Complete Chengdu Travel Guide - Panda & Hotpot Capital

Chengdu, a city you won’t want to leave once you arrive. Here you’ll find adorable giant pandas, spicy hotpot, and leisurely tea house culture. This guide helps you experience the most authentic Chengdu slow life.

🗺️ Must-Visit Attractions

1. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Admission: ¥55 (advance online booking required) Hours: 7:30-18:00 (arrive before 8 AM recommended)

Best Visit Time:

Morning 7:30-9:00: Pandas most active, breakfast feeding show
Afternoon: Pandas mostly sleeping, less engaging

Must-See Areas:

Moon Nursery (baby pandas)
Sun Nursery
Sub-adult Panda Villa
Adult Panda Area

Duration: 3-4 hours Transportation: Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue Station + bus/taxi

2. Kuanzhai Alley ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Features: Qing Dynasty ancient street, Chengdu cultural landmark

Three Alleys:

Wide Alley: Old Chengdu life experience
Narrow Alley: Slow life leisure area
Well Alley: Folk culture display

Admission: Free Duration: 2-3 hours Best Time: Evening (more beautiful night view)

Experiences:

Ear cleaning (¥30-50)
Sipping bowl tea
Sichuan opera face-changing performance
Photo opportunities

3. Jinli Ancient Street ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Features: Three Kingdoms culture themed street (near Wuhou Temple)

Food Recommendations:

Three Cannons (dessert)
Sugar Oil Fruit
Egg Pancake
Bobo Chicken

Admission: Free Duration: 2 hours

4. Wuhou Temple ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Admission: ¥50 Features: Three Kingdoms culture sanctuary Duration: 1.5-2 hours

5. Du Fu Thatched Cottage ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Admission: ¥50 Features: Former residence of Tang poet Du Fu Duration: 1.5-2 hours Environment: Serene garden, perfect for leisurely stroll

6. Wenshu Monastery ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Admission: Free Features: Zen Buddhist temple, vegetarian meals Duration: 1 hour

Recommendations:

Wenshu Monastery Zen Tea (¥30-50)
Vegetarian buffet (¥50-80)

7. Chunxi Road/Taikoo Li ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Features: Chengdu’s busiest commercial district

Chunxi Road: Budget-friendly shopping Taikoo Li: High-end brands + internet celebrity check-in

Must Check-In:

IFS Giant Panda Sculpture (rooftop)
Fangsuo Bookstore
Line Friends Flagship Store

8. People’s Park ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Admission: Free Features: Experience Chengdu slow life

Must Experience:

Heming Tea House tea (¥20-30/cup)
Ear cleaning (¥30-50)
Watch elderly playing mahjong
Matchmaking corner (weekends)

Duration: 1-2 hours

📅 Recommended Itinerary

3-Day Classic Route

Day 1: Pandas + City

Morning 7:30: Giant Panda Base (4 hours)
Noon: Jianshe Road snack street lunch
Afternoon: Kuanzhai Alley (3 hours)
Evening: Kuanzhai Alley hotpot

Day 2: Historical Culture

Morning: Wuhou Temple (2 hours)
Noon: Jinli Ancient Street + lunch (3 hours)
Afternoon: Du Fu Thatched Cottage (2 hours)
Evening: Yulin Road/Jiuyanqiao bar street

Day 3: Slow Life

Morning: People’s Park tea (2 hours)
Noon: Wenshu Monastery + vegetarian meal (2 hours)
Afternoon: Chunxi Road/Taikoo Li shopping (3 hours)
Evening: Chunxi Road dining

4-Day In-Depth Route

Add to 3-day itinerary:

Day 4: Surrounding Trip Choose one:

Dujiangyan + Mount Qingcheng (full day)
Leshan Giant Buddha (full day)
Huanglongxi Ancient Town (half day)

🍜 Chengdu Cuisine

Must-Try Food TOP 10

1. Hotpot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended Restaurants:

Shudaxia (internet celebrity, good value)
Xiaolongkan (chain brand)
Dalongyi (popular with young people)
Chuanxibazi (locals frequent)

Per Person: ¥80-150 Ordering Tips:

Pot: Mandarin duck pot (spicy + non-spicy)
Must-order: Tripe, duck intestine, beef throat, brain

2. Skewers ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended:

Maojiao Huola
Gangguanchang Wuqu Xiaoyuejun Ganchuan

Per Person: ¥50-80 Feature: Bamboo skewered dishes, charged by stick count

3. Bobo Chicken ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended: Yepopo Bobo Chicken Price: ¥1-3/stick Feature: Cold skewers, green pepper or red oil

