While fun things to do in Chengdu are seemingly limitless, a lot of them are not suitable for kids. However, there are plenty of educational and recreational family friendly activities in Chengdu that merit mentioning. Whether your family is visiting ... Read More>>
Living expenses in Chengdu are very reasonable – tasty hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Chengdu saturate the city, from shockingly cheap noodle shops to very affordable dumpling houses. Moreover, there's no shortage of inexpensive Sichuan cuisine spots in ... Read More>>
Barbequing is one of the most simple, yet delicious cooking methods out there. No matter where you go in China, you’re bound to find a small vendor grilling lamb on skewers in a busy street, or little shop windows emitting the mouth-watering scent of ... Read More>>
If you think that Chengdu is all about pandas and tea houses think again! As the annual Zebra Music Festival and the ever-increasing number of live music venues prove, Chengdu has a burgeoning rock scene that’s very much alive and kicking. Whether you long ... Read More>>
Many of the whirlwind China tours don't really leave enough time to fully appreciate everything in Chengdu. If you are planning on going to Chengdu, but don't have much time, these are some of the top tourist spots you definitely do not want to miss. Read More>>
In the space of just a few years, special designated areas housing artists’ workshops, galleries and art related organisations have mushroomed all around China. In the mid-2000’s, Chinese contemporary art reached new heights, with Liu Xiaodong becoming ... Read More>>
Certain areas of Chengdu bleep loud on the tourist radar: Jinli Street, Wuhou Temple, People's Park, Tianfu Square and Wenshu Temple are just some of the many well-known destinations. However, there's a new area in northwestern Chengdu called Jinniu ... Read More>>
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and sometimes you need to go where know one knows who you are. When it comes to bars, Chengdu has both types. Here’s a list of Chengdu’s chillest bars, and a few crazier ones thrown in for good ... Read More>>
Chengdu is a city seeped in history and culture. As a city with over 2,300 years history, that once was an important stopover on the Southern Silk Road and serves as a strategic base from which to enter Tibet, it is not surprising that some of the biggest ... Read More>>
What can you say about China’s beers? Beer experts across the globe have never been quick to compliment Chinese produced beer. To lay it out plainly, even the best beers in China still have a light flavour and are mediocre, at best. Let’s put this way: If ... Read More>>
Chinese cities are concrete jungles, and Chengdu is no different. You taste that dusty air? That’s the flavour of progress. You hear those construction cranes? That’s the sound of advancement. A grey ubiquitous fog hangs over the city like a dome, ... Read More>>
Now that the hot weather of the summer season has officially descended upon all of China, everyone is fantasizing about heading off to the largest (and coolest) body of water that they can find for some necessary R&R. Many in Chengdu are flocking to ... Read More>>
My favourite part of Chengdu cuisine has always been the snacks. There is such a diversity of taste, type and texture in all these delicious xiaochi, one could spend their whole life enjoying Chengdu snacks and it would not be a wasted life. Below is an ... Read More>>
It wasn’t until 2009, my second stint in China, that I discovered the awesome thing known as all-you-can-eat buffets in Chengdu, Sichuan. What I stumbled upon was a Thai Barbeque in my home city of Chengdu that offered an all-you-can-eat and drink deal for ... Read More>>
The long Mid-Autumn weekend coming up provides a chance to get away and relax for just a little bit longer. These Chengdu weekend getaways will provide a change in scenery,an increase in air quality and recharge your batteries for the winter. Read More>>
Many visitors come to Chengdu for the temples, the shopping, the restaurants and sightseeing. Wenshu Temple and surrounding area has all that and more. Lined with quaint buildings in the ancient Chinese architectural style, each part of this fascinating ... Read More>>
I am under the firm conviction that if you put most of the flavours of Sichuan cuisine on a sheet of computer paper, it would still be good. Don’t question it. I’ve tried. Anyway, there are times for any Chengdu expat when you just need a good Western ... Read More>>
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas with shopping discounts, classic carols and St. Nicholas decorations. And even though this holiday isn't perceived as a traditional celebration, it's becoming more popular with Chinese each year. For better or ... Read More>>
When you live in a city with a reputation for idleness and a love of leisure, it’s not hard to find an excuse to relax or a teahouse in which to do so. But there are some times when a game of mahjong and a bag of sunflower seeds just don’t do the trick; ... Read More>>
According to the latest whispers around Chengdu, no less than six large-scale shopping malls are planned to open in various districts around Chengdu this year. Although the total number of shopping malls planned for opening has yet to be confirmed, Suning ... Read More>>
For those who love music in a big way, this four day Chengdu festival is not to be missed. This year, the Big Love Chengdu Music Festival (大爱成都音乐节) boasts an unprecedented and powerful line-up of some of the biggest performers on the ... Read More>>
While English language book sales have plummeted in the US and UK following the recession, the appetite for English language books in China is booming like never before. About 300 million people in China speak English and the number of foreigners moving to ... Read More>>
One of the best things about the summer is wrapping your tongue around a golden, crunchy cone, filled with an explosion of different flavours, some fruity, others chocolatey, while some perhaps more on the nutty side. As the sun glares down and the heat ... Read More>>
Luckily for the locals of Chengdu, we seldom have to drink alone; but like Li Bai of old, we certainly enjoy getting our drink on under the canopy of the night sky, cloud covered though it may be. So let’s all raise our glass to the moon, even if we can’t ... Read More>>