Chengdu, China: travel guide
Pandas, teahouses and Sichuan hotpot in a relaxed western capital
Sichuan's laid-back capital famed for giant pandas, fiery hotpot, teahouse culture and easy access to Leshan's Grand Buddha and the Qingcheng-Dujiangyan World Heritage site.
About Chengdu
Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan and one of the easiest Chinese cities to settle into. Life here moves at a teahouse pace, and the local cuisine, with its numbing pepper heat and bubbling hotpot, is reason enough to come.
Giant pandas are the headline draw, but the city has more to offer: Wuhou Shrine and the Du Fu Thatched Cottage for history and poetry, Kuanzhai Alley for restored lanes, and day trips to the Leshan Giant Buddha and the ancient Dujiangyan irrigation system.
Chengdu travel suits food lovers, families and anyone using the city as a base for western China. Spring and autumn bring mild weather, while summers are warm and humid.
- Country
- China
- Currency
- CNY
- Time zone
- Asia/Shanghai
- Nearest airport
- CTU
Last updated
Top places to visit in Chengdu
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
panda reserve · about 3 h · entry ¥55 (≈ ₹780)
The world's foremost giant-panda conservation centre, where you can watch pandas (and red pandas) feed and play in leafy enclosures. Go early for the morning feeding.
Jinli Ancient Street
old street · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
A bustling recreated Qing-era street beside the Wuhou Shrine, packed with snack stalls, teahouses, crafts and red lanterns after dark.
Wuhou Shrine
memorial temple · about 1.5 h · entry ¥50 (≈ ₹710)
Chengdu's most important historic temple-museum, honouring the Three Kingdoms strategist Zhuge Liang and the Shu ruler Liu Bei in tranquil gardens.
Kuanzhai Alley
old lanes · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
The 'Wide and Narrow Alleys' — restored Qing courtyard lanes now full of teahouses, bars, boutiques and Sichuan snacks. Quintessential Chengdu leisure.
Wenshu Monastery
buddhist · about 1.3 h · entry ¥5 (≈ ₹71)
Chengdu's best-preserved Buddhist monastery, a serene complex of halls and gardens with a popular vegetarian hall and a tranquil teahouse.
People's Park
city park · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
The city's beloved central park, famous for the Heming teahouse, boating lake, taichi, dancing and the weekend 'marriage market'.
Chunxi Road
shopping district · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Chengdu's glittering downtown shopping district, anchored by the Taikoo Li mall and the giant Panda sculpture climbing a rooftop.
Du Fu Thatched Cottage
literary shrine · about 2 h · entry ¥50 (≈ ₹710)
A poetic garden park on the site where the Tang poet Du Fu lived and wrote some 240 poems, with bamboo groves, streams and memorial halls.
Qingyang Palace
taoist · about 1 h · entry ¥10 (≈ ₹140)
Chengdu's oldest and largest Taoist temple, the 'Green Ram Palace', with its distinctive Bagua Pavilion and resident Taoist priests.
Jinsha Site Museum
archaeological site · about 2 h · entry ¥70 (≈ ₹1,000)
Built over a 3,000-year-old Bronze Age settlement, displaying the delicate gold 'Sun and Immortal Birds' emblem of the ancient Shu kingdom.
Leshan Giant Buddha
rock-carved buddha · about 4 h · entry ¥80 (≈ ₹1,140)
A 71 m Tang-dynasty Buddha carved into a river cliff — the largest stone Buddha in the world — ~130 km south of Chengdu. UNESCO listed.
Mount Qingcheng
sacred mountain · about 5 h · entry ¥90 (≈ ₹1,280)
A misty, forested birthplace of Taoism dotted with ancient temples and pavilions, paired with Dujiangyan as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Things to do
- Giant Panda Base Morning Tour Tour · 4 h · from CNY 350 per person
- Sichuan Opera Face-Changing Show Show · 2 h · from CNY 220 per person
- Leshan Giant Buddha Day Tour Tour · 10 h · from CNY 480 per person
- Chengdu Hotpot Cooking Class Food · 3 h · from CNY 300 per person
- Qingcheng Mountain & Dujiangyan Tour Tour · 10 h · from CNY 450 per person
Day trips and tours
- Pandas & Leshan Giant Buddha Day Tour 10 h · from CNY 680
Where to stay in Chengdu
- Chunxi Road & Jinjiang about CNY 600 per night
Chengdu's downtown shopping and dining hub, well connected by metro.
- Kuanzhai Alley (Qingyang) about CNY 700 per night
Restored Qing courtyard lanes with teahouses and boutique stays near People's Park.
Hotels
- Niccolo Chengdu 5-star · CNY 1,300 to CNY 2,800 per night
- The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu 5-star · CNY 1,400 to CNY 3,000 per night
- Buddhazen Hotel 4-star · CNY 500 to CNY 900 per night
- Chengdu Flipflop Lounge Hostel 2-star · CNY 60 to CNY 220 per night
- Jinjiang Hotel Chengdu 4-star · CNY 450 to CNY 800 per night
Where to eat
- Chen Mapo Tofu Chinese, Sichuan · about CNY 90 per person
- Shu Jiu Xiang Hotpot Chinese, Sichuan, Hotpot · about CNY 130 per person
- Long Chao Shou (Chunxi Road) Chinese, Sichuan, Street Food · about CNY 60 per person
- Xiaolongkan Hotpot Chinese, Sichuan, Hotpot · about CNY 140 per person
- Yu Zhi Lan Chinese, Sichuan, Fine Dining · about CNY 1,500 per person
- Long's Chao Shou / Jinli snacks Chinese, Sichuan, Street Food · about CNY 70 per person
Getting to Chengdu
Airport: Chengdu (CTU), Chengdu (TFU)
Getting around
- Bus
- Metro
- Ride Hail
- Taxi
- Walking
More in China
Frequently asked questions about Chengdu
- What are the main places to visit in Chengdu?
- Places covered in our Chengdu guide include Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Jinli Ancient Street, Wuhou Shrine, Kuanzhai Alley, Wenshu Monastery.
- Where should I stay in Chengdu?
- Our guide covers these areas to stay in Chengdu: Chunxi Road & Jinjiang, Kuanzhai Alley (Qingyang).
- How do I get around Chengdu?
- Ways to get around Chengdu covered in our guide: City bus, Metro, Ride-hailing app, Taxi.
- Which airport is nearest to Chengdu?
- The nearest airport to Chengdu has the code CTU.