Ultimate Chengdu Travel Guide: Pandas, Teahouses & Mild Sichuan Flavors
Chengdu rewards travelers who trade the checklist for a slow afternoon: a bamboo chair in a century-old teahouse, a bowl of dan dan noodles, and a morning watching pandas tumble through the bamboo. This guide cuts through the noise with practical detail — how to use the 144-hour (now 240-hour) visa-free transit, pay for everything with Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to your foreign card, ride high-speed rail to Leshan and Dujiangyan, and order authentic Sichuan food at a spice level you can actually enjoy. Includes money-saving tricks, safety notes, neighborhood food maps, and a food-first three-day itinerary.