Things to see & do in Sichuan

Sichuan province in China combines dramatic sights with a laid-back vibe – a winning combo for a vacation.

Sichuan is a bit of a drama queen. First of all, the weather is always a bit moody; this southwestern province is China’s cloudiest. Under the grey, though, Sichuan is well known for its diverse landscapes and is surrounded by mountains, making it a popular stop on our vacations. It features the world’s largest stone Buddha and Shunan, China’s oldest and largest bamboo forest. Between the fertile Sichuan Basin in the east and the Tibetan plain in the west there are impressive mountains – including Mount Gongga (7,509m), the third-highest peak outside the Himalayas.

Drama comes, too, from the famous Sichuan opera – brimming with puppetry, acrobatics and fire breathing. At the center is the art of bian lian (‘face changing’), where masks are swapped, beards whipped off and concealed paint changes eyebrow colour and expressions in seconds. It’s a secret art form that is handed down through families and closely guarded – all very cloak and dagger.

Speaking of fire breathing at the opera, Sichuan cuisine has a reputation for its ferocity thanks to the liberal use of the amazing Sichuan pepper – an ash tree berry, not a peppercorn – that creates aromatic and peculiarly mouth-numbing dishes. Added to chilli to make the flavour known as mala, it’s thought to cool you down in Sichuan’s brooding, humid summers by making you sweat.

There’s, of course, one delightful Sichuan character with a face to rival the most exquisite bian lian mask. Sichuan is the stronghold for one of the most recognisable animals on the planet: the giant panda. Roaming wild in the province and also kept in research and breeding centers, they are Sichuan’s most beloved sight. With their painted faces, large social media followings and ‘I can’t even’ attitudes, they are the true drama queens of Sichuan.

Considered a gateway into lesser-visited western China, Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, is a megacity of 21 million people. It’s a high-tech hub, and home to one of the largest buildings in the world, the New Century Global Center. Far from being frenetic though, this populous city has a reputation for relaxation. There’s enough tasty, good-value food to keep you interested for months. Most tours include the People’s Park, the beating heart of the city, and Heming Teahouse within it. Wander around Kuanzhai Xiangzi (Wide and Narrow Alley), a preserved historic area, visit Wenshu Monastery and see how many shops selling panda plushies you can spot: the famous Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a short drive – or a nice bike ride – out of the city.

UNESCO-listed Mount Emei is one of China’s four famous Buddhist mountains. Wrap up warm if you’re staying at the hotel near the top –you’ll be rewarded with incredible views from your bedroom window. Alternatively, there’s monastery accommodation available. Nearby in the Mount Emei Scenic Area is the Leshan Giant Buddha, a 71m-tall statue carved into the cliff that overlooks the boat traffic at the confluence of three rivers. Other UNESCO sites include Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System. The latter, built over 2,000 years ago, appears to set the precedent for China’s more recent mass infrastructure projects. Without it, the Chengdu plain would have continued flooding repeatedly and Sichuan would never have become an agricultural powerhouse. It’s now a scenic area – and a very popular tourist attraction.

Follow the Tea Horse Road into western Sichuan. This 1,000km network of trading routes rivalled the Silk Road in importance, trading Chinese tea for Tibetan horses. One section of it can be followed as it runs from the city of Ya’an west via the city of Kangding, gateway to the historic Tibetan area of Kham, then on to the town of Batang. It eventually leaves Sichuan and heads towards Lhasa. As you head west through the province you may encounter towns with significant Tibetan populations, like Xiaojin, and come across nomadic herders with their yaks on the grasslands.

There are many scenic areas in Sichuan, like Yading Nature Reserve, close to the high-altitude town of Daocheng. Elsewhere, Jiuzhaigou National Park on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau is a stunning high-altitude valley with colourful lakes that is one of the prettiest places in the province. There is also the Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area nearby.