Chengdu.
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Overview

Chengdu (成都 Chéngdū) is the provincial capital and largest city of Sichuan Province in southwest China. The megacity is home to over 21 million people. Its main draw for most foreign tourists is perhaps the giant pandas, with the world's foremost giant panda research institute just outside the city. Among the Chinese, it is also known for being home to China's largest and most vibrant LGBT scene.

Understand

Chengdu is on the edge of the fertile plains of the Red Basin in China's Sichuan Province. Due to its agricultural wealth, Chengdu is sometimes called the Heavenly Land of Plenty. The Funan River bisects the city, although boat traffic, common until the 1960s, has all but vanished.

The Chengdu administrative area is home to more than 14 million people, with about 10 million of them in the Chengdu urban area. Chengdu has the reputation as a very "laid-back" city that emphasizes culture and relaxation. As a result of this and much green space, it is ranked one of the most livable mega-cities in China. It is credited with a good nightlife scene, and contains many new western style buildings in the large city center.

Summer weather is hot and humid, as the city is surrounded by small mountains to the east and sits in the Red Basin. Furthermore, an hour to the west lie the foothills of the mighty Tibetan Plateau and the fabulously scenic mountains of west Sichuan.

The city is famous for its lack of sun, so don't come expecting to get a sun tan. The city is foggy most of the year and typically warmer than coastal cities.

The city government provides tourist information

Some counties and county-level cities administered by Chengdu are given separate articles on Wikivoyage. These counties and county-level cities include Dujiangyan, Pengzhou and Pujiang.

Get in

Ground transportation options include: Chengdu Metro line runs from Shuangliu Airport (separate stations at Terminals 1 and 2) to Taipingyuan, where you can transfer to Metro line and Metro line , and from there to other Metro lines. Chengdu Metro line runs from Tianfu Airport to South Railway Station, where you can transfer to Metro Line 1 and 7, and from there to other Metro lines. You can buy a single-ride metro ticket from a machine at the station immediately before the ticket gate. Wechat and Alipay are supported as payment options with foreign cards, and the machine interface can be switched to English. Chengdu Metro line runs from Tianfu Airport to Shuangliu Airport. The Express train takes you about 30 minutes to another airport. The main line #1 stops at the Air China airline office in a side street just off Renmin Nanlu opposite to the entrance of the Minshan Hotel. There are three other routes but the service is not as regular or frequent, ask at the ticket desk outside the Arrivals lounge. Buses run all day, but less frequently in the middle of the night. The shuttle bus to Tianfu Airport starts at Chengdu IFS near Chunxilu subway station. There is no extra charge for luggage or additional passengers. If you intend to take a taxi from the airport, head for the domestic arrival area and exit the terminal where you should see the official taxi stand where you can queue for marked, green-and-yellow or blue-and-yellow taxis. Usual advice applies when distinguishing between official and fake taxis; if a person is too enthusiastic about getting you into their vehicle, you may have to pay more. Use your common sense.

By train Train connections are available from Kunming in Yunnan, Chongqing and Xi'an.

The Chengdu–Dujiangyan intercity railway connects Chengdu station and Chengdu's suburbans, namely Dujiangyan and Pengzhou.

By bus There are three bus stations in Chengdu, serving different destinations.

Get around

See Driving in China for detailed advice if you want to get around by car.

For the Chengdu Metro you can buy single ride tickets from ticket vending machines (English available) with Wechat and Alipay. Ticket booths are also available if you want to pay in cash. A contactless metro card is available (card or panda keyring) which gives you a 10% saving on all journeys. You can also use international credit cards.

When entering the metro you need to put your bags through an x-ray machine. The ticket is flashed by the gates on the reader on your right side. You need the ticket to get out as well so keep it safe. When exiting the ticket is placed into a slot on the right side of the gate (the machine keeps the ticket when exiting).

The system contains several lines: Line runs north–south through the city center along Renmin Rd and Tianfu Ave, from Weijianian to Science City or Wugensong, connecting the North and South railway stations. Line runs northwest–southeast, from Xipu to Longquanyi, serving Chengdu East Railway Station. Line runs southwest–northeast, from Chengdu Medical College to Shuangliu West Station, serving to those hot touristic sites in Chengdu. Line runs east–west, from Xihe to Wansheng. It serves Chengdu West Railway Station. Line runs north–southwest, parallel to Line 1, from Huagui Road to Huilong. It diminuing the population on Line 1, Line runs northwest–east–southwest, from Wangcongci to Lanjiagou; this line has the longest subway tunnel sections. Line runs in a circle around the city. It has interchanges with all other lines, as well as the North, South, and East railway stations. Line runs northeast–southwest, parallel to Line 3, from Shilidian to Lianhua, serves to Chengdu's musical area. Line runs south–west, parallel to Line 7, from Financial City East to Huangtianba, it serves Chengdu West Railway Station. The planification shows that Line 9 will be a circle form line. Line runs south–southwest, from Xinping to Taipingyuan, where you can transfer to Lines 3 and 7. It serves mostly to people go to Shuangliu International Airport. Line runs west–northwest, from Jitouqiao to Jinxing, only transfer to Line 9. The future plan is to become a city fast line. Line runs south–southeast, from South Railway Station to Tianfu International Airport North Station, it serves for members go to Tianfu Interntional Airport.

Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 18 all have interchanges with each other in the city center region.

By bus Chengdu has an extensive bus system, including a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line in a loop. At each bus stop, there is a list of the bus lines coming through on this road, and on some city maps the whole network is displayed. However, the bus lines and maps only use Chinese characters, and even if the bus announces the station, it will usually only be in Chinese. No change is given, so make sure you have exact change. Normally, you enter via the front door, and alight by the rear door. On the new articulated buses, you can enter at either the front or rear door, with the middle door designated for alighting only.

aMaps (Chinese only) is helpful for planning routes by public transport. A separate smartphone app is available. Click on Chengdu on the map, then select the middle tab from (公交) from the search field. To show the route of a particular line, click 高级搜索 and type the line number to the search field that appeared on the right side. You can also select from and to destinations from the map via a context menu (the two topmost options) and the service shows the route with bus line numbers and also where to change the bus if needed. Classical bus useful for tourists are 1 and 99 (inside city), 300 (link between south airport to north railway station).

