Do you like watching giant panda videos? Well, who doesn’t, right? Especially when it’s giant panda babies rolling around. If this is your vibe, there’s one place I highly recommend you visit: the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, China.
Is China Open for Tourism?
First off, is China open for tourists? Definitely.
There are no more public health restrictions, no COVID testing needed, and if it’s important for you to know, you no longer need to wear a mask when you travel in the country.
All you need to enter China, of course, is your passport and for many nationalities, a visa. Philippine nationals can apply for a Chinese visa in Makati City. I’ve done it twice, and although I can say it’s easy to get, it can also consume a lot of time just waiting for your number to be called in the embassy.
Canada and U.S. citizens may apply for a multiple entry, 10-year Chinese visa (so envious!) and make their visa applications quick and easy through online services as Visa Express. No need to leave the house or waste hours waiting around in the embassy!
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Located 10 km north of the city center, the 100-hectare Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is well-known for protecting and breeding endangered giant pandas and other animals unique to China. It was built as a conservation and breeding base for six sick giant pandas rescued from the wild in the 1987. The landscape inside the base was developed to create a natural and mentally-stimulating environment for the pandas. To call it a “zoo” is a huge disservice to what it actually does!
Over the past decades, the research facility had bred over 170 fetuses and 260 giant pandas. Today, it houses more than 200 giant pandas, making it the largest giant panda research base in the world.
From November to February, the Chengdu panda base is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closing at 5:30 p.m.). From March to October, the center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closing at 6 p.m.). Tickets cost RMB 55 for adults and RMB 27 for kids. Those under 4.3 ft get in free. According to their website, all tourists must reserve their tickets online because there is no (more) ticket sales on site.
What to See in the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
While you might expect to get up close and personal with the baby pandas here, unfortunately, they don’t offer such interactive activity anymore as it could easily pass diseases to the little ones. Nonetheless, you can always content yourself with watching the pandas from afar and snapping plenty of no-flash photos of them.
Below are the major facilities you can visit while in the base.
No. 1 and No. 2 Giant Panda Enclosure
The enclosures keep the adult pandas and give them enough space to eat, play, and roll about. You will typically see them snacking on bamboo and chilling in the trees. During the midsummer season, most pandas prefer sleeping in their air-conditioned living quarters during the afternoon, so you might not see enough action.
Sunshine and Moonlight Nursery Houses for Giant Pandas
In the Sunshine Nursery House, you can find an outdoor section, where the older cubs climb the trees and play with each other. The younger cubs, on the other hand, are kept in the nursery enclosure. More visitors typically gather in front of the nursery than in the outdoor section so prepare for a thick crowd.
Meanwhile, the queue at the Moonlight Nursery House is far more organized with visitors lining up in a single file. You will get to see the adorable baby pandas sleeping in cribs and be able to take some photos.
Red Panda Enclosures
There are three sites dedicated to red pandas on the base: the No. 1 Red Panda Playground, No. 2 Red Panda Playground, and Red Panda Nursery House. These animals are as adorable as the giant pandas, but not many visitors come see them.
Panda Story Cinema
Here, you can watch a short film about the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. This will give you some background about the adorable animals and the role of the reserve in saving them from extinction.
Panda Discovery Center
This panda-themed interactive exhibition features a handful of touchscreens and activities that will provide you more information about pandas, including breeding, genetics, and nutrition.
Chengdu Giant Panda Museum
There are actually two museums inside the base, both of which can be found close to the entrance. The new museum comes complete with virtual reality technology that makes you feel like you’re holding a real panda.
Swan Lake and Restaurants
This scenic picnic area houses swans in the lake and is an excellent spot to take a break in. You can also find two restaurants nearby, the Bamboo Restaurant on the southeastern tip of the lake and the Rose Garden Restaurant on the east bank. The former generally serves Chinese food while the latter caters to western visitors.
How to Get to the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
By Metro and Bus
If you’re coming from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, or the Chengdu East Railway Station, note that there are no available direct bus lines to the panda base. Instead, take the nearest metro and transfer to Metro Line 3.
To reach the West Gate, take Metro Line 3 to the Chengdu Junqu General Hospital Station. From Exit B, walk toward Yulei Crossing to the bus stop, and take Chengdu Public Transport Group’s Bus 409. You can also take Bus 110 (bound for Gingko Park), get off after one stop at the Yulei Road and Cuiwei Road Intersection bus stop, and walk 500 meters to the West Gate.
To go to the South Gate, take Metro Line 3 to the Panda Avenue Station and take Bus 408. You can also take Metro Line 3 to Metro Chengdu Zoo Station and take Bus 655 (bound for Xindu Passenger Transportation Hub). After nine stops, get off at the Panda Base bus stop and walk for a few minutes to the South Gate.
By Taxi
There are plenty of taxis available in the city center that you can hail for around CNY 50-70 (around CNY 100 from the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport) depending on the traffic. If you take this option, make sure to ask your hotel to write down the name of the research base since most drivers don’t speak English.
You can also take a Didi (the Chinese version of Uber), which can cost roughly CNY 31 for half an hour drive.
Tips for Visiting the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
The best times to visit the base is around 8 a.m. when the pandas are most active for breakfast time. However, be prepared for the long queues in the entrance as various tour groups arrive during this time, as well.
Once you are inside the base, you have the option to either walk your way around (takes about three hours) or board a shuttle bus for CNY 10 per person (takes around an hour or two). The line for the shuttle is crazy long, though, so you’re better off walking.
You can also avail of the tour guide for hire at the entrance to get to know the research center better. No worries, though, as they have English-speaking guides. The price varies depending on the size of your group.
Consider seeing the adult pandas first as most visitors want to get a glimpse of the adorable cubs right away. The nurseries attract the thickest crowds, so you have the chance to enjoy the adult enclosure to yourself.
The research base doesn’t always have baby pandas around. If you want a higher chance of seeing one, time your visit on August or September when the pandas usually give birth.
When taking photos of the giant pandas, make sure to turn off your flash as the pandas’ eyes are sensitive to light. Don’t feed them with your own food, and avoid picking the bamboo around to feed them with since the staff provide them with daily ration of food.
See my video below of baby pandas rolling around!
