Chengdu

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding 大熊猫繁育研究基地

~3 hours¥55 adult

The reason most travelers come to Chengdu: dozens of giant pandas (and red pandas) in leafy, naturalistic enclosures. Go at opening — pandas are most active during the cool morning feeding, and by midday they're asleep in the shade.

Booking — 3 days aheadOnline-only booking via WeChat mini-program or Trip.com/Ctrip — physical ticket windows are closed. Book 1-3 days ahead; earlier for morning slots in peak season.

Local tipArrive right at opening; the gap between morning and noon is the gap between playful pandas and furry lumps.

Jinli Street 锦里

~1.5 hoursFree to explore

A reconstructed Qing-dynasty street beside the Wuhou Shrine, thick with snack stalls, teahouses, and lantern light — Chengdu's most photogenic evening stroll. Best treated as a snack crawl, not a sit-down meal.

Local tipPair it with Wuhou Shrine next door — one ticket doesn't cover both, but they're a five-minute walk apart.

Du Fu Thatched Cottage 杜甫草堂

~2 hours¥50 adult

The reconstructed home of Tang-dynasty poet Du Fu, who wrote some of China's most celebrated verse here in exile. A sprawling bamboo garden of thatched pavilions, ponds, and quiet reading corners — Chengdu's most peaceful stop.

Local tipBring a book and sit at the stone tables — the grounds reward lingering more than checklist-touring.

Leshan Giant Buddha 乐山大佛

~6 hours¥80 peak (Apr–Oct) / ¥50 low season

The largest stone Buddha on Earth — 71 meters of Tang-dynasty carving gazing over the confluence of three rivers. Walk the cliffside staircase past its feet for the full sense of scale, or view it crowd-free from a river boat.

TicketsBuy online via WeChat/Alipay mini-program or at the gate; about 1 hour from Chengdu by high-speed rail plus onward transfer — budget most of a day round-trip.

Local tipThe cliffside staircase queues badly by midday — go early, or skip the stairs and take the boat instead.