Panda love and other adventures in Chengdu

by The Photography Confidential
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What to do

Well, I’m sure you already know what I’m going to say… Chances are, if you’re considering Chengdu, you already know that the main attractions there are the PANDAS. But, did you know that there are different options to interact with them?

Let me explain. If you are lucky – unlike me (covid times) – you will get to volunteer at a center where you can get to feed them and care for them for a day.

To access this, you will need to reserve in advance on travel websites like Tripadvisor. My friend and I tried that several times, but after taking our money and confirming our booking they sent us a cancellation email without explanation. Unfortunately we haven’t been able to get all our money back (*slightly* upset).

If you attempt this, I highly recommend trying to contact them and making sure this is a possibility before you book anything.

The other way you can approach this is to simply show up the day of (really early) at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. It’s a non-profit research and breeding facility where tourists are welcome to learn about the endangered species. In that sense, it is NOT a zoo where you see caged animals. This is where I ended up going, and it was the most magical day. Most of the pandas are outside, and they also have access to shelter when they want to chill by themselves for a bit. They seemed to be really well taken care of and protected from us humans. As you walk around the huge park, you will see babies and adults just chilling or eating, by themselves or in groups. They are close enough that you see them really well. If you want to use a shuttle, you can also do that. But if it’s a nice day, take some time to enjoy the nature around you. One of my favorite things about pandas is that they are a bit clumsy and when they play they bump into each other, I mean they are just adorable.
One thing I didn’t expect was to see RED pandas! They are located in two specific areas of the park, outside and they love to climb on ropes and sleep above humans apparently! They are not afraid of us, but please don’t touch them, they still like to be left alone. I attempted to take photos of them, but they walked so fast haha. Precious!

If you check out the schedule, you can witness the pandas being fed, it’s so fun, I wouldn’t miss it!

Address: China, Sichuan, Chengdu, Chenghua, 熊猫大道1375号 邮政编码: 610016
Open everyday from 7:30 to 5pm.

Where to eat

The Bamboo restaurant of course! On the menu, there are many traditional Chinese dishes (vegetarian options available), and special ones like the bamboo tube rice where presentation is more original. There is a small outside balcony, but if you really want to be outside, you can go across to the cafe. On a sunny day, I recommend getting some ice-cream and relaxing a bit around the lake. Bird watching is a good activity too.

climbing trees

bamboo forest

panda-shaped

Rose garden

Panda cafe

Red panda

Panda eating bamboo

Proud selfie

Around the park, there are several places that you might want to check out. If you want some coffee, I would recommend the Panda Cafe (for the panda art and cosy vibes). I wouldn’t recommend the desserts though.

If you are feeling more like a bubble tea, there is a place near the Bamboo Restaurant. You will find the traditional Brown sugar milk tea.

Where to stay

I stayed at the Holiday Inn Chengdu High-Tech Center. You can check out my thoughts about this hotel here!