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Visiting Chengdu, ChinaSee pandas, Du Fu’s cottage, eat Sichuan cuisine and moreChengdu is in southwest China, far away from the more popular coastal cities, but it's worth a visit to see giant pandas, historical city sights and eat Sichuan food.
Chengdu is the capital of China’s Sichuan Province and is home to 11 million people. It’s well worth a visit to see a city less touched by western influence and bustling with life. Chengdu is an attractive city with broad ring roads, treelined streets and several rivers flowing through it. It does have a rather severe pollution problem and there are many hazy humid days. But to see giant pandas at the breeding center or a stop-off before heading out to the nearby nature reserves is definitely worth the trip. What to doWolong Giant Panda Breeding Research InstituteThe most popular attraction is seeing the giant pandas at this center. The center itself is lovely and filled with lush bamboo and trees. It is laid out like a small intimate zoo with different panda exhibition areas. The best time to go is in the morning during feedings because then you’ll actually see the pandas. There is a nursery area where the newborns are displayed behind a glass window. Please don’t partake in the 400 Yuan spectacle of taking your picture next to a young panda. Another interesting aspect of the center is the video showing how the center is helping pandas breed and survive. Lastly you’ll be able to see the panda museum which gives a history of the panda with some dusty looking display cases. Getting thereIt is out of town and getting there by public bus can be a hassle. It’s better to just take a tour from Sam’s Guesthouse or the Traffic Hotel. You don’t have to stay at Sam’s or the Traffic to take the tour, they’ll pick you up, give you a ticket to the center and drive you back for about 70 Yuan, a little less than $20. Du Fu’s Thatched CottageThis dwelling was the home of one of China’s most famous poets, Du Fu. The poet wrote over 200 poems in this humble cottage before he was forced to flee Chengdu. His compassionate poems were about social and living conditions at the time in first half of the 700s. Getting thereIt’s near ring road Xi Yihuan. Entrance fee is about 30 Yuan. Eating Hot PotA trip to the capital of Sichuan province would not be complete without eating the traditional spicy dish called hot pot. Hot pot is just that, a super spicy pot of oil that you cook thinly sliced meat and vegetables in. There are many of these restaurants in the city, identifiable by the burner hole in the tables. Be warned though it is mouth-numbing hot and might be too hot even for people who like spicy food. For a story about this dish click here. Click here to continue reading about Chengdu sights: People’s Park, Wenshu Monastery, and Temple of the Marquis of Wu. More China travel: Visiting Amdo Tibetan towns
The copyright of the article Visiting Chengdu, China in China Travel is owned by Lisa Schroeder. Permission to republish Visiting Chengdu, China in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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