KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

Wonder anybody has been to Chengdu? Any good eating place one should not miss and is the place children friendly?

We last travelled to Chengdu/Jiuzhaigou in Dec 2006.

Kids would definitely love the Science and Technology museum (4 storeys) where we spent many hours exploring the various exhibits from biotech, aeronautics, magnetism etc. Some of the exhibits allow you to have hands-on. We watched robots drawing portraits of visitors, robots performing 变脸, robots mimicking sounds and engaging in conversation with visitors.

DD tried out the astronaut training equipment, both kids rode in a capsule-like transport of the future. We made music, the vr way and DS walked across a tight rope too.

We watched a 4D movie too. Spent almost an entire day there.

Checkout also the panda research centre where we saw lots of cute pandas and staffs feeding baby pandas. Not sure if they've re-opened
since the last earthquake.

While in Chengdu, do watch the traditional 变脸 and incredible chinese acrobats perform at the theatre. It never fails to amaze us how they do that!.

We were there in winter, so the shopping wasn't that fantastic. But do checkout their shopping street - chun xi jie. There's a 4/5 storey
bookshop nearby selling all sorts of chinese books. We bought so many for the kids, from references to story books.

Take a flight to jiuzhaigou which is a Unesco world heritage site and popularly known as the most beautiful place on earth. The scenery was stunningly beautiful..from snow-covered mountains to crystal blue lakes. We watched tribal dances too.

For the religious, schedule a visit to e-mei shan which is also a Unesco heritage site.

We hope to return for a ski trip to e-mei shan in future.

PS: Chengdu roast duck is very different from Beijing roast duck. You've been warned.

loner wrote:Wonder anybody has been to Chengdu? Any good eating place one should not miss and is the place children friendly?

Chengdu hotpot is "S.P.I.C.Y H.O.T" .. Mesuem-wise, San.Xing.Dui and Jinsha archaeological sites, are among the interesting ones ...

Comparatively, "Jiu.Zhai.Gou" and "Huang.Long" are stunning beautiful - but for kids, the high attitudes maybe not tolerant for young children (I remembered, some of the kids in the tour bus we've in then nausea and vomitted)..

Hi
Trying to plan a Chengdu trip with kids for June now. I only have a 4.5 days window actually.
Anyone went recently?

A few questions that I need help with:

Do your kids enjoy the below locations, and is it only accessible via day trips?
Qingcheng shan, Leshan Da Fo, Emei shan

Anyone can share an itinerary？
Many thanks！

hi Fantasylandreams,

We went quite a few years back so not sure how this helps. Do go to the panda conservation center - it was a highlight of our trip. For a not small contribution to the centre (it's official, nothing shady about it), you can touch a panda (after wearing protective gear that makes one look like working in a clean room) and have photos/videos taken. Something that was really memorable. Have to go early to register cos slots are limited and demand can be high.

We went to Le Shan and Ermei shan via local day tours. Kids were fine wth the exploration but I think it really boils down to the individual.

FantasyLandDreams wrote:Hi
Trying to plan a Chengdu trip with kids for June now. I only have a 4.5 days window actually.
Anyone went recently?

A few questions that I need help with:

Do your kids enjoy the below locations, and is it only accessible via day trips?
Qingcheng shan, Leshan Da Fo, Emei shan

Anyone can share an itinerary？
Many thanks！

I'm also thinking of Chengdu + Chongqing for June. We usually pick a Chinese-speaking city to visit in June to practise our Mother Tongue.

(1) I enjoyed Qingcheng Mountain greatly. It's a 'Taoist' mountain. Leshan Da Fo was magnificent, but in summer, it'll be blxxdy hot. Ermei Mountain is nicer in spring and autumn. Transport connections should have improved a lot by now.

(2) I also visited Dujiangyan Dam, Wuhou Temple (三国演义), Du Fu thatched cottage (杜甫 the famous poet), Jinli Pedestrianised St, Chunxi Shopping Belt. Of course, we paid a visit to Xiongmao Jidi (not the Wolong one which is further from Chengdu city). Paid CNY1000 to carry a small panda with protective gear as mentioned by hquek.

We hired a private driver to visit all these attractions, but sorry I've lost his contact as it was several years ago. He drove us to some unchartered villages and we got to see how the locals lived. There are many Muslims living in the Chengdu outskirts, so you'll get to eat some Muslim-Sichuan food there.

It's a great place to visit if your DC are into 三国演义.

Btw, to cover the above, you need more than 4.5 days. Those I mentioned in (1) were over 4-5 days. Mountains need longer time to recover cos you'd want to climb to the top.

Those in (2) were done during a second trip. I spent 5 days there R&R.

Thanks，Zeit and Hquek for your replies.

Yup I was thinking of saving Leshan and Emei shan for another trip too.
I am looking more at Qingcheng mountain and those listed in (2) by Zeit for this trip, but was thinking every trip is like very 'child-focus‘ kind of activities leh so was initially hoping to throw in some mountains for DH but well, looks like not possible again this round. Oops.

If you go to visit Chengdu I suggest you to go to the Jinli street. At the Jinli street you can buy traditional Sichuan Chinese souvenirs, going to the teashops, watching Sichuan opera, and buying snacks.Jinli street is one of the oldest trading street in Chengdu which can be traced back during the Shu kingdom period. You can also see the oldest trading centre of Chengdu since the Shu kingdom period at Jinli street. Jinli street is located at the east of Wuhou Memorial Temple.