4. Maocai ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended: Maojiao Huola, Jixiang Huntun Maocai Per Person: ¥25-40 Feature: Solo hotpot

5. Husband and Wife Lung Slices ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended: Husband and Wife Lung Slices Main Store Price: ¥35-50 Feature: Classic Sichuan cold dish

6. Dan Dan Noodles ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended: Dongzikou Zhang Lao Er Liangfen Price: ¥8-12 Feature: Spicy, salty, savory

7. Sweet Water Noodles ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended: Dongzikou Zhang Lao Er Liangfen Price: ¥8-10 Feature: Unique sweet-spicy flavor

8. Dragon Wontons ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended: Long Chaoshou Main Store Price: ¥20-30 Feature: Chengdu-style wontons

9. Rabbit Head ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recommended: Shuangliu Laoma Rabbit Head Price: ¥15-25/piece Feature: Spicy fragrant, gnaw to eat

10. Desserts

Ice Jelly: ¥8-12 (summer must-eat)
Three Cannons: ¥10 (Jinli)
Egg Pancake: ¥5-8

Must-Visit Food Streets

1. Jianshe Road Snack Street ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Students’ favorite
Cheap prices
Rich variety

2. Kuixinglou Street ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Internet celebrity food street
Hotpot, skewers concentrated
Suitable for young people

3. Yulin Road ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Small bar culture
Same name as song “Chengdu”
Rich nightlife

4. Jinli/Kuanzhai Alley

Tourist concentrated
Prices higher
Good for experience

🏨 Accommodation Recommendations

Chunxi Road/Taikoo Li ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros: City center, convenient shopping, direct metro Price: ¥200-800

Kuanzhai Alley Area ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros: Ancient city atmosphere, good cultural experience Price: ¥250-600

Wuhou Temple/Jinli ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros: Near attractions, convenient transportation Price: ¥180-500

Panda Avenue ⭐⭐⭐

Pros: Near panda base, convenient for early morning Price: ¥150-400

🚇 Transportation Guide

Arriving in Chengdu

Shuangliu/Tianfu Airport:

Airport bus: ¥10-20
Metro: Shuangliu Airport has Metro Line 10
Taxi to city: ¥60-100

Chengdu East/North Railway Station:

Direct metro to city

City Transportation

Metro ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Covers main attractions
Single trip ¥2-7
Supports Alipay/WeChat

Bus

¥2/trip
Wide coverage

Shared Bikes

Hellobike, Meituan
¥1.5/half hour

💰 Budget Estimate

3 Days 2 Nights (Per Person)

Item	Cost
Accommodation	¥400-1,000
Meals	¥300-600
Tickets	¥155-255
Transportation	¥150-250
Total	¥1,005-2,105

☕ Chengdu Tea House Culture

Recommended Tea Houses

Heming Tea House (People’s Park)
- Most authentic old Chengdu flavor
- Price: ¥20-30/cup
Daci Temple Zen Tea
- Temple tea house
- Serene environment
Kuanzhai Alley Tea Houses
- Tourist-oriented
- Price: ¥40-80/cup

Tea House Experience

Sipping bowl tea
Ear cleaning service
Watch Sichuan opera face-changing
Play mahjong (some tea houses)

⚠️ Important Notes

Dining Cautions

🌶️ Non-spicy eaters must say “slightly spicy” or “mandarin duck pot”
Pair hotpot with yogurt/soy milk to protect stomach
Bring stomach medicine
Drink plenty of water

Best Travel Time

Spring (Mar-May): Comfortable climate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Autumn (Sep-Nov): Pleasant weather ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Summer (Jun-Aug): Hot and rainy ⭐⭐⭐
Winter (Dec-Feb): Cold and damp ⭐⭐⭐

Practical Tips

Must arrive early at panda base
Book popular hotpot restaurants in advance
Download Dianping to find food
Prepare stomach medicine
Kuanzhai Alley, Jinli more beautiful at night

🎭 Cultural Experiences

Sichuan Opera Face-Changing

Venues:

Shufeng Yayun (¥200-380)
Jinjiang Theater (¥150-300)
Kuanzhai Alley (free, but average quality)

Time: Usually 8 PM show

Ear Cleaning

Price: ¥30-50
Location: People’s Park, Kuanzhai Alley
Experience duration: 20-30 minutes

🎯 Quick Start Checklist

✅ Book panda base tickets (3 days in advance)
✅ Download Dianping App
✅ Prepare stomach medicine
✅ Book popular hotpot restaurants in advance
✅ Download Chengdu Metro App
✅ Prepare sunscreen and umbrella
✅ Practice saying “slightly spicy” 😄

Enjoy your Chengdu trip! 🐼🍜✨