Sichuan is, in a word, unforgettable. This gigantic province (it is bigger than Germany you know) is absolutely bursting with sights and experiences. The provincial capital Chengdu is the perfect blend of history, nature and contemporary liveliness. Further afield, the Tibetan culture here is thriving: Sichuan is home to the world’s largest Buddhist academy, and the landscapes on offer within the province are exactly what the word “Tibetan” conjures. Sichuan is home to some of the most pristine and remarkable natural wonders on Earth, and is equally home to some truly remarkable ancient marvels. The province may well be best known for its loveable panda population, but there is so much more on offer (not to take anything away from those loveable balls of white and black). This province really does have it all, from food, to people, to nature, to fauna, to history: be prepared to extend your stay… So pack the bags and travel Sichuan province.
Travel Sichuan province: Chengdu
Kick of the travel through Sichuan province with Chengdu. The provincial capital of Sichuan province, Chengdu is a favourite amongst Chinese for good reason. The city is a lively blend of ancient traditions, student revelry (and all the beer and karaoke that brings), fiery cuisine and all-too-cute pandas… The city’s food scene is famed throughout China (and that is an amazing accomplishment in itself), so much so that Chengdu is actually the first ever UNESCO City of Gastronomy. A healthy portion of your time here should be devoted to eating (in true Chinese fashion). Besides the food, Chengdu is jammed-packed with attractions, so expect to extend your intended stay here.
Pandas. Yep, Chengdu is known as the home of pandas. No visit to China is complete without baby-talking to these too-loveable-balls-of-cuteness. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is the pinnacle of panda conservation in China. This world-class facility is relentlessly devoted to increasing panda populations, and the environment here simulates the natural habitat of the giant pandas, with lakes, streams, bamboo forests and lawns. The chance to come into close contact with the giant pandas is the undoubtable highlight here. Watching the pandas do-their-thing will leave you gushing and entertained for hours.
Surprisingly set in the heart of downtown Chengdu, Jinli Ancient Street is a well known pedestrian commercial street brimming with antique buildings, bars and restaurants. The huge variety of food here is fitting for a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, so be sure to visit with an empty stomach. The nearby Wuhou Temple is generally appreciated in conjunction with the ancient street. Jinli Ancient Street is also the place to take in some famed Sichuan Opera and local folk art. The nearby Kuanzhai Alley is equally exploding with restaurants, tea houses, snacks and folk art. Do like the locals (and tourists) do with some mouth-mumbling addictive Sichuan hotpot…
The culturally significant Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage is a local favourite in Chengdu. The Du Fu Thatched Cottage is the former residence of the famous Tang dynasty poet Du Fu: Du Fu lived here for nearly four years, during which he wrote hundreds of poems. Du Fu is China’s answer to Shakespeare, so this should provide some understanding as to the little cottage’s importance.
Just outside of downtown Chengdu, the Jinsha Site Museum is an archaeological site and museum that showcases excavated artefacts from China’s ancient past, largely dating to the Shu Kingdom (1200 to 650 BC). The artistic styles of the excavated objects are remarkably different from that of the Han culture that would later came to dominate China, offering an interesting look into the exotic culture of the ancient Shu civilization. The Jinsha Site is considered China’s most significant archaeological discovery of the 21st century.
A little out of Chengdu city-proper lies the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, which was constructed around 256 BC, and is one of the few ancient Chinese water conservancy projects that has remained preserved and intact. In fact, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is the oldest non-dam irrigation system in the world. This ancient marvel of engineering and science is just as impressive today as when it was originally constructed.
The UNESCO World Heritage listed Qingcheng Mountain is one of the birthplaces of Taoism, and is well-worth a visit. The mountain range here towers above the Chengdu Plain, with a lovely collection of Taoist temples set amongst the forest. The natural scenery here is magnificent, and the many hiking trails make for some great day-long explorations.
If you find yourself in Chengdu during the winter (late November till late March), do not miss a visit to Xiling Snow Mountain. Xiling Snow Mountain is China’s largest and most successful ski resort. The mountain is a winter wonderland, with a number of ski resorts set here. The snowfall during winter is more than ample (60-80 centimetre depth), and the runs here range from easy to difficult, offering an opportunity for all levels to hit the snow.
