Sichuan

Four days covers Chengdu (pandas, food, teahouses) plus a Leshan day trip. Seven days adds Mount Emei and Jiuzhaigou. Ten days lets you reach western Sichuan's Tibetan plateau. Chengdu itself deserves three days minimum — rushing through it misses the point.

Má là is the defining flavor of Sichuan food — a combination of chili heat (辣 là) and Sichuan peppercorn numbing (麻 má). The peppercorn contains hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, which literally numbs your tongue and lips. It does not burn like capsaicin; it tingles, almost like a mild electric current. Together they create a flavor that makes you sweat and keeps you eating. Most Sichuan dishes use both elements.

Arrive at the Chengdu Research Base at 7:30 AM (opening time, ¥55 as of June 2026). Pandas are most active in the cool morning hours, especially 8:00–10:00 AM. By 11 AM they are usually asleep. March–May and September–November are the best months. July–August: pandas hide from the heat inside air-conditioned enclosures. Winter (Dec–Feb) is actually good — fewer crowds and pandas are active in the cold.

Two options as of June 2026. Option A: Fly Chengdu Shuangliu or Tianfu to Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport (1 hour, ¥500–900 one-way), then bus to the park (2 hours, ¥50). Option B (new): HSR from Chengdu East to Huanglongjiuzhai Station (2 hours, ¥180), then bus to the park (2 hours). Option B is cheaper and more scenic. The park entrance fee is ¥169 (Apr–Nov) or ¥80 (Dec–Mar).

Yes — it is one of China's most popular domestic destinations. Peak months (July–August, October Golden Week, and late October for autumn colors) see 30,000+ visitors per day. The boardwalks become human conveyor belts. Go in shoulder season (late April–May or September). Enter at 8 AM opening. Walk deeper into the park beyond the first two shuttle bus stops and the crowds thin noticeably.

You can, but the full ascent from base to summit is 50+ km and takes 2–3 days on foot. Most visitors take the tourist bus to Leidongping (1.5 hours from base) then either hike the last 6 km (2–3 hours, steep stairs) or ride the cable car (10 minutes). The Golden Summit at 3,099 meters has a massive golden statue of Samantabhadra and, on clear mornings, a sea of clouds below. Monastery guesthouses on the mountain rent beds for ¥50–120/night. Bring warm clothes — the summit can be 10°C even in July.

Restaurant-level Sichuan food is significantly hotter than what "Sichuan" menus serve outside China. That said, many classic dishes are mild — twice-cooked pork (回锅肉 huíguōròu), tea-smoked duck, and dandan noodles can be ordered non-spicy. Say "bù yào là" (不要辣, no spice) or "wēi là" (微辣, mild). Hot pot is the hardest to de-spice because the broth itself is the flavor carrier. If you are spice-averse, order yuanyang guo (鸳鸯锅), a split pot with one side plain broth.

Very safe. Chengdu has a relaxed, low-crime vibe — I have walked through the city at midnight without concern. Pickpocketing in tourist zones (Kuanzhai Alley, Jinli) is the main risk. Altitude in western Sichuan (Kangding, Litang, Tagong) is the bigger danger — some areas sit at 3,500–4,500 meters. If you have never been to altitude, acclimatize for 24 hours before exertion. Travel insurance that covers high-altitude evacuation is a good idea for the western plateau.

Dujiangyan (都江堰) — the 2,300-year-old irrigation system still in use today, a UNESCO-listed engineering marvel, 1 hour from Chengdu. Combine it with Mount Qingcheng (青城山), a forested Daoist mountain 30 minutes further. The Dujiangyan Panda Base (separate from the Chengdu one) offers volunteer programs where you can clean enclosures and watch keepers feed pandas up close. Book the volunteer program 2–3 weeks ahead.

Kangding (2,560m), Xinduqiao (3,460m), Litang (4,014m), and Seda (4,000m+) are all high enough to cause altitude sickness. Spend your first night at a lower elevation (Kangding is fine; Litang is not). Drink 3–4 liters of water per day. Avoid alcohol for the first 48 hours. Acetazolamide (Diamox) can help if started 24 hours before ascent. Headache, nausea, and insomnia are the usual symptoms — descending 500 meters almost always fixes it within hours.

Nearly every Chengdu local has a strong opinion on this and they all disagree. Huangcheng Laoma (皇城老妈) is the polished, English-menu option. Shujiuxiang (蜀九香) has multiple locations and decent quality control. For the real deal, go to any hot pot street in the Yulin neighborhood and pick the place with the longest queue of locals — not tourists. Expect to pay ¥80–150 per person including drinks. Avoid hotel hot pot restaurants; they tone down the spice for foreign palates and charge double.