Chengdu: A Solo Traveller's Guide To The City Of Pandas

Chengdu is a safe and welcoming city for solo travellers, with efficient public transport and a low rate of street harassment. The city is famous for its giant pandas, and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a must-see. The city also offers delicious spicy Sichuan food, beautiful temples, and live music. Solo travellers can stay at hostels such as CloudAtlas, which is perfectly located, stylish, and a great place to meet people.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Chengdu is famous for its giant panda reserve, The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The base is located just 10km (6 miles) from downtown Chengdu and is home to the most popular panda stars with millions of fans. The base was founded in 1987 by the Chengdu Municipal People's Government and started with just six giant pandas that were rescued from the wild. By 2008, there had been 124 panda births, and the captive panda population had grown to 83. The base also cares for other rare and endangered wild animals, including lesser pandas, black-necked cranes, and white storks, with 96% of the 560 mus (92 acres) area covered in verdure.

The Chengdu Panda Base has been designed to imitate the natural habitat of giant pandas, providing them with the best possible environment for rearing and breeding. The base features a fodder room, sleeping quarters, a medical station, a museum, research laboratories, and a training center. There is also a Giant Panda Museum, which was opened in 1993 to further scientific education and improve public awareness of wildlife protection. The museum houses three main exhibitions: the Giant Panda Hall, the Butterfly Hall, and the Vertebrate Hall, with precious pictures, materials, and samples gathered in Sichuan on display.

To get to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding by bus, you can take bus 87 or 655 and get off at the research base, then walk eastward to the south gate. Alternatively, you can take bus 198, 661A, or G6 and get off at Yilitang station, walk westward for 100 meters, turn right, and walk northeastward to the south gate. By metro, you can take line 3 to Panda Avenue Station and exit at Exit A to take the shuttle bus to the base. The base is also accessible by taxi, with a cost of around CNY 40 from the city proper.

Tickets for the Chengdu Panda Base are CNY 55, with free entry for children under 1.3m (4.3ft) or under 6 years old, and seniors over 65. The opening hours are from 07:30 to 18:00, with ticket sales stopping at 17:00. It is recommended to visit between 09:00 and 10:00 as this is the active breakfast time for the pandas.

Jinli Street

Chengdu's Jinli Street is a must-visit for solo travellers. This pedestrian street, ranked first in "the world's most beautiful streets" by CNN Travel in 2019, is a great place to relax, admire traditional-style buildings, and sample local snacks.

The street is about 550 metres long and is located to the east of the Wuhou Temple, Chengdu's most famous Three Kingdoms period relic museum. Jinli Street's history dates back to the pre-Qin Dynasty era, over 1800 years ago, and it was once the most famous place for baldachin, a rich ornate cloth. Today, it is known as the 'First Street of the Shu Kingdom' and boasts a combination of Three Kingdoms Culture with the folk customs of Sichuan.

The buildings, modelled after the Qing Dynasty architectural style, include teahouses, stores, and hotels. Visitors can stroll down the narrow street, browsing the old-world shops selling Shu Embroidery, lacquer products, folk handicrafts, curios, and calligraphy. There are also busy stalls featuring folk artisans performing shadow puppetry and hand puppet shows, as well as traditional arts such as paper-cut and clay figurines.

In the middle of Jinli Street, there is a wooden stage that hosts classic Sichuan Opera performances, folk music, and open-air movies. The street also offers various other performances, including a traditional clothing show, sounding night watches, and a local wedding ceremony show.

To get to Jinli Street, take Bus 1, G97, 57, 77, 82, 334, 335, or 1126 and get off at the Wu Hou Ci (Wuhou Temple) Station. The street is free to enter, and visitors can explore at their leisure, soaking in the unique blend of ancient charm and modern elements.

Wenshu Monastery

Chengdu is home to Wenshu Monastery, a Buddhist temple located in the Qingyang District. It is one of the top monasteries in the middle and downstream areas of the Yangtze River and the largest, best-preserved Buddhist monastery in Chengdu.

The history of the Wenshu Monastery dates back to the Sui Dynasty (581-618). It was first called Xinxiang Temple and has been renamed several times throughout its history. The current name, Wenshu, means Manjusri in Chinese and was given to the monastery after a Buddhist Monk, Cidu, lived there in the late 17th century. The monastery became a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Area in 1983.

