Sichuan's capital and the home of the giant panda: see pandas playing early in the morning at the Panda Research Base. Fiery Sichuan food and hotpot, People's Park with its teahouse, Kuanzhai Alley, Jinli, Wuhou Shrine and face-changing Sichuan opera. The Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Emei and the Dujiangyan irrigation system make day trips. There is no direct flight from Ulaanbaatar; connect via Beijing or Hohhot. No time difference. Mongolian citizens need a tourist L visa.
🛂 Visa: Visa required · 30 days✈ Flight: 7h☀ Best months: March, April, May, September
Orange — daytime average, blue — night, grey bars — rainfall, green — sea temperature. Best months: March, April, May, September, October, November.
Things to see (12)
🧸 for kids
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Kids¥55 (student ¥27; free under 6 or under 1.3 m, and 60+); internal shuttle ¥30Mar–Oct 7:30–18:00, Nov–Feb 8:00–17:30 (last entry 17:00/16:30)
Over 100 giant and red pandas live in bamboo forest in the north of the city. Pandas are most active at morning feeding, so arrive 7:30–10:00. Tickets are online only, in your passport name, up to 14 days ahead. Half a day.
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goVisa, payment apps and internet — sort all three at home; book panda base tickets in advance.+
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Visa: tourist L visa
Mongolian citizens with an ordinary passport need a Chinese visa. Fill in the form on cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn, book an appointment and apply in person at the consular section of the Chinese embassy in UB. Fees: single entry $53, double $79, standard processing 4 working days. Attach a return ticket and hotel booking.
Tip: Mongolians are not covered by the 240-hour visa-free transit — you need a visa even when connecting via Beijing.
The panda base has no ticket window: tickets are sold online only, in your passport name and number, up to 14 days ahead. Adults ¥55; children 6 and under or shorter than 1.3 m go free. Show your passport at the gate.
Almost all shops, eateries and taxis in Chengdu take QR payments. Download Alipay and WeChat, verify them with your passport and link a Visa or Mastercard. Ticket mini-programs run inside WeChat.
🛬Landing and getting to the cityInternational flights mostly land at Tianfu (TFU), a fair distance from the city.+
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From Tianfu: metro line 18
Tianfu airport is ~50 km from the centre. The line 18 express reaches Chengdu South Station in ~35 minutes for ¥10; change to line 1 for Tianfu Square. Trains leave the airport between 6:00 and 23:30.
The airport bus to Chunxi Road takes ~1 hour, ¥15 by day and ¥25 at night; routes 1–3 run 24 hours. A taxi to the centre takes 1–1.5 hours and costs ¥150–200 including tolls. Use only the official taxi rank or DiDi.
Tip: If your ticket says CTU (Shuangliu), that is the older airport close to town — take metro line 10.
You can fly to Beijing and continue by high-speed train: G89 from Beijing West to Chengdu East takes ~7 h 30 min. Book on Trip.com or 12306 with your passport and pass the gates with your passport.
📶Phone and internet+
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Roaming eSIM — Google and WhatsApp work
On Chinese networks Google, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp are blocked. Foreign eSIMs such as Airalo or Holafly route data abroad, so these work without a VPN. Buy and install one before you go.
Tip: Roaming from a Mongolian operator also works but can be expensive — check first.
China Mobile and China Unicom outlets at the airport and in town sell SIMs with your passport. Cheap and fast, but foreign apps won't open.
🚇Getting aroundChengdu's metro is large, clean and signed in English; the main sights are near stations.+
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Metro: fares by distance, foreign cards
Fares run by distance from ¥2 to about ¥9. Since July 2025 you can tap a foreign-issued Visa, Mastercard or Amex card on the gate on entry and again on exit; Alipay's metro QR code works too. Every station has a bag check.
The DiDi app has an English interface: type your destination, call a car and pay by foreign card or Alipay. Street taxis are metered; show the address in Chinese. Taxis or DiDi are easiest for an early start to the panda base.
High-speed trains from Chengdu East reach Leshan in ~1 hour, second class ¥54–95, many times a day; from Leshan station a taxi to the Buddha takes ~30 minutes. Weekend tickets sell out fast, so book ahead.
Shops, eateries, taxis and teahouses all take QR payments. With a foreign card linked, Alipay and WeChat Pay charge no fee on small amounts and a small percentage on large ones. Big hotels and department stores take Visa/Mastercard directly.
Small markets, snack stalls and vendors on mountain trails sometimes take cash only. Bank of China and ICBC ATMs dispense yuan on foreign cards. If your phone dies you can't pay, so carry a power bank.
Tip: Queues at famous hotpot places are long in the evening — take a number via WeChat and wait.
🍜FoodChengdu is a UNESCO 'City of Gastronomy' — chilli and Sichuan peppercorn give the 'mala' taste.+
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What to eat
Hotpot, mapo tofu, kung pao chicken, dandan noodles, chaoshou dumplings and chuanchuan skewers. Sichuan peppercorn makes your tongue tingle and go numb. With children, ask for 'bu la' (not spicy) and choose a 'yuanyang' split hotpot with a mild half.
Tip: No tipping in restaurants. After hotpot, cold soy milk or jelly-like 'bingfen' dessert soothes the mouth.
