3–4 days · Mar–JunPandas, teahouses & slow afternoons
Chengdu
The capital of Sichuan moves at the pace of a teahouse. Spend a morning with the giant pandas, an afternoon on a bamboo chair with a bowl of tea, and every evening over a bubbling hotpot.
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Best Time to Visit
March–June & September–November
Warm and green, with the pandas most active in spring. Avoid the hot, humid July–August and the damp, grey January.
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Must-See Attractions
- Giant Panda Breeding Base — see cubs and adults before 9am when they’re feeding.
- Wuhou Shrine & Jinli — a Han-era shrine beside a lantern-lit snack street.
- Kuanzhai Alley (Wide & Narrow) — Qing-dynasty lanes of cafés, bars and courtyards.
- Dujiangyan — a 2,300-year-old irrigation system still in use; ~1h away.
- Mount Qingcheng — a misty Taoist mountain, easy to pair with Dujiangyan.
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Where to Stay
- Chunxi Road — central shopping belt, walkable to most sights.
- Kuanzhai Alley area — courtyard stays in the historic lanes.
- Jinjiang riverside — calm hotels a short taxi from the action.
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What to Eat
Sichuan hotpotMapo tofuDandan noodlesChuan chuan (skewers)Long chao shou (wonton)
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Suggested Itinerary
- Day 1 — Panda Base (early), then Jinli and a hotpot dinner.
- Day 2 — Wuhou Shrine, Kuanzhai Alley, People’s Park tea house.
- Day 3 — Dujiangyan & Mount Qingcheng day trip.
- Day 4 — free morning for snacks and museums before departure.
