Southwest China · 10+ hours: the panda base is outside the center
Chengdu layover guide
Giant pandas, teahouses, Sichuan food
Nora Li· Transit visas, city trips and shopping
Last updated
Times, fares, and routes are indicative. Confirm with the operator before you travel.
Why Chengdu works for a layover
Chengdu is the best layover in western China: giant pandas in the morning, a teahouse in a park at noon, and fiery Sichuan food all day. The catch is the new Tianfu Airport is far from the city, so this route works best with 10+ hours.
The route
Go straight to the Chengdu Panda Base in the morning, pandas are most active before 10am and it gets crowded later. Head back into the city for a lazy hour at People’s Park, where you can drink tea and watch locals play mahjong. End at Jinli Street for snacks and souvenirs before the airport run.
Food to try
Mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, hotpot if you’re brave, and the numbing Sichuan peppercorn that makes everything buzz.
Timing notes
Tianfu Airport is roughly an hour from the center. Pandas sleep through the afternoon, so if you can’t land early, swap the panda base for Kuanzhai Alley and the park.