If you will be in Chengdu a while, you may want to purchase the contactless transit card (公交卡) - it's advisable to get the version which works for both metro and buses. They are sold at all Hong Qi markets and at some pharmacies. Not only do you no longer have to worry about carrying correct change, but you get free transfers for two hours plus some discounts. The first is cash. You can also load credits (次) for this month and credits for next month. Credits expire at the end of the month for which they were designated, so it can take a little effort to not buy too many or too few. Note that some bus lines (usually higher numbered ones, or those going way out to the suburbs) and the subway only accept your cash balance (not credits), which does not expire. When you board the bus and tap your card, the display will show the number of this month's credits remaining (if you used credits) or the cash balance (if you used your card's stored cash value).

The Hi Panda Shuttle Bus (成都景区直通车), also known as the Scenic Shuttle Bus, conveys passengers to many of Chengdu's key attractions and also travels to some attractions outside the city. Destinations include the Wuhou Temple, Jinli Street, Kuanzhaixiangzi, Du Fu's Thatched Cottage, Chunxi Road, the 339 TV Tower, Jinsha Archaeological Site, Panda Research Base, Happy Valley, Haichang Ocean Park, Jinjiang Theatre, the Museum of Sichuan Cuisine, Manhua Manor, Anren Town, Dujiangyan, Qingcheng Mountain, Sanxingdui, Leshan, Emeishan, Taoping Qiang Village, Bipenggou and Bifengxia. Most routes originate from the company's main hubs at Kuanzhaixiangzi and the Wuhou Temple. The company also operates from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu East Railway Station, and Tianfu Square. You can also purchase a combo set, which includes both the bus tickets and the entrance tickets for the attractions you intend to visit.

Official taxis are either green or blue and are equipped with meters. An available taxi will display an illuminated sign with Chinese characters in its dashboard. The meter is turned on by tilting the sign, make sure the driver does that and if not, you can try to do it yourself and the driver usually gets your point. Taxi drivers don't speak English nor do they understand the map, so have an address written in Chinese with you. Drivers don't know many street names so it's best to have the address to some well known place close to your destination. Collect taxi cards from hotels and restaurants and show them to the drivers, and when close to your destination start instructing by pointing with your hand. This method usually gets you there - some drivers however will not follow your instructions or get angry for you traveling a longer distance than what they expected.

Taxis can be difficult to find depending on the area. There are also unlicensed taxis in the city but they're quite hard to notice.

By bicycle Most guest houses have bicycles for hire. Check for technical problems before starting out unless you want to be held responsible for it later. If you leave your bicycle, do so in one of the designated "bicycle parks", where it will be guarded over for a small fee. If you can not find such a place, be sure to lock it securely against some structure. Be careful as the bike traffic flow can be intense.

In 2016, Mobike and other companies introduced city-bikes which can be used and paid for via a smartphone app.

See

Central Chengdu Streets and architecture

Jinli Ancient Street. This neighborhood is part of the old city of Chengdu; it features hotels and small stores built in an 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, restaurants, and nightclubs. Restaurants and bars in Jin Li are more expensive than outside. There are also antique hotels in there. Some consider Jin Li is to be tourist trap, which is partly true. Don't forget to take your camera.

Kuanzhaixiangzi. Very nice place with lots of (expensive) tea houses, restaurants and local snacks. Great for relaxing. Streets date from late Qing-dynasty style but have been rebuilt. Free government Wi-Fi in this place.

Tianfu Square. This square, overlooked by an enormous Chairman Mao statue in the center of the city, has been spruced up. Every evening at dusk, as well as at noontime, an elaborate water show, synchronized to music, bursts out from the square's fountains. Below the square is the hub of Chengdu's subway system. In the subway entrance plaza, a small shopping mall has been built, almost literally under Mao's nose.

A Thousand Plateaus Art Space. A contemporary art gallery in Chengdu exhibiting Chinese and international artists. Exhibit openings generally happen once a month, and other events also take place.

Sichuan Art Museum. Sichuan Art Museum is a major contemporary art institution located in the heart of Chengdu’s Qingyang District near Tianfu Square in Sichuan Province, China. The museum’s modern building rises six stories and houses a large collection of Chinese paintings, prints, and artworks, including traditional and modern pieces. It also serves as the headquarters of the Sichuan Artists Association and is part of Chengdu’s vibrant cultural zone alongside other museums and galleries.

Chengdu Art Museum. This major cultural landmark in the heart of Chengdu opened in 2021. It serves as a vibrant hub for contemporary art and cultural exchange in western China. The museum features modern architectural design and spacious exhibition halls that host a wide range of national and international art exhibitions. Through its diverse programs—including exhibitions, workshops, and public lectures—the Chengdu Art Museum aims to promote creativity, cultural dialogue, and appreciation for the arts among the public.

Chengdu Museum. A 6 floors museum containing different interesting things about Chengdu civilization from ancient times to modern times. Recommended to start the visit from the second floor upwards. The visit should take 2.5 hours.

Chengdu Natural History Museum. One of the largest natural history museums in western China. The museum has around 70,000 items, of which around 10,000 are on display, including many fossils. As of November, visitor numbers are limited to 5000 people per day and bookings are essential. Bookings can be made on the museum's public WeChat account. The WeChat account name is "成都自然博物馆 成都理工博物馆".

Sichuan Museum. 3 floors museum containing artifacts (bronze, pottery, carving, etc.), including coverage of different tribes in Sichuan. Visit can be completed in about 2 hours.

Sichuan Science and Technology Museum. This huge four-storey museum is filled with interactive exhibits about science, aerodynamics, space, mathematics, robotics and physics. Children will love the interactive displays and indoor playground on the 4th floor. Adults will appreciate the descriptions in both English and Chinese. Everyone will love the crowd-pleasers like the robotic orchestra and walk-through maps of Sichuan's waterways. During weekdays this museum can either be overrun by local school groups or be so deserted it's almost creepy. Overall, quite good value for money, especially on a rainy day.

Sichuan University Museum. 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 lit, 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.

