Southwest China city guide
Chengdu
Food, pandas, teahouses, museums, and relaxed city pacing.
Recommended stay3-4 days
Best seasonSpring and autumn are simpler; summer can be humid and rainy.
What to plan around
- Panda base
- People's Park
- Jinli area
- Sichuan cuisine
First-day pacing
- Leave space for jet lag and food adjustments.
- Keep the first major sight close to the hotel.
- Save the Chinese hotel card for taxi handoffs.
Transport notes
- Metro works for many central routes.
- Ride hailing is useful between less direct stops.
- Check station and airport names carefully for onward trips.
Apps for this city
Prepare these before arrival
DiDi China
Ride hailing, pickup points, and driver messaging
First-city transport and late arrivals
Alipay
Payments, transport QR codes, and local services
Payment setup and wallet fallback
Messaging, payments, mini programs, and service accounts
Payment and communication backup
Google Translate
Downloaded languages, camera translation, and typed phrases
Signs, menus, labels, and staffed help