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home - destinations - asia - china - destination: chengdu
Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province in south-west China. Chengdu is located in the fertile plains of western Sichuan province.
Due to its agricultural wealth Chengdu is sometimes called Land of Milk and Honey. The greater city area is divided into five districts and 12 counties, altogether home to 9.2 million people.
- Panda Research Base is the biggest facility of this kind in the world. Due to habitat destruction and other reasons, the is maybe the most famous endangered animal. The Research Base is home to some 60 giant Pandas, but also has some and a colony of black-necked cranes. The Research Center affords views of the pandas from much closer than is possible at many Western zoos. Be sure to bring your camera. The Research Base also has a small museum and a cinema screening related documentaries. A restaurant and souvenir-stalls top off the tourist installations.
- Chengdu Zoo The Zoo, located in the north of the city near the Panda Research Base, 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. Admission is ¥12 per adult. The zoo has vendors selling Chinese snacks as well as some carnival type rides.
- Sichuan University Museum has an 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 lite, 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. The museum is located on Wangjiang Road, about a 15 minute ride from Xinnanmen bus station or a 40 minute walk.
- Sichuan Opera Most guesthouses and travel agencies offer to arrange visits to these traditional shows. It's more like a burlesque cabaret than an actual opera, sometimes including magicians, musicians and dancers besides the traditional pieces. Of course the most famous is never omitted: face-changing and firespitting 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.
- Jin Li This neighborhood is part of the old city of Chengdu, it features hotels and small stores in and 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 and nightclubs.
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- Massage / Foot Washing Chengdu has establishments that offer massage or foot washing. Generally, these places cater to groups of people who come in together, relax in a private room, perhaps eating fruit or sipping tea, while receiving a fully-clothed massage or foot washing. Prices are very reasonable, often well under Y100 per person. A great way to relax with friends.
For up-to-date information on activities, places and attractions you should check out the "GoWest"-magazine's listings. You'll find copies in most bars or guesthouses.
There is a big antiquities-market close to the Green Ram Taoist-temple in the western city. From the temple, walk straight west. It's on your right hand side after you crossed the bridge over the channel. You'll find communist relics, old porcelain dishes, jewellery, calligraphy equipment and also some Tibetan stuff. Be warned that overpricing is excessive (10-20x the real price), so bargain hard.
Sichuan being the most known Chinese food style within China, you will find no shortage of delicious Sichuan food in Chengdu. Most of the food is quite spicy, be sure to order non spicy or little spicy food, at least if you are not accustomed to it yet, or have a bottle of peanut milk ready to quell the fire.
The local king of kings is the Hotpot, basically a big pot of oil, water and spices simmering in a hole in the middle of your table. Patrons choose from a big variety of skewered food including veggies, sea-weed, fish, beef, chicken, and dog's meat and proceed to boil them in the oil. After the meal, your bill will be calculated by counting the skewer-sticks.
Thieves are prevalent around certain areas of Chengdu. Be careful around the Yanshikou markets and especially around the North train station. There are also many thieves on crowded buses who use razors to cut open pockets and bags. Also watch your bag at all times when riding bicycles around the city, thieves like to run alongside bicycles at traffic lights and reach into bags.
For such a big city, there's surprisingly little Western influence in Chengdu. It's definitely not Beijing or Shanghai. This might at first be a little trying, as the level of English is spoken is noticeably lower than other places, but it's really a blessing. Carry a phrasebook or get a guide, and enjoy a more authentic Chinese urban experience!
Chengdu is the gateway to Sichuan. Daytrips and trek can be organized to any major attraction is the province. The most popular is probably the Giant Buddha in Leshan. Day tours are available which combine the Buddha with a visit to the nearby Buddhist holy mountain Emei Shan.
Mount Qincheng, Dujiangyan irrigation system (built 250 BC) about 40 km (25 miles) and the Wolong Natural Reserve. West of town are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 'Panda-lovers' can also visit the CCRCGP - Bi Feng Xia Panda Base located only 10 minutes from the 'rain-city' Ya'an or the Chengdu Panda Base just 10 minutes out north of the center of Chengdu.
Stone Elephant Lake Ecological Resort is 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. Bring a camera for both of these. Bring a picnic lunch or eat in one of the several Chinese restaurants and noodle shops there. The park is about an hour and a half drive of pure highway driving south of Chengdu. Arrange a car to take you there or ask about bus service.
Further afield, you can also trek out to the Tibetan areas of Sichuan. Buses leave everyday for Moxi and other towns. These long bus trips from Xinnanmen-bus station (it's about seven hours to Moxi, and the heating system on buses in the winter are painfully inadequate) pass through incredibly steep mountain valleys wandering through the Gongga Mountain range. This all terminates at the Hailuogo Glacier, a massive park nearly nine hours from Chengdu. A good two or three day trip.
To the north there are the Sichuan horse plains and the Jiezhaigou Valley.
Train connections are available to Kunming in Yunnan, Chongqing and Xi'an. Frequent buses also leave for Chongqing, which is the beginning of many cruises down the Yangtze. These tours are available around town in Chengdu, and include transport to Chongqing, about three or four hours away.
For more information on Chengdu, visit the source at Wikitravel
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Chengdu, China
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Destination: CHENGDU, CHINA
WHAT TO SEE IN CHENGDU
