3-Day Chengdu Slow Living Itinerary
Three days to see pandas, stroll through historic streets, and eat hot pot—experience Chengdu’s laid-back lifestyle.
Suitable for: First-time visitors to Chengdu who want to see pandas, eat Sichuan cuisine, and experience the slow pace of life.
Day 1: Pandas & Historic Streets
See the pandas in the morning, stroll through the historic streets in the afternoon, and enjoy hot pot in the evening.
Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
Be among the first to enter. Moon Maternity Ward → Sun Maternity Ward → Other Pavilions. Pandas are most active from 8 to 10 a.m.
Be sure to go in the morning!
After noon, the pandas are all sleeping
Lunch: Pig Intestine Noodles + Guokui
Gan’s Tripe Noodles or Wang’s Specialty Tripe Noodles. A bowl of tripe noodles paired with a guokui—a classic Chengdu lunch.
Kuan-Zhai Alley
Take photos and check in at Kuan-Zhai Alley, then head to nearby Kuixinglou Street to grab a bite to eat.
Just took photos—no purchases
Head to Kuixinglou Street for a meal
Dinner: Authentic Chengdu Hot Pot
Xiaolongkan, Shu Daxia, or Dian Tai Alley. Order the spicy hot pot (don’t order the “yuan yang” hot pot), and be sure to try beef tripe, cow esophagus, goose intestines, and tender beef. Price per person: 80–120 yuan.
Mildly spicy is the minimum requirement
Authentic old-school hot pot has a dark red beef tallow base with tiny bubbles rising to the surface.
Day 2: Dujiangyan & Panda Valley
Spend a day exploring Dujiangyan and Mount Qingcheng, or take an in-depth tour of the city.
Dujiangyan
A world-renowned marvel of hydraulic engineering that has remained in operation for over 2,000 years. About a 30-minute ride from Chengdu by high-speed rail (10 yuan).
Wear comfortable walking shoes; the scenic area is quite large
Sanxingdui Museum
Take the high-speed rail from Chengdu East Station to Guanghan—an 18-minute ride. The Bronze Sacred Tree, the “Zongmu” Mask, and the Golden Mask offer a glimpse into the mysterious ancient Shu civilization from 3,000 years ago.
Tickets are not sold on-site! Book in advance via the official WeChat account at least 5 days ahead
It’s open as usual on Mondays—don’t be misled
Dinner: Chuanchuanxiang
Mao Jiao Huo La (Kuixinglou Street) or Yulin Chuanchuanxiang. About 60 yuan per person—cheaper than hot pot but just as satisfying.
Day 3: Slow Living Experience
A local’s day—drinking tea, strolling through parks, and window-shopping.
People’s Park & He Ming Tea House
People’s Park epitomizes Chengdu’s laid-back lifestyle. He Ming Tea House is a century-old teahouse where you can order a cup of gaiwan tea (10–15 yuan) and watch locals play mahjong or get their ears cleaned.
Lunch: Sweet Noodles + Zhong Water Dumplings
Zhang Lao’er Liangfen in Dongzikou (next to Wenshu Temple) serves traditional Chengdu-style sweet noodles and Zhong-style dumplings. Price per person: 15–20 yuan.
Chunxi Road & Taikoo Li
Chengdu’s busiest commercial district. Head to IFS to take photos of the “wall-climbing panda” (Chengdu’s new landmark). The stylish architecture at Taikoo Li also makes for great photos.