Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, is the laid-back heart of south-west China: home of the giant panda, birthplace of hotpot, and the main gateway to Jiuzhaigou, Leshan, Emei and the Tibetan plateau. Locals slow-life it through tea houses, mahjong and hours-long hotpot — build that pace into your trip.
“Start with pandas, end with hotpot — and never quite hurry anywhere in between.”
2–3 days in Chengdu
The same sights, spread over 2–3 days rather than one; Mar–Jun & Sep–Nov is the friendliest window; room for a day trip and one unplanned afternoon.
Use this planWhat to bring home
Food Therapy from this region, shipped with your trip. Browse the shop →
Best time to go
Mar–Jun & Sep–Nov. Shoulder weeks are quieter and cheaper.
Getting there & around
High-speed rail links most of this from the majors. Rail guide · 개인 차량 및 운전사
Visa & entry
Transit and visa-free rules change often — check the current list against your passport before booking.
Best time to visit
March–May and September–November bring mild weather and clearer skies. Summers are hot and overcast; winters are damp and grey. Avoid the National Day (1–7 Oct) and Labour Day crowds, and book real-name Panda Base tickets in advance.
필요한 일수
- 2일 — pandas, old Chengdu, hotpot.
- 3일 — add a Dujiangyan / Mount Qingcheng day trip.
- 4–5 days — add Leshan Giant Buddha and Mount Emei.
- 6+ days — add Jiuzhaigou/Huanglong, Siguniang or Daocheng Yading.
Getting there & around
Two airports: Shuangliu (CTU) ~30 min to downtown by metro, Tianfu (TFU) ~50 min. High-speed rail: Chongqing ~1h, Xi’an ~3h, Kunming ~6h. Inside the city the metro is cheap and English-friendly; use DiDi taxis and pay with Alipay/WeChat Pay (set up before you land).
Top things to do
- Giant Panda Base — go at the 07:30 opening for active pandas.
- Kuanzhai Alley & Jinli Ancient Street for old Chengdu.
- Heming Tea House, People’s Park — gaiwan tea and ear-cleaning.
- Sichuan opera face-changing at Shufeng Yayun.
- Jinsha Site Museum & Wuhou Shrine.
- Du Fu Thatched Cottage & Qingyang Palace.
- Chunxi Road & IFS (the wall-climbing panda).
Easy day trips
- Dujiangyan irrigation works + Mount Qingcheng (Taoist mountain).
- Leshan Giant Buddha, best paired with an overnight on Mount Emei.
- Jiuzhaigou / Huanglong — 90-min flight to turquoise lakes.
A 3-day Chengdu itinerary
- 1일차 — Pandas at opening → Wuhou Shrine & Jinli → hotpot dinner → face-changing opera.
- 2일차 — Dujiangyan + Mount Qingcheng.
- 3일차 — People’s Park tea → Jinsha or Du Fu Cottage → Chunxi Road → Jiuyanqiao river bars.
What to eat
Mala hotpot, chuanshuan skewers, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, Long Chao Shou wontons and sweet bingfen. Say 웨이 라 (a little spicy) if you can’t take the heat.
자주 묻는 질문
- How many days is enough for Chengdu? — Two days covers the pandas and old Chengdu; three to five days adds Dujiangyan, Leshan or Mount Emei as easy side trips.
- What is Chengdu famous for? — Giant pandas, Sichuan hotpot and mala cooking, teahouses and the slow life, Sichuan opera face-changing, and being the gateway to Jiuzhaigou, Leshan and Mount Emei.
- 청두를 방문하기 가장 좋은 시기는 언제인가요? — March to May and September to November are mildest and clearest; summers are hot and overcast and winters damp and grey.
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충칭 · 항저우 · 싼야 · 리장 & 샹그릴라 · 황산 · 쑤저우 · 샤먼 & 구랑유 · 우한 · 다리 & 얼해 · 난징 · 칭다오 · 핑야오 · 뤄양 · 우이 산 · 둔황 · 홍춘 · 장자제 · 청해 호수 · 펑황 · 구이린 · 시안 · 상하이 · 베이징