boats for rent, tea shops and restaurants, children's amusement rides, small sports facilities, and other attractions. Some old people use the park to sing and dance in separate groups. Some people practice calligraphy with water on the floor around a monument in the northwestern corner of this park. Some parents take their unmarried children's information here to find potential candidates. The park is a great place to take a child or a date, and it is always full of locals relaxing and enjoying themselves. For laughs, there is an information display which lists the city's current air quality, claiming there is about 4 times less pollution than the US Embassy reports. No entry fee. 30.5103103.620421 Anren Ancient Town (安仁古镇), Dayi County (大邑县) (about 45 km southwest of Chengdu. Buses depart every 30 minutes between 07:30 and 19:10 from Chadianzi Bus Station. The journey time is about one hour), ☏ +86 28 88319116. Also called China's Museum Town (中国博物馆小镇) due to the large number of museums, including the Jianchuan Museum Cluster (see below). (updated Sep 2017) 30.8172103.559722 [dead link] Jiezi ancient town (街子古镇). 25 km northwest of Chengdu, in Chongzhou, the Fengqi mountain, the mountain connected with Qingcheng. 29.717172103.23260523 Liujiang Old Town (柳江古镇, 柳江镇). Liujiang town, located 25 km southwest of the county to spend Hongya River tributary of Liujiang sides. Town was founded in the Southern Song Dynasty, and modern architecture across the water from the Ming and Qing era buildings. 30.64062104.3254324 Luodai Ancient Town (洛带古镇), Luodai Town, Longquanyi District, Chengdu (About 25km east of downtown Chengdu. Chengluo (成洛) Road goes directly there. There is also a bus that goes directly there. Catch it at a small building behind the Xinnanmen bus station, right where Shiqi road bends. Cost is ¥7. There appears to be no regular schedule, just show up, and when the bus is full (enough), it departs. No bus number, just look for signs to '洛带'. In Luodai, once you exit the train station, turn right on Bajiaojing street, then left at Huaishui Middle Street, and the entrance is on your left.). Billed as an ancient village inhabited by the Hakka minority.. Over 1 km long streets with older building (in various states of disrepair) lined with stores. The primary attraction is the many different types of food and snacks available, especially Hakka food, that are hard to find in other places (along with some number of stores selling standard tourist crap and costumes to rent for photos). The buildings that line the street are of some, but not great, interest; more interesting are a number of older buildings and halls that give one a feel for older China. Signage and shops appear to be Chinese-language only. Most of it is a recreation but still somewhat charming. It's a pleasant day-trip from Chengdu. Buses start form Wuguiqiao bus station (新南门车站 - south Chengdu, next to Tazishan Park) and take about an hour. Alternatively, take a taxi out (about 75 yuan) and come back by bus as return taxis can be hard to find. Entrance: free. 30.50286103.6174725 Jianchuan Museum Cluster (建川博物馆聚落), 550 Yingbin Road Section Two, Anren Town, Dayi County (大邑县安仁镇迎宾路二段550) (Buses depart every 30 minutes between 07:30 and 19:10 from Chadianzi Bus Station. The journey time is about one hour. Anren Bus Station is 3km from the museum cluster. If you don't want to walk that distance, you may catch bus no. 11), ☏ +86 28 88318000. 09:00-17:30. Industrialist Fan Jianchuan built this campus of museums to explain the history of 20th century China. This is the first privately owned museum in Sichuan (privately operated museums in China have only been permitted since the year 2001). The Museum campus contains four buildings about World War II in China - one explaining the Communist Party role, one about the Kuomintang, one about the American volunteer group "Flying Tigers", and one about Sichuan volunteers. There is also the modestly named "New China Porcelain Museum", which actually tells the story of the Cultural Revolution through porcelain of that era. A museum that more directly addresses that era is under construction. You will also see buildings explaining the practice of foot-binding and one about prisoners of war. Nearby, you can also walk through