Sichuan Province Attractions
Tailor & Costume Street
By now I hope you have guessed that Tailor & Costume Street in Chengdu is a great spot for tailor-made clothing and fun costume shopping. The rumor of the ability to buy cheap, but good quality suits, formal wear, etc in China is in fact true. Even travelers who don't speak a word of Chinese ...
By now I hope you have guessed that Tailor & Costume Street in Chengdu is a great spot for tailor-made clothing and fun costume shopping. The rumor of the ability to buy cheap, but good quality suits, formal wear, etc in China is in fact true. Even travelers who don't speak a word of Chinese should not be worried about the language barrier. You will find that the language of clothing is not a confusing one. There are many tailors along Shanxi Jie (陕西街） as well as a few costume shops which are fun to browse. Positive reports have come in from people who paid around 800-1200 RMB for a suit.
How to get there: Shanxi Jie is the first street just south of Tianfu Square (天府广场) in the center of town. Walk south along Renmin Lu （人民路） from the square and make the first right onto Shanxi Jie. The tailor and costume shops are a few hundred meters down the street.
Arhat Vegetarian
Arhat is an excellent vegetarian restaurant on the north side of Chengdu in the Wenshu Monastery neighborhood. The main differences between Arhat and the vegetarian restaurant inside the Wenshu Temple is ...
Arhat is an excellent vegetarian restaurant on the north side of Chengdu in the Wenshu Monastery neighborhood. The main differences between Arhat and the vegetarian restaurant inside the Wenshu Temple is that Arhat is more expensive, but is also cleaner and more creative. Guests also do not need to pay the small Y5 entrance fee to the temple in order to eat at the vegetarian restaurant within.
Arhat boasts a very neat and pleasant setting on the second floor of the busy (and somewhat touristy) Wenshu Temple neighborhood. I recently went to Arhat with a group of four, and all of the vegetarians in the party were duly impressed. Chengdu's legendary Ma Po Tofu was quite soft and certainly well above average in Chengdu. A tasty fried eggplant dish was well complimented by fried potato strings around the edge of the dish.
Our most interesting dish was a rabbit stew with a bean curd and bamboo mixture substituted for the rabbit meat. The creativity of the dish alone made it worthwhile. All of the dishes included excellent presentation, and were greeted with a few 'oohs' and 'aahs'. The entire menu is in Chinese and English and there are countless unusual and exotic dishes available.
I recommend that all guests be a bit brave at Arhat, and choose a dish or two that might normally appear or sound too risky or 'over-the-top'. The staff can also speak English. Dishes range from 10-50 Yuan. Our meal cost 100 Yuan. That might seem a bit expensive for vegetarian fare in China, but we all felt Arhat was very worthwhile.
How to get there: Arhat is in the recently renovated-for-tourism neighborhood outside the Wenshu Temple. From the entrance to the temple, walk a couple hundred meters east, away from Renmin Lu. Turn right on Baiyunsi Jie and look for signs for Arhat on the second floor on the right side. Be sure to write down the name or bring the address information and phone number. If you can't find it, all the people in the neighborhood know it and can help direct you there.
Northeast Dumplings
Even the most passionate lovers of Sichuan cuisine need to take a break from the fiery, numbing spices of Hotpot, Shao Kao (barbecue), Chuan Chuan, and so forth. That is what northeastern Chinese dumplings are for. You can make your own personal mix of vinegar, soy, garlic, salt, MSG, and h...
Even the most passionate lovers of Sichuan cuisine need to take a break from the fiery, numbing spices of Hotpot, Shao Kao (barbecue), Chuan Chuan, and so forth. That is what northeastern Chinese dumplings are for. You can make your own personal mix of vinegar, soy, garlic, salt, MSG, and hot pepper to accompany the filling dumplings. This allows much more freedom than the onslaught of spice normally found in local Sichuan cuisine. The best place to get northeastern style dumplings is near the Wuhou Shrine (武侯祠) on Wuhouci Dajie (武侯祠大街). The simply decorated dumpling joint offers a large variety of dumplings and best of all includes an English menu. The staff doesn’t really speak English, but a very painless pointing charade will get the ordering job done. One unit of dumplings, known as a ’liang’ (两) includes 6 dumplings. There are many choices with beef, lamb, pork, shrimp, and vegetarian options such as egg with spring onion.
How to get there: The Haerbin Northeast Dumpling Restaurant is a couple hundred meters south of the Wuhou Shrine and Jinli Promenade on Wuhouci Dajie. It is very close to the back gate of the Chengdu Sports College on the west side of the street. It is also quite close to the junction of Wuhouci Dajie and the south 1st ring road. The 334, 335, 1, 26, and 94 buses are just a few of the buses that will pass by the restaurant.