Southwest Minzu University Museum of Nationalities. This was one of the first ethnographic museums to be established in China following the founding of the People's Republic. It has one of the richest collections of ethnic minority artefacts in southwestern China. There are artefacts from 35 different ethnic groups and specialized exhibitions on the Tibetans, the Qiang, the Miao, the Yi, the Bai, the Tujia, the Dai and the Naxi.

Anshun Bridge. A scenic, historic bridge crossing the Jin River in the middle of Chengdu. A bridge at this location was mentioned in the writings of Marco Polo. However, in the 1980s the bridge was destroyed by flooding, and was rebuilt in 2003. There is a restaurant on top of the bridge.

Du Fu's Thatched Cottage. Du Fu was a renowned poet during the Tang Dynasty. The thatched cottage was where he lived from 760 to 765 and wrote many of his best works. The cottage eventually fell into ruin and had to be rebuilt. The current buildings date mostly from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Jinsha Archaeological Site. Site featuring various tools and art pieces from around 3,000 years ago. The amount of unearthed items is just massive. They include pottery, blades, jade items, building foundations and various golden art pieces. There are two main buildings: the hall constructed over the centre of the excavation site and the modern exhibition hall with various artifacts on display.

Ming Prince Tombs. Five tombs of the princes of the Ming Dynasty, who were given estates in the area by the emperor, and subsequently buried here. Their burial chambers have been excavated, two of which are open to the public; the tomb of Prince Xi (僖王陵) and the tomb of Prince Zhao (昭王陵). The former is lined with beautiful carvings, and is often said to be the grandest burial chamber to have been excavated to date in China.

Shuijingfang Museum. Shuijingfang is a liquor company that specializes in the production of high-quality baijiu (distilled rice wine). The company has been operating continuously in Chengdu for over 600 years, albeit under many different names. Around the turn of the last century, archaeologists uncovered the remains of the original distillery that was in use 600 years ago. As the oldest distillery site yet discovered in China, the site was declared a national heritage site and nominated for world heritage status. The site is now part of the Shujingfang Museum. Entrance to the museum's exhibition hall is free but you will need to pay for a tour guide if you wish to visit the archaeological site. After visiting the exhibition hall and archaeological site, the tour guide will lead you to a modern distillery, which may or may not be operating at the time of your visit. The final stop on the tour is a tasting room where you can sample some of the baijiu produced here. Of course, there is also a shop where you can buy bottles of baijiu.

Yongling Mausoleum. Yongling is the tomb of Wang Jian, the founding emperor of the Shu Kingdom, also known as Great Shu or Former Shu, which ruled over much of Sichuan during the early 10th century during a period known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. The burial chamber has been excavated and is open to the public. An on-site museum displays artefacts that have been excavated from the tomb.

Qingyang Temple. This Taoist temple is the oldest and biggest of its kind in the area, located in the west of downtown. A large and still-active temple that takes into consideration Taoist philosophy in its construction, and with both a park next door and a number of relaxed courtyards inside. While it has a long history, the buildings are modern, cheaply-made concrete constructions, and it quite frequently shows. The statues inside are also cheap modern constructions of no real interest. A teahouse and a vegetarian restaurant can be found within the temple complex.

Wenshu Temple. This Tang Dynasty Buddhist temple is the most impressive, and perhaps also the most used, temple in Chengdu. It is dedicated to the Buddhist representation of Wisdom, Wenshu Pusa (Manjusri Bodhisatva), and contains more than 450 Buddha statues and other precious relics. In addition to the halls and gardens, the temple also has a charming tea house that offers an insightful window of Chengdu life as it is frequented by locals who engage in games of chess, reading, knitting and just chatting with family and friends. The temple also has a delightful vegetarian restaurant with seats offering views over the gardens. There are many shops around the temple, including some of the best street food in the city, such as a sweetwater noodle shop.

Wuhouci Temple. This temple is built to commemorate Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮), who was the minister of Shu (蜀) in the Three Kingdoms Period. He is famous through the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. There are dozens of dust covered statues of obscure historical figures behind glass and not much else. The gardens are attractive, but not extensive.

Chengdu Panda Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. This is the biggest facility of this kind in the world. Due to habitat destruction and other reasons, the giant panda is maybe the most famous endangered animal. It is home to some 60 giant pandas, but also has some red pandas and a colony of black-necked cranes. The pandas are basically on display for tourists but views are much closer than is possible at most Western zoos. (If you want to get even closer and hold a panda or volunteer all day to feed them bamboo and clean the panda cage, visit the Dujiangyan Panda Base, about an hour's drive outside Chengdu.) A small museum and a cinema screening related documentaries is also available. A restaurant and souvenir-stalls top off the tourist installations. The best time to visit is in the morning, when pandas are most active. Pandas sleep during the hottest time of the day. Feeding time is around 09:30-10:00. Expect some crowd. It is recommended to arrive as early as you can to avoid the hordes of school and tour groups that arrive every morning.

Chengdu Zoo. 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. The zoo has vendors selling Chinese snacks as well as some carnival type rides.

People's Park. This park is a rare island of tranquility amid the noise and hustle of central Chengdu. It contains beautifully landscaped walking paths, lakes with paddle boats for rent, tea shops and restaurants, children's amusement rides, small sports facilities, and other attractions. Some old people use the park to sing and dance in separate groups. Some people practice calligraphy with water on the floor around a monument in the northwestern corner of this park. Some parents take their unmarried children's information here to find potential candidates. The park is a great place to take a child or a date, and it is always full of locals relaxing and enjoying themselves. For laughs, there is an information display which lists the city's current air quality, claiming there is about 4 times less pollution than the US Embassy reports.

Huanglongxi Ancient Town. The core area of Huanglongxi Ancient Town preserves Ming and Qing dynasty residences, ancient temples, and key cultural relics, covering approximately 31,200 square meters, with 13,700 square meters of Qing-era wooden structures. The town has rich folk culture, including traditions such as the Fire Dragon Festival and floating river lanterns. It has been designated a Sichuan Provincial Scenic Area, a National AAAA-level Tourist Attraction, and selected as one of the "New Ten Scenic Spots of Chengdu."

