# Chengdu travel guide (成都) Sichuan Province · Southwest, China · 46 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/sichuan/chengdu ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Wuhou Shrine → Jinli Street (lunch) → People's Park → Qingyang Palace → Du Fu Thatched Cottage → Kuanzhai Alley (dinner) - **Day 2:** Giant Panda Breeding Research Base → Zhaojue Temple → Wenshu Monastery → Chunxi Road (dinner) - **Day 3:** Chengdu → Sanxingdui → Chengdu - **Day 4:** Chengdu → Dujiangyan → Mount Qingcheng ## The feel of the place - **The Fourth City:** At the “Talking About the Fourth City” forum, hosted by New Weekly magazine and others, Chengdu beat Shenzhen to become the fourth city after Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The city has a full range of industries and a distinctive Sichuan cultural tradition, along with famous food, drink and beautiful women. In recent years, more and more outsiders have come to love Chengdu. Descriptions such as “the city you won't want to leave” and “the Eastern Garden of Eden” keep multiplying, and their content boils down to “laid-back, content with small comforts, mahjong and hotpot.” In reality, local housing prices have pushed most people beyond the Third Ring Road. Chengdu is no longer just a pastoral idyll, and the typical Chengdu comfort and ease seem to be losing some of their footing, inevitably tinged with Chinese-style anxiety. Yet no matter which direction you head from Chengdu, within 100 kilometres you will still find traditional, remote mountain villages, where tens of millions of Sichuan farmers work hard all year round and form the famous army of migrant labourers. Chengdu, which accounts for nearly a third of Sichuan's economic output, has every advantage of location and resources, drawing on the best of the province's resources, and it is the whole province that has nurtured it. - **Shao Bu Ru Chuan (Better Not to Come to Sichuan Young):** People often say that Sichuanese are “dragons when they leave Sichuan, worms when they stay at home.” The ease of life here is enough to make the years feel peaceful. “Shao bu ru chuan” broadly captures this sentiment, and it echoes the slogan Chengdu uses to promote itself: “the city you won't want to leave.” But there is too much comfort here and too little hardship, too much temptation and too few opportunities, too much indulgence and too little drive. These are Chengdu's charms, and also its shortcomings. - **Good Eating:** Chengdu may have people who are more devoted to eating than anywhere else in China. For Chengdu locals, eating is no longer just a necessity but a matter of temperament and culture, even of dignity: if a place that everyone praises as delicious is one you haven't visited, that is truly embarrassing. So in Chengdu, eating is never a private affair or something settled at home. It is a city-wide pastime. Whenever someone discovers a new delicacy or spot, everyone invites friends to join in, and this habit has continually driven Chengdu's food scene to reinvent itself. - **The Best-Value Destination:** If you have local friends, a full evening of dinner, tea, karaoke and bars, followed by street-side “ghost food” at two in the morning, will usually be covered by a friend of a friend whom you have never met. Chengdu people's hospitality can make you feel guilty, but for them, as long as a visiting friend says at the end, “This is simply so comfortable (bashi),” that is enough to show the meaning of their lives. - **Nongjiale (Farmhouse Restaurants):** For old Sichuan town atmosphere, look to Jinli Ancient Street, either original or rebuilt, and to Kuanzhai Alley. Chengdu people, of course, still enjoy open-air teahouses, small mahjong games and free-range chicken. To find the real Chengdu, you need to drive out to the suburban nongjiale farmhouse restaurants. - **Fenzi:** Sichuanese call the glutinous rice flour used to make tangyuan “fenzi.” The visual delight and delicate texture of “fen” have been brilliantly applied to women, becoming a set term for describing beautiful women. This is also one reason some people “don't want to leave once they arrive.” ## The feel of the place ### Preparation and Advice “Just the decadent side of me is enough to keep you busy for a lifetime” is a famous line by Chengdu poet Wan Xia, which has become a motto about Chengdu. The film Twenty-Four Cities adapted the verse and dedicated it to the city, but to be honest, only the original poem can help you truly understand what Chengdu means. - tip: 1. Tibetan communities: Near the former West Gate bus station is where Tibetans from Aba gather; near Wuhou Shrine is a settlement of Tibetans from Garze; Tibetans from Lhasa tend to come and go through the North Gate. 2. Shopping: All of the above areas have shops selling Tibetan goods. Wuhou Shrine Street, directly facing the main gate of Wuhou Shrine, has the greatest concentration, offering a wide variety of Tibetan handicrafts, genuine butter tea, and Tibetan medicine and remedies. Thangkas in striking styles convey the mystique and appeal of Tibetan Buddhism. Fans of Tibetan music can also find satisfying music CDs and cassettes. ### A Paradise for Leisure Lovers Chengdu is a city made for people who love to enjoy life. Chengdu residents are busy all year round, busy having fun or busy planning new ways to have fun. ### Transport Tips 1. In general, the departure direction of each long-distance bus station corresponds to its location within Chengdu. For example, buses from the Chengdu Bus Station in Xinnanmen mostly head to southern Sichuan. 