Chengdu

The capital city of Sichuan region, Chengdu has dominated this area for almost 2500 years. A major trading and cultural centre in the past, it holds the status of being one of the major cities in Western China to this day. The city is set on the fertile Chengdu Plain, also known as the “Country of Heaven” or “Land of Abundance”.

Chengdu boasts a multitude of attractions including:
  • People’s Park – a favourite recreation place for locals.
  • Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage – a museum commemorating one of China’s most beloved poets.
  • The ancient Dujiangyan Irrigation project, which built in the 3rd century BC, is still in use to this day irrigating the nearby agricultural land.
  • The Giant Buddha of Leshan – a 71 meter high statue carved in the mountain and included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
However, the top attraction for Chengdu- that made it renowned all around the world - are the Giant Pandas. These big but very cute bears-who’ve been living in this area for some two million years - are the main reason tourists put Chengdu on their itineraries, and the place to see them is the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base. The base is situated on the Futoushan Mountain, a short drive away from the centre of Chengdu and it offers visitors the unique opportunity to observe pandas, critically endangered species in their natural habitat. It is advisable to arrive early in the morning to observe feeding time, as most probably later on pandas will be busy with their favourite occupation – sleeping. There is also a museum on site dedicated solely to pandas, their history and habitat.

Chengdu is also the place to taste Sichuan cuisine, known to be flavoursome and quite spicy, because of the use of the Sichuan peppercorn, native to this area. Make sure to try the traditional Chengdu hotpot.

China Travel Map

Travel Destinations
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The capital city of Sichuan region, Chengdu has dominated this area for almost 2500 years. A major trading and cultural centre in the past, it holds the status of being one of the ... Read more
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