Last updated by Magda Sawyer in November 2024
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Introduction
Whether you are already in love with the cute giant panda, you are travelling with kids who are in love with them, or are just passing by Chengdu and don't know how to fill your time there, Panda Breeding Research Center is a popular stop on tourist map.
Reading this article you will find out how to get to the center, when is the best time to go, what to expect and, most importantly, how to buy tickets (as it is probably the hardest part of seeing pandas).
Where is Panda Breeding Research Center and how to get there?
Panda Breeding Research Center is located in the outskirts of Chengdu. The options to get there include taking a metro (and a shuttle bus), a taxi or joining an organised tour. I highly recommend simply taking the metro as it is very easy and cheapest way to do it.
- Metro: For the budget-conscious traveler, the Chengdu metro offers a reliable and affordable option. Take Line 3 to "Panda Avenue (熊猫大道)" station and take a shuttle bus there to the main entrance.
- Taxi: If speed and comfort are your priorities, a taxi is the way to go. Taxis are readily available at the airport and throughout Chengdu. The ride from the airport should take approximately one hour, depending on traffic conditions. Remember to have the address of the center written down in Chinese characters for clear communication with the driver.
- Organised Tour: Many travel agencies offer tours that include round-trip transportation to the center, often combined with other Chengdu attractions. This option can be a good choice if you prefer a hassle-free experience and might provide additional insights from a knowledgeable guide.
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Why is Panda Breeding Research Center worth visiting?
If you are planning a visit to Chengdu during your China adventure (which you should, even if only to try excellent Sichuan cuisine), Panda Breeding Research Center is a must-see! Pandas are the symbol of the city and are beloved across China, which is their only natural habitat.
If you are travelling with kids, pandas are the best way to sell them an idea of a trip to China - this is what we did at least. But even if you are an adult, it is still making a trip there - it is a unique place where there is a lot of effort put in place to facilitate growing China's endangered panda's populations, whose population has been collapsing due to the destruction of their natural habitat during China's rapid urbanisation. Thanks to the conservation efforts, pandas are no longer considered an endangered species and their population is slowly increasing, currently standing above 1800.
When is the best time to visit Panda Breeding Research Center?
While seeing these cuddly bears is a guaranteed highlight any time of year, there's a sweet spot for maximizing your panda experience. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are widely considered the prime seasons. During these shoulder months, the weather is mild, making both you and the pandas comfortable. Pandas tend to be more active in cooler temperatures, which means you're more likely to see them munching on bamboo, frolicking in their enclosures, or even napping adorably in sunbeams.
However, there's a caveat for panda enthusiasts with a particular fondness for fluffy cubs. If you're hoping to catch a glimpse of these irresistible newborns, aim for your visit between July and September. This is peak cub season, and you might just be lucky enough to witness these wobbly balls of fur taking their first tentative steps.
Here's a quick tip: Avoid summer holiday, national holidays in China, especially around May 1st and October 1st, as the center can get crowded (China-style crowded, with few thousands of visitors daily), potentially hindering your panda viewing experience.
How to buy tickets to Panda Research Center?
Secure your tickets in advance (up to 7 days). It is stated on the website that you can only buy tickets in advance online, but we managed to get them on the spot (after queueing and being let in with kids skipping few hundreds of people ahead). We might have been treated with privilege because of our little kids, but as a foreigner you are likely to get some extra help and if tickets are still available they will help you buy them there.
- You can now purchase tickets using Trip.com - the interface is in English and the process is very straightforward, however you need a Chinese phone number.
- You can also buy tickets using WeChat using a Chinese mobile number. If you don't have one, ask in the hotel/hostel if they can help you buy the tickets using their phone number. However the purchase process is all in Chinese, so it is much easier to use Trip.com
Here you can scan the QR code in WeChat to try to buy the tickets.
I will post a detailed step-by-step on how to buy tickets using WeChat as (like many things in China) it is available only in Chinese.
Our personal experience
Even though we have gathered some experience travelling, and by the time we visited Chengdu we thought we understood travelling around China well enough, we still made a rookie mistake - we assumed we can just show up - as early as possible of course - at the Chengdu Research Base, THE tourist attraction of Chengdu, get a ticket and come in. It ain’t that easy!
Apparently pandas are most active in the morning so it is much better to come in the morning, so you should aim for that time. Visitors to the Chengdu Panda Base can see baby pandas during this time. But early should mean really early, as in at the time of opening the gates or before. I think we were there at 8:30 or so. When we got there I could feel our good spirit quickly evaporating, as we approach the crowd that could have been counted in thousands. Why were we surprised? After all, it is China and all the popular places are super crowded in the summer. The Chengdu Panda Base is a major attraction, so planning ahead is crucial.
But regardless of this we started queueing. Once in the queue, we managed to find out from somebody, that we need to get a ticket online, using WeChat, of course, where everything is written in Chinese, of course. They were kind enough to try to help us, but it quickly turned out you need a Chinese phone number to buy a ticket. Which we didn’t have - would have been so much easier if we did! The Chengdu Research Base offers detailed information on their website about ticket purchasing and visiting hours.
Magda
But having gotten so far, we decided to keep queueing regardless - we figured they will not turn us away at the gates with 2 kids after hours of queueing. And to our surprise, once we got to the information point - which annoyingly was already somewhere in the middle of the queue - things quickly got sorted.
The lady at the office first tried to help us buy ticket on WeChat and when that failed, she just let us buy a ticket at the terminal and let us get in without queueing. So in the end it worked out better than expected - and even better than it would have had purchased the ticket in advance. But knowing what I know now I would have definitely made sure we get a ticket in advance - I don’t want to imagine Hanna’s if couldn’t get our ticket to one attraction she was actually excited about.
So I do recommend trying to get your ticket ahead, as they have limits on the number of daily visitors. I am sure that if you ask in your hotel/hostel they can help you buy a ticket using their own phone number.
Pandas are definitely worth a trip! The Giant Panda Museum is a must-see attraction at the Chengdu Panda Base.
If you need inspiration for your visit in Chengdu, check out my post about our trip there:
Magda Sawyer
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