River Viewing Pavillion Park
River Viewing Pavillion Park is much more peaceful and interesting than its bland name suggests. The park features a four-story Qing dynasty pagoda built between 1886 and 1889. It provides a fantastic unobstructed view of a large portion of the Brocade river as well as the Chengdu skyli...
River Viewing Pavillion Park is much more peaceful and interesting than its bland name suggests. The park features a four-story Qing dynasty pagoda built between 1886 and 1889. It provides a fantastic unobstructed view of a large portion of the Brocade river as well as the Chengdu skyline. Entrance to the park itself is free. Like everywhere else in Chengdu, tea drinking, card slamming, and Mahjong foursomes leave you wondering, "When do these people actually work?"
The river-viewing pagoda is known as the Tower of Magnificence. It is included in a confined section of the park that is also dedicated to the Tang Dynasty poetess Xue Tao. Entrance to this area is Y20, but the fee is worth it. If you speak Chinese, but do not have student ID, tell them you are a student. If they ask for your ID, just say, "If I am not a student, then how am I speaking Chinese?" (At least this worked for me!) The student price is only Y10.
Very few travellers have the time to come here, and since the park isn’t very centrally located, even many expats aren’t familiar with it. Obviously locals aren’t interested in paying Y20 either. By putting up the entrance fee, you have the opportunity to relax in one of the quietest hideouts in urban Chengdu. The gardens in this section are extremely diverse, serene, and well-kept and finding a shady spot is not a problem. Climb the pagoda and bring a book. The opportunity to enjoy a moment as quiet as this one in a Chinese urban setting is very rare.
Xue Tao was born in Shaanxi province, and wrote her first poem at age 6. She came to Chengdu with no money after her parents died when she was 16 years old. She was quickly able to make a living for herself as a poet. She apparently loved bamboo, so this section of the park includes a bamboo garden featuring over 200 species of bamboo from all over Asia (according to one Chengdu resident). The Xue Tao commemorative hall includes beautiful murals with vibrant neon colors not often seen in China.
The park is open everyday from 6:00 am until 9:00 pm. The Xue Tao Shrine and Tower of Magnificence are open from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm everyday.
Directions: The park is located southeast of the city center adjacent to Sichuan University. You can catch the no. 35 bus which runs on the north side of the river along Binjiang Lu by walking south on Renmin Lu from Tianfu Square. When you see the park, get off the bus, and walk along the river to the next bridge that allows you to reach the park’s southwest gate. A taxi from downtown should not cost more than Y10-12.
Take bus No. 19, 335, 35, 3 to get there.
Sichuan Province Articles
This is Chengdu!
As a local girl, before you come to visit our city, i'd like to tell you some basic information of Chengdu!
...As a local girl, before you come to visit our city, i'd like to tell you some basic information of Chengdu!
By the end of 2015, the first 7-star hotel in the whole middle and western of China ---Versace Suits, will be open.
From Chengdu to Chongqing, the time for the train will be shortened as 1 hour.
The expressway from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou will be put into use, by that time, it will only take about 5 hours’ driving to be arrived.
Among the top 10 Best Cities in Asia, there are 6 of them in China, while Chengdu ranks the third place after Beijing and Shanghai.
In December of 2014, the worldwide Muji flagstore opened in Taigu Alley of Chengdu, over 3000 quare meters with 4 floors, it is the biggest flagstore in the world.
Ikea is going to open the second one in Chengdu, which makes Chengdu the 3rd city which has two Ikeas after Beijing and Shanghai.
From January to June of 2014, Chengdu people had spent over 25 trillion on restaurants, so if you like delicious foods, come to Chengdu!
The chairman of China Rabbit Science Association showed the media some datas about rabbits in Chengdu. Around the world, the rabbit output is 2 million tons per year, the rabbit output in China takes 30% of it, which is about 600,000 tons per year, while 70% of it will be consumed in Sichuan, which is about 420,000 tons per year. In China, each rabbit is sold as 2kg, which means every year, people in Sichuan will consume about 20 million of rabbits, while among these rabbits, 90% of them will be consumed in Chengdu. All in all, people from Chengdu will eat about 20 million rabbits’ heads.
Among the 31 capital and central-governed cities in China, Chengdu is said to be the 4th best city to enjoy in China, while the first in the whole middle and western of China. There are 9,264 teahouses and 1,302 stick-foods snack bars in Chengdu. Sichuan is the origin of world tea, while every year, the tea drunk by Chengdu people can fill 7 West Lakes in China.