Travel Sichuan province: Leshan
Continue the travel through Sichuan province with Leshan. The name Leshan can be translated from Chinese to mean “city of mountains and rivers”, and this really is an ample description of the place. The landscape here is magnificent, and there are some fine historic sites, leaving Leshan as one of Sichuan’s great tourist destinations. An easy train ride from Chengdu, Leshan is home to two heavy-hitters: Emei Mountain and the Leshan Giant Buddha. You simply cannot leave Sichuan without paying a visit to these must-see destinations…
Emei Mountain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is renowned as one of the four famous mountains of Chinese Buddhism. The view on top of the mountain is strikingly divine, with numerous Buddhist monasteries enhancing the tranquil vibes. Beyond its rich cultural heritage, the mountain is home to a diverse range of plants and animals. Try to catch sunrise here: gazing beyond a sea of clouds and welcoming rays of gold will have you speeding towards Nirvana…
The Leshan Giant Buddha should feature in every Asia “bucket list”. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is positively enormous (hence the ‘giant’ moniker). This is the world’s largest ancient Buddha: he stands 71 meters (233 feet) tall; his shoulders span 28 meters (92 feet); each of his big toes is 8.5 meters (28 feet) long… He is huge. This 1,300 year old wonder took over 90 years to complete (that’s 3 generations of craftsman), and just appreciating the workmanship in itself only enhances the sense of awe this behemoth is sure to inspire. The Leshan Giant Buddha is well and truly a ‘Wonder of the World’…
Travel Sichuan province: Aba
If you visit Sichuan, you will visit Aba (to be fair, if you visit China you should visit Aba). If you intend to travel Sichuan province, come here! The region is not only one of the the most naturally spectacular in China, but the world. It really is that impressive. You will need to spend a few days here, so plan accordingly. Begin your exploration of the area with the unmatchable Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned for its scenic and aesthetic majesty. Its fairyland landscape of numerous lakes, waterfalls, and limestone terraces, with their attractive, clear, mineral-rich waters, set in the spectacular alpine mountains with a highly diverse forest ecosystem, demonstrates remarkable natural beauty. The area is also home to some rare flora and fauna, including the golden snub-nosed monkey and giant panda. Do not miss this place…
Within striking distance is the (also UNESCO World Heritage Listed) Huanglong Scenic Area. Besides forests, valleys, snow mountains and waterfalls, the area is most famous for its beautiful numerous, crystal clear, and colourful calcification pools: a stunning valley with terraces of coloured limestone ponds in blues, greens, oranges, yellows and white. Think Pamukkale in Turkey or Plitvice in Croatia (but don’t be surprised if Huanglong surpasses some of its comparatives). The best time to come from is June to October, ideally during mild July and August. Be sure to pack the drone and bring the back-up camera batteries for this…
Mount Siguniang is a large mountain with four sharp peaks (all of which are covered with snow the whole year round). This is a fantastic place to engage in some hiking (a myriad of hiking trails are here, some taking a few days) and camping. For real-deal hikers, the mountain ranges in difficulty from walk-ups to glacier climbs, to world class vertical walls of rock and ice. The mountain is actually part of a larger UNESCO World Heritage Site (for giant panda conservation), and was once dubbed as the “Oriental Alps”, due to its close resemblance to the Occidental equivalent. Changping Valley (which lies at the foot of Mount Siguniang), is particularly beautiful.
Bipeng Valley lies at the northern foot of Mount Siguniang. The valley is blessed with typical alpine views, including lush virgin forest, plateau lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, and rolling meadows. Bipeng Valley is a world-class trekking hotspot. Every autumn from September to October the valley is ablaze with red and yellow foliage.
Rounding off a visit to Aba is Taoping Qiang Village. The village was founded in 111 BC, and besides seeing its fair share of battles, is still remarkably well-preserved. The village is the epitome of the thousand year history of the Qiang people, with traditional habits and customs still well and truly thriving. The buildings of the village are actually mostly made of solid stone, and an intricate tunnel system connects the various watch towers and stockades.
Travel Sichuan province: Ganzi
Besides being absolutely stunning, Ganzi (or Garze) is one of the important cradles of Tibetan culture. Ganzi sits on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and is primarily populated by Tibetan people. The region was an important location for tea and horse trade between the Han and Tibetan peoples during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The landscape here is quite literally breath-taking (high altitude starts to kick in here). Daocheng Yading (also known as Yading Nature Reserve) is a collection of mountains surrounded by rivers, lakes, and alpine meadows (a perfect combination). Test your physical limits and do like the local Tibetans with a hiking tour of the reserve.
Luorong Cuo (or Milk Sea), is located on Yang Maiyong Mountain (Yading Nature Reserve) and is an ancient glacial lake shaped like a water drop. The circle of milky white calcium sediment by the lakeside gives rise to the nickname ‘Milk Sea’. The only options to reach the Milk Sea are to hike or rent a horse from a horse caravan on the lower pastures.
Hailuogou Glacier Forest Park is a great place to get up close to glacial landscapes (glacial lakes, ice caves, and ice fissures, of course). The area is also home to some muscle-loosening open-air hot springs: relaxing in the steamy pools during snow fall is an unforgettable experience. The highest peak in Sichuan, Gongga Mountain (around 6,000 meters, or 19,685 feet, above sea level) is forever covered in white here too. Also be sure to swing by the Mugecuo Scenic Area: lakes, waterfalls, dense forests, hot springs and grassland await…
The increasing-popular Moshi Park Scenic Area offers some pretty spectacular views. Open to the public in 2017, the scenic area is best known for its rock forest: a razor-sharp collection of earth formed over thousands of years.