a landlord's manor. Make a day trip out of it; the Museum is in the historic town of Anren about an hour's drive from downtown Chengdu. Get around the museum cluster by walking, renting a bicycle or paying ¥10 to ride the sightseeing car; a tea-house and restaurant is located on site. ¥60 for a one-day pass to visit all museums, ¥100 for a three-day pass, ¥20 to visit just one museum. (updated Jul 2018) 30.89768103.9283826 Museum of Sichuan Cuisine (川菜博物馆), 8 Ronghua Lane North, Gucheng Town, Pidu District (郫都区古城镇荣华北巷8号) (Catch a train to Xipu Station on Metro Line 2, exit via Exit B, then cross the road and catch bus no. P22. Get off at Gucheng (古城) where the bus terminates. You will find the museum just opposite the bus stop), ☏ +86 28 87918008. 09:00-18:00. ¥60 for general admission, ¥360 to take part in a cooking experience. (updated Jul 2018) 31.004307104.21494227 Sanxingdui (三星堆), ☏ +86 838-5651550. An ancient Chinese city where archaeologists discovered remarkable artifacts that radiocarbon dated circa 12th-11th centuries BCE. Sanxingdui (Three star mound) is the name given to this previously unknown Bronze Age culture. The Sanxingdui archaeological museum is located about 40 kilometers northeast of Chengdu in Sichuan Province and 10 kilometers east of the city of Guanghan. From Zhaojue Temple Bus Station, catch a bus to Guanghan (¥14), and from there use public bus No. 6 to reach the museum (¥2). ¥82 (¥42 for students). (updated Sep 2017) 30.19592103.4211228 Stone Elephant Lake Ecological Resort (石象湖生态风景区), 86km Exit, Chengdu-Ya'an Expressway, Pujiang County (蒲江县成雅高速公路86公里出口处) (Arrange a car to take you there or catch a bus from Xinnanmen Bus Station. The bus fare is ¥33), ☏ +86 28 88591888, shixianghu2011@sina.com. March–April: 08:30-18:00, May–October: 08:30-17:30, November–February: 09:00-17:00. A fantastic park with acres upon acres of live tulips and tiger lily flowers as well as nature walks and boat rides, and stone carved animals. The best time to go is during the Tulip Festival in early Spring and when the Tiger Lillies bloom in late summer, however, various flowers are usually in bloom from March through August and the nature walks are open year round. Bring your camera. Also bring a picnic lunch or eat in one of the several Chinese restaurants and noodle shops there. The park is about an hour and 15 minutes drive of pure highway driving south of Chengdu. ¥100. (updated Sep 2017) For up-to-date information on activities, places and attractions you should check out the Chengdoo Citylife Magazine's listings. You will find copies in most bars, restaurants, cafes, hostels and hotels. Cosmetics and Hair. Local women love to get their nails and hair done at the mall. You can get your nails done beautifully (filed, buffered, polished and hand painted with beautiful patent) between ¥10-20 at most shopping centre. There are quite a few very popular ones located on the ground floor of Beijing Hualian (北京华联) in Yanshikou. You can also get your hair temporarily straightened or curled at ¥10-15. They do very nice style and it will last until you wash your hair. 30.65661104.073781 Chunxi Road (春熙路). Take an afternoon or evening to walk down this shopping street in the center of the city. It makes for a good change of pace. There are clothing stores, bookstores, restaurants, arcades, and cinemas. It is a good place to find something to eat, as you can find a great variety including hotpot buffets, Japanese restaurants and Western food. However, the major disadvantage with this area is that each brand has many stores in this location (similar to other parts of China). For instance, Nike, Adidas, and Li-Ning, each have about 4-5 stores in Chunxi Road alone which reduces the variety of things to buy. If you are looking for stores in the same vein as Louis Vuitton and Ermenegildo Zegna, these stores are located outside of the Chunxi Road area and near the Tianfu Square district. (updated Apr 2017) 30.65945104.055292 Drink tea, Renmin Park (People's Park). Teahouses are plentiful in Chengdu, and drinking tea and playing Mahjong is how many local people relax. On a sunny afternoon pick a table in the park with an out-door tea house and sip your tea while listening to the locals gossiping. Not for the faint hearted, take