MORE PHOTOS
Shanghai
3
0
0
$$$
ITINERARY (Full Day)
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Ma's Kitchen Sichuan Cuisine
Sicang Coffee Studio
nugget’s Advice
Prepare in advance
Plan to leave early so you can be at the Panda Breeding Research center when it opens. Best to organize a taxi through your hotel.
Good to know
This is a very popular site that gets crowded. Try and visit outside of weekends and public holidays.
Recommended day/time
Plan for an early start to avoid the crowds.
Recommended time of the year
Avoid high summer, which is very hot and humid.
About This Day
Experience the best Chengdu attractions for kids in this single day itinerary. See the iconic pandas at The Chengdu Panda Base. Take a stroll through the chic Taikoo Li shopping area and test your taste buds with spicy Sichuan food. Lastly, head over to Qinglian Upper Street (Qinglianshang lu) and roam through quiet residential streets until you find a hip and trendy neighborhood that will provide plenty of people-watching opportunities. Many come to Chengdu to experience a panda tour, yet it is more than panda holding in Chengdu. This city successfully fuses old and new, traditional and contemporary, local and foreign. So do as the locals, slow down and savor every moment.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
1375 Xiongmao Avenue West Section, Chengdu Shi
$$$
Giant pandas, red pandas, baby pandas! Your nugget will love paying a visit to these rare Sichuan natives!
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, aka The Chengdu Panda Base, is a non-profit organization protecting the endangered species through research, conservation and education. Thankfully, you can no longer handle baby pandas for a fee and photo opportunity. All pandas are in natural enclosures and can only be viewed from a distance. The panda base is rather large, so plan to spend a good few hours. On-site maps allow you to create your own itinerary. If you are in luck, you will visit during birth season and view the teeny tiny panda cubs in their incubators.
DIRECTIONS
The Chengdu Panda Base is 20-30 minutes by taxi from Chengdu city center. It is best to book a taxi in advance from your hotel. Leave between 7 and 8 a.m. to arrive on-site early and beat the crowds. Afterwards, there will be plenty of taxis stationed outside the panda base for you to get back to the city.
TIP
Pandas are pretty laid back; allegedly, they are more active during morning time, which this is another good reason to go early.
Ma's Kitchen Sichuan Cuisine
665 Hooksett Road, Manchester
$$$
This is an architectural gem with a friendly and hip atmosphere. We loved the contrast between the beautiful modern interior design and the traditional “home-style” Sichuan cuisine. Some staff speak English and will help you order non-spicy dishes for the kids (remember that a bowl of rice and dumplings always do the trick). Try the “Mapo Dofu,” or Grandma-style tofu. The combination of the soft texture and the hot spices is incredible. But bear in mind this dish includes minced pork, so not a vegetarian option.
DIRECTIONS
The restaurant is located near the Taikoo Li retail complex area, on a side street.
Ask your taxi to drop you here after your visit to the Panda Base. If you are staying in the Temple House Hotel, this is a short two-minute walk away.
TIP
You cannot leave Chengdu without trying the local fare. Be warned however that Sichuanese like their food spicy hot. Sichuan peppers are fiery, so hot that they can make your mouth feel numb. It gets busy at lunch time (from noon to approximately 1:30 p.m.), and it is customary to queue (you get a number when you put your name down). Try to go a little earlier or later.
Sicang Coffee Studio
14 Qing Lian Shang Jie, Chengdu Shi
$$$
Take the short walk through Chengdu’s tranquil residential streets. Observe the locals playing mahjong in the street and going through their daily business in the famed slow pace of Western China. Chengdu locals are reckoned to be the most handsome people in China (allegedly, the combination of humid climate and hot food gives them perfect dewy skin), and possibly the most stylish! Arrive at Qinglian Upper Street/Qinglianshang Lu, a quaint curved pedestrian street, where you can sample more of Chengdu's creative scene. The street is home to a beautifully curated bookstore and giftshop (NoMorning), a few hip and cheap food venues and the beautiful Sicang Coffee Studio. Order some iced coffee, take a seat outside and do some serious people-watching. Let the kids play in the pedestrian street in front of you.
DIRECTIONS
This is a 10-15-minute walk away through a residential neighborhood.
The Temple House Hotel
47号-49号 Dong Shun Cheng Nan Jie, Chengdu
$$$$
WE LOVEDAn elegant mix of Ming Dynasty, renovation and high design. Very centrally located with great food options, including a cool bar, on site. Service made our stay memorable - the staff could not have been nicer or more helpful. They showered the kids with attention and small gifts. We never wanted to leave!
TIPIf traveling with a large family, consider a serviced apartment, with a fully appointed kitchen and laundry room.
STAYED05 June, 2017 with 2 year old, 4 year old, 6 year old
MORE NUGGET ADVENTURES
