The Giant Pandas of Chengdu

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, on the edge of the Sichuan capital, is the best place in the world to see China's beloved national icon, the giant panda. A spacious park set among bamboo groves that doubles as a conservation and breeding centre for the endangered bears, it lets visitors watch pandas of all ages, from tiny, fragile cubs in the nursery to adults munching bamboo and clambering, at close and often comical range.

What to look for

• The giant pandas - the bears munching bamboo and clambering about.
• The panda nursery - the tiny newborn cubs, in season.
• The red pandas - the smaller, red-furred cousins also kept here.
• The bamboo park - the lush grounds designed for the animals.

When to go

Year-round, though the pandas are most active in the cool of the early morning, especially at feeding time, so go at opening; they laze and sleep in the heat of the day. Spring, when cubs may be in the nursery, and autumn are the mildest seasons.

Before you go

Go at opening, as the pandas are active only in the cool morning and largely sleep by midday, when it is also most crowded. It is a serious conservation and breeding base rather than a zoo, though it is very popular and busy. The tiny cubs are only in the nursery seasonally, so their presence is not guaranteed.

Nearby

Chengdu's old streets, teahouses and the Leshan Giant Buddha are within reach.