I have covered the biggies in individual posts but here are a few other ideas in case you are looking for more ways to fill your time. Chengdu is a fascinating city, huge, I have only explored one very small area. Here are 5 free things to do in Chengdu that are fun, easy and offer an insight and taste of this interesting Chinese city. Use the AMaps App to search for these when you arrive.
Window Shop Wenshufang
Ok hear me out. Other places might be run of the mill and a little boring to window shop but I guarantee this is not one of those. The Wenshufang neighbourhood is an historical district near the Wenshu Monastery. The small lanes and alleys are filled to the brim with boutique shops and stores, each offering unique local and Chinese products.
Many of these stores offer free samples of the food they are selling and some are really interesting. Let’s start with the store selling silver ear mushrooms! You can’t miss it, these enticing, almost alien looking shrooms are right there for the touching and further inside, the tasting. Made into fruit drinks, try each flavour, the texture is thick like mucus, like snot, but the flavours are lovely!
The little lane near the monastery is lined with vendors selling traditional, religious and cultural items. Have a glance at the amazing assortment of beads and jewellery, as well as some oddities like severed dogs’ paws and Wenwan, walnuts used for dexterity. See the horn combs, fur and things I have no idea what they are.
Don’t miss the huge traditional house that has been transformed into a space to showcase local and regional alcohol of all types. There is even a museum at the rear that displays the ancient practice of flavouring the local baijiu with various herbs and things.
Dongqingshu Market
Tucked into an almost parking lot looking space on Kangzhuang Street, is a market selling all sorts of food. An authentic place to see what locals are purchasing to fill their belly’s. From raw meat including rabbits with the fur left on their paws, to cases full of all sorts of fresh noodles.
There are fruits and vegetables galore and even a back area filled with live fish in large tanks. Spices, herbs, tofu of all styles and types, there is everything here for a culinary experience and introduction into all things Chinese ingredients.
Walmart
Ok this is a strange one to place on a thing to do list, but if you are a regular reader, you will know I don’t just show you the popular places. Walmart. This one located in the Wenshu neighbourhood has a large sign on the outer wall, but you enter through plastic flaps and walk down a hall to reach the store itself. It is a sizeable space, two floors, the upper being all things household and liquor.
The bottom floor is entirely food. Absolutely fascinating to see what is available and a perfect place to pick up anything you need for your stay. Of interest to me is the ready-to-eat food which includes a variety of steamed buns, duck including the heads and other interesting pieces of meat.
If you had your power bank confiscated at the airport upon arrival like I did, this is a perfect place to pick up a replacement. This is my grocery haul including the power bank and new tripod, total for everything was $54 CAD. (Dental floss, 2pk lotion, blueberries, 1kg dried mango, power bank, tripod, large slab cake, 3 local fizzy drinks, 1 sm bottle baijiu, 1 pkg crisps, 2 lrg bottles water).
Jinsha Nunnery
There are two of these old nunneries in the Wenshu area and I’ll show you the Jinsha An one. It is small, hidden, constructed in the Qing Dynasty and used to be exclusive to only 10 nuns. Find it tucked behind the dermatology hospital on Caoshi Street, google link here. This is a functioning nunnery; visitors should be quiet and respectful as you explore the halls and garden. The day I entered, the nuns and local worshippers were seated in one of the large halls, chanting. Its was absolutely magical to stand still, under the ancient eave of the building, close my eyes and listen to these prayers and reverberating sounds.
Jinjiang River Walk
This beautiful waterway passes through the city of Chengdu and offers visitors a quieter place to walk and enjoy nature. In face a large portion has been transformed into a park called the Jinjiang Greenway. All along the river bank in this area are small local tea houses, filled with people playing dominos or chatting under the shade of trees. There are multiple bridges to cross back and forth and explore both sides. The river itself is quite shallow and the area I explored was filled with white egrets, feeding from the water. Street art, statuary and other types of décor fill this park with interesting things to see.
Chengdu is a fascinating place and what a joy it has been to explore as much as I have. Most of the city is very walkable, sidewalks in great condition, traffic obeying the laws and so much to see. If I can encourage visitors to do anything, it’s just to get out and hit the pavement. Daily life, people watching, street art, interesting and delicious food, traditional architecture, its all at your fingertips here and perhaps is the best feature of the city.