Anren Ancient Town. Also called China's Museum Town (中国博物馆小镇) due to the large number of museums, including the Jianchuan Museum Cluster (see below).The entire scenic area west to Liu Xiang riding statue, east to the Convention and Exhibition Road, north to the road around the town, south to the Xiejiang River, the core scenic area of 3 square kilometers, including the old street of the Gongguan, Liu's Manor Museum, Jianchuan Museum, three core resources. Anren Ancient Town is 39 kilometers away from Chengdu downtown, 36 kilometers away from Shuangliu International Airport, 10 kilometers away from Dayi Station of Chengya High-speed Railway, 8 kilometers away from Dayi South Exit of Chengya High-speed Railway, and 8.5 kilometers away from Dayi County.

Jiezi ancient town. 25 km northwest of Chengdu, in Chongzhou, the Fengqi mountain, the mountain connected with Qingcheng.

Liujiang Old Town. Liujiang town, located 25 km southwest of the county to spend Hongya River tributary of Liujiang sides. Town was founded in the Southern Song Dynasty, and modern architecture across the water from the Ming and Qing era buildings.

Luodai Ancient Town. The town is especially famous for the national key cultural relic protection unit - the Four Conference Halls (Guangdong Hall, Jiangxi Hall, Huguang Hall, Sichuan North Hall) and the Hakka Museum and Hakka Park. It is one of the wonders in China's ancient architecture "Daguan Garden", with a total area of more than 20,000 square meters. Luodai Hall is a condensed history of Hakka immigration.

Jianchuan Museum Cluster. Industrialist Fan Jianchuan built this campus of museums to explain the history of 20th century China. This is the first privately owned museum in Sichuan (privately operated museums in China have only been permitted since the year 2001). The Museum campus contains four buildings about World War II in China - one explaining the Communist Party role, one about the Kuomintang, one about the American volunteer group "Flying Tigers", and one about Sichuan volunteers. There is also the modestly named "New China Porcelain Museum", which actually tells the story of the Cultural Revolution through porcelain of that era. A museum that more directly addresses that era is under construction. You will also see buildings explaining the practice of foot-binding and one about prisoners of war. Nearby, you can also walk through a landlord's manor. Make a day trip out of it; the Museum is in the historic town of Anren about an hour's drive from downtown Chengdu.

Sanxingdui. The ruins of an ancient Chinese city where archaeologists discovered remarkable artifacts that radiocarbon dated circa 12th-11th centuries BCE. Sanxingdui (Three star mound) is the name given to this previously unknown Bronze Age culture. First excavated in the 1930s, the site continues to yield surprises to the present day. Between 2020 and 2022, archaeologists working on the site discovered six sacrificial pits containing a treasure trove of artefacts. So numerous were the artefacts that a new museum had to be constructed. The new museum is now open. Be warned that the museum is extremely popular and often booked out, so it's best not to come here without first making a booking. Bookings can be done online (in Chinese only) on the museum's WeChat account. If you come here on an empty stomach, you should get something to eat at one of the food stalls outside the gate. The museum cafe does not serve food. After entering the gate, you can head straight to the new museum, as the two exhibition halls that made up the old museum have been closed. However, if you have time, you can still visit the Restoration Hall (修复馆) and see the archaeologists working to restore the artefacts. The restoration hall closes at 17:00, which is one hour earlier than the museum.

Do

For up-to-date information on activities, places and attractions you should check out the Chengdoo Citylife Magazine's listings. You will find copies in most bars, restaurants, cafes, hostels and hotels.

Cosmetics and Hair. Local women love to get their nails and hair done at the mall. There are quite a few very popular ones located on the ground floor of Beijing Hualian (北京华联) in Yanshikou. They do very nice style and it will last until you wash your hair.

Chunxi Road. Take an afternoon or evening to walk down this shopping street in the center of the city. It makes for a good change of pace. There are clothing stores, bookstores, restaurants, arcades, and cinemas. It is a good place to find something to eat, as you can find a great variety including hotpot buffets, Japanese restaurants and Western food. However, the major disadvantage with this area is that each brand has many stores in this location (similar to other parts of China). For instance, Nike, Adidas, and Li-Ning, each have about 4-5 stores in Chunxi Road alone which reduces the variety of things to buy. If you are looking for stores in the same vein as Louis Vuitton and Ermenegildo Zegna, these stores are located at Chengdu IFS, which is nearer to the metro station than Chunxi Road itself.

Drink tea. Teahouses are plentiful in Chengdu, and drinking tea and playing Mahjong is how many local people relax. On a sunny afternoon pick a table in the park with an out-door tea house and sip your tea while listening to the locals gossiping. Not for the faint hearted, take the opportunity to have your ears cleaned by local "experts" armed with a tuning fork and a myriad of "insertion tools". Weird but effective! There are thousands of teahouses in Chengdu so you'll find them from other places than Renmin Park as well.

Foot and body Massage. Chengdu is famous for its relaxed and laid back lifestyle. The foot and body massage is very popular in Chengdu with a lot of varieties. Generally, these places cater to groups of people who come in together, relax in a private room, perhaps eating fruit, pig ear, or sipping tea, while receiving a fully-clothed massage or foot washing. A great way to relax with friends. Beware of erotic massage places that may be hard to tell from authentic ones. As a general rule, if you can see the patrons from the outside, its more likely to reputable. The more the internal space is segmented, the more concerned you should be.

成都漆器工艺体验工坊. A workshop where you can learn about the intricate art of Chengdu lacquerware, a national intangible cultural heritage. Under master guidance, you can try your hand at polishing or painting a small piece, creating a unique souvenir.

KTV. Spend an evening singing with friends, enjoy popcorn, beer and other refreshments. Songs available in English, Chinese, and more.

Play Weiqi (the game of Go). As a symbol of Chinese culture, Weiqi is one of the world’s great strategy games where a few simple rules lead to limitless possibilities. Weiqi is hugely popular in Chengdu to the point where it has been nicknamed Weiqi City. Chengdu Weiqi Classroom is the only place where foreigners can study this game with English speaking assistance.

