Top 10 Attractions & Best Things to do in Chengdu

Chengdu - one of the historic cities in China, the hometown of giant pandas, the land of abundance, as well as the capital city of Sichuan Province, has become a popular tourist place among many foreigners who are planning a China tour. Chengdu will offer you a different experience from what you have got in other places in China. Here we will share the top-rated attractions with you who would love to have a great tour in Chengdu.

1. Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base

It is well-known that giant pandas are one of the rarest animals in the world and also one of the cutest animals that are loved by many people. So, if you choose to come to Chengdu, you do not want to miss this chance to visit this base with more than one hundred pandas being taken good care of. Tourists will get to see and know something about those cute pandas from newborns, teenagers to adult pandas.

Pro Tip: Arrive before 8:30 AM. Pandas are most active during breakfast; they usually nap in the afternoon. Don't miss the "Star Nursery" to see newborn cubs. 

Giant Panda 

Don't miss the baby pandas! Join our private morning tour to beat the crowds and see them at their most active.

2. Wenshu Monastery

Wenshu Monastery is the best preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu with an area of more than 200,000 square meters. It is an active temple for local people to worship and take a walk around. Tourists can expect to appreciate some precious cultural relics inside this temple, including more than 500 pieces of paintings and calligraphy works of celebrities, and over 300 Buddha statues of various sizes and materials.

Wenshu Monastery

3. Jinli Street

After you arrive in Chengdu, it is recommended to spend about two hours strolling on Jinli Street. When you are there, you will get to discover the marvelous architecture, traditional snack stalls, craft stalls, gift shops, and restaurants. Jinli is a good place to try local snacks or buy souvenirs with local features. When night falls, the lanterns along the street will make this place more beautiful and romantic.

Jinli Street

4. Wuhou Temple

This splendid Wuhou Temple was built in honor of Zhuge Liang, an outstanding strategist, statesman, inventor and writer in ancient China, as well as other heroes of the Shu Han Dynasty. Since the original temple was destroyed, the current government started the restoration work of Wuhou Temple in 1671. With a history of more than 1790 years, this sacred complex consists of several buildings and gardens, which covers an area of 150,000 square meters.

5. Dujiangyan Irrigation System

The 2,200-year-old engineering marvel and it still work. As the oldest extant working dam-less irrigation system in the world, Dujiangyan is a brilliant ancient Chinese creation. Constructed in 256 BC by the governor Li Bing, this remarkable feat of engineering brought the Minjiang River under control and converted the Sichuan Basin into a fertile "Land of Abundance." Instead of the modern style concrete dams, Dujiangyan employs the natural features of the landscape to guide the flow of water, and is thus considered an early example of green engineering. Explore breathtaking river views, the historic Erwang Temple, and even a patch of green at Mount Qidui.


                                                                                         
Combine the world's oldest irrigation system with the serene birthplace of Taoism. Discover our seamless Dujiangyan & Mt. Qingcheng 1-day combo packages.

6. Jinsha Site Museum

Jinsha Site Museum was built on the original site of the Jinsha Site, which was discovered in 2001. A large collection of relics of gold, jade, bronze, stone, ivory that have been found here are now displayed in five exhibition halls. With modern technology, the halls vividly show the brilliant ancient Jinsha of Shu Dynasty from multiple perspectives, such as ecological environment, architecture, funeral customs and religious rituals. And the 4D cinema can bring audiences back to the ancient Shu Dynasty.

7. Kuanzhai Alley

Kuanzhai Alley, also known as Wide and Narrow Alley, is a place for tourists to explore ancient-style buildings, local life, delicious Sichuan food, etc. They can feel free to discover what this city looked like in ancient times while walking on the Qing Dynasty's streets. And you can also feel this vibrant city with those tea houses, Sichuan opera theaters, cafes, bars, traditional stores, and busy street food stalls. So, it is worth your time to spend a few hours getting lost among those alleys to find something interesting.

8. Chengdu Renmin Park

Also known as People's Park in Chengdu, it is the first public park for Chengdu locals to relax and make new friends with each other. This beautiful city park is the favorite place among many local people since they can have fun here. There is a bonsai garden, two tea houses, a children's playground, a pond for people to row a boat, etc. So, tourists will find lots of kids, teenagers, adults, and the elder in this park chatting and laughing with each other. If you are curious about the life of Chengdu, Renmin Park is definitely the best place for you.

9. Du Fu Thatched Cottage

Chendgu Du Fu Thatched Cottage is the former residence of the great Chinese poet Du Fu when he lived in Chengdu from AD 759-763. More than 250 poems had been written during this time. Tourists will get to know more about this great poet and his works here, as well as enjoy a pleasant trip inside this beautiful park. This place has beautiful walkways and gardens with trees and flowers.

10. Sanxingdui Museum

A surreally ‘beyond-the-imagination’ archaeological site with strange masks and otherworldly objects. About 90 minutes from Chengdu, Sanxingdui is one of the 20th century’s most spectacular finds in archaeology. The site, older than 3,000 years, uncovers the lost civilization of the Shu Kingdom, which was culturally and politically separate from what was known as core Chinese culture. The museum is home to thousands of incredible relics — giant bronze masks with bulging eyes, the “world’s tallest” bronze sacred tree, delicate gold foils. They are so distinct many visitors make the comparison that some of these artifacts look “extraterrestrial.”



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