2. Ask for directions often. Many Chengdu bus staff do not speak Mandarin, which can cause inconvenience. However, locals are usually very warm and helpful when you ask them for directions. ### Preparation and Advice ### Language Sichuanese is a branch of the Northern Chinese dialect family. Visitors to Chengdu or elsewhere in Sichuan should have little trouble understanding the local dialect in Chengdu's urban districts. Some suburban county accents are harder to follow, but you can communicate normally with locals in Mandarin. ### Climate and Best Time to Visit The best seasons to visit Chengdu are March to June in the first half of the year and September to November in the second half. In July and August, when it is hottest, the snow-capped Xiling Snow Mountain, Qingcheng Mountain, Siguniang Mountain and other places near Chengdu are popular destinations for both sightseeing and escaping the summer heat. Chengdu has an overwhelming number of festivals throughout the year: the Qingyang Palace Lantern Festival during the Spring Festival each year; the Fire Dragon Festival in Huanglong Ancient Town in the first lunar month; flower fairs in major parks on the 15th day of the second lunar month; the Longquanyi Peach Blossom Festival and Pengzhou Peony Festival in March; the Dujiangyan Water Release Festival during Qingming in April, and the Xindu Magnolia Festival; dragon boat races in Xinjin and Jintang on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month; the Wangcong Song Contest in Pidu District in June; the Xindu Osmanthus Festival in August; the International Panda Festival in September; the Wenjiang Chrysanthemum Show in October; the Shixianghu Lake Turmeric Flower Festival in Pujiang; and the Kumquat Festival in November. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There Chengdu is the largest land and air transport hub in southwest China, with very convenient transport options. ### By Air Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is located in the southwest suburbs of Chengdu, 16 kilometres from the city centre. The airport has direct flights to dozens of cities across China, as well as international flights to cities and regions such as Hong Kong, Bangkok and Tokyo. Take Metro Line 10, Phase 1 (Taipingyuan → Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2) to reach Shuangliu Airport directly. The airport also has several shuttle routes into the city centre. ### By Train Chengdu's main railway stations are Chengdu East, Chengdu North, Chengdu South and Chengdu West. Chengdu North is one of the largest railway hubs in southwest China and is a special-grade station directly under the Chengdu Railway Bureau. ### Railway Stations ### High-Speed Rail The high-speed railway from Chengdu to Dujiangyan is open, and the intercity railway to Leshan is also in operation. ### By Road Chengdu is the largest road hub in southwest China, where six national highways meet, including National Highway 108 and National Highway 319. ### Long-Distance Bus Stations and Departure Directions ### Getting Around the City Almost all of Chengdu's urban attractions are reachable by bus. Bus company service hotline: 028-85076868. At major intersections and busy areas across the city, there are also “Chengdu Tong” information kiosks where you can look up bus routes yourself. Taxi service in Chengdu is generally good, and drivers rarely overcharge. Chengdu taxi drivers know the best food and sights, so feel free to ask them for advice. They are usually happy to help. ### Metro Chengdu currently has 13 metro lines in operation. Line 1 serves Shengxianhu (升仙湖), Huoche Beizhan (火车北站), Tianfu Square, Huoche Nanzhan (火车南站) and Ocean Park. Line 2 serves Chadianzi station, Chunxi Road, the Jinsha Site Museum and Huoche Dongzhan (火车东站). Line 3 serves Chengdu Zoo, Chunxi Road and Xinnanmen. Line 4 serves Kuanzhai Alley and Luomashi. Line 5 serves the Chengdu Open-Air Music Park, Jinli and the Wuhou Shrine Museum. Line 6 serves Chengdu Happy Valley. Line 7 serves Huoche Beizhan, Chengdu East Railway Station, Huoche Nanzhan, and the Culture Palace. Line 8 serves Sichuan University and Dongjiao Memory. Line 9 serves Tiexiangsi Water Street and Tianfu Furong Garden. Line 10 serves Shuangliu Airport. Line 17 serves Guose Tianxiang. Line 18 serves Xinglong Lake and Sancha Lake. Line 19 serves Tianfu International Airport. The expressway from Chengdu to Leshan and the Mount Emei scenic area is now fully open. It runs 169 km, reaching Mount Emei to the southwest and Leshan to the southeast. From central Chengdu, the station with the most bus departures is the Tourist Bus Passenger Transport Center at Xinnanmen, with a bus roughly every 20 minutes. Mount Emei and Leshan are about 30 km apart and are a busy tourist route year-round. On average, a bus departs every 10 minutes, the one-way journey takes under an hour, and the last bus leaves at around 18:00. Chengdu South and Chengdu East stations have many intercity trains to Leshan every day. The fastest trip takes only 46 minutes. A second-class seat from Chengdu South to Leshan costs ¥51, and from Chengdu East to Leshan it costs ¥54. From Leshan station, transfer to a tourist minibus into the scenic area. The ride takes about 15 minutes, and a taxi costs around ¥20. With the opening of the Chengdu–Mianyang–Leshan passenger dedicated line, you can now reach