Activities for children in Chengdu are rather limited, though the ever-popular giant panda fascinates visitors of all ages. Pandas can be seen lolling about both at the Chengdu Zoo (home to numerous other species) and the Panda Breeding Centre. There are several less formal family-oriented activities available in the city (many of which are operated by hotels) including a bowling alley and an aquarium.

Chengdu Zoo
The city zoo is located north of the city in the suburbs. This facility covers 45 acres and set amidst a spread of well-landscaped gardens. The zoo is home to 250 species of animals which are quartered in various halls and habitats dispersed throughout these gardens. The zoo’s frontrunner is the lovable panda, housed in the enormous Panda Hall.

Giant Panda Breeding Centre
Accessible via a 45-minute shuttle bus that calls at multiple hotels throughout the city centre, this facility is dedicated to the understanding and preservation of China’s favourite animal. Found in no other country on the planet, the giant panda consumes monstrous amounts of bamboo every day in an attempt to satisfy its perennially unsatisfied digestive tract, which is outfitted for a carnivore’s diet. In captivity, this highly-endangered animal seems alarmingly disinterested in propagating its species, so scientists at this research centre have launched an extremely successful artificial insemination program that is generating a hopeful amount of tiny 100-gram babies to add to the panda population. Visitors stroll through stands of bamboo and watch the pandas laze around and munch on stalks of bamboo in between naps. Phone: +86 28 8350 5513

Hotel Entertainment
Families that enjoy bowling will find facilities at the Chengdu Minzu International Hotel. This is a popular recreational area for locals and includes fitness facilities in addition to bowling lanes. Minzu Hotel (phone: +86 28 3358068) is located on Jiefang Rd and can be reached via the No 78 bus. Another worthwhile attraction for families, an aquarium, can be visited at the Grand Hotel on Zouma Street. Phone: +86 28 6667421.

Luohan Hall
Part of the Baoguang Si temple complex, this hall draws the greatest recognition from all of those on site. The hall sports a stunning collection of 59 Buddha statues including tributes to Bodhidarma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. Beyond these holy relics are a series of 518 life-sized statues depicting Buddhist saints and famous emperors. These unique statues and carvings masterfully depict the dress and attitudes of these ancient Buddhist heroes. Beyond this massive collection of religious artefacts, Luohan Hall also operates a vegetarian restaurant.

Mao Zedong Museum
Housed in an old wooden shop house (which doubles as a residence for the ageing curator), this tribute museum is located on Five Blessings St. As the rest of China slowly returns to its Buddhist and Taoist roots, the nostalgic paraphernalia within these walls speak of another age when Chairman Mao was practically viewed as a demi-god whose image brought good luck. The walls of the museum are plastered with posters, period newspapers and portraits of Mao, while numerous shelves and coffee tables display communist buttons, red flags and enshrined busts of the Chairman. It seems that the entire tenor of the communist movement reverberates here in factory-processed trinkets and lithographed propaganda.

Sanxingdui Museum
In the 1930s, farmers began reporting the discovery of ancient relics in the rural village of Guangshan, 15 miles north of Chengdu’s city centre. Excavations began much later (in the 1980s) when archaeologists realised they were on to an ancient civilisation that once served as capital for the Ba-Shu culture. Unearthed sacrificial pits date back 3,000 years and contained a stunning array of carved jade, gold and bronze relics. Today’s museum boasts an impressive collection of these artefacts, headlined by a seven-foot bronze statue and several enormous ceremonial masks. Phone: +86 83 8550 0349.

Sichuan Opera
This celebrated performance art spans three centuries of tradition. These performances, characterised by daring acrobatics and fire-breathing and illusionists, are decidedly less formal than their Beijing counterparts. One actor plays many roles, changing character with the subtle addition or removal of makeup or a mask. Shrill voices, medleys of wind instruments and lively percussion permeate Sichuan opera. Theatres and tea houses across the provincial capital host regular performances, and many tour operators offer daytime trips to opera houses where the traditions and plotlines of the shows are explained in English.

Sichuan University Museum
This excellent museum is divided into four floors that chronicle the rise and fall of China’s main dynasties. The ground floor is filled with stone statues and implements from the Han Dynasty, and each floor builds upon this foundation with furniture, artwork, leather puppets, ceramics, calligraphy specimens and silk garments from the Qing and Ming dynasties. Sections of the museum are also dedicated to Stone Age civilisations in China as well as the country’s sweeping ethnic diversity. Phone: +86 28 8541 2313.

Wenshu Yuan
This Buddhist monastery serves as headquarters for the Chan Buddhism sect in Sichuan. Chengdu’s shrine to the god of wisdom (Wenshu) dates back more than 2,500 years; however, the current structures were rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty. The temple bustles with worshippers burning incense and chanting in and among the many halls and Buddhist statues on site. A visit to Wenshu Yuan also is made complete through a stop at the resident tea hall and vegetarian restaurant, where visitors enjoy a little respite.

Yong Ling Museum
The royal tomb of Wang Jiang was discovered and subsequently excavated in 1942. Wang Jiang lived in the 10^th century, during which time he pronounced himself emperor of Sichuan. The excavations revealed a burial hall adorned in faded frescoes and filled with burial implements such as an elaborate wooden sarcophagus featuring a 22-piece female orchestra meticulously carved into the woodwork. This sarcophagus is held aloft by an entourage of life-sized warrior busts. Built of red sandstone, the Yong Ling Museum is in Chengdu’s northwest quadrant.

