Four lesser-known ancient towns within a 1-hour high-speed rail journey from Chengdu, brimming with Sichuan-style relaxation! Ladies! Tired of the crowds at Chunxi Road and looking for a peaceful escape from the city?
Four hidden gem ancient towns near Chengdu, just an hour away by high-speed rail 🚄, brimming with Sichuan's relaxed charm
Girls! Tired of the crowds at Chunxi Road 😮💨? Want to escape the city for some peace and quiet without going too far? These four Sichuan hidden gem towns, within an hour's high-speed rail journey, are less crowded, beautiful, and offer delicious food, perfectly capturing the essence of Sichuan's leisurely lifestyle. Perfect for a weekend day trip!
🌿Meishan·Qingshen Town|The Place of Su Dongpo's First Love·Hometown of Bamboo Weaving Art
🚄Transportation: Chengdu East → Meishan East Station (30 min), 15 min taxi ride to the town
✅Featured Itinerary: Visit the International Bamboo Art City to see the intangible cultural heritage bamboo weaving exhibition → DIY bamboo weaving in Bamboo Alley + check out the photos featured in variety shows 📸 → Boating on Hanyang Lake and enjoying fresh lake fish hot pot → Hiking to Zhongyan Temple to trace the footsteps of Su Dongpo's first love
✨Highlights: See the bamboo-woven "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" scroll, visit the Firefly Art Museum, and see the panda enclosure 🐼 if you have kids. The bamboo forest is incredibly soothing.
🍜Must-Try Foods: Hanyang peanut chicken, Qingshen river catfish, bamboo-scented cured meat, and local specialties like meat-filled rice cakes and Zhu Guo (a type of hot pot). Helmet, with shredded radish inside – absolutely amazing!
🚢Leshan·Luocheng Ancient Town|Noah's Ark on the Mountain Top – Full of Local Charm
🚄Transportation: Chengdu South → Qianwei Station (1 hour), then transfer to a bus for 30 minutes directly.
✅Featured Itinerary: Enjoy tea and watch locals play cards at the old teahouse on Boat-Shaped Street → Climb to a high point for panoramic photos of the "Boat in the Clouds" → Enjoy a beef feast at a traditional halal restaurant → Visit the Jiayang Railway Station along the way, passing through rapeseed fields🌼
✨Highlights: The boat-shaped old street built on the mountaintop is incredibly unique, without excessive commercialization. The old stage and teahouse offer authentic Sichuan flavors.
🍜Must-Try Foods: Freshly braised beef sandwich (so much meat it overflows!), Shanghebang's "Qiaojiao" beef, sweet and savory flavors. Ye'erba (a type of steamed rice cake)
✍️Mianyang·Qinglian Town|Hometown of the Poet Immortal·Full of Poetic Charm
🚄Transportation: Chengdu East → Jiangyou Station (1 hour), 15-minute taxi ride to the town
✅Featured Itinerary: Visit Li Bai's Former Residence, Longxi Academy + Taibai Stele Forest → Touch the Stone Lion for good fortune 🍀 → Stroll along Mozhen Creek to watch the sunset → Experience the atmosphere of the Poet Immortal at Jinzun Square
✨Highlights: This 4A scenic area hides many relics of Li Bai. Ximochi (Ink Washing Pond) and Fenzhulou (Powdered Bamboo Pavilion) are great places to visit. Watching the sunset by the creek in the evening is incredibly atmospheric.
🍜Must-Try Food: Jiangyou Fatty Intestines (braised/stir-fried/stewed are all delicious), Taibai Duck, and red oil dipping sauce – each bite is incredibly satisfying.
🧂Neijiang·Luoquan Ancient Town Zizhong Town | A Thousand-Year-Old Salt Capital: Slow Down Time
🚄Transportation: Chengdu East → Zizhong North Station (45 min), then transfer to a 40-minute bus ride.
✅Featured Itinerary: Visit the Salt God Temple to pay homage to the only Salt God in China → Explore the underground salt wells and hear the stories of salt production → Stroll along the five-mile-long cobblestone street and find old teahouses → Night tour of the ancient town and take photos of the lantern-lit night view🏮
✨Highlights: Filming location for "Let the Bullets Fly," ancient salt wells and old salt shops are full of historical charm, and the cobblestone streets are incredibly atmospheric.
🍜Must-Try Food: Luoquan tofu made with salt well water, spicy salt-style dishes (cold-cooked rabbit/jumping frog), Zizhong Qiuxi catfish—perfect for eating with rice!
💡Helpful Travel Tips
1. Book your high-speed rail tickets in advance. There are morning, noon, and evening trains available, making it easy to complete a day trip—saving money and offering flexibility.
2. The ancient town has many cobblestone streets, so wear flat shoes! A whole day of sightseeing won't tire you out!
3. Please don't disturb local residents when taking photos. Protect the environment of the ancient town and be a civilized tourist!
4. You can combine this with nearby attractions: Visit the Leshan Giant Buddha in Luocheng, and go to Fantawild Adventure Mianyang in Qinglian. Extend your trip for a more enjoyable experience!