the Mount Emei scenic area in 1.5 hours. Premier Zhou Enlai's handwritten copy of Li Bai's "Song of the Mount Emei Moon." Photo: Zhang Zhulin ### The Three Types of Monkeys at Mount Emei Greedy monkeys, robber monkeys and hooligan monkeys. Do not touch the monkeys. Do not open your bag in front of them. Girls should protect their hair, avoid bright clothing, especially red, and never wear skirts. - **Shuangliu Airport Service Hotline** — - **Sichuan Airlines 24-Hour Direct Sales Hotline** — - **CAAC Ticket Office** — (No. 15, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Units 3–4, 028-88888888) - **Chengdu North Railway Station** — (North Second Ring Road, Chengdu) - **Chengdu East Railway Station** — (No. 4 Wanke Road, Baohe Subdistrict, Chenghua District, Fifth Section of East Third Ring Road, Chengdu) - **Xinnanmen Bus Station** — (On Xinnan Road, beside the Xinnanmen Bridge in Chengdu) - **Chengbei Passenger Terminal** — (Beside the Wukuaishi Interchange on the Second Ring Road) - **Wuguiqiao Bus Station (Chengdu Bus Terminal)** — (East Chengdu, beside Tazishan Park) - **Chadianzi Bus Station** — (On the West Third Ring Road) - **Shiyangchang Bus Station** — (Outside the South Third Ring Road) ## Eat & drink Sichuan cuisine, one of China's Eight Great Cuisines, can be a real test for your taste buds, yet "delicious and affordable" is still many people's first impression of Chengdu dining. Chengdu's food trends come and go like a pop chart, changing every year, though some never fade, such as home-style Sichuan dishes and beef-tallow hotpot. ### Recommended Restaurants Chengdu's restaurants are everywhere, on nearly every street and alley. The densest concentrations are along the west side of Yangshi Street between the second and third ring roads, on Lingshiguan Road and the Zongnan and Zongbei compounds in front of the US Consulate in Chengdu, along the perpendicular Kehua Road, and in the many small Sichuan eateries in the Shuangnan compound. All of them have distinctive character. ### Traditional vs. Modern Sichuan Cuisine Traditional Sichuan cuisine is all about intense numbing and spiciness. As Sichuan food became popular, it kept its traditional flavors and presentation while blending in new flavors, giving birth to modern Sichuan cuisine. Modern Sichuan cuisine keeps the color and flavor of Sichuan dishes but works hard to highlight the fresh aroma of the ingredients themselves. Take chili as an example: it is spicy enough to be flavorful, and more importantly it brings out the aromas of different chilies, yet chili, a key seasoning in Sichuan cooking, never overpowers the dish. It plays its supporting role so that the beauty of each ingredient shines. In addition, modern Sichuan restaurants pay more attention to the dining environment, freeing Sichuan food from its traditional image as a hole-in-the-wall fly-infested eatery and making it popular across the country. ### Food Streets Shaxi Line (Shawan Road West Extension), the Yangxi Line food street, the Funan New District hotpot street, the Caotang dining and entertainment circle (including Qintai Road, Jinli West Road, Fanglin Road and Qinghua Road), Wuhou Shrine Avenue, the Shuangnan food area, Kehua Road → Lingshiguan Road → Yulin → Zhonghuayuan food area, the leisure dining street along the southern extension of Renmin South Road, and the Wangping Street food area. ### Bàba Cài Seasonal vegetables are boiled in plain water and broth over high heat until very soft, with a little salt and MSG added just before serving. Examples include taro with cabbage, or cowpeas with pumpkin. In Dujiangyan City there is a special dish, bàba cài, that visitors never forget. It is made with winter amaranth (also called kuí cài, the 'green kuí in the garden' of the classic poem), cooked in rice water. First blanch the winter amaranth briefly in boiling water, then simmer it in a suitable amount of rice water, seasoned with salt and MSG. The dish is tender and smooth, and is said to be good for the complexion. Visitors to Dujiangyan or Qingcheng Mountain can try it; most restaurants serve it. ### Extra-Long Opening Hours Chengdu's restaurants keep very long hours. For 20 hours of the day you can easily find somewhere to eat, which leaves many visitors from other cities amazed. Today it is possible to find somewhere to eat around the clock. ### Lamb Soup Hotpot 1. In Chengdu, there are several famous places for lamb soup hotpot: Huangjia Town in Shuangliu, Jitou Town in Wuhou District, Xiaojiahe, and Xiaoguanmiao. 2. If your constitution is weak and you have rising internal heat, it is best to avoid lamb soup hotpot for the time being. ### Formal Sichuan Banquet A formal Sichuan banquet is especially particular about the 'Three Steams' (wine rice, sweet steamed pork belly and savoury steamed pork belly) and the 'Nine Kou' steamed set dishes (whole chicken, whole duck, pork rib cuts, pork knuckle, whole fish, crispy pork, bowl-steamed dishes, mixed stew, seafood and more). Add four cold dishes (cold chicken, cold pork tripe, cold pork head or braised pork, oil-skin peanuts or cold cucumber), four stir-fries (chili pork strips, garlic sprout pork strips, yellow chive pork strips, magnolia or lettuce pork slices, white-oil peas and more), and a sour broth with shredded yellow chives served last. It is very popular with food lovers. ### Qintai Road Buses 5, 43, 58, 81 and 109 reach it. It has the same bluestone-paved lanes and ancient-style architecture, but