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Where to eat
Small eateries around Jianshe Road, Yulin and Wenshu Monastery are cheap and authentic. Kuanzhai Alley and Jinli are aimed at tourists and pricier. Choose by ratings on Dianping or Trip.com.
Police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119 — free from any phone. For non-emergency problems (service disputes, forced purchases, transport questions) call 12345, which answers in English 24 hours a day.
Pickpockets operate on Chunxi Road, Kuanzhai Alley and Jinli — keep your passport and phone in a front pocket. Decline strangers inviting you to a 'teahouse' or offering unlicensed taxis. Carry your passport — it is checked on trains and at sights.
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Hospitals, weather and earthquakes
English-speaking help: West China Hospital's international centre and private clinics such as Global Doctor. Call your insurer's assistance line first. Avoid mountain trails during summer downpours. Sichuan is an earthquake zone — know your hotel's exits.
Wenshu Monastery, Wuhou Shrine and the temples on Mount Emei are active — cover shoulders and knees and keep quiet. Check the signs before taking photos inside halls and don't block people who are praying.
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Pandas, teahouses and table manners
At the panda base, flash photos, tapping the glass and shouting are banned. Lingering for hours in a teahouse is normal — no need to rush. Tap the table with your fingers to thank someone pouring your tea. Never stand chopsticks upright in rice.
📱Useful apps+
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Payments and bookings
Alipay — all payments, the metro QR code, DiDi and ticket mini-programs. WeChat — the panda base's 'Panda Valley' mini-program and museum time slots. Link both to a foreign card at home.
Google Maps shows wrong positions in China. Amap (Gaode) gives accurate metro, bus and walking routes and has an English interface. Use DiDi for taxis.
Trip.com — hotels, high-speed trains to Leshan, Emei and Dujiangyan, and Sichuan opera tickets. For translation use Apple/Microsoft Translator, or Google Translate with a roaming eSIM; download Chinese for offline use.
Check whether your ticket says TFU (Tianfu) or CTU (Shuangliu) — the two airports are far apart. Take metro line 18 or a taxi to Tianfu; roads jam at evening rush hour, so leave early with time to spare.
Hotpot base, Sichuan peppercorn, tea and panda souvenirs are popular gifts. Pack liquid or oily hotpot base well in checked luggage. Power banks go in hand luggage and must carry the 3C mark. Claim VAT back at the airport on goods from 'Tax Free' shops.
AI answer: double-check anything beyond our researched facts with an official source.
24 hours (shops ≈10:00–22:00)
Three restored Qing-era lanes — 'Wide', 'Narrow' and 'Well': courtyard houses, teahouses, snack stalls and souvenirs. Lovely when lit up in the evening, but very crowded at weekends.
A temple to Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei of the 'Three Kingdoms' saga: red walls, bamboo paths and statues of heroes. Next door, Jinli Street has red lanterns, Sichuan snacks and crafts — best in the evening.
Chengdu's largest working Buddhist monastery, dating back to the Tang dynasty. Quiet courtyards, a teahouse and a vegetarian restaurant. Sichuan snacks in the old lanes nearby.
The place to feel Chengdu's 'slow life': sip tea on bamboo chairs under the trees, watch ear cleaners and mahjong players. At weekends there is the 'marriage market' corner and dancing seniors.
At the teahouse theatre in Culture Park: masks that change in the blink of an eye ('bian lian'), fire breathing, shadow play, puppets and long-spout kettle tea pouring. Works without language, so great for families.
Culture1 Apr–30 Nov ¥80, 1 Dec–31 Mar ¥40; boat ≈¥70≈7:30–18:30 (winter 8:00–17:30)
A 71 m Buddha carved into the cliff in the Tang dynasty, the world's largest stone Buddha (UNESCO). Narrow cliff stairs lead down to its feet — queues last hours at weekends. About 1 hour by high-speed train from Chengdu East.
Nature¥160 (15 Dec–15 Jan ¥110); cable car and bus extra≈6:00–18:00 (varies by season)
One of Buddhism's four sacred mountains (3,099 m), UNESCO-listed. The 48 m golden statue on the Golden Summit, a sea of clouds and forest trails with monkeys. Cold at the top, so bring warm clothes. Allow at least 1–2 days, usually combined with Leshan.
NatureDujiangyan ¥80, Mount Qingcheng ¥80≈8:00–18:00 (varies by season)
A dam-free irrigation system built in 256 BC and still working after more than 2,000 years (UNESCO) — a swaying rope bridge over the rushing Min River. Nearby Mount Qingcheng is a birthplace of Taoism with green forest and temples. About 1 hour by train from Chengdu.
The main shopping street in the centre, plus the narrow lanes of Taikoo Li. A giant panda sculpture climbs the wall of the IFS mall — a favourite photo spot. Daci Temple is nearby.
Culture¥708:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30), closed Mondays (open on holidays and in Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug)
A museum built over a 3,000-year-old Shu kingdom excavation: the 'Sun and Immortal Birds' gold foil, jade and elephant tusks. You view the dig site directly. A good rainy-day option.
FoodHotpot ≈¥80–150 per person; snacks ≈¥5–30Most ≈11:00–02:00
Meat and vegetables dipped into a bubbling broth of red chilli and Sichuan peppercorn — Chengdu's signature. With children, order a 'yuanyang' split pot with a mild half. Jianshe Road is the locals' favourite snack street.