Read a Book. The Chengdu Bookworm (see listing in the Eat Section) has a membership-based lending library of English language books, as well as travel guides for sale. Peter's Tex Mex, as well as some of the other restaurants that cater to foreigners, have book exchanges.

Sichuan Opera. Most guest houses and travel agencies offer to arrange visits to these traditional shows. It is more like a burlesque cabaret than an actual opera, sometimes including magicians, traditional musicians, shadow plays, comedy (spoken in Chinese though), and dancers besides the traditional pieces. Of course the most famous is never omitted: quick face-changing and fire spitting 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. Note that there are many teahouses in the city that offer the show every night. Try the local favorite at Shu Feng Ya Yun (蜀风雅韵) teahouse located in Chengdu Culture Park (文化公园) on Qintai Road (it is beside Qingyang Temple). You will be seated on a covered open ground (cooled by fan; no A/C), which is actually the center of the traditional teahouse building. You might have to book in advance or just ask the concierge of your hotel to book it for you.

Happy Valley. Moderate size amusement park with 3 main roller coasters, Water Rides, Kids zone and water park (in Summer). Overall Good day out for both adults and families, makes a nice break from the city and has enough attractions to fill a full day out, As of 2011 the entrance to the park is now a sports retail outlet, Imax and Indoor Sky diving Centre with Restaurants.

Floraland. The park includes a moderate selection of rides (water, relaxing and thrill), and various recreation activities. Weekends can get packed, so try to go during a weekday.

New Century Global Center (Chengdu Global Center). New Century Global Centre consists of New Century Global Shopping Centre, Ocean Paradise, Intercontinental Hotel, Central Business City and Music Fountain Plaza, etc.; [1-2] It is divided into four districts, namely, East, West, South and North, and the main body of the building is made of sea-blue colour, with white floating boards articulating the undulating body of the building into a whole.

Chengdu City Concert Hall. Chengdu City Concert Hall is a landmark cultural venue that blends modern architecture with world-class acoustics, serving as a premier stage for music and performing arts in Chengdu. It regularly hosts symphony concerts, chamber music, opera, and other high-level classical and contemporary performances.

Most golf courses in the metropolis of Chengdu are semi-private, but open for public play. Cart and caddie fees are included.

Grand Hill International Golf Club. 18-hole championship golf course completed in 2009. Somewhat generic but pleasant.

Luxehills Golf and Country Club. Completed in 2007 by American architect firm JMP, Luxehills is ranked one of the top 10 courses in China.

Wolong Valley The Tradition Golf Club. 18-hole championship course with many bunkers and well protected greens. On three sides of the course, tall high-rise condominium buildings are easily visible.

Learn

The following universities accept foreign students with the proper visa:

Ask for a referral at one of the universities, or from another student. Textbooks for learning Chinese are available at many local bookshops.

Bear in mind that the Mandarin spoken by the locals amongst themselves is South-Western Mandarin. This is substantially different from Putonghua or Beijing Mandarin, Taiwan Mandarin or Singapore Mandarin that foreigners and overseas Chinese typically learn. However most locals will speak Putonghua with you if you speak it.

Work

Job postings for English teaching are located in many guest houses, at Western bars and restaurants, anywhere foreigners congregate. Also worth to check are GoChengdoo and their Chengdoo Magazine of which you can grab a copy from many places throughout the city.

The Peace Corps has its China headquarters in Chengdu, (Sichuan University Campus), and places highly selected and qualified U.S. Citizen volunteers in 2 year assignments throughout provinces in West China teaching English.

Buy

Chunxi Road area. A street and a contiguous shopping district. More than 700 shops in the area including shopping malls, department stores, boutiques and street stalls.

Songxian Qiao Antique Market. Big market with communist relics, old porcelain dishes, jewellery, calligraphy equipment and also some Tibetan stuff. Great bargains can be found here if you are into antiques, jewellery, and gifts.

Lotus Wholesale Market. A huge area of shops selling all kinds of local stuff from clothes to kitchen ware and home decoration to toys.

Wuhou Tibetan Area shops. About two blocks of shops adjacent to Wuhou Temple selling clothing, textiles, jewelry, Tibetan music etc.

Panda Toys. All sorts of plush pandas, and other panda trinkets, are sold at the gate of the panda base, as well as ones of a slightly higher quality at the shop inside the panda base itself.

Galleria. New international standard shopping mall with about 200 stores and naturally a lot of international brands.

Supermarkets are located throughout the city, although the selection of imported foods is limited.

Sabrina's Country Store. If you want to buy American food, and do not mind a 50% premium, this has friendly service and all imported products.

Taikoo Li Chengdu. Located in the center of Chengdu, next to Chunxi Road and Daci Temple. With a total site area of approximately 70,800 square meters and a total gross floor area of more than 269,000 square meters, the boutique hotel Beaux-Arts also has 100 guest rooms and 42 serviced residences. It is a retail-led mixed-use development with an open-plan, low-density, neighborhood-style shopping center that creates a unique shopping and leisure experience for guests.

Chengdu SKP. Chengdu SKP is a large shopping mall with many brands, including luxury goods. There are also many restaurants inside for shopping customers to choose from. What’s interesting is that the architecture and interior design of this large shopping mall show modernity and creativity. There are squares and fountains on the ground, and the shopping mall is underground.

Eat

You will find no shortage of delicious Sichuan food in Chengdu. Most of the food is spicy, but not necessarily as hot as you expect. If you are obviously foreign and don't specify whenever you order (i.e. non-spicy (不要辣 búyàolà), a little spicy (微辣 wēilà) or 'old' (very) spicy (老辣 lǎolà)), the staff will assume that you can't take the heat. At best they will ask you whether you want chili (你想要辣椒?; Nǐ xiǎng yào làjiāo?), at worst they give you a severely toned down version of the food! If you want it how the locals have it, reassure the staff with "I like chili" (我喜欢辣椒 wǒ xǐhuan làjiāo), followed with "I like all the chili" (我都喜欢辣椒 Wǒ dū xǐhuan làjiāo) to really reassure the staff that it's OK.

If you are not accustomed to it yet, a bottle of sweetened soy, almond, peanut, or cow milk, or something else sweet will work much better than water to quell the fire. If you are used to the hottest of authentic Indian or Thai food, the level of spiciness in Sichuan food should be no problem at all.

