Chunxi Road & Taikoo Li, Chengdu
Downtown shopping, the climbing panda and the city's most convenient base

The appeal of Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li is that everything is packed into one space. Step out of the metro and you are among the shops; turn into Taikoo Li and you find an old temple courtyard; look up and a giant panda is gripping a tower. Then, as evening comes, the neon switches on across the whole district at once and the crowds get thick enough to weave through — this is Chengdu at its most energetic and loud, a long way from the laid-back, tea-in-the-park image many people carry of the city.

• 1
  If you want to shop and bag the landmark photo

  Shopping · IFS Panda · Photo Spots

  The shot every visitor comes to Chengdu for is the giant panda climbing the IFS tower — a round rear and two paws poking out of the corner as if it is hauling itself up for the view. You can photograph it from the street for free. Shopping runs the full range, from fast fashion on Chunxi Road to luxury flagships inside Taikoo Li and IFS, all within one walkable radius.

• 2
  If you want great food without walking far

  Hotpot · Street Snacks · Mall Dining

  The streets around Chunxi Road are a feeding ground — fiery Sichuan hotpot joints, proper Chengdu street snacks to eat as you walk, and air-conditioned mall restaurants when you need to rest your legs. Come in the evening and the smell of chilli and Sichuan pepper, plus the queues outside the famous spots, is simply the local atmosphere.

• 3
  If you like old and new side by side

  Daci Temple · Heritage in a Mall · Quiet Corners

  Daci Temple in the middle of Taikoo Li is what makes this area unlike any other mall. You can walk from a luxury storefront into the old temple courtyard in a few steps, swapping the in-store playlist for chanting and incense in an instant. It is a rare pocket of calm in the middle of the rush.

• 4
  If you want an easy-transport base

  Metro Line 2/3 Interchange · Best Base

  For a first trip to Chengdu, this is the best-connected place to sleep. Metro Lines 2 and 3 cross directly beneath the area — step out of your hotel, drop down to the metro and you can reach the panda base, Tianfu Square, the rail station and the airport with only a change or two.

The advantage of sleeping near Chunxi Road is the easiest transport in the city. Metro Line 2 (east–west) and Line 3 (north–south) cross at Chunxi Road station, directly beneath the area. From here you reach the panda breeding base, Tianfu Square, Chengdu East railway station and the airport without worrying about traffic. The other plus is that food and snacks are all around you — however late you get back, you can still find something to eat.

The trade-off to accept is that the area is busy and tourist-heavy — evenings are crowded and noisy. If you want to wake up to quiet and old-town atmosphere, the Kuanzhai Alley area suits better. But weighing convenience against calm, most first-time visitors choose the convenience of Chunxi Road — and rarely regret it.