Chengdu offers an excellent variety of shopping venues, with local products ranging from silk embroidery and lacquer ware to communist-era antiques and a dizzying collection of panda souvenirs. The city’s primary shopping district is located on and around Chunxi road. Here, open-air markets, boutiques and cafés fill in the spaces between large-scale department stores.

Shu embroidery, Chengdu’s most sought-after silk product has long history in this region. Threads of colourful silk are brocaded into fine tapestries that have been exported from this region since the Three Kingdoms rule (3^rd century). Silk embroidery is also frequently featured on quilts, shoes and clothing.

Glossy and durable, Chengdu lacquer ware has garnered respect since the 5^th century BC. In fact, archaeologists have found this handiwork sealed into tombs of important Han Dynasty rulers. Today’s craftspeople still adhere to the ancient traditions for producing lacquer ware. The most authentic products undergo 72 stages of production including 30 or more years of ageing before the final lacquer is applied and the product is sold.

Chengdu is also famous for silver inlay products. The filigree and meticulous attention to detail that goes into these handicrafts are famous throughout China. Silver inlay may appear on porcelain tea sets, screens and vases.

A large antiques market is located next door to the Green Ram Taoist temple west of the city. A great deal of what’s featured here relates to the Cultural Revolution and Chairman Mao’s legacy, though you’ll also find calligraphy sets and a variety of antique porcelain for sale. Be wary of overpriced fakes, and don’t be afraid to engage in a round of polite bargaining.

Restaurants serving authentic Sichuan cuisine can be found throughout the city centre, while many temples and monasteries operate well-priced vegetarian eateries. In many ways, Sichuan is China’s culinary ambassador to the world; and most visitors have already encountered Sichuan (formerly Romanised as ‘Szechuan’) cuisine elsewhere before visiting the province. When dining in Chengdu, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to sample the local favourites in addition to fare from other regions of China and abroad.

Local dishes can be intensely spicy, showcasing the fagara, or Sichuan peppercorn. Beyond its trademark spiciness, local dishes in Chengdu often feature pickled, salted or otherwise preserved vegetables. Meats are often dried or salted. These ingredients are usually stir-fried, braised and steamed.

Kung pao chicken is a widely-known Chengdu speciality, though visitors may find it varies from the international version they’ve sampled before. Marinated chicken is briefly tossed in a wok with chillies, peppercorns and other spices. The chicken is stir-fried with vegetables and peanuts or cashews.

Zhangcha duck is another truly unique specialty served in Chengdu’s finer restaurants. The duck is marinated in Chinese wine, ginger, peppercorns and garlic, and then smoked over smouldering tea and camphor leaves. The duck is then steamed and finally fried until crispy.

A favourite way for locals to enjoy an evening meal out is around the ubiquitous hotpot, in which an assortment of herbs, spices, skewered vegetables and meats are boiled. The restaurant staff tabulates the bill based on the number of skewers ordered. Hotpot restaurants widely available throughout the city centre and even into the countryside. These are typically open-air establishments that marry excellent, well-priced food with good conversation and people-watching.

While the city of Chengdu itself is relatively flat and cosmopolitan, the hinterland quickly becomes rugged. Outdoor activities in the city centre consist primarily of relaxing afternoons in Renmin Park or a leisurely cycling tour around the city; however, the most popular activities (all of which can be booked in Chengdu) transfer tourists to the mountains and rivers of the countryside. Remote Buddhist monasteries offer accommodation to trekkers, and lavish cruises travel the Yangtze from neighbouring Chonqing and connect as far afield as Shanghai.

Boating
Chengdu' s Renmin Park is organised around a lake that offers pedal-boats for hire. Beyond this, those who yearn for more elaborate excursions can visit local a local travel agency and arrange a river cruise (which requires transfer to a neighbouring city). The most sought-after cruise launches from Chongqing (four hours, 30 minutes east) and plies the Yangtze River. These cruises take in all of the best natural and historic sights including Shibao Zhai Monastery, the City of Ghosts and Three Gorges Dam. Cruises cater for a variety of budgets and are available in varying lengths.

Cycling
Cycling is an excellent way to see the sites of Chengdu as the land is relatively flat with many of the city’s primary attractions within reasonable cycling distance of one another. There are numerous hotels, guest houses and shops that hire bicycles of varying styles and sizes. It is important to have a map of the city as many streets are ambiguously named. If you would like to tour the city with a guide, consider signing on with a group tour. Doing so frees you up to enjoy the sights along with their English-language narrative without troubling yourself with directions.

Trekking
The countryside surrounding Chengdu is home to mountainous terrain well-suited for organised or independent treks of varying length. Mt Emei (Emei Shan) is a UNESCO World Heritage site less than 100 miles south of Chengdu. It peaks at 10,000 ft and hosts 70 Buddhist monasteries (many of which provide accommodation). Widely considered the first Buddhist stronghold in China, Mt Emei boasts a well-marked hiking trail that provides access to all the major sites. For those who’d rather not hike (or hike less), a bus ascends the mountain, making multiple stops along the way. A cable car from the last bus stop ascends the final peak.