Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Chengdu China and Its Amazing Pandas




Expert Author Nagib Georges Araman
Chengdu's Shuanglui International airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. This makes the city an important international transport hub for the country. In addition, Chengdu is also the known gateway to the fascinating country of Tibet. In fact, once you step into this Chinese city, it is not hard to encounter Tibetans or taste Tibetan food. Just to its west lie two incredibly scenic natural areas, which are the Huanglong National Park and Jiuzhaigou National Park.
But Chengdu is much more than just a place of transit. It actually offers travelers an opportunity to see marvelous attractions and enjoy authentic cultural experiences. After spending a few hours exploring the city, you will soon find that it is quite laidback and has a lot of green space, making it a very livable city despite its massive size. Once here, don't forget to try out a local tea house at the riverside or the Kuanzhaixiangzi area, which is adorned with streets were built during the Qing dynasty.
At the center of Chengdu is Tianfu Square, marked by the large statue of Chairman Mao. Come by the square at noon or early evening and you will be treated to a water show accompanied by music. If you are looking for lively local action, take a walk along the old street called Kuanzhai Lane, or the People's Park where there is always some kind of singing, dancing and other forms of entertainment going on.
A visit to Chengdu is never complete without taking a closer look at the cuddly and adorable giant pandas. You can find these endangered creatures at the Chengdu Panda Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which is the largest facility of its kind in the world. The primary objective of the Panda Base is to spearhead wildlife conservation efforts by promoting educational tourism instead of the novelty approach.
Currently, the research center takes care of about 60 giant pandas, but it is also home to black-necked cranes and red pandas. Aside from seeing the pandas up close, the facility is also equipped with a museum and a theater that showcases documentaries about these famous endangered animals. There is also a restaurant where you can dine as well as some stalls for souvenir shopping The best time to visit the panda center is in the early in the morning, at around 8 to 9 AM when the pandas are wide awake ready for feeding.
Nestled on Futou Mountain in a setting that simulates that panda's natural ecological environment, the Panda Base is only 10 kilometers north of Chengdu. You can easily ask your hotel or hostel to arrange a trip to the research center for you. Another option is to take a taxi from the downtown area or the public bus.
If you are unable to make it all the way to the center, you can always visit the Chengdu Zoo, which also houses panda bears as well as other interesting array of animals. If you still have a day at the Chengdu area, make your way to the Giant Buddha in Leshan, considered to be the largest one in the world.

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