here you will find mainly gold and silver jewellery shops and larger restaurants. ### Qiao Yi Qiao A specialty restaurant chain with many branches in Chengdu. You can ask the Chengdu 114 information line, or ask people near your accommodation where the nearest one is. ### Chengdu Snacks Chengdu has so many delicious snacks: Dongzikou liangfen (mung bean jelly), Tongguoxiang vegetarian noodles, Tan Douhua (tofu pudding), Shiyou noodles, flower pastries, fèichángfěn (pork intestine rice noodles) and many more. There are too many to count, and they are all very cheap. ### Snacks Around Chengdu ### Sichuan Hotpot Sichuan hotpot needs little introduction. Chengdu hotpot, the best-known representative of Sichuan hotpot, comes in a huge range of styles. Chengdu people will put almost anything that flies, walks or swims into the pot. Hotpot restaurants are found on every street and lane, and in number they even rival Sichuan restaurants. Below are some well-known local hotpot restaurants. See whether your palate can withstand the test of the spicy, aromatic, numbing and hot flavours. ### Chengdu Jinli Snack Street A must-visit for tourists, so prices are naturally a little higher and the flavour is decent rather than exceptional. If you have time, it is still worth a stroll. The street brings together most of Chengdu's famous snacks, including the Three Big Cannons (sāndàpào), yè'er bā, lǔròu guōkuī, tiánshuǐ miàn, Chuānběi liángfěn and suānlàfěn, saving you considerable time and transport costs. The location is also convenient: Wuhou Shrine is next door, so you can sightsee and eat at the same time. ### Yibin Yellow Catfish Hotpot Yellow catfish from the Yangtze River is 'comfortable Huang Lading' (bāshì huáng làdīng). In Yibin, yellow catfish is seldom braised or steamed; it is more often cooked in the Sichuan style, and its flesh is wonderfully tender. ### Huafu Tofu Pudding House Its original new-style Sichuan dishes, such as Hibiscus Tofu, bamboo-tube tofu pudding and Red-Oil Jade Ribbon, keep the essence of Sichuan cuisine while being nutritious, healthy and delicious. They are very popular with guests from across the country. ### Sansheng Flower Village A large farmhouse-style venue popular with locals. Sansheng is a township of Chengdu with many large farmhouse resorts. The surroundings are elegant and the facilities complete. You can enjoy the flowers, drink tea, play cards and sing, all at low cost. Spend half a day there to experience the typical lifestyle of Chengdu people. ### Open-Air Teahouses Outside the Sichuan Provincial Museum, at the Jinjiang Bridge head on the riverside road, on Lion Hill, or at Wenshu Monastery, Baihua Pond and Wuhou Shrine, you will find open-air teahouses where you can freely drag over a chair and find the most comfortable angle to lean back. Drink tea, sit quietly, chat, people-watch, and for about ¥10 have your ears cleaned. Time drifts away with the steam rising from the tea. ### Chengdu Women Chengdu is often called a 'city of rouge and powder'. Chengdu women are very beautiful, with a touch of spice, and have a strong personality. They are a living trademark of Chengdu. ### Features of Sichuan Barbecue Sichuan barbecue comes in a wide variety: vegetables, fish, shrimp, meat and bones can all be grilled. During grilling they are brushed with oil and seasoned with chili and spices, and the aroma is irresistible. ### Chengdu Teahouses Chengdu is a city steeped in tea. Chengdu tea is not about cooling down or quenching thirst, but about passing the time. For Chengdu people, drinking tea ranks alongside eating and mahjong as a top priority, never to be taken lightly. The most common is locally produced jasmine tea, brewed in a lidded bowl and topped up countless times. Some teahouses also serve fine Sichuan teas such as Zhuyeqing and Emei Xuerui. Who you drink with determines where you go. Older folks frequent open-air teahouses and small tea stalls in residential areas, where a bowl of tea costs ¥2–3 and can keep you seated all day. Young people and the well-off go mostly to modern tea houses and tea rooms for the ambience, and accept higher prices. Ordinary citizens often frequent teahouses by the river and in parks, which are inexpensive and pleasant. ### Wanli Cruise Boat and Heart-of-River Teahouse Before checking into your hotel in the evening, two good spots to see the Jin River are the Wanli Cruise Boat and the Heart-of-River Teahouse. The Wanli Cruise Boat (Wànlǐhào Yóulún) is by Wanli Bridge, right beside the Jin River. Have afternoon tea around 4 or 5 pm, then eat spicy hotpot at a seat by the water in the evening and watch the Jin River's soft lights at night. The Heart-of-River Teahouse lies across from Wangjiang Park. It is a peninsula-shaped open-air teahouse surrounded by water on three sides. Stand at the very front of the teahouse, facing the wind, and the rolling Jin River comes right toward you. - **Yilaoma Pork Trotter Soup** — This shop mainly serves pork trotter soup. Although the menu is not very wide, the trotter soup is made with real character. Laoma's version in particular looks so appetizing you'll be eager to dig in. (No. 17, Attached No. 4, South Dongchenggen Street (Renmin Park), 028-87767995) - **Chen Mapo Tofu** — Mapo tofu is a signature dish of Sichuan cuisine, and this restaurant is the birthplace of Mapo tofu. You can taste authentic traditional Chengdu specialties here, at reasonable prices. (No. 10, Qinghua Road, Chengdu (Attached Nos. 10–12), 028-87317216) - **Hongxing Restaurant** — Once the Chengdu locals' favourite Sichuan restaurant, it began as a simple street stall that looked a bit like a Guangdong open-air eatery. It now has several branches. Hongxing chicken (similar to 'mouth-watering chicken'), eel slices with glass noodles, cold buckwheat noodles and tribute-vegetable kidney slices are signature dishes. (Building 2, Qinghua Fang, No. 137 Ziwei East Road, Gaoxin District; beside Gate 1 of Wanda Plaza, No. 68 Jinhua Road Section 1, Jinjiang District; Building 12, No. 9 Jianshe North Road Section 3, Chenghua District, 028-85199008/85175388；028-82000860；028-83253388/83253636) - **Shiguo Pa Ni Qiu (Stone-Pot Mud Loach)** — A very popular spot. The loach is fresh, fragrant and silky, melting in your mouth, and the flavour is deeply satisfying. No wonder it has so many repeat customers. (No. 6, Shuyuan South Street, Daci Temple Road, Chunxi Road commercial district (opposite Taikoo Li), 028-86615052) - **Maojiao Huola** — A skewer shop with a distinctly Chengdu character. The ingredients are fresh and generously portioned, and the low tables and small stools bring a strong sense of everyday local life. (No. 5 Dongsheng Street, 13551179819) - **Wangma Shousi Kaotu (Yulin Branch)** — The grilled rabbit is wrapped in foil, and both the spicy and five-spice versions are delicious. (No. 6 Yulin Heng Street, Wuhou District, 028-85554035) - **Zhong Shuijiao** — The chili-oil dumplings are definitely more appealing than the plain ones. The most tempting part is the sauce: mildly spicy, a touch sweet, rich and delicious. (Inside Ziwei Pavilion, People's Park, No. 12 Shaocheng Road, 028-86130521) - **Pansunshi** — The braised dishes here are outstanding, and the braised pork guokui (flatbread) is excellent too. It gets very crowded, though, and service can sometimes struggle to keep up. (Nos. 62–63 Huaxing Street, 028-86750609) - **Shudi Douhua** — The quality of tofu depends on local water, and Chengdu's water isn't especially good. So once you get out of the city, where the waters run clear and the mountains are green, you can feast on the tofu pudding for which Sichuan is famous. Head west and you can eat tofu pudding on Mount Qingcheng; head south, deep into the end of Chengren Road to Wangyang Town and Songfeng Town, and you'll taste the most tender river-crossing tofu pudding of your life. Further southwest is, of course, Xiba tofu in Leshan, which the Song-dynasty poet Lu You praised lavishly. - **Shuangliu Famous Snacks** — Laoma's rabbit heads, Dong's pig trotters, Shaokun soft-shell turtle, Luo Laoshi's braised intestines, and more. Qiaoyiqiao's guaiwei goose lips and rabbit heads next to Baiyi Community are also good. - **Pengzhou Jiuchi Banya** — The most iconic is the “Jiuchi Banya” from Jiuchi Town, where the duck necks are exceptionally large. It's famous across western Sichuan. Today, one of the most popular hotpot add-ons in Chengdu is the “Jiuchi goose intestines” from the same place. - **Luzhou Fish Head Hotpot** — Luzhou is known for its fish, and its fish-head hotpot is famous far and wide. One restaurant, “Changjiang Fresh Fish”, has a strong Sichuan flavour and is delicious. - **“Jiang Paigu”** — “Jiang Paigu” in Hongguang Town, Pidu District, draws crowds of drivers every day. - **Xinjin Huanglading (Yellow Catfish)** — Xinjin's yellow catfish has long been famous, and the “Chubby Sister” version is especially recommended. However, authentic local-raised yellow catfish is hard to come by. - **Qingcheng Mountain “Nongjiale” (Farmhouse Restaurants)** — Around Qingcheng Mountain you'll also find “nongjiale”, small family-run eateries where local villagers offer meals and lodging to visitors. There you can taste authentic local specialities, the most famous being Qingcheng's old cured pork. It's delicious and inexpensive too. - **Shujiuxiang Hotpot Restaurant** — A hotpot restaurant that Chengdu locals love most. The setting is pleasant. The hotpot follows the Chongqing beef-tallow style, numbing, spicy and fragrant, and there is now also a clear-broth option. The pot is divided into nine compartments by copper strips arranged in a “jing” (井) pattern, a nod to the restaurant's name, which also makes it easy to cook different ingredients at once. (No. 160, First Ring Road West Section 1 (opposite Baihuatan Park), 028-87016811) - **Laomatou Hotpot** — An authentic Chongqing beef-tallow hotpot, open 24 hours and very busy. Pork kidney slices and square bamboo shoots are must-orders. (2nd Floor, No. 51 Hongxing Road Section 4, 028-86666920) - **Huangcheng Laoma** — A pioneer that first turned hotpot into a bigger, more upscale affair. Huangcheng Laoma truly raised the status of Chengdu hotpot, putting it on an equal footing with Chongqing's. Its flagship store embodies the ideal of Sichuan-style art combined with fine dining, and it can be considered a forerunner of the designer restaurants that are now becoming fashionable. (No. 20, Second Ring Road South Section 3 (near Zijing Cinema), 028-85139999) - **Sanzhier Lengguoyu Hotpot** — The place that pioneered cold-pot fish in China. Its distinctive Sichuan pepper fragrance whets the appetite, and the fish is fresh and tender, killed to order. Snacks from Yibin, such as huangba (yellow rice cake), chuan'er ba and smoked braised platter, are especially distinctive. (No. 19 Kuanxiangzi, 028-86696660) - **Tianfu Tan Fish Head Hotpot** — Chengdu's fish-head hotpot