Leave Chengdu's spicy and bustling city for a while. Come to these towns, have a bowl of tea, and enjoy authentic Sichuan cuisine. Let time slow down and heal all your fatigue! 💓
4 Off-the-Beaten-Path Ancient Towns near Chengdu, Within 1 Hour of High-Speed Rail 🚄, Full of Relaxing Sichuan Charm
Girls! Tired of the crowds at Chunxi Road? 😮💨 Want to escape the city for peace and quiet without going too far? These 4 hidden gem towns in Sichuan, within an hour of high-speed rail, are less crowded, have beautiful scenery, and delicious food. They perfectly capture the leisurely Sichuan lifestyle, making them ideal for a weekend day trip!
🌿Meishan·Qingshen Town|The Place of Su Dongpo's First Love·Hometown of Bamboo Weaving Art
🚄Transportation: Chengdu East → Meishan East Station (30 min), 15 min taxi ride to the town
✅Featured Itinerary: Visit the International Bamboo Art City to see the intangible cultural heritage bamboo weaving exhibition → DIY bamboo weaving in Bamboo Alley + check out the photos featured in variety shows 📸 → Boating on Hanyang Lake and enjoying fresh lake fish hot pot → Hiking to Zhongyan Temple to trace the footsteps of Su Dongpo's first love
✨Highlights: See the bamboo-woven "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" scroll, visit the Firefly Art Museum, and see the panda enclosure 🐼 if you have kids. The bamboo forest is incredibly soothing.
🍜Must-Try Foods: Hanyang peanut chicken, Qingshen river catfish, bamboo-scented cured meat, and local specialties like meat-filled rice cakes and Zhu Guo (a type of hot pot). Helmet, with shredded radish inside – absolutely amazing!
🚢Leshan·Luocheng Ancient Town|Noah's Ark on the Mountain Top – Full of Local Charm
🚄Transportation: Chengdu South → Qianwei Station (1 hour), then transfer to a bus for 30 minutes directly.
✅Featured Itinerary: Enjoy tea and watch locals play cards at the old teahouse on Boat-Shaped Street → Climb to a high point for panoramic photos of the "Boat in the Clouds" → Enjoy a beef feast at a traditional halal restaurant → Visit the Jiayang Railway Station along the way, passing through rapeseed fields🌼
✨Highlights: The boat-shaped old street built on the mountaintop is incredibly unique, without excessive commercialization. The old stage and teahouse offer authentic Sichuan flavors.
🍜Must-Try Foods: Freshly braised beef sandwich (so much meat it overflows!), Shanghebang's "Qiaojiao" beef, sweet and savory flavors. Ye'erba (a type of steamed rice cake)
✍️Mianyang·Qinglian Town|Hometown of the Poet Immortal·Full of Poetic Charm
🚄Transportation: Chengdu East → Jiangyou Station (1 hour), 15-minute taxi ride to the town
✅Featured Itinerary: Visit Li Bai's Former Residence, Longxi Academy + Taibai Stele Forest → Touch the Stone Lion for good fortune 🍀 → Stroll along Mozhen Creek to watch the sunset → Experience the atmosphere of the Poet Immortal at Jinzun Square
✨Highlights: This 4A scenic area hides many relics of Li Bai. Ximochi (Ink Washing Pond) and Fenzhulou (Powdered Bamboo Pavilion) are great places to visit. Watching the sunset by the creek in the evening is incredibly atmospheric.
🍜Must-Try Food: Jiangyou Fatty Intestines (braised/stir-fried/stewed are all delicious), Taibai Duck, and red oil dipping sauce – each bite is incredibly satisfying.
🧂Neijiang·Luoquan Ancient Town Zizhong Town | A Thousand-Year-Old Salt Capital: Slow Down Time
🚄Transportation: Chengdu East → Zizhong North Station (45 min), then transfer to a 40-minute bus ride.
✅Featured Itinerary: Visit the Salt God Temple to pay homage to the only Salt God in China → Explore the underground salt wells and hear the stories of salt production → Stroll along the five-mile-long cobblestone street and find old teahouses → Night tour of the ancient town and take photos of the lantern-lit night view🏮
✨Highlights: Filming location for "Let the Bullets Fly," ancient salt wells and old salt shops are full of historical charm, and the cobblestone streets are incredibly atmospheric.
🍜Must-Try Food: Luoquan tofu made with salt well water, spicy salt-style dishes (cold-cooked rabbit/jumping frog), Zizhong Qiuxi catfish—perfect for eating with rice!
💡Helpful Travel Tips
1. Book your high-speed rail tickets in advance. There are morning, noon, and evening trains available, making it easy to complete a day trip—saving money and offering flexibility.
2. The ancient town has many cobblestone streets, so wear flat shoes! You won't feel tired even after a whole day of sightseeing.
3. Please don't disturb the local residents when taking photos. Protect the environment of the ancient town and be a civilized tourist!
4. You can combine this with nearby attractions: Visit the Leshan Giant Buddha in Luocheng, and go to Fantawild Adventure Mianyang in Qinglian. Extend your trip for a more enjoyable experience.
Leave Chengdu's spicy and bustling atmosphere for a while, come to these towns, have a bowl of tea, and enjoy authentic Sichuan cuisine. Let time slow down and heal all your fatigue. 💓