China – February 2026
Let’s be honest. The only things I knew about Chengdu were that it’s the hometown of the giant pandas and the gateway to Tibet. The latter fact (along with the info that the taxi drivers are crazy) came from the great book “The hotel on the roof of the world”. Oh, and that the food like everywhere in Sichuan is extremely spicy. During my one week stay in the lgbt+ capital of China, I met lots of people who were visiting the city for the second or third time and I totally understand why they returned. First of all: the pandas are extremely adorable, and I’d go back only for them any time. Getting to the Panda Research Centre is straightforward thanks to the metro and dedicated tourist buses, and despite visiting around Lunar New Year, I have no trouble buying a ticket at the entrance. The first area is incredibly crowded, with long queues forming around some of the most famous residents. Many visitors seem determined to catch a glimpse of Hua Hua, whose popularity extends far beyond her enclosure and onto countless souvenirs sold throughout the park.
As someone who isn’t particularly familiar with the celebrity pandas, I don’t mind learning that she and a few others are taking the day off. Once I venture further into the sprawling grounds, the crowds become much more manageable and there are plenty of opportunities to watch pandas leisurely munching on bamboo or sleeping peacefully in full view of visitors. The red pandas are equally charming, whether chasing each other around branches or lounging high in the trees. The second reason why visitors love Chengdu, is the people. Compared to other parts of China and Eastern Asia in general, I find them to be very open and easy to make friends with. The hostel in the city center, where I stay, some locals also happen to hang out. That way it was super easy to find people to play cards with, chat and enjoy cultural activities like hotpot. One evening we join the crowds at Zouchuan Hotpot near Chunxi Road, a hugely popular restaurant where the meal comes with a side of entertainment. Between rounds of spicy Sichuan hotpot, performers take to the stage for face-changing shows.
Another night we end up going out in the nightlife district and only return to the hostel at around 4am. During those days of little sleep, I make friends with Zhou. He’s very intrigued by my suggestion to go skiing at Xiling Snow Mountain, about 95–110 km west of the city. Depending on traffic, it’s roughly a 2-hour drive from central Chengdu, so we recruit 2 other Chinese travellers to split the taxi fee with. On the agreed day, we meet early at Family Mart to buy some snacks for the trip. Just when we finish our Oden, the Didi arrives and we head off to the mountains. Once at the resort, we buy the tickets for the cable car and head up to the skiing area. Since my friends want to try snowboarding, I also opt for the “single board” rental. Like them, I’ve never tried it before. But being Swiss apparently somehow gives me an advantage (according to them). I wouldn’t agree, since all of us are equally bad and end up running over other newbies on the beginner’s hill time after time. Luckily, no one gets hurt and we all make it back to town in one piece that night.
The next day, I take it a little slower and explore the Wenshu Yuan Monastery and the nearby tea houses. I really enjoy the atmosphere with the people hanging out on the street side terraces, drinking tea and munching on pumpkin seeds in the sun. So, I end up strolling north. At one point, I pass Jinniu Pingfu Alley which is lined with market stalls on either side of the small street. The area feels more like the China I’ve seen in some of the Indie movies I like to watch and I stop in some places to chat with the ladies selling fresh noodles and homemade dumplings. We conquer the language barrier with Google Translate and one of the aunties even gives me some sightseeing advice. Then I continue my walk, until I finally reach Shahe Three-arch Ancient Bridge Park. The area is bustling with people dancing, gambling, doing calligraphy and playing Mahjong in the nearby tea houses.
Coincidentally, my week in Chengdu overlaps with the opening of the 2026 Chengdu Biennale, which transforms the city’s Tianfu Art Park into one of China’s largest contemporary art showcases. Under the theme Pulse of Life, the exhibition brings together hundreds of artists from around the world, with installations, paintings, sculptures and digital works spread across the vast museum complex. The Biennale offers a different perspective on the city, reflecting on everyday life, urban change and the rhythms of modern China. On the way back to the city center, I stop at People’s Park, one of Chengdu’s most beloved green spaces. Beneath the trees, groups of parents gather at the park’s famous marriage market, pinning handwritten profiles of their unmarried sons and daughters to notice boards in the hope of finding a suitable match. The scene feels both surprisingly traditional and remarkably practical, offering a fascinating glimpse into a side of modern Chinese society that persists even in one of the country’s fastest-changing cities.
This concludes my first visit to Chengdu. On my final night, I talk to the girl working at the front desk of my hostel and she spontaneously invites me to her hometown for the upcoming lunar new year. Read more about the Sichuan hospitality in the post I wrote about that event.
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