was made popular by “Tan Yutou”, so if you have the chance to try the authentic “Tan Yutou”, there's no reason to hesitate. (No. 13, First Ring Road West Section 2, 028-62326606) - **Layuan** — A hotpot restaurant that Chengdu locals adore. The ingredients are fresh and the flavours authentic, truly “ba shi de hen” (wonderfully comfortable). (No. 4 Gonghang Road off Dianxin Road (opposite Yunchuan Hotel), 028-85503706) - **Teahouse at Du Fu Thatched Cottage** — There are several places to sip tea inside the cottage grounds. The best is a small courtyard south of the cottage's screen wall. Beyond its walls lies a large flower garden, so while you sip tea you can faintly catch the fragrance of the blooms beyond. - **Teahouse at People's Park** — People's Park is in the city centre, and older residents love coming here in the morning to take their birds for a stroll and have tea. The open-air teahouse by the lake is always lively, and it is free to enter when there is no chrysanthemum show. - **Teahouse at Qingyang Palace** — Admission to Qingyang Palace is only ¥10. Its teahouse is always packed and serves decent vegetarian food. - **Teahouse at Wangjiang Park** — Wangjiang Park is lush with green bamboo, and its teahouse sits right amid clumps of bamboo. It is the largest of the teahouses in Chengdu's parks. - **Wenshuyuan Teahouse** — On Wenshufang pedestrian street, this open-air teahouse is very much a local haunt, full mostly of Chengdu residents. Order a cup of tea, crack sunflower seeds, read the newspaper, and then spend ¥10 on an ear cleaning. Before you know it, you'll have stolen half a day of leisure from life's hustle. - **Daci Temple Teahouse** — Located on the eastern section of Shudu Avenue, inside today's Chengdu Museum, Daci Temple was once one of Chengdu's four great temples. Sipping tea amid towering ancient trees and grand temple courtyards has a special charm. - **Chengdu Painting Academy Tea House** — Located in the Chengdu Painting Academy on Tongren Road, near Wide Alley and Narrow Alley (Kuanxiangzi and Zhaixiangzi), the academy has a century-old ginkgo tree and the best-preserved Qing-dynasty courtyard-style architecture. Kuanxiangzi and Zhaixiangzi nearby are also a key protected residential area of Chengdu, and a stroll here offers a glimpse of old Chengdu's charm. - **Laoshunxing Teahouse** — Located on the third floor of the Chengdu International Convention Center, this teahouse is quite large, with half the space for tea and half for snacks. In the evenings there are Sichuan opera performances, giving it a bit of the feel of an old theatre house. The teahouse also has a folk exhibition area with old photographs, antique farming tools, furniture and other charming relics. - **Guanyin Pavilion Teahouse** — The century-old Guanyin Pavilion teahouse unfolds new stories every day. People in society will grow weary someday, and returning to such a quiet place is a fine choice. ## Nightlife Chengdu is the hub of China's Southwest, and its bustling scene goes without saying. The leisure and entertainment popular in coastal cities are also everywhere here, and at low prices. In particular, the “blind massage” parlours on many small streets typically charge around ¥60 for an hour, which is perfect for shaking off travel fatigue. Chengdu also holds many local festivals throughout the year. If you're lucky enough to catch one, you'll surely be swept up in its festive atmosphere and find yourself irresistibly drawn in. Chengdu's hottest nightlife spots are mostly concentrated around Yulin Community and Renmin South Road. The city centre is also home to many trendy, avant-garde entertainment venues. Chunxi Road is Chengdu's most bustling pedestrian street, lined with large department stores such as Wangfujing, Pacific Department Store and Parkson. On summer evenings, stroll along the street or sit at a roadside drink stall and watch stylish young people pass by. It's pure bliss. When you're tired of shopping, head to Huaxing Street behind Wangfujing Department Store for chuanchuanxiang (skewered hotpot). The variety is dazzling and the flavour is beyond words. The Funan River was Old Chengdu's moat. After renovation, it has become a new tourist attraction. When night falls and the lights glow, strolling along the river reveals the elegant charm of Chengdu. For the most activity in the evening, try the Music Plaza near Jiuyan Bridge, Hejiang Pavilion, and Huoshui Park beside the amusement park. ### Fried Rice In the past couple of years, fried rice stalls have sprung up beside the barbecue stands. They stir-fry a mix of meats and vegetables with rice until the aroma has you swallowing hard. For people who work the night shift, a box of fried rice for ¥10 is the perfect late-night snack. ### Li Boqing Sichuan opera, Li Boqing's freestyle storytelling (sanda pingshu), and comedic Sichuan-dialect skits performed in bars. Non-locals may not understand the words, but one look at Mr. Li's head and expressions will have you laughing. Many Chengdu taxis play Li Boqing's storytelling on the radio, and you can also request it in hotel rooms. It's best to have some knowledge of the Chengdu dialect so you can really enjoy it. ### Nightlife in Chengdu Chengdu comes alive at night. After dark, the lights blaze and bars and teahouses stay open late. On the Yulin Road bar street, bars often host unknown singers whose performances can be wonderful, making it a great place to unwind. - **Yulin Lifestyle