Chengdu: Your Ultimate Guide
Updated: Sep 20, 2023
All the most lovely things to do, the best places to eat, and my top tips to make sure you have the best time!
Chengdu is home to China’s pandas and some of the most amazing food in the country. It is also widely known as the most chilled, happy, and relaxed city in China. Everyone seems happier, the pace of life is slower, and it’s definitely got a different feel.
Chengdu has so much more to it than just the pandas - it’s got some awesome vibey areas, some amazing food, and some beautiful places to explore… and I loved it!
How many days should I spend?
At least 2 full days, preferably 2.5 to 3 though.
Why should I visit?
PANDA BEARS!!!!
Lovely vibey city
Amazing food (including some of the best and spiciest hotpots you will find)
Beautiful temples, shrines, gardens, and teahouses
Best things to do
Visit the pandas
I am most definitely not one for zoos, or anything housing animals, particularly in Asia. I find them sad, and depressing, and my heart goes out to the animals. BUT, Chengdu Panda Sanctuary has a different feel to it.
It definitely has a 'zoo-feel' to it, but the park itself is large and most of the enclosures have huge trees and large areas for the pandas to happily live in. Over and above this, pandas are probably some of the laziest, sleepiest, (and cutest) animals you can find – so they don’t need that much space and they definitely wouldn't survive without all the care provided by the sanctuary. So, all in all, it is worth a visit, even if you are against zoos.
There are two Panda Sanctuaries in Chengdu, but one is more famous and has more pandas - that's the one I recommend. The address is no. 1375 Xiongmao Avenue.
Tips
Get there early
Depending on the season, weather, etc. the pandas typically have a little energy spurt and excitement in the morning (largely focused on eating), they play a bit, and then they pass out on the spot (this can be mid-stride).
Over and above this, the lines can be long, so I recommend getting there before the park opens (probably about 30 minutes to 1 hour before the park opens because you want to get inside as quickly as possible.
Get tickets beforehand
You can purchase tickets ahead of time via the Official Panda Sanctuary WeChat Mini Program (search: 熊猫保护区), so you can get into the park as quickly as possible.
Avoid weekends and public holidays
The pandas are one of the most popular tourist activities in China, so crowds can get insane. I highly highly recommend avoiding weekends and public holidays.
Read the 'personality info'
At each enclosure, there will be some info about the panda in the enclosure. Some of this info includes personality info, which is so delightful to learn about.
The best route to follow is to aim directly for the baby pandas (follow the signs or likely even the crowds). They tend to draw a crowd first thing, so it’s nice to get there sooner rather than later. The age span for these ‘babies’ can be anywhere from baby to teenager, depending on the season, that year's breeding program, etc. From there, I suggest exploring the rest of the park (but please remember that they fall asleep pretty fast, so you’ll want to walk with a pep in your step).
Eat all the food
Chengdu is well-known for its very spicy and mouth-numbing (think Szechuan peppers) food.
It is a hot and humid part of China, so as per Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, spicy food must be eaten to get rid of ‘damp’ from the body. The Szechuan peppers are used to numb the mouth and make the spiciness manageable.
If you love spicy food, this is definitely the place to visit! But if you aren’t a fan of spicy, don’t worry – there are many non-spicy options everywhere too.
People’s Park
It’s a relatively big park, full of big trees, ponds, and a few teahouses. I recommend walking around the park and exploring the area, and then stopping for tea at one of the teahouses.
Over the weekend, it can be insanely busy, particularly the teahouses in the center, so head to one of the teahouses around the outer edge for a bit more peace and quiet. Just grab a table, and someone will come and take your order. I recommend either green tea or jasmine tea, and some snacks. They will give you the tea leaves plus a large flask of boiled water, so you can spend hours here just sipping and refilling your tea – if you have the time, take a book, and spend some time reading and people-watching.
Daci Temple
Daci Temple is a Buddhist temple that was built in 618, it’s surrounded by some malls (Taikoo Li shopping district) and built-up areas. It’s not huge, but it’s lovely and usually isn't packed with tourists.
