Until I landed in Chengdu, I wasn’t sure if I could truly like China. The food I ate at the beginning wasn’t very good, it was kind of hard to meet other backpackers (there are a lot of locals in hostels), I had a weird experience in Zhengzhou, the shock was simply everywhere around me.
And then, I met Chengdu. First, this was simply heaven compared to the rest of this trip. Second, it’s the place you want to be to be cheered up by pandas. Finally, it’s ideal to meet backpackers and expats!
Seeing the Pandas
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Looking at a panda is unreal. It’s a perfect meditation for the soul. They simply look so happy out there and this, my friend, was a perfect moment in China!
Hidden temples and villages
Chengdu is hiding some amazing bits of history across its streets. If you walk around, you can discover temples, markets and old villages. If you want to experience the spiciness of Chengdu, you’ll be happy to discover local restaurants (plus, it’s so cheap!).
You can’t imagine what you can find behind all these old buildings. You might not be able to spot it straight away, but once you do, you’ll simply enjoy it!
I’d recommend you go for a long walk and at some point, let the magic happen!
Encounters on the road
One of the main reasons why I like to travel so much is because of the encounters I make on the road. China is not a first-timer destination and the people I met in Chengdu were well-experienced travelers. I really enjoyed sharing stories and experiences with mature travelers and other expats.
I ran out of time, but I would have liked to visit Leshan and the big Buddha (which is around 2 hours and a half from Chengdu).
I stayed at Chengdu Mix Hostel which was simply amazing! The staff was lovely, friendly and they have great English skills. They also work closely with The Lazy Bone, which is a new hostel on the same street. I definitely recommend both places. They offer cheap tours, a free walking tour and pick up & drop off services.
I left China with fresh opinions. Once you manage to get over the shock, you realize you won’t have enough time to embrace China’s treasure. I really do hope I’ll get another chance to visit China so I can enjoy all the natural beauties you can find in this beautiful (and strange) country.
