Things to do in Chengdu

Having spent the last few days in Chengdu, here are some suggestions of how to entertain yourself, based purely on my recent experiences. As the photo suggests, there may be some cuteness involved.

The hotel we stayed at was a new place called Steam Hostel. I was a little put off when we were dropped off at a gate with “Sichuan Lifeng Chemical Co. LTD” emblazoned across the top, but we got taken around the corner to discover a picket fence wrapped around a shady courtyard and the hostel “front desk” – a hole in the wall sort of setup. It was run by a guy with a love of Radiohead and Pink Floyd who could often be found jamming in the courtyard. There’s an X-Box hooked up to a big screen projector, a foosball table and a reasonably well stocked bar. Would very happily stay there again.

There was no gig on our first night in Chengdu, so it was suggested we check out the night markets. A series of food stalls (ate some fantastic chilli beef wrapped in bamboo leaves), bars (all coloured lights and guys singing and playing along to midi tracks) and souvenir shops lined a crisscross of red lanterned laneways. Very enjoyable way to spend an evening, and also an easy way to have a meal without eating too much.

China Lesson No. 2: If you ever ask if what you’ve just ordered is enough, the answer will be no. Most of the sit down meals we’ve eaten have been way over catered. I’m pretty sure it’s not just us not eating our share…

Think of Chinese wildlife and you probably think of pandas. Chengdu is home to Chengdu Panda Base, a panda breeding centre, and with time to spare, how could we not visit? It’s worth taking on the early morning traffic to get there first thing; feeding time is around 9am, and after that the pandas spend most of their day sleeping. The park is quite large, with pandas separated into different areas based on their ages. I was fully prepared for a distant glimpse of black and white fur that didn’t move, so it was quite amazing to see them up close, wrestling for food, climbing around and generally being active. At Chengdu Panda Base they do in fact have pandas of both varieties – great (the black and white ones) and red (the, well, red ones), though they’re only very very distantly related species, but it’s certainly the great pandas that steal the show (and are the only ones that feature on the merch).

Last but not least, you could probably check out a gig or two whilst in Chengdu. We played at a place called Little Bar, which had a pretty cool vibe, and the crowd were quiet and respectful once again – still getting used to that.