the opportunity to have your ears cleaned by local "experts" armed with a tuning fork and a myriad of "insertion tools". Weird but effective! There are thousands of teahouses in Chengdu so you'll find them from other places than Renmin Park as well. (updated Apr 2017) Foot and body Massage. Chengdu is famous for its relaxed and laid back lifestyle. The foot and body massage is very popular in Chengdu with a lot of varieties. Generally, these places cater to groups of people who come in together, relax in a private room, perhaps eating fruit, pig ear, or sipping tea, while receiving a fully-clothed massage or foot washing. Prices are very reasonable, often well under ¥80 per person. Some places offer ¥25 per hour for a very nice foot massage, including washing, soaking and massaging feet, free hot/cold drink (tea, coke or juice), fresh fruit. A great way to relax with friends. Beware of erotic massage places that may be hard to tell from authentic ones. As a general rule, if you can see the patrons from the outside, its more likely to reputable. The more the internal space is segmented, the more concerned you should be. Watch out for establishments (such as on Yuhe side street, next to the Sheraton) that have two price boards, one in Chinese, and one in English with heavily inflated prices (eg. foreigners - 80 yuan, Chinese - 40 yuan). KTV, various locations. Spend an evening singing with friends, enjoy popcorn, beer and other refreshments. Songs available in English, Chinese, and more. Play Weiqi (the game of Go), seeker.w@gmail.com. As a symbol of Chinese culture, Weiqi is one of the world’s great strategy games where a few simple rules lead to limitless possibilities. Weiqi is hugely popular in Chengdu to the point where it has been nicknamed Weiqi City. Chengdu Weiqi Classroom is the only place where foreigners can study this game with English speaking assistance. Read a Book. The Chengdu Bookworm (see listing in the Eat Section) has a membership-based lending library of English language books, as well as travel guides for sale. Peter's Tex Mex, as well as some of the other restaurants that cater to foreigners, have book exchanges. 30.66362104.042793 Sichuan Opera (四川歌剧院) (Line 2 Metro, Tonghuimen station). Most guest houses and travel agencies offer to arrange visits to these traditional shows. It is more like a burlesque cabaret than an actual opera, sometimes including magicians, traditional musicians, shadow plays, comedy (spoken in Chinese though), and dancers besides the traditional pieces. Of course the most famous is never omitted: quick face-changing and fire spitting performed by dancers clad in colourful traditional costumes. You will follow the story sitting at your table, sipping on your constantly refilled tea cup and nibbling some salted snacks. Note that there are many teahouses in the city that offer the show every night. Try the local favorite at Shu Feng Ya Yun (蜀风雅韵) teahouse located in Chengdu Culture Park (文化公园) on Qintai Road (it is beside Qingyang Temple). You will be seated on a covered open ground (cooled by fan; no A/C), which is actually the center of the traditional teahouse building. You might have to book in advance or just ask the concierge of your hotel to book it for you. ¥150 back rows; ¥220 front rows. 30.725104.0324 Happy Valley (欢乐谷; Huanlegu) (Catch the Number 48 Bus from Luomashi Metro Station to its Terminus then keep walking in same direction once you get off the bus, cross the motorway and the park is on your right hand side). 09:00 - 18:30. Moderate size amusement park with 3 main roller coasters, Water Rides, Kids zone and water park (in Summer). Overall Good day out for both adults and families, makes a nice break from the city and has enough attractions to fill a full day out, As of 2011 the entrance to the park is now a sports retail outlet, Imax and Indoor Sky diving Centre with Restaurants ¥150, discount for students. 