Plaza** — This is Chengdu's nightlife hub. Floors 1 to 4 are filled with restaurants, bars, cafés, internet cafés and clothing shops, while floors 5 and 6 house saunas and KTV. The Forest Barbecue on the first floor comes from Leshan and tastes truly special. In the middle of the ground floor is a traditional-style lengdanbei (冷啖杯) stall, where you can eat and drink at the same time. Yulin Lifestyle Plaza is so quintessentially Chengdu. (No. 15, Yulin South Road) - **Jiuyan Bridge** — Chengdu's famous bar street. To many young Chengdu locals, Yulin is already passé. Dining and bar-hopping around Jiuyan Bridge, home of Sichuan University, is where it's at. One sentence describes it best: “This is a hard-to-describe district. Here you can find a sophisticated, bohemian mood, feel the hardship of ordinary working people, and bask in the fragrance of highly educated talent. This is where they all converge.” - **Erma Tavern (339 Xiaosenlin Branch)** — One of Chengdu's signature nightlife taverns. Its open-air courtyard preserves the character of western Sichuan's outdoor teahouses: open and welcoming. Combined with the good atmosphere and “drinking contests”, every young person here can get pleasantly buzzed (喝得贰麻贰麻的). (No. 118, Binhe Road, Mengzhuiwan, 15528410604) - **Mengzhuiwan Riverside Market** — A commercial street built along the river. It features craft shops, cafés, restaurants and other stylish outlets, and holds themed markets regularly. The area looks a bit dull by day, but at night the beautiful riverside views and dazzling lights bring it new life. It's a great spot for couples on dates or friends and family gathering. (Wangping International Community Lounge, No. 2 Binhe Road, Mengzhuiwan Street) - **Xiaojiuguan Tavern** — A gathering place for Chengdu's underground bands. The owner is a well-known painter, and the venue has become a hangout for Chengdu's fashion crowd. (No. 55, Yulin West Road, Chengdu, 18584877594) - **Chengdu Barbecue** — Chengdu was once a paradise for street barbecue lovers. Today, if you want barbecue, you'll mostly head to dedicated barbecue restaurants. Well-known names include Forest Barbecue, Houdao Barbecue, Heshi Barbecue, and various Leshan-style barbecues. In summer, with iced beer, leisurely skewers and an unhurried evening, it's pure pleasure. ## Shopping Shopping in Chengdu will never disappoint, with plenty of local specialties to help you shop to your heart's content. Shu brocade, one of China's Four Great Famous Brocades, and Shu embroidery, one of China's Four Great Famous Embroideries, are excellent choices, with a wide variety of patterns and fine quality, though they're not cheap. Porcelain-body bamboo weaving will open your eyes, and vases, coffee sets, flower holders and rice bowls made from it are hard to resist. Silver-thread crafts are exquisitely beautiful. Qingcheng silk carpets are superb, with wall hangings and rugs to choose from. There's also the renowned Quanxing Daqu, Luzhou Laojiao and Shuijingfang liquors. And don't forget Pixian broad bean paste, an essential ingredient for authentic Sichuan cooking, along with Xinfan Xiaomaozi water-processed douchi (fermented black soybeans), a fine product of central Sichuan. ## Where to stay Most Chengdu sights can be visited as day trips, with overnight stays in Chengdu. Accommodation in Chengdu is very convenient, with hotels and inns at every price level. - **Chengdu Felton Hotel** — (No. 111, Wenhua Road, 028-82666666) ## Things to see - **Du Fu Thatched Cottage** (★★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 9：00—18：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/du-fu-thatched-cottage - **Wuhou Shrine** (★★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 9：00—18：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wuhou-shrine - **Jinli Ancient Street** (★★★★): Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jinli-ancient-street - **Sichuan Museum** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 9：00—17：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/sichuan-museum - **Jinsha Site Museum** (★★★★): Admission ¥70; Opening hours Closed on Mondays, 9:00–17:00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jinsha-site-museum - **Kuanzhai Alley** (★★★): Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/kuanzhai-alley - **Qingyang Palace** (★★★★): Admission ¥20; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qingyang-palace - **Zhaojue Temple** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zhaojue-temple - **Wenshu Monastery** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wenshu-monastery - **Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding** (★★★★): Admission ¥55; Opening hours 7：30—18：00; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chengdu-research-base-of-giant-panda-breeding - **Eastern Suburb Memory** (★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/eastern-suburb-memory - **Wangcong Shrine** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 9：00—17：00; Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wangcong-shrine - **People's Park** (★★★): Admission Free; Time needed Near Xihuamen Street Station (西华门街站, bus stop) — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/people-s-park - **Danjing Terrace, Longquanshan Urban Forest Park** (★★★★): Admission ¥30; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/danjing-terrace-longquanshan-urban-forest-park - **Zhuyi