From local insiders
Chengdu travel guides
Honest, first-hand things to do in Chengdu — itineraries, the giant pandas, real Sichuan hotpot, visa-free transit and the practical stuff — written by born-and-raised locals.
Visa & arrival
Chengdu visa-free transit (240 hours)
Stay up to 10 days with no visa. Who qualifies and what to do at the airport.
Itinerary
24 hours in Chengdu (layover plan)
A local hour-by-hour plan: pandas, old streets, hotpot.
Itinerary
The perfect 3-day Chengdu itinerary
Pandas, a Leshan Buddha day trip, and slow local Chengdu.
Pandas
See the giant pandas (without crowds)
Which base, the best time, opening hours and how to get there.
Food
A local's guide to Chengdu hotpot
How spicy it is, how to order, and mild options for first-timers.
Arrival
Airport to city: TFU vs CTU
Which airport, which metro, how long and how much.
Before you go
Mobile payment for foreigners
Link a foreign card to Alipay — no Chinese bank account needed.
Before you go
Getting online: eSIM & VPN
Beat the firewall with a travel eSIM — set it up before you fly.