30.72482103.820395 Floraland (国色天乡), Wanchun Town, Wenjiang District (温江区万春镇) (Take a train to Wansheng Station on Metro Line 4, exit the station via Exits A or B, then catch bus no. w27 from the Xuefu Road South (学府路南段) bus stop), ☏ +86 28 82617666 (water park), +86 28 82611222 (land park). Water park: 10:00-18:00; Land park: 09:00-18:00. The park includes a moderate selection of rides (water, relaxing and thrill), and various recreation activities. Weekends can get packed, so try to go during a weekday. Water park: ¥150; Land park: ¥30 (entry only), ¥130 (including rides). Most golf courses in the metropolis of Chengdu are semi-private, but open for public play. The green fee varies between US$50-300 per person per round, depending on course, weekdays or weekend play. Cart and caddie fees are included. The usual gratuity for caddie is about RMB$100-150 [dead link] Grand Hill International Golf Club (观嶺高爾夫球場), 1188 Qiling Road, Jintang District. 18-hole championship golf course completed in 2009. Somewhat generic but pleasant. (updated Nov 2016) Luxehills Golf and Country Club (麓山國際乡村俱乐部). Completed in 2007 by American architect firm JMP, Luxehills is ranked one of the top 10 courses in China. (updated Nov 2016) Wolong Valley The Tradition Golf Club (臥龍谷傳統高爾夫球埸), No.1 Wolong Avenue, Longquanyi District. 18-hole championship course with many bunkers and well protected greens. On three sides of the course, tall high-rise condominium buildings are easily visible. (updated Nov 2016) The following universities accept foreign students with the proper visa: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China [formerly dead link] (中国电子科技大学) Southwest Jiaotong University SWJTU has 10 recipients of the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, 47 award winners selected by Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University. Sichuan University (四川大学) Southwestern University of Finance and Economics Sichuan Normal University (四川师范大学) Southwest University for Nationalities Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine [dead link]. This institute's three-year training program has 2,500 enrolled Chinese students. The school also offers short term courses to foreigners with English translation. Chengdu Mandarin Club. A language school offers different types of Mandarin Chinese courses with flexible schedules. Students year-round for a one-on-one class or a group class with 5 students. All the teachers are master's degree holders in TCFL (teaching Chinese as a foreign language). They also offer various kinds of Chinese culture activities. Hutong School Chengdu. A Chinese language school offering a range of Chinese courses to suit different levels and aims. Students can choose between private and group classes focused on preparing for the HSK, learning business Chinese or basic phrases. All teachers have at least 2 years professional teaching experience and a teaching related degree. Students can also join in with regular cultural activities and networking events organised by the school. Private Chinese language lessons are available for ¥40-85 per hour. Ask for a referral at one of the universities, or from another student. Textbooks for learning Chinese are available at many local bookshops. Bear in mind that the Mandarin spoken by the locals amongst themselves is South-Western Mandarin. This is substantially different from Putonghua or Beijing Mandarin, Taiwan Mandarin or Singapore Mandarin that foreigners and overseas Chinese typically learn. However most locals will speak Putonghua with you if you speak it. Kungfu Family. A Chinese martial arts / kungfu school that focuses on teaching authentic traditional Kungfu to students from all over the world. Teaching takes place in English language. Located in the southeastern part of Chengdu in San Sheng Flower Village. Job postings for English teaching are located in many guest houses, at Western bars and restaurants, anywhere foreigners congregate. Also worth to check are GoChengdoo and their Chengdoo Magazine of which you can grab a copy from many places throughout the city. The Peace Corps has its China headquarters in Chengdu, (Sichuan University Campus), and places highly selected and qualified U.S. Citizen volunteers in 2 year assignments throughout provinces in West China teaching English. 