Chengdu
China · Country profile
Chengdu is the vast, relaxed capital of Sichuan, the giant city of the giant pandas, of the teahouses, of the famously spicy food and of a laid-back modernism that the Chinese city dwellers famously envy. The panda base of the city, with its breeding centres and its gentle conservation campus, is the best place in the world to see the great bears, and the old town of the temple markets, the bridges and the teahouses holds the traditional face. The food of Chengdu, the hotpot, the mapo tofu and the noodles of the dandan, is among the most famous cuisines of China, and the evening culture of the city runs on the foot massages, the mahjong and the slow, sociable table. The city is also the gateway to the mountains and the plateau of the west. Warm, easy and endlessly delicious, Chengdu is one of the most liveable of China’s big cities.
About Chengdu
Chengdu is a city in China. The city's documented population is around 16,400,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Chinese Yuan (CNY) and Chinese is spoken; the dialling code is +86. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Chengdu Tianfu International Airport.
The Pandas, the Teahouses and the City That Slows Down
Chengdu is a big, flat, richly relaxing city of the Chinese south-west, and its character is famous for the slow pace and the good table rather than the frantic energy of the eastern metropolises. The pandas are the great draw, the teahouses the great ritual, and the hotpot the great experience, and the city’s museums, temples and lively shopping streets fill the rest. It is also the base of the western adventures, with the mountains of the Leshan and the Emei and the plateau beyond, and the city’s own life is comfortable, orderly and seriously good to eat in. Come hungry, come slow and come with room for the heat of the Sichuan table.
Morning at the Base, the Hotpot Queues and the Seasons of Sichuan
The best seasons are the spring and the autumn, when the city is mild; the summer is hot and humid and the winter is damp and grey. The panda base opens early, and the pandas are at their liveliest in the morning, so the early arrival is the key. The hotpot is the essential dinner, and the local restaurants queue for the tables from the early evening. The currency is the renminbi, the app payments dominate and a translation app goes a long way in the local restaurants. The metro is vast and cheap, and the city is safe, spacious and increasingly tourist-ready. Dress for the seasons and bring the appetite for the spice.
The Metro, the Tea Pavilions and the Markets of the Evening
The panda base is the essential sight, and the best viewing comes in the morning when the bears are active and the keepers feed them; the museum of the base covers the whole conservation story. The temple street of the Wenshu, the old lanes of the Kuanzhai and the teahouses of the parks hold the traditional Chengdu. The hotpot of the city is a ceremony: the bubbling pot at the centre of the table, the plates of the raw lamb and the vegetables, and the long, loud meal that follows. The people’s park and its tea pavilions are the perfect afternoon, and the evenings run on the foot massages and the mahjong. It is a city that knows how to slow down.
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- Country
- China
- Population
- 16,400,000
- Coordinates
- 30.3125, 104.4414
- Capital
- Beijing
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Chinese Yuan (CNY)
- Languages
- Chinese
- Calling code
- +86
- Country code
- CN
Entry requirements for China
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting China for tourism.
Getting to Chengdu
Airports we list for Chengdu:
Other airports in the area:
- Kunming Changshui International AirportKMG≈ 598 km from Chengdu
- Xi'an Xianyang International AirportXIY≈ 612 km from Chengdu
- Guangzhou Baiyun International AirportCAN≈ 1,167 km from Chengdu
- Shenzhen Bao'an International AirportSZX≈ 1,263 km from Chengdu
- Beijing Capital International AirportPEK≈ 1,547 km from Chengdu
Cities in China
Other cities we cover in China:
Frequently asked questions
Is Chengdu the capital of China?
No — the capital of China is Beijing.
What currency do I need in Chengdu?
The local currency is the Chinese Yuan (CNY). Languages spoken in China include Chinese.
What is the dialling code for China?
The international dialling code for China is +86.
Which airport should I fly into for Chengdu?
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) is the airport we list for Chengdu.
How far is Chengdu from the nearest airport?
Chengdu is about 598 km from Kunming Changshui International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit China?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Morocco (visa required) and United States (visa required). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Chengdu? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.