Sichuan food also makes heavy use of Sichuan peppercorn (花椒 huājiāo), which looks like but is not a true peppercorn, and causes your mouth to water and to be somewhat numb (málà)––the effects are unique and very dissimilar to capsaicin. Sichuan peppercorn is added in most spicy dishes. If you can eat spicy food but do not like Sichuan pepper, you need to order so (不要花椒 bú yào huājiāo). However, Sichuan peppercorn (in addition to causing numbing) has an important citrus taste that it adds to foods. Sichuan cuisine banks on the interplay between the flavours of both Sichuan peppercorn and chili peppers, and it is strongly recommend you try the authentic versions with the Sichuan peppercorn.

The spiciest food in Chengdu is hotpot (also called steampot or steamboat), although the tradition originated in Chongqing, so it is not really Chengdu food. Sichuan hotpots are basically a big pot of soup and spices simmering in a hole in the middle of your table. Patrons choose from a large selection of meats, vegetables and other add-ins. Most popular include: lamb, mushrooms, beef, tofu, quail eggs, potatoes and various others (pork, green vegetables, fish balls, carrots, and even pig's brain!) You can choose spicy pot or non spicy pot. With spicy hot pots, unlike eastern hot pots, the soup is NOT for drinking; instead, fish out your cooked items with chopsticks (do not fish the liquid out with a spoon, it is too spicy even for locals to drink; the fished out vegetables will be spicy enough), dip them in the small bowl of oil provided to each person, and enjoy.

You may also find the local food too oily or too salty for your taste, and may want to advise your server accordingly.

There are also a lot of weird local snack type of food, such as spicy dragon prawns (look like very small crayfish; 麻辣龙虾), spicy snails (香辣田螺), Chongqing duck neck (久久鸭脖子), Bangbang chicken (棒棒鸡), spicy rabbit meat (二姐兔丁). These ones are so delicious and you must try them. But you need to ask a local to take you to the right place. Quite often you will find that the small restaurants and shops offer the most delicious and cheapest food. If you want to find even cheaper food options, street vendors are the way to go (though the Chengdu police have been doing their best to extinguish this long tradition and you may have trouble finding them these days). Serving everything from barbeque (烧烤) to steamed breadrolls (馒头), they are a cheap and offer a great option for a quick bite to eat.

If you are less adventurous but still like Chinese food, or just tired of Sichuan food, there are a number of Cantonese and Hong Kong restaurants, including Lei Garden near Shangri-la Hotel.

There are a number of stalls and hole in the wall type places all over town. Things to be on the lookout for are spicy bowls of breakfast noodles, (担担面 dandanmian), double cooked pork (回锅肉 húigūoròu), and dozens of dishes coated in "málà" the Sichuan chili spice famous the world over.

Yulinchuanchuanxiang. Cheap and fast hotpot variety. This is a help-yourself style meal, go to a backroom and choose your own kabobs. Stick the kabobs into a hotpot soup, and have them boil. Pull them out and enjoy. There are both spicy and non-spicy variations. There is a large selection of meats, vegetables, and other add-ins. Beer is available in large bottles and sweet soymilk (Dounai) is also served.

Lanzhou beef noodles. Varieties include egg, lamb and beef. Breads for 1 kuai a piece, and Mutton Kabobs (羊肉串) go for 1 kuai per stick. Da Pan Ji (大盘鸡) is a great choice if eating with a group. This dish includes chicken, potatoes, onions and other vegetables in a moderately spicy sauce. Can eat with bread or noodles to make a great meal.

Steamed buns. Sold for breakfast or lunch from street vendors throughout the city. Yagcai bao (芽菜包) is a local Sichuan special variety you are unlikely to find elsewhere and typically contains some mixture of Yacai (芽菜), a type of preserved vegetable, and potentially some meat. Other typical fillings include beef, red bean paste, mushrooms, green vegetables or pork.

Lao Chengdu Yi Cheng Xian San Yang Mian. Budget Sichuan noodle restaurant featured in the Michelin Guide. Try the San Yang Mian.

Zhengzong Fushun Suancai Douhua. A local restaurant serving Fushun-style sour-pickle tofu pudding hot pot. The restaurant is known for its affordable prices, generous portions, and free refills of tofu pudding. Popular dishes include tofu pudding with crispy pork, beef, and pork ribs.

Lao Ma Ti Hua. A traditional Chengdu restaurant which serves local Sichuan dishes and is especially known for its tender pork trotters and rich soup.

Wenshu Temple Vegetarian Restaurant. In the grounds of a monastery and run by monks. Offers a huge selection of traditional vegetarian dishes, including some containing imitated meat.

Hokkaido Japanese Restaurant. Authentic Japanese food. Serves curry, tonkatsu, unagi-don, fried rices, sushi, ramen noodles, and various other selections. Serves Chinese and Japanese beers, as well as a selection of plum wine and sake. Food quality varies.

Chen Mapo. Supposedly opened by the Mapo herself in 1862. The place to eat Mapo Doufu, it does not get any more authentic than this. Spicy food eaters will love this, those who do not like spicy food should probably skip it altogether.

Namaste/Afila. Specializes in Indian and Nepalese cuisine, particularly tandoori and curries. Great for vegetarians and omnivores alike.

Fiesta Thai. Specializes in Thai cuisine. Great food and exceptional service when you need a break from oily and spicy Sichuan food.

Mingting Restaurant (明婷饭店), Waicaojia Alley No. 26, Jinniu District (成都市金牛区外曹家巷26号附14) A very popular Sichuan restaurant with outdoor seating. Expect to wait 10–20 minutes at peak hours. Try the 呛香鱼 or 麻婆豆腐!

Hibiscus Phoenix Garden Restaurant. The transportation here is very convenient. There are many bus lines. After getting off at Guanghua West Station, it only takes a few minutes to walk to the restaurant. Furonghuang Garden Restaurant is one of the restaurants that friends like to choose for gatherings, because the prices here are more suitable for friends with mass consumption, so it is suitable for friends to gather for dinner. The food tastes very good. Hibiscus Peach Blossom is one of their signature dishes. It is a must-order dish for every table. Many diners like it very much. The environment is good and the service is not bad.