30.65876104.074151 Chunxi Road area (春熙路) (SE from Tianfu Sq. Walk 1 block E from Tianfu Sq along Renmin E Rd, Chunxi area starts from that crossing). A street and a contiguous shopping district. More than 700 shops in the area including shopping malls, department stores, boutiques and street stalls. Songxian Qiao Antique Market (送仙桥古玩市场), Qing Yang District, Song Xian Bridge (Close to the Green Ram Taoist Temple in the western city, from the temple walk straight west, it is on your right hand side after you crossed the bridge over the channel). Big market with communist relics, old porcelain dishes, jewellery, calligraphy equipment and also some Tibetan stuff. Great bargains can be found here if you are into antiques, jewellery, and gifts. Lotus Wholesale Market (荷花池) (Next to north railway station, take the metro there and cross the road to SE block). A huge area of shops selling all kinds of local stuff from clothes to kitchen ware and home decoration to toys. The area employs over 100,000 people and its daily sales are over ¥10 million. Wuhou Tibetan Area shops (藏饰用品一条街) (Next to Wuhou Temple). About two blocks of shops adjacent to Wuhou Temple selling clothing, textiles, jewelry, Tibetan music etc. Panda Toys. All sorts of plush pandas, and other panda trinkets, are sold at the gate of the panda base, as well as ones of a slightly higher quality at the shop inside the panda base itself. [formerly dead link] Galleria (Next to Auchan and Ikea near the crossing of Renmin South Rd. and 3rd Ring Rd.). New international standard shopping mall with about 200 stores and naturally a lot of international brands. Supermarkets are located throughout the city, although the selection of imported foods is limited. Sabrina's Country Store, 54 Kehua N Rd (Across from the western gate of Sichuan University and near Linshiguan Rd), ☏ +86 8524 2987. If you want to buy American food, and do not mind a 50% premium, this has friendly service and all imported products. You will find no shortage of delicious Sichuan food in Chengdu. Most of the food is spicy, but not necessarily as hot as you expect. If you are obviously foreign and don't specify whenever you order (i.e. non-spicy (不要辣; búyàolà), a little spicy (微辣; wēilà) or 'old' (very) spicy (老辣; lǎolà)), the staff will assume that you can't take the heat. At best they will ask you whether you want chili (你想要辣椒? ; Nǐ xiǎng yào làjiāo? ), at worst they give you a severely toned down version of the food! If you want it how the locals have it, reassure the staff with "I like chili" (我喜欢辣椒; wǒ xǐhuan làjiāo), followed with "I like all the chili" (我都喜欢辣椒; Wǒ dū xǐhuan làjiāo) to really reassure the staff that it's OK. If you are not accustomed to it yet, a bottle of sweetened soy, almond, peanut, or cow milk, or something else sweet will work much better than water to quell the fire. If you are used to the hottest of authentic Indian or Thai food, the level of spiciness in Sichuan food should be no problem at all. Sichuan food also makes heavy use of Sichuan peppercorn (花椒; huājiāo), which looks like but is not a true peppercorn, and causes your mouth to water and to be somewhat numb (málà)––the effects are unique and very dissimilar to capsaicin. Sichuan peppercorn is added in most spicy dishes. If you can eat spicy food but do not like Sichuan pepper, you need to order so (不要花椒; bú yào huājiāo). However, Sichuan peppercorn (in addition to causing numbing) has an important citrus taste that it adds to foods. Sichuan cuisine banks on the interplay between the flavours of both Sichuan peppercorn and chili peppers, and it is strongly recommend you try the authentic versions with the Sichuan peppercorn. The spiciest food in Chengdu is hotpot (also called steampot or steamboat), although the tradition originated in Chongqing, so it is not really Chengdu food. Sichuan hotpots are basically a big pot of soup and spices simmering in a hole in the middle of your table. Patrons choose from a large selection of meats, vegetables and other add-ins. Most popular include: lamb, mushrooms, beef, tofu, quail eggs, potatoes and various others (pork, green vegetables, fish balls, carrots, and even pig's brain!) You can choose spicy pot or non spicy pot. With spicy hot pots, unlike eastern hot pots, the soup is NOT for drinking; instead, fish out your cooked items with chopsticks (do not fish the liquid out with a spoon, it is too spicy even for locals to drink; the fished out vegetables will be spicy enough), dip them in the small bowl of oil provided
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