Chengdu 成都
Giant pandas, teahouses and Sichuan cooking
Good forFood, Culture, Nature, Easy first trip
Suggested stay3–4 days
Best timeMarch–June and September–November
Capital of Sichuan and known across China for its food and slower pace. Most visitors come to see giant pandas and eat. It is also a base for Leshan's Giant Buddha and Mount Emei.
Highlights
- Giant Panda Breeding Research Base — book ahead; pandas are most active at opening
- People's Park teahouse — tea, mahjong and ear cleaning
- Wenshu Monastery — active Buddhist temple with a vegetarian restaurant
- Kuanzhai Xiangzi (Wide and Narrow Alleys) — restored Qing-style lanes
- Sichuan opera with face-changing
- Day trip to the Leshan Giant Buddha (about 1 hour by train)
Food to try
- Sichuan hotpot
- Mapo tofu
- Dan dan noodles
- Chuan chuan (skewers in spicy broth)
- Twice-cooked pork
Getting there
Two airports: Tianfu (TFU, most international flights) and Shuangliu (CTU). About 3 hours by fastest high-speed train from Xi'an; about 1–1.5 hours from Chongqing.
Train times are typical; check current timetables on 12306 or Trip.com.
When to go
Best: March–June and September–November. Avoid or plan for: Golden Week crowds at the panda base; humid, rainy July–August; grey, damp winters.
Good to know
- Tianfu airport is about 50 km from the centre; allow 1 hour or more by metro.
- Most dishes use Sichuan pepper and chilli; ask for 'wei la' (mildly spicy) if needed.
Visa notes
- Visa-free entry: citizens of 79 countries can visit China for up to 30 days or more without a visa. Check your passport →
- 240-hour transit: Chengdu is inside the area you may visit on China's 240-hour visa-free transit (for 57 nationalities, flying on to a third country).