Mike's Pizza Kitchen. Freshly made to order pizza. Authentic New York style pizza pie, stone-baked. Delivery only.

Veranda Bridge Restaurant. This restaurant is actually a historic bridge over Funan River. Sichuan food. Very good reputation within Chengdu.

Huang Cheng Lao Ma. Elaborate restaurant featuring hot pot followed by live entertainment, including Sichuan face-changing. Don't miss the diorama scene of ancient Chengdu built into the restaurant lobby's floor. A separate section on the ground floor of the restaurant also features a pan-Asian buffet with contemporary entertainment. Child care is available on premises.

Western Chengdu has a few local Western restaurants. Service is always friendly, although you should expect occasional mistakes, such as appetizers served at the same time as your meal. Chengdu is just starting to get accustomed to Western tastes.

Chengdu Bookworm. Has something for everyone. It is an English language lending library, a Western restaurant, a bar, as well as an occasional venue for local singing and musical talent. Expats might want to join the membership library or take kids to the children's morning story hours. Evenings, you might find a travel author reading from and signing books, poetry reading, or singing. Great place for to connect with others, catch up on some reading, or just relax.

Grandma's Kitchen. Western restaurant with four locations around Chengdu, including one next door to Peter's on Zhong Hua Yuan.

Peter's Tex-Mex. Actually an American restaurant with some Mexican dishes. Peter's has good food. The Zhong Hua Yuan location also has homemade ice cream, the best ice cream you will find in Chengdu. If you are coming from out of town, the Zhong Hua Yuan location is right in a major expat area with lots of other restaurants and shopping surrounding it.

Paul and Dave's Oasis. A place for volunteers, ex-pats, and all manner of foreigners, a place where you can go and just chill. Though he does serve Chinese food, you're better off going elsewhere for this, it is however a place where you can sit and lose yourself for a day or so. Usually occupied by the local foreigners, usually playing Western music.

All of the hotels in the "Splurge" category have Western restaurants or buffets. Call ahead for more information.

Drink

A popular district of bars, also known as the bar street, is located by the southern shore of Jin River next to Anshun Bridge. The well known Lan Kwai Fong from Hong Kong started its business in the mainland of China in 2010 and the first city is Chengdu. The area is located a little north-west from Anshun Bridge. Chengdu is also popularly regarded as the gay capital of China, with a number of bars and nightclubs catering to gays and lesbians.

Club 88. Chengdu's hottest club. Awesome lighting and music, dancing in the walkways and people just trying to get seen. Expect crowds of people, packed tables, and action going on through the night well past the other clubs closing times. Get there early to get a table or come (very) late to wind down the night when everything else dies.

Cafe Paname. A bar with a younger crowd and laid-back environment Expect an occasional DJ event which will make the bar a little more lively on Fridays and Holidays.

Highfly Cafe. Relaxed place with a tiny outside sitting area. They serve beers and Western food including pizza and breakfast. There is one computer for free Internet access and a small book exchange (2 for 1).

Feeling4Seasons Cafe. Good Italian coffee: espresso, cappuccino, especially latte. Also pasta and pizza. They also provide Internet service: wireless access for your laptop, loan of a wireless card if you don't have one, use of a PC if required. You can also burn CDs. It is also one famous China blog freelancer's cafe bar; he published a book named "Ten Years, Flying with one Dream".

Mooney's Irish Pub. A real classy traditional Irish pub. Sometimes they have a live band or other entertainment. Also they have a free billiard table which is nice. Offering beers on tap, whiskies and signature dishes.

Shamrock Pub. This Irish pub is in the hub of Chengdu's small foreign community (of approximately 3,000). Friendly pub atmosphere and live music some evenings. In addition to drinks the pub serves dishes including pizza, meat pies, sausage rolls, steaks, burgers, curries and a range of other snacks. The pub is also an active sponsor of several non-profit organizations, including holding events for moon bear rescue and for the disabled. Copies of the informative Chengdoo book are available at the Shamrock.

High Connections Coffee House. Provides a relaxing, comfortable, environment with soft lighting and easy-listening music. They have non-smoking and smoking sections. Bring your computer and hook up to the wireless Internet. Their coffee (both Espresso and good old fashioned drip American style) and muffins are an excellent way to begin a day. They also have large conference rooms available for meetings.

Also, on the southern bank of Jinjiang there is a row of bars between Renmin South Road and Xin South Road. There will also be street vendors selling various snacks. This makes for a good night with the clubs Babi II, Ta & Ta, and Soho just around the bend.

8trees Wine Bar & Restaurant. Located in a century old Roman Catholic church, and offers the most unique romantic dinning experience. Recommended signature dishes are the tantalizing mouthwatering North American beef, marinated with fresh herbs and spices; the lamb main simmered with exotic spices. On the lighter side, there is the conscious side dish which is very popular with weight-watching regulars who complement their meals with the rich creamy soups offered in the menu. A must see for the church underground wine cellar.

The Leg & Whistle Pub. The closest thing you'll find to a real English 'local' pub in Chengdu. It's number one for football coverage with three screens but feel free to ask about other sports if you're interested. The people there are very friendly and will do their utmost to make you feel welcome.

Little Bar (New). Rock bar. The bigger shows are on Friday and Saturday and the bands start playing at 20:00 and finish at 22:00. A bit hard to find so best to get a cab to take you if you are not familiar with the area. Not to be confused with Little Bar (Old), the sister bar on Yulin West Road.

Empty Bottle. Very popular amongst the locals. Live music and other kinds of shows every night.

Jellyfish. Lively and crowded cocktail bar with a DJ playing music. Lot of expats but also local folk.

Sleep

Chengdu Dreams Travel International Youth Hostel. Dorm beds and private rooms of various sorts available. Travel office and English help, 24 hour large volume hot shower, a roof-top bar, garden and tea house. Tends to be frequented by Chinese tourists more than foreigners, but the hostel staff have at least 2-3 people who speak perfect English.

