Holidays to Chengdu & Pandas - China

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Chengdu boasts large public parks and atmospheric tea houses, full of local life, but it's the pandas that attract most visitors.

Chengdu is China's fifth-largest city, but in contrast to some other urban centres, it has managed to preserve an atmosphere that evokes a sense of history. Founded over 2,000 years ago, it may be the only major city in China to have remained in the same location and still bear the same name. The highlight of Chengdu is the People's Park, where you can get a glimpse into everyday life as locals gather to sing, take exercise, relax and share a drink at one of the bustling tea houses.

Of course, for most the main reasons for any visit to Chengdu is to see the the famous Panda Research & Breeding Centre, close to the city. Far from being a zoo, the ongoing conservation efforts made here are respected the world over and are crucial to the sustainment of the species. The inhabitants (including red pandas) have large areas in which to roam and play, designed to replicate their natural habitat to encourage breeding. We visit in the morning to see the pandas at their most active, particularly the young babies.

A short drive south of Chengdu leads to the Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest carved stone Buddha in the world.

乐山大佛
by kevinmcgill - CC

Leshan Giant Buddha

The mind-boggling Leshan Giant Buddha is located around 90 miles south of Chengdu and so makes the perfect extension to a visit here.

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Insights - Leshan Giant Buddha

乐山大佛
by kevinmcgill - CC

Carved in a sitting position into the cliff face over the course of 90 years, the Giant Buddha of Leshan is a mind-boggling 71 metres tall (its ears alone measure seven metres high) and nearly ten metres wide. Also known as Dafo, it was finally completed in 803, at the confluence of three major rivers and looking out towards the sacred Mount Emei. Visitors can take boat rides along the river and walk from its huge toes, past its three metres long finers, all the way up to its eyeline. From here it is possible to appreciate the astonishing detail of the sculpture, with over 1,000 separate coils on its head.

From Leshan it is a short drive to the nearby sacred Mount Emei.

Emei shan view
by Cory M. Grenier - CC

Mount Emei

The sacred Mount Emei is just a short drive from Leshan and a three and half hour drive from central Chengdu.

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Insights - Mount Emei

Emei shan view
by Cory M. Grenier - CC

The nearby Mount Emei (Emeishan) is one of four sacred Buddhist mountains in China. Spread throughout are many elaborately decorated monasteries, pavilions and temples, connected via a combination of cable cars and picturesque (though steep) walks. The mountain is a cultural monument, brought to life by a local expert guide, who will share with you the fascinating tales hidden here and help fend off any overly eager monkeys of course.

The Golden Summit, reachable in a day via buses and cable cars, stands over 3,000 metres above sea level, which means that upon reaching it, you are often rewarded with a mesmarising (and disorientating) view over the sea of clouds below.

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" panda trio sichuan china 2011 " by chensiyuan - licensed under CC BY

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