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Chengdu is home to the giant panda, Sichuan Opera and a fiery cuisine. Yet the capital of Sichuan province also enjoys a gloriously relaxed teahouse culture and a hip bar and arts scene.
The city sits in the heart of the Chengdu Plain: surrounded by the mighty Mount Qingcheng to the west and undulating hills to the east, the region is so abundant it’s long been dubbed the ‘Country of Heaven.’ Less than 45 minutes outside of the city lie Chengdu attractions like the 2,200-year-old city of Dujiangyan and the spectacular Leshan Giant Buddha, carved into the hillside of Xijuo Peak in the 8th century.

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Things to do in Chengdu

Melt your heart in Panda Valley

Industrialisation and natural disasters once seriously endangered China’s community of giant pandas, but thanks to Chengdu’s dedicated breeding centres the adorable bears have made a comeback. The city’s furry residents top the list of what to see in Chengdu. There’s a multitude of research centres that host them, including the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on the outskirts of the city; or the newer Gengda Wolong Panda Centre, nestled into the hills some 200km outside of Chengdu.

Experience the heat of Sichuan cuisine

The Sichuan peppercorn is one of the world’s genuinely unique flavours. Its fragrant, tingling, mouth-numbing effects are most often paired with chilli peppers to create mala – numbing-spicy dishes. In this Unesco-dubbed City of Gastronomy, it’s a combination that’s not for the faint-hearted. Sample it in the simmering broth of hotpot restaurants like longtime staple Lao Ma Tou, or head to hole-in-the-wall restaurants for sesame-spiked dan dan noodles, or sweet and fiery tian shui mian (sweet water noodles).

Take a pilgrimage to Mount Qingcheng

Considered one of the birthplaces of Taoism, Mount Qingcheng is certainly a spiritual place, with verdant views and tumbling waterfalls which bring a sense of calm to even the most frantic visitor. Start in the ancient town of Tai’an at the foot of Qingcheng, where red lanterns cling to the roofs. Cable cars run partway up the mountain, or you can strap on your boots and head up the steps, passing temples and palaces along the way.

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