Chengdu is far from the most popular cities for tourists to visit - Shanghai and Beijing are both located in the eastern part of the country. Nevertheless, or maybe even because of that, it holds some treasures you should visit – places that not a lot of foreigners have seen yet! Find our recommendations for your trips outside Chengdu on this page. Let us know if you find more treasures!
Dujiangyan
The irrigation system in Dujiangyan has a very long history. It was originally built over 2000 years ago! Yet, it is still in use today and was even extended in 2006 and is a part of the UNESCO world heritage site. Since Dujiangyan is only about 60 Kilometres away from Chengdu, it is a popular trip destination. You can reach the city with a train from Chengdu Railway Station. It takes about 45 minutes, and afterwards you can reach the system with a bus.
Mount Qingcheng
The Mountain is quite close to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, but it offers yet another day to get away from the city. It is a popular hiking spot, and it offers many things to see, like temples and palaces as well as a beautiful scenery. As mentioned, it is close to Dujiangyan, so you can easily reach it from there by bus. If you want to go there from Chengdu, you should look for a train to the railway station close to the mountain.
You have to budget in some entrance and transport fees: depending on where you want to visit, you might have to pay up to 80 Yuan entrance fee – and for a cable car up to 50 Yuan!
Jianmen Pass
Jianmen Pass is a very old pass and was first set up almost 2000 years ago. It is located in northern Sichuan and a bit over 100 kilometres away from Chengdu, so you should definitely plan at least a whole day for a visit of the pass, since there is a lot to see. The best way to get to the site is by bus, starting at Chengdu Zhaojuesi. Important: The bus ticket is 87 Yuan, and the entrance to the pass for a day is 115 Yuan!
Xinduqiao
Often dubbed a “photographers heaven”, Xinduqiao has a lot of beautiful scenery to offer: It’s a small, Tibetian town, but also the nature around the town is worth a visit (and a couple of pictures too). The only downside: It is quite far away from Chengdu, and there is no easy way to get there by bus. Even if you decide to take multiple buses, it still takes you at least 7 hours to reach Xinduqiao. Another, more viable option is to fly to Kangding Airport, and take a bus or a taxi to Xinduqiao from the airport.
Jiuzhaihou
Jiuzhaihou is a national park and offers a huge contrast to the big city that Chengdu is. It offers beautiful scenery, lakes, trees and natural wonders. The name Jiuzhaihou comes from the nine Tibetian villages that are located in the valley of the park. While it was damaged in earthquakes in 2017, it has since been reopened to tourists.
Jiuzhaihou is approximately 450 kilometres north of Chengdu, so the travelling takes a bit. You can go by plane, or by bus – unfortunately there are no trains available.