Chengdu Travel Attractions

• Panda Research Base is the biggest facility of this kind in the world. Due to habitat destruction and other reasons, the is maybe the most famous endangered animal. The Research Base is home to some 60 giant Pandas, but also has some and a colony of black-necked cranes. The Research Center affords views of the pandas from much closer than is possible at many Western zoos. Be sure to bring your camera. The Research Base also has a small museum and a cinema screening related documentaries. A restaurant and souvenir-stalls top off the tourist installations. To get there on your own, you can take a taxi for about ¥35 from downtown Chengdu. Or, catch a northbound bus Nr.1 (¥1) and stay with it until the local bus-terminal. Leave the local bus-terminal through the exit leading to the long distance-terminal (LDT), but do not enter the latter. Instead, wait for the suburbian public bus Nr.1 to come by and stop at the left corner of the LDT. For another ¥1 it will take you to the Panda research center within 20 min. Get off when you see a big white Panda-Statue in the middle of the street. Admission fee is ¥30. The best time to visit is in the morning, when pandas are most active. It is possible to take your picture while holding a Red Panda for a fee of ¥50; occasionally you can take a pictures alongside a giant panda for a fee of ¥400 per person.
  (Information as of 14 March 2006)
• Chengdu Zoo The Zoo, located in the north of the city near the Panda Research Base, offers all the typical animals that one might expect in a zoo (elephant, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, as well as panda bears). While the zoo itself is large and spread out, some of the cages are woefully small and the facility seems understaffed. Might be good for a family to visit. Admission is ¥12 per adult. The zoo has vendors selling Chinese snacks as well as some carnival type rides.
• Sichuan University Museum (四川大学博物馆 sichuan daxue bowuguan）[2] has an excellent display of local artifacts and is worth while way of spending an hour or two. The museum is one of the better in China and there are four floors of well lite, air conditioned displays with decent English translations. Starting in the basement, enter the first room where dozens of stone carvings dating from the Han dynasty to the Tang are on display. The room next door has a moderately interesting display on the museum's history and numerous examples of ancient bronzes and stone age artifacts. The first floor is mostly artifacts from the Ming and Qing dynasty, including furniture, silk clothing, and an interesting display of leather puppets. The second floor has the perhaps the most engaging display: artifacts and daily use items from ethnic minority groups in China's southwest, including Tibetans, Miao, Yi, Qiang, Jianpo and Naxi. The third floor has a decent display of calligraphy scrolls, paintings, and ceramics. The museum is located on Wangjiang Road (望江路), about a 15 minute ride from Xinnanmen bus station or a 40 minute walk. Admission is ¥10 and the museum is open from 9:00-5:00 seven days a week. It's telephone number is (028）5412313.
  (Information as of 26 July 2006)
• Sichuan Opera Most guesthouses and travel agencies offer to arrange visits to these traditional shows. It's more like a burlesque cabaret than an actual opera, sometimes including magicians, musicians and dancers besides the traditional pieces. Of course the most famous is never omitted: face-changing and firespitting performed by dancers clad in colourful traditional costumes. You will follow the story sitting at your table, sipping on your constantly refilled tea cup and nibbling some salted snacks.
  (Information as of 28 June 2005)
• Jin Li This neighborhood is part of the old city of Chengdu, it features hotels and small stores in and old-fashioned style. Antiques are sold in a variety of different stores. It is very popular among both tourists and locals, especially at night, with many bars and nightclubs.

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