The Wenshu Monastery covers an area of 200,000 square meters and has five halls: Tianwang Hall, Sandatu Hall, Daxiong Hall, Shuofa Hall, and Cangjing Hall. The monastery also has a drum tower, monk dorms, guest dorms, a meditation room, a dining room, and a praying hall. There are about 190 rooms in total, with a building area of 20,000 square meters.

The Wenshu Monastery is known for its cultural relics and treasures, including over 300 Buddha statues made from various materials such as iron, mud, stone, wood, and jade. The monastery also houses famous handwriting exhibits, paintings, and other artwork.

The Wenshu Monastery is easily accessible by public transportation. It is located near the Wenshu Monastery Station on Chengdu Metro Line 1.

Public transport

Chengdu has a highly developed transportation network, with a range of options for getting around the city.

Metro

Chengdu's metro system is modern and efficient, with multiple lines covering large parts of the city. The system includes Line 1, Line 2, Line 3, Line 4, Line 5, Line 6, Line 7, Line 8, Line 9, Line 10, Line 17, and Line 18. The metro is a fast and inexpensive way to get around, with fares typically costing CNY 1-2.

Bus

Chengdu has an extensive network of city buses, with nearly 14,000 buses running along nearly 1,000 routes. The buses are numbered from 1 to 900+ and sometimes have an English letter suffix. They cover almost every corner of the city, including popular tourist destinations, snack streets, shopping areas, hospitals, schools, and residential areas. The regular bus lines usually operate from around 06:30 to 20:00 or 21:00, with some starting earlier or ending later. Fares are typically CNY 1 for non-air-conditioned buses and CNY 2 for air-conditioned buses, with discounts offered for using a transportation smart card.

In addition to the regular city buses, there are also fast buses (BRT), sightseeing buses, and night buses. The BRT buses, indicated by a "K" in their route number, run at higher speeds and have longer distances between stops, usually about 1,000 meters. There are currently 16 BRT lines operating along the Second Ring Road of the city.

The four sightseeing bus lines connect major attractions such as Chengdu IFS, Thatched Cottage of Du Fu, Qingyang Palace, Wuhou Temple, Jinli Street, and Wide and Narrow Alley. There are also direct tourist buses to nearby cities like Mount Qingcheng and Mount Emei.

Night buses operate on 15 different lines across the city, with some running until 01:00 the next day.

Taxi

Taxis are readily available in Chengdu, with hundreds of taxi stands throughout the city. The base fare for the first 2 kilometres is CNY 8 during the day and CNY 9 at night (11:00 PM to 06:00 AM). It is recommended to avoid travelling during rush hours (07:30-09:00 and 17:00-19:00) to save time.

Train

Chengdu is a major railway hub in southwest China, with three main railway stations: Chengdu Railway Station, East Railway Station, and South Railway Station. The high-speed G-Trains connect Chengdu with other parts of the country. Train tickets can be purchased online or at the station, and a passport is required for identification.

Plane

Chengdu is served by two airports: Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) and Tianfu International Airport (TFU). Shuangliu International Airport is closer to the city centre, while Tianfu International Airport is located about 50 kilometres southeast of the city. Frequent flights are available to various destinations within China and beyond.

The People's Park

Chengdu's People's Park (Renmin Park) is a great place for solo travellers to soak in the local culture. It is the first public park in Chengdu, located in the former Shaocheng ("small city"), which was built by the Qing dynasty as a garrison for Manchu and Mongol soldiers. Covering an area of 112,639 square metres, it is the largest green area in downtown Chengdu.

The park features an artificial lake, gardens, monuments, and the Heming Teahouse, a local landmark. It is a great place to observe the locals enjoying a sunny day. You can find people practising t'ai chi, dancing, playing musical instruments, and belting out opera arias. There is also a lane reserved for matchmaking, where parents display the bios of their children in the hopes of finding a match.

There are many tea houses in the park, including the century-old Heming Teahouse, where you can enjoy a cup of green tea and play Mahjong. You can also try the traditional ear-cleaning service.

Frequently asked questions