Chengdu, located in the Sichuan province of western China is famous for so many things…most notably their rolling hills at the base of the Tibetan Plateau, their spicy cuisine and they hot Chengdu women! Â The Sichuan province is one of China’s most popular tourist destination for all these reasons and more.
Even as the capital city, Chengdu has a lot to offer despite being a large overcrowded Chinese city. Â Here are some of the more interesting things to see and do in the city of Chengdu if you have a few days to kill there.
Giant Panda Breeding Research Base:
If you know one thing about Chengdu then its that they have Pandas! Â Despite that many Chinese people find this to be a boring waste of time, foreigners love it. Â Even if you are marginally interested, its worth a trip…hell, your in Chengdu right? Â It is however important to note that it does feel a bit like a zoo and you will need to get there early if you want to see the pandas (especially in summer), as they avoid the heat during midday.
People’s Park:
People’s Park in central Chengdu is a great place to take a walk, grab a tea or just generally kill some time. Its packed with koi ponds and traditional Chinese architecture as well as numerous paths for walking.
Wenshu Temple:
One of Chengdu’s best examples of Chinese Buddhism, this temple is located near the city center and is an easy excursion without having to travel too far. Its free to get into the complex and the surrounding streets are packed full of vendors selling all sorts of tourist trinkets.
Leshan (World’s Largest Buddha):
This giant stone Buddha has earned the title of Worlds Largest Buddha Statue, and yes it is quite large. It sits at the shore of the Minjiang River and has a series of stairs so you can view it from multiple angles. Beware this is a popular place equipped with ticket takers, ice cream stands and annoying crowds.