Chengdu Jason's Nest Guest House. Fully-equipped hostel with spacious bright rooms, clean bunks, the Tibetan-style dining room and bar. Helpful, very knowledgeable staff.

Chengdu Mix Hostel. With cheap beds, and lots of people. Wi-Fi for laptops, free Internet. Atmospheric building with a lot of Tibetan knick-knacks. The staff all seem somewhere around twenty. If you call ahead and book they will pick you up from the train or bus station.

Holly's Hostel. Though not as trendy or cool as other hostels in Chengdu, Holly's has a better location than most other hostels in the city. Situated across the Jinli Street, a good starting point for traveling through Chengdu, Wuhouci Dajie also has lots of Tibetan restaurants, hot pot restaurants, noodle joints, massage parlors, and camping/climbing stores. Staff speaks excellent English and will help you with your traveling needs. Dorm rooms are nothing fancy but are clean and serve their purpose. Western cafe on the roof, internet access, DVDs, etc. Social atmosphere. Perfect for those who want a good hostel and do not care about being hip.

The Loft. Very modern hostel. Chill atmosphere with a large common area makes it great to mingle and meet others. Used to be a printing factory but now converted to a contemporary style hostel. Has free pool table, free Internet access, free umbrellas, free lockers and more, even TV and DVD room. Rooms are clean.

Mr. Panda Hostel. Hostel in central Chengdu that caters to foreigners and Chinese alike with excellent English spoken by all staff. Amenities include: DVD room, kitchen, fussball table, suhu board and laundry machines. Knowledgeable tour desk with information available for surrounding regions including trips to Tibet and discovering Sichuan. Restaurant with fantastic food which Mr. Panda cooks himself. Free Wi-Fi on all floors. Hostel is clean and well frequented.

Sam's Guest house. Traffic Hotel/Traffic Inn. One hundred percent geared towards foreign backpackers and is a good place to organize a tour or buy tickets. The adjacent Traffic Inn Hostel has a nice common area with a large collection of DVDs and western food. The rooms and shared bathrooms are very clean and come with a reliable air conditioner. The matrasses in the hotel are harder and in the hostel are softer. Free Wi-Fi on the premises (though it is painfully slow) and good English-speaking staff at the hostel.

Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls.

The hotels in this category can generally put up the facade of the more luxurious hotels, but often suffer noticeably from deferred maintenance or haphazard customer service. Many are geared mostly towards Chinese and Asian tour groups. The hotels listed below are the best of the bunch with lobby staff who speak at least a basic level of English and usually offer a free Chinese breakfast.

Barsby Hotel. In addition to being happily underpriced for the value provided, fans of Fawlty Towers will find themselves confronted by Basil Fawlty's good twin in the person of Mr. Robert Barsby, a true John Cleese lookalike, this hotel's proprietor and veteran of the administrations at a number of the city's finer hotels. Over a free breakfast which can include western style eggs and toast, he will be happy to share with you his experiences and his reason for having created one of the better "boutique" hotels in China. Rooms are spacious, scrupulously clean and well heated, although you need to be careful when showering that the drain is functioning properly, otherwise you're likely to flood the toilet enclosure. The annexed restaurant is a moderately priced decent traditional Chinese establishment, but will not accept the credit card you may have used at the hotel. Certainly one of the best values in any market.

Chengdu Garden City Hotel. Some of its amenities include night club, fitness center and sauna, and a swimming pool.

Chengdu Wenjun Mansion Hotel. The hotel offers a wide range of rooms from single to family. This attractive courtyard-style hotel is situated on one of the more tourist-friendly streets in the city, surrounded by buildings in a similar Han and Tang Dynasty style. The courtyard is a perfect place for tired travelers to relax with a drink and play a borrowed game of mahjong or just chat.

Jin Jiang Inn. Part of a China-wide hotel chain; 3 locations in Chengdu; the South Chengdu Yulin location is near Renmin Nan Rd and the U.S. Consulate. Good value for money. Rooms are small but clean and well apportioned. Breakfast and free internet provided. Secure lobby area and friendly staff.

Mareka City Hotel. Three-star hotel featuring air-conditioned guestrooms that has cable TV, a private toilet and bath, safe, hair dryer, and a free broadband Internet connection.

Somerset Riverview Chengdu. The residence is in the city central. The 200 apartments, which range from studio to penthouse, each has a kitchen, washing machine, home entertainment system and modern furnishings. There is a gym, boxing ring, swimming pool and sauna.

Super 8 Hotel. Free internet. No breakfast. Rooms are small and poorly designed.

Buddha Zen Hotel. Atmospheric hotel in a former Zen monastery with wonderful inner courtyard. Located in a pedestrian area.

Splurge Chengdu's luxury hotels provide world class service at very reasonable prices. Business and leisure travelers can expect, at a minimum, to find fluent English speaking staff, Western and Chinese restaurants, full conference facilities, business center, sauna and concierge service at all of these hotels.

JAHO Forstar Hotel. Business hotel offering upscale meeting room facilities, convention center, and business center. It is also a four-star quality accommodation in Chengdu that offers luxurious amenities to vacationing tourists. It has elegant guestrooms, posh restaurant, full service spa, and recreational rooms. Online reservations are now available.

Jin Jiang Hotel. Chengdu's first international luxury hotel, the Jin Jiang still offers good service.

Jinyu Sunshine Hotel. Four-star hotel offering over 150 guestrooms, all elegantly furnished. Other hotel facilities include banquet halls, restaurants, gift shop, spa, and KTV. Online reservations are now available.

Kempinski Hotel. German managed hotel offers hospitality and luxury. Great German events, including Ocktoberfest, Christmas and New Year's parties. Excellent gym, pool and workout facilities. Close to the United States Consulate.

Shangri La Hotel. Chengdu's newest luxury hotel, opened 2007. Very creative buffet restaurant.

Sheraton Chengdu Lido Hotel. Modern, American-managed hotel in the center of Chengdu near Tian Fu Square and the sports stadium, but a few blocks away from shopping districts. This hotel can accommodate the most discriminating of guests in luxury and world class service.

Sofitel Chengdu Taihe. French-managed, overlooks Fulan River, similar to but more expensive than the Sheraton.