Chengdu Travel Guide


China travel
airport/hotel/attractions Giant Panda Center and shopping

    airport:
    Shuangliu airport is 18km southwest of the city. A taxi to downtown is 50 Yuan. Local buses which are waiting next to the taxis are only 2 Yuan. Airport shuttle bus is around 10 Yuan.

    hotels:
    In 2004, we stayed 10 nights in the Tibet Hotel. A comfortable 4 star hotel with spacious and refurbished rooms in Tibet-style. A twin room has two large beds, a sofa and glass workdesk with broadband internet. We also stayed in 2004, a couple of nights in the Chengdu Minshan Hotel.

    Unfortunately the Tibet hotel is no longer listed at many hotel providers on the internet and did not respond to several of my emails. Their rates also increased considerably. Thats why we choosed in 2007 for 2 other hotels: the WenJun Lou Hotel and the Garden City Hotel. In 2009 we stayed again in the Garden City Hotel.




    Garden City Hotel Chengdu

    train
    The main train station is the north of the city, not far away from Tibet Hotel. A train journey to Beijing takes between 26-32 hours. Travel time to Xian is about 16 hours. To Chongqing is only 2.45 hour with the fast train.
    Since summer 2006 it is possible to go by train from Chengdu to Lhasa, Tibet. A ticket for a soft-sleeper cost around 1100 Yuan (USD140). Besides a China visa, you need a permit to visit Tibet. This permit can be purchased in Chengdu travel agencies.

    bus
    There are several bus stations in Chengdu.
    From Xinnanmen Bus Station, No. 57, Linjiang Road depart buses to Jiuzhaigou, Leshan and Emeishan. Wugui Bridge Bus Station has buses to Chongqing. Chadianzi Bus Station has services to scenic spots in the west and north of Sichuan.

    Teahouse / Wenshu Monastery
    In Chengdu you can find many parks and tea houses. The Wenshu monastery is is the best-preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. It's in an old neighbourhood and has a nice relaxing garden with some ponds where you can drink a bowl of tea in the shadow of the trees.

    The Dujiangyan Irrigation Project
    Dujiangyan is a water conservation works, built around 256 BC, and about 55 kilometer from Chengdu. It's listed as a World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO. The Anlan bridge is one of the attractions: 500 meter long and made from rope and wood, it hungs above the river.

    Chengdu nightlife
    - #Near the Tianfu Square is a large MGM disco.
    - # Renmin Nanlu area
    - # Renmin South Road
    - # Versailles Palace (Segment S. Renmin Rd)
    - # Century 2000 Disco Bar (7 Yihuan Road)
    - #Shamrock Bar (Lingshiguan Road)
    - # Rainbow Crowne Nightclub (Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza)

    Art
    - #Jincheng Art Palace
    important shows, drama,film,musical,comedy
    61, Renmin Dong Road. Bus 16, 4, 48
    - #Sichuan Exhibition Hall of Fine Arts
    2, Dongchenggen Shang Street
    - # Jinjiang Theatre Sichuan Opera
    54,Huaxing Zheng Street
    - #Acrobatic Troupe
    44 Dong Dingzi Street

    Ski
    Xiling Snow Mountain is a main ski resort in China. Distance is 120km from Chengdu. With the bus it takes 2.5 hours to get there.


    Chengdu is is the capital city of Sichuan and the economic center of southwest China. It's one of the largest cities in China.
    The center is Tianfu Square with the Mao statue. At night, moving fontains 'dance' to the music with coloured lights. In the middle of the Tianfu Square is the central metro station (open in 2010). The main shopping street is Chunxi Road Another main shopping street (crossing Chunxi Rd) is Qingnian Road. Both streets are pedestrian zones.


    Tianfu Square, downtown Chengdu

    Chengdu restaurants
    In Chengdu there are numerous restaurants and stalls on the street serving cheap local food. The food in Chengdu is spicey and hot. Good Western and Asian restaurants are located in international hotels such as the Shangri-La, Sheraton and Crowne Plaza Hotel. Western fastfood can be found in Chunxi Road, the Tianfu Square area and near the Garden City Hotel.


    Chunxi Road (South section)

    shopping
    Downtown Chengdu is full with department stores and small shops selling clothes, shoes, cheap jewelry items and food. The large French Carrefour supermarket with 2 ATM's is next to the Garden City Hotel.





    Giant Panda Bears
    The province Sichuan is well-known for the giant panda bears. The Panda Breeding and Research Center is 10 km from downtown Chengdu. The best time to come is around openings time (8.00) because the panda's will get their food between 8.00 and 9.00. The panda cubs are in that time very lively and play with each other in the playground. After 10.00 more tour groups will arrive at the park and most panda's are also sleeping then. A taxi to the Panda Center is about 35 Yuan. You can make pictures and video of a panda cub sitting on your legs. The price for these pictures is outrougeous: 1000 Yuan for about 1-2 minutes. I didn't count the people but i estimate that at least 30 people made a picture of themselves with the panda cub between 9.30 and 10.30 including our daughter.

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