Village** (★★★★): Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zhuyi-village - **Buer Shanfang** (★★★★): Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/buer-shanfang - **Konggang Flower Fields** (★★★★): Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/konggang-flower-fields - **Chunxi Road** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chunxi-road - **Tianfu Greenway** (★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/tianfu-greenway - **Dongmen Shijing** (★★★): Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/dongmen-shijing - **Mount Emei Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission Entrance ticket: ¥160 in peak season, ¥110 in off-season. Golden Summit cable car: peak season ¥65 up, ¥55 down; off-season ¥30 up, ¥20 down. Wannian cable car: peak season ¥65 up, ¥45 down; off-season ¥30 up, ¥20 down. Temple admission fees also apply: Baoguo Temple ¥8, Fuhu Temple ¥8, Wannian Temple ¥10. Skiing ¥120 per person per hour.; Time needed 1–3 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mount-emei-scenic-area - **Leshan Giant Buddha** (★★★★): Admission ¥80; river boat ticket ¥70 (covers views of the full Giant Buddha, the Sleeping Buddha and the Three Rivers); Opening hours 7:30–18:30 (April–October); 8:00–17:30 (October–March) — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/leshan-giant-buddha - **Jiayang National Mine Park** (★★★★): Admission Little train short round trip (Bagou (芭沟)–Yuejin (跃进)) ¥80; Huangcunjing (黄村井) mine exploration ¥80; Opening hours Park open all day; little train ticket sales: 9:00–16:30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jiayang-national-mine-park - **Luocheng Ancient Town** (★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/luocheng-ancient-town - **Oriental Buddha Capital** (★★★): Admission ¥80; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/oriental-buddha-capital ## Day trips & beyond - **Sanxingdui Museum** (★★★★): Admission ¥72; Opening hours 8：30—18：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/sanxingdui-museum - **Dujiangyan** (★★★★★): Admission ¥80; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/dujiangyan - **Longchi National Forest Park** (★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/longchi-national-forest-park - **Nanqiao Bridge** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/nanqiao-bridge - **Mount Qingcheng** (★★★★): Admission Front Mountain ¥80; Back Mountain ¥20 Jinli Cableway: ¥30 per person one way, ¥55 per person round trip Route: Feiquanfang → Shisuntang (by cableway) Baiyun Cableway: ¥35 per person one way, ¥60 per person round trip Route: Youyicun → Baiyun Temple (by cableway) Ferry: Cuiying Lake ferry ¥2; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mount-qingcheng - **Jiezi Ancient Town** (★★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jiezi-ancient-town - **Xiling Snow Mountain** (★★★): Admission Admission + round-trip cable car to Yuanyang Pool (鸳鸯池) + sightseeing shuttle: ¥240; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xiling-snow-mountain - **Huanglongxi Ancient Town** (★★★): Admission Free — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/huanglongxi-ancient-town - **Baoguang Temple** (★★★): Admission ¥5; Opening hours 8：00—17：30; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/baoguang-temple - **Mount Siguniang, Wolong** (★★★★): Admission Shuangqiao Gou: ¥180; Haizi Gou: ¥60; Changping Gou: ¥70; Wolong Panda Base: ¥60; Giant Panda Museum: ¥20; Giant Panda Garden: ¥90; Time needed Mount Siguniang: 2–3 days; Wolong Nature Reserve: 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mount-siguniang-wolong - **Niubei Mountain** (★★★): Admission ¥120; Time needed 1–2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/niubei-mountain - **Qionglai Tiantai Mountain Scenic Area** (★★★): Admission ¥58; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qionglai-tiantai-mountain-scenic-area - **Pingle Ancient Town** (★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/pingle-ancient-town - **Luodai Ancient Town** (★★★): Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/luodai-ancient-town - **Manhua Manor** (★★★): Admission ¥60 on weekdays, ¥80 on weekends; Opening hours 9：00—19：00; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/manhua-manor - **Jiajiang Thousand Buddha Cliff** (★★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 9：00—17：30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jiajiang-thousand-buddha-cliff - **Luoji Mountain Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission Entrance plus shuttle bus ¥65; round-trip cable car ¥130 per person; Opening hours 8：30—17：30; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/luoji-mountain-scenic-area - **Xingwen Stone Sea Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission Entrance ¥80, combo ticket ¥120 — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xingwen-stone-sea-scenic-area - **Shunan Bamboo Sea Resort** (★★★★): Admission ¥100 (January–November); ¥60 (December); Opening hours 9：00—18：00; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shunan-bamboo-sea-resort - **Heizhugou Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 8：00—17：30 — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/heizhugou-scenic-area - **Jinkou Grand Canyon** (★★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jinkou-grand-canyon --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 302–363. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.