There's a teahouse in the center, with the temple’s kitchen on one side, so it’s a really nice place to grab some tea, people watch, and see the daily goings-on in the temple.
Visit some vibey streets and areas
Wangping Street and Wangping Binhe Road
This area starts getting vibey in the early evening and is a really lovely place to go for a drink. Wangping Binhe Road is a pedestrian street along the river and a lovely place to get a drink, people-watch, and take in the chilledness of Chengdu. Wangping Street is very vibey and packed with fun places to eat.
Kuixinglou Street
This street is really vibey, particularly in the late afternoon/early evening and into the night. It’s unlikely to be on many must-do lists for Chengdu, but it’s a great young, local spot, and there are loads of fun and unique restaurants to try.
I recommend just walking along the street and popping into a restaurant that you like the look of!
To get here, aim for the intersection between Wangping Street/Wangping Binhe Road and Shudu Avenue Dongfeng Road, and then walk along whichever road sticks out to you!
Kuan Zhai Alley
I wouldn’t necessarily say this is a must-do because it is very similar to the streets of most other ancient towns in China (think bright lights, loud noises, edible things on sticks, souvenirs, some type of dried meat/chili/sweet for sale, etc.).
It is slightly more quaint than some others I have been to, so if you’re looking for a vibey area to visit, or somewhere to stock-up on souvenirs – this might be the place for you.
Go for a drink at Eastern Suburb Memory
This isn’t a must-do thing by any means, but if you’re looking for somewhere a bit different to get a drink, this isn’t a bad option. It’s an old industrial area that’s been converted into shops, galleries, restaurants, cafes, bars, and even a theatre. I suggest going here in the late afternoon/early evening and exploring the various alleys.
Wuhou Shrine
This tops most must-lists because it has a winding red wall which hoards of people flood to for the photo op. If a people-free photo is what you’re after, I suggest going as early as possible.
However, having said that, I wouldn’t say that the wall itself is very impressive, but the shrine and gardens around the wall are really lovely. I would definitely say it's worth a visit, because these kinds of temples and gardens are pretty unique to Chengdu.
Jinli Street borders the Wuhou Shrine area. It's similar to many other touristy-market-streets in China, lined with souvenirs and all forms of food you can eat-and-walk with. If you’re at the Shrine and feeling hungry, pop here to grab something to eat and soak in the vibe.
Wenshu Monastery
The temple and grounds are pretty large, but I wouldn’t say this is the most awesome temple in Chengdu. But if you’re looking for something to do, it may be worth a visit (particularly for the view from the top).
Cycle along the Fuhe River
If the weather is nice, I always love cycling along a river in a city because I really enjoy taking in the goings-on around me.
This isn’t the most amazing river you will find, but it’s a nice (flat) cycle, and I recommend going along one side, and coming back along the other.
Do a Cooking Course
Sichuan food is incredible and has the most interesting history! I highly recommend doing this cooking course while you're in Chengdu.
Not only will you learn how to make some amazing dishes, but you will also learn the really incredible history of Sichuan and Chengdu food, and get to taste some amazing chilies, pickles, chili oil, and tofu that you probably didn’t know existed!
Best areas to stay
Chengdu is one of the largest and most modern cities within western China, spanning over 1,700km, and including 11 separate districts. I recommend one of two areas, namely the City Center, or Wuhou area.
Staying in the city center will mean that you are close to, and can easily get to, some of the main attractions in Chengdu, including People’s Park, and Kuan Zhai Alley.
Wuhou area is fancier, is also a few blocks from People’s Park, and is close to Jinli Street and the Wuhou Shrine Museum.
Getting around
Getting around the area
The best things to do (in my mind) are pretty spread out across the city, so taxis are probably your easiest option. Alternatively, there is an extensive metro system. Biking and walking between closer places is always a lovely way to get a better feel for the city.
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