Our final pick for the region is shockingly-large Larung Gar Buddhist Academy. This is the largest Tibetan Buddhist institute in the world, with more than 40,000 monks, nuns and lay-students calling it home. The thousands of red wood houses built on the hill spectacularly converge like a red river for several miles. The campus of Larung Gar is enormous: houses for monks and nuns sprawl all over the valley and up the surrounding mountains, with a huge wall running through the middle separating the monk side from the nun side. You will never forget this place…
Travel Sichuan province: Yibin
A trip to Yibin generally involves a visual feast of bamboo seas, stone forests, underground caves and ancient towns (not too bad for this little southern Sichuan region). Once the starting point of the Southern Silk Road, Yibin is also renowned for its liquor making tradition: this makes for the perfect excuse to dabble in the nationally-famed ‘Wuliangye’ liquor… Shunan Zhuhai National Park (or South Sichuan Bamboo Sea) is quite literally all-things-bamboo. Ride the cable car for a panoramic view of the bamboo forest, and browse through the expertly crafted bamboo products at the park’s Changning Zhuhai Museum. You will be left feeling like a panda after trying a meal fully prepared from bamboo at a local farmhouse: bamboo shoots, bamboo fungus, bamboo eggs, and bamboo tripe are all on the menu here…
The Xingwen Sea of Rocks (Shihai Dongxiang) is famous for its caves: towering stone forest and enormous stalactite-filled caves will leave you in awe. The Xingwen Sea of Rocks is actually a UNESCO World Geopark, due to its unique and significant karst formations. Carbonates and carbonate-bearing strata dated from 250 million to 490 million years ago are well preserved here.
Lizhuang Ancient Town is home to a wide range of well preserved Qing dynasty buildings, wood carvings, and stone inscriptions. The town is also famous for its white rice cakes and sliced pork (be sure to try these yummy snacks!).
Nanchong
This region is renowned for its silk culture (it has seen more than two thousand years worth of raising silkworms). Nanchong is also home to some fascinating historical architecture. Langzhong Ancient Town is the only ancient town that has been completely preserved in Sichuan. The ancient town has a couple of thousand years old itself, with some remarkably well-preserved buildings. Be sure to appreciate the ancient silk customs and local ethnic traditions.
Deyang
Deyang city may not offer much for tourist (the city is a major equipment manufacturing base in China and also produces high-quality cigars: the cigar production scale is the largest in Asia), but the Sanxingdui Archaeological Museum will leave history buffs drooling. The Sanxingdui Archaeological Museum holds and displays thousands of precious cultural relics made of bronze, jade, gold, and ceramic (all of which were unearthed at the nearby Sanxingdui archaeological site). The Sanxingdui archaeological site is recognized as one of the most important ancient remains in the world, and some of the remarkable artefacts found date here back to the 12th and 11th centuries BC… The Sanxingdui finds are exciting, but they remain enigmatic: no texts have been found, nor is there any mention of the Sanxingdui culture in the records of other countries. The striking artistry of these ancient relics will forever be etched into your memory: we can guarantee you that.
Liangshan
The region is home to the biggest population of Yi people in China, and is also host to some wonderful plateau-crafted nature. The 4,359 meter (14,300 feet) high Luoji Mountain dominates the skyline. The mountain is home to some ancient glaciers and stunning lakes. A visit to Luoji Mountain necessarily involves a dip at the Luoji 99 Li hot springs. Luoji 99 Li is famous for its rare natural hot spring waterfalls and small population of spa-indulging snow monkeys. There are more than enough pools to go around here, so don’t be shy and soak in the heat.
The Qionghai National Wetland Park is also well worth a visit. The enormous freshwater lake here is alive with fish and also attracts a large number of migratory birds. The walking and cycling paths circling the lake offer a great way to take in the view and birdwatch.
Guangyuan
Fun fact: Guangyuan is the birthplace of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. If you find yourself in Guangyuan, be sure to trek through the Jianmen Pass. The Jianmen Pass was an important military position and acted as a natural defence against hostile neighbours. After a visit to the pass, head to Qianfo (or Thousand Buddha) cliff. This is the largest grotto in Sichuan province, with hundreds of Buddhist effigies carved into the bedrock. The grotto here is over 1,500 years old, and remains a showcase of the exquisite carving techniques that were used in more ancient times.
Ya’an
Ya’an pretty much lies in the centre of Sichuan province and is known for two things: tea and pandas. Ya’an is nicknamed the “Rainy City”, but don’t let this put you off: the rainy days have lead to beautiful mountains and rivers. Ya’an is the birthplace of Tibetan tea, and the tea plantations here date back over 2,000 years (making it one of the oldest tea areas of the world). The Laba River Park is located at the foot of Jinshan Mountain, and is a wonderful example of the areas natural beauty. The park is home to rare fauna and flora including the giant panda and snub-nosed monkeys. The park has something to offer no matter the season: spring is a flower bloom extravaganza; autumn is red foliage time; winter sees the park blanketed in snow.
If it pandas you are after, then do not miss the Bifengxia Giant Panda Base. The beautiful natural landscape surrounded by forest (indeed 90% of the area is covered in green) is worth the visit in itself, and the semi-wild environment created for the pandas is a fantastic effort in conservation.
We hope this inspires you to travel Sichuan province.