Chengdu foods are so famous, that when Michelle Obama came to Chengdu, she finished 3 bowls of beancurd jelly with 3 crispy breads with beef. Chancellor Merkel bought some thick broad-bean sauce made in Pi’xian County home. David Camerom spoke highly of Chengdu hotpot.
There are 2,344 KTVs ,1.129 book stores in Chengdu, as long as you are in the downtown, within 1 square kilometer, you can find great entertainments. You can find a snack bar within 3 minutes’ walk, a supermarket or shopping mall within 5 minutes’ walk, a cinema within at most 6 metro stops.
Chengdu is the third city after Beijing and Shanghai in China for consuming luxurious products.
What’s the difference between Chengdu Hotpot and Chongqing Hotpot?
Talking about Hotpot, many Chinese outside Sichuan and Chongqing will think Hotpot is a symbol for Chongqing. It is true, that hotpot was originally from Chongqing, but Chengdu is the place where hotpot has been developed and famous....
Talking about Hotpot, many Chinese outside Sichuan and Chongqing will think Hotpot is a symbol for Chongqing. It is true, that hotpot was originally from Chongqing, but Chengdu is the place where hotpot has been developed and famous.
So what is on earth the difference between Chengdu hotpot and Chongqing hotpot? I will uncover this veil for you.
Impression of Hotpot
Chengdu Hotpot:
Hotpot in Chengdu is quite gentle compared with the flavor of Chongqing hotpot. Not too greasy, not too spicy, eat and chat with your families or friends, while some other snacks will be served as well. We let the soup boil in the pot, never hurry, and help each other to take foods, which is just like a happy get-together with families or friends!
Chongqing Hotpot:
Chongqing hotpot is not spicy by the flavor, but also, looks spicy too. Because of the personality of people from Chongqing, they eat faster and also talk louder. Even the air in these restaurants will be full of the aroma of bull oil from the pot.
Sauces for Hotpot:
Chengdu Hotpot:
The flavor of Chengdu hotpot is gentle and smooth, instead of using bull oil as the base of the pot, people in Chengdu prefer rapeseed oil with fresh chili and Sichuan pepper inside it.
Chongqing Hotpot:
Chongqing hotpot has a very thick flavor, they use a lot of bull oil as the base of the pot, together with dry chili and Sichuan Pepper, which make the whole pot have a quite exciting spice in your mouth!
Dishes for Hotpot:
Chengdu Hotpot:
Chengdu hotpot can be a reflection of the local people’s life in Chengdu, exquisite and enjoyable, people can choose whatever kinds of foods they like to cook, such as non-traditional sea foods, thin steak and vegetables and so on, dishes are all put in delicate plates with nice placing. The price is higher than Chongqing Hotpot.
Chongqing Hotpot:
Chongqing hotpot restaurants still keep their original and traditional flavor, dishes as board muscle, beef tripe and duck intestine are must-ordered by Chongqing People.
Service for Hotpot:
Chengdu Hotpot:
Chengdu people like to enjoy life, so people from Chengdu also like to enjoy the service from hotpot restaurants. Generally there will be main dining hall and a lot of private rooms with beautiful waitresses with uniforms to serve for the customers, they will give you an antiseptic towel and cover your clothes and bags from the oil before you start to eat, and serve you some chewing gums after meal.
Chongqing Hotpot:
Chongqing people don’t really pay attention to the service in these hotpot restaurants correspondingly, the hotpot restaurants don’t spend much effort on service too, but this is mainly because of their personality, hot-temper, casual and straight-forward, so waitresses won’t come to serve customers voluntarily unless customers call them, which makes the meal more casual among people.
So these are some common difference between the two, now which one you would like to try?
When is the best time to see pandas
For most of the visitors to Chengdu, Panda is definitely the highlight of the whole trip, It will far
exceed your expectation if you visit right time and right place.
In order to have a best panda experience, read the following tips.
Go early, arrive before 8am !...
For most of the visitors to Chengdu, Panda is definitely the highlight of the whole trip, It will far
exceed your expectation if you visit right time and right place.
In order to have a best panda experience, read the following tips.
Go early, arrive before 8am !
They are most active in the early morning before 10am,they sleep most of the time after 10am.
Panda are high altitude bears, adapt to low temperature( under 26 Celsius degree). So if you are
Visiting in Summer during June to Sep, make sure you can arrive before 8am,it takes about 30 min
From the down town by Taxi, Don’t use the public bus, it will waste you hours in the traffic jam.
Most of the bus tour arrive after 9am,go early you will beat them.
Which enclosure to go first ?
