No doubt,three most interesting things to do around Chengdu are, Panda,Dujiangyan Irrigation System and Leshan Buddha.
Unfortunatelly, 90% tourists couldn't able to find out the right way to do these amazing places.
Of the 3 attractions, Dujiangyan is the one least known despit it's the prettest place around Chengdu. So far, very few international tourists
visit this area, complete information about Dujiangyan is difficult to get.
90% tourists do the Dujiangyan in incomplete way like this, Front Entrance-Baopingkou-Feishayan-Yuzui-Anlan Bridge-Return back to Front Entrance,3km in total,2 hours.
However, the most beautiful sceneries are all at the opposite site of the river especially along the mountain Yulei.
A complete itinerary of the Dujiangyan should be like this
1, Start from the Entrance of the Yulei Mountain
2, Climb up through the Shidian(Ten Hall), visit Chenghuang Temple (Temple of the Town God), which is the National Heritage Site.
3, Following the Songmaogudao(Chinese松茂古道, ancient trail to Songpan,part of the Tea and Horse Road), visit the West Pass. Do climb up the West Pass to the Rhino-Fighting Platorm, it provides a perfect bird-eyes view of the whole irrigation system as well as the beautiful mountain range of Qingcheng.
4. You can walk uphill from West Pass to Yulei Pavillion(originally it was a military watching tower to defense Sichuan from Tibetan built 500Years ago) along the City Wall, but the steps are very steep. If you are not confident for the hike, skip it.
Keeping walking along the Songmaogudao to Yulei Pass, which is listed as one of the 100 best place for photography by Chinese National Geography.
5. Visit the Erwang Temple on the Yulei Mountain. The largest and most important Taoist Temple with the most beautiful Chinese traditional architectures in the region. A large number of Taoist Gods are worshiped there.
6. Walk cross the Anlan Cable Bridge to Yuzui.
7.Walk from Yuzui to Feishayan Spillway then to Fulong Temple, from where you will see how the river water is diverted to Baopingkou then to man made canal.
8. Don’t miss the Lidui Park(Qingxiyuan Bonsai Garden), home for numerous old bonsai trees, the oldest one is 1300 Years old.
9. Cross the Nanqiao Bridge, walk around the Guankou Old Town(West Street),where you can find some delicious Sichuan foods.
10. 250 meters down stream from Nanqiao is the Langqiao Bridge where the Canal first splits, very impressive to see how the canal splits into 3 channels.
It is about 8KM walk to do all the 10 steps,takes 4-6 hours in general, you see all sorts of things typical in Sichuan Province, making it as the best day trip from Chengdu.
