Wildlife
One of the city’s greatest attractions is the glorious Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, artfully built to resemble a natural panda habitat. Home to nearly 120 Giant and over 70 Red pandas, the base focuses on getting these shy creatures to breed, aiding their conservation whilst allowing you to encounter the charming creatures and their adorable cubs. We recommend visiting in the morning – before the placid pandas fall back to sleep – whilst August and September are the best months for spotting loveable, new-born cubs.
Temples
Charming Chengdu houses a number of intricately-designed temples with a rich and colourful history. The Wenshu Temple - a Tang dynasty monastery dedicated to the Bodhisattva of Wisdom – is the largest Buddhist temple in Chengdu, exuding a sense of serenity and togetherness through low murmur chanting and the sweet smell of incense. Surrounded by Cypress trees, Wuhou Temple honours several key figures from the Three Kingdoms period, whilst Qingyant Temple is one of the oldest and largest Taoist temples, housing a unique pagoda and traditional teahouse.
Culture
A vital part of Chinese culture, past and present, drinking tea is central to life in Chengdu; experience it yourself with a visit to one of Chengdu’s countless, traditional teahouses. The lively yet laid-back He Ming Teahouse is over a century old, perfect for a relaxed afternoon with a bottomless cup of tea. Outdoor teahouses offer plenty of greenery and people watching opportunities, whilst you can travel back to ancient China at the quiet, 200-year-old Laozhaiyuan teahouse. More of these quaint spaces can be found in the aptly-named Culture Park, alongside pretty ginkgo-lined paths and lotus-filled ponds.
History
With a fascinating history and a blossoming contemporary art scene, there is much to be discovered in Chengdu’s museums and galleries. Explore the Jinsha Site Museum, exhibiting the ruins of the 3000-year-old Shu Kingdom – including beautiful objects created between 1200 and 600 BC – or visit the intricately carved tomb of Wang Jian, emperor of this Shu Kingdom. The Chengdu Museum spans the ancient city to the modern day, whilst the Chengdu Museum of Contemporary Art is a sleek space for the exhibition of modern and abstract art in Chinese society.
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Travelling With Children or Without an Adult
Children travelling without both parents should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. Please contact the relevant Embassy for the county you are travelling to for further information.
Visa and Advance Passenger Information
All passengers must ensure they have a valid, acceptable passport, any required visa and any other documentation for both the final destination and any stop-off points en route. Please make sure that Advance Passenger Information is submitted in advance to travel for all destinations. Failure to hold correct documentation or submitting incorrect details with Advance Passenger Information or Visa applications may result in refusal of carriage or entry into a country. Please check with the relevant Embassy regarding visa requirements well in advance of your travel date. Charges may apply for some visas.
Passengers not travelling on a British Passport are advised to contact their relevant Foreign & Commonwealth office for individual Visa requirements.
For up-to-date resort information, visit www.fco.gov.uk
Health facilities, hygiene and disease risks vary worldwide and you should take health advice about your specific needs from your general practitioner or a specialist clinic as early as possible before travel. Those planning to become pregnant should discuss their travel plans with their healthcare provider to assess their risk of infection with Zika. For information about Zika, other mosquito-borne diseases (such as Dengue fever and Chikungunya), Lyme Disease (caused by tick bites), and to receive advice on mosquito bite avoidance measures, please visit Insect and tick bite avoidance.
In addition, we highly recommend that you seek specialist advice from your doctor and, where recommended, obtain vaccinations or tablets for protection against, for example: Malaria, Hepatitis A, Polio and Typhoid. In some cases, treatments for Malaria should begin well in advance of travel. Travellers may also be required to show Yellow Fever Certificates on arrival in certain destinations ie, some African countries. Please note that you are strongly advised against scuba-diving for 24 hours before travelling by air. We would also like to draw your attention to the risk of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) and recommend that you consult with your doctor before travelling.
Visit the FCDO website and select your destination country for the very latest travel advice: Foreign Travel Advice. Additional sources of information include: Public Health England, The National Travel Health And Network Centre, Foreign And Commonwealth Office and your General Practitioner or a specialised clinic.