Once arrive there go directly to
Sunshine Nursery House for the baby/toddler pandas and No.11 enclosure for the teenages. The pandas
of the young age are very active,funny and playful in the morning, they all stay together doing all all sorts of activities,eating,running,climbing treess,fighting…
All pandas sleep indoors at night, and come out to meet people during the day if the temperature is not too warm.
The baby/toddler usually come out around 7:30, and they are most playful, you can’t expect to see
an 3 years old pandas showing you how they climbing a tree. While the teenage are all big eaters, you can see how funny they are eating bamboo during 8am-9:30am.
Most of the adult pandas come out after 8:30am,so if you are in a wrong place, you might wait one hour without seeing any panda.
Avoid Summer(July & Aug) if possible, if not, go as early as possible, otherwise it will be too warm and crowded. But rainy day is better than a sunny day in a Summer day. If you arrive after 9am it will be very little fun left.
Winter is a very nice time to see them, very quiet, and pandas are more active, and they spend more hours for activities. Chengdu seldom snow in Winter, actually they are very active in the snow.
I personally think December to Febuary are the best time to see them. It’s the time when the babies are learning to walk and climbing., so adorable they melt my heart.
If you would love to cuddle a panda, March and April are the best time, the baby pandas are in the best size and you can have one sitting on your lap.
Hire an experienced and responsible tour guide to show you around the Panda Sanctuary if you budget is ample.
Don’t want to hear any more complaint from visitors that pandas are all sleeping, it is because you wake up too late.
Top Sichuan Province Tours
$200 Per Day
CHENGDU, A PANDA CITY, A GOURMET CITY, A TEA CITY, LOOKING FOWARD TO YOUR ARRIVAL
Chengdu, with an area of 12,400 square kilometers and a polulation of about 14,170,000 is not just the biggest provincial capital in west China, but also the only city in the history of China whose name has reminded the same for 3,000 years since its establishment. In Chinese, "Cheng" means "success or successful" and "Du" means "big city or capital". This "Successful City" boasts a long history. It is believed that everything about Chengdu has their origin from "Sanxingdui Ruins", from where you can deeply discover the history story of Chengdu.
...Read moreChengdu, with an area of 12,400 square kilometers and a polulation of about 14,170,000 is not just the biggest provincial capital in west China, but also the only city in the history of China whose name has reminded the same for 3,000 years since its establishment. In Chinese, "Cheng" means "success or successful" and "Du" means "big city or capital". This "Successful City" boasts a long history. It is believed that everything about Chengdu has their origin from "Sanxingdui Ruins", from where you can deeply discover the history story of Chengdu.
Giant pandas definitely are the best calling card and trademark of Chengdu. Every year, million of people are attracted by giant pandas to spend their holidays here, go sightseeing here, make investment here and even settle here permanently. The reason is that for people around the world, the charm of giant pandas cannot be replaced by anything else.
Various kinds of wonderful food shall be another reason attracting you to visit Chengdu. Of the four most famous schools of culinery art in China (Beijing cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine, Guangdong cuisine), Sichuan cuisine boasts tongue-numbing, hot, delicate and fresh taste and a variety of flavors, as "each dish has its unique taste and no two dishes have the same flavor." Such spcial flavors as fish-flavored, gongbao (with peanuts), and water-boiled are incomparable at home and abroad.
"The teahouses in Sichuan top the world, and those in Chengdu Top Sichuan." This widespread saying not only points out the status of Chengdu's teahouses but also the inseverable ties between Chengdu culture and tea. Like bars in Paris and cafes in Vienna, teahouse add a touch of refinement and leisureliness to Chengdu, an ancient yet modern metropolis. The practice of driking tea prevailed in Sichuan as earlt as prior to the Qin and Han Dynasties.
Wish you can have a nice trip in Chengdu. You will love it.
$300 Per Day
10 Days from Lijiang to Shangrila Daocheng Yading and Chengdu
Day1from lijiang to shangrila on the way see the first bend of Yangtze River and tiger leaping gorge then continue to Shangrila Day2 Shangri La – Xiang Cheng
Day3Xiang Cheng – Yading
Day4look around Yading
Day5 Yading – Daocheng – Litang
Day6 Litang – Yajiang – Xinduqiao
Day7 Xinduqiao – Tagong – Bamei – Danba
Day8look around Danba
Day9 Danba - Ya’an
Day10 Ya’an – Bifengxia – Chengdu
$1 Per Day
One town sleep under the mouantain
One biggest surprise on the high-speed way.
Pool , lake, grass, trees and more interesting things make this little town like one fairy tale.
The colors of these buildings are cute,green、 red、 blue, all the colors make this place looks like are the one line with the sky .
Some kind of farms here, wehn strawberry grown up , you can also pick the up , you get more closer here, more surprises for you.
Good place for pleasure.