Location: Ya'an
Top Things to do in Ya'an
The 10 Best Things to Do in Ya'an, China
Ya'an in China, from Asia region, is best know for Nature & Wildlife Areas. Discover best things to do in Ya'an with beautiful photos and great reviews from traveller around the world here!
Restaurants in Ya'an
1. Bifengxia Panda Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 145 reviews
Nearest large town is Ya'an about 16km away.
Reviewed By Darron G - Taree, Australia
I came here with a group of 50 foreigners. There are many options in this big place. You can pay to enter the zoo for 150 RMB which includes a safari. We took the 118 RMB option to walk the gorge and go to the Panda Base. First we took a 99 metre elevator down into the gorge. From there we walked over 2 hours past several Waterfalls to the Panda Base. (The signs say 3 and a half hours) There is even one spot where there are hanging coffins on a cliff face. An excellent workout! The Panda Base is very spacious, with big distances between some enclosures. There are shuttles that help bridge the gap if you don't want to walk. The Panda have bigger enclosures than at Chengdu. There are nowhere near the same sorts of crowds, so it was much easier to get a good look at the Panda. Finished the day with complimentary tea and popcorn that came with our ticket.
2. Mengding Mountain Tourist Area
Overall Ratings
4 based on 9 reviews
Reviewed By Darron G - Taree, Australia
The day I came it had rained in the morning and was clearing. The result was quite good visibility when there would usually be a haze. Being April Sichuan has turned a beautiful dark green, except for the numerous light green Ginkos that are on the mountain. Lots of mature trees and near the summit are some ancient large Ginkos. On arriving at the mountain we saw a giant teapot which was great for group photos. Then we did some tea picking for an hour. Caught the cable car up the mountain for 15 rmb per person for one direction. There is a restaurant and a temple up there. Walk through the temple to get to the track to the summit where there is a fairy maiden statue and an imperial tea garden. Great views of the countryside and Ya'an city from the mountain. Overall a fun day.
3. Erlangshan Scenic Resort
4. Ya'an Bifeng Canyon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 82 reviews
Reviewed By Blankaon - Roznov pod Radhostem, Czech Republic
We decided to connect panda zoo visit with canyon hike. Admission 118 RMB - quite pricey. But we really liked it! First, take a bus to panda zoo. After you finish visit, return back to zoo gate, go left, pass some houses, let check your ticket and you are on the top of canyon. It starts with a small artificial pool and stream continues through rocks. You can admire magnificent waterfall, tombs, Bridges, pools ... It is not a long walk, about 7 km but take it better slowly (3-4 hours). End of the hike is a tall lift taking you back to visitor centre
5. Shangli Ancient Town
Overall Ratings
4 based on 59 reviews
Reviewed By butterflyrach - Liverpool
The existence of this historical continues only due to the large numbers of tourists who fill the streets and local shops. Without tourists there would be little to it, yet it caters well for visitors by having salespeople speaking varying languages, easy to spot prices and food ready to grab and go. The town is great for photos and you can get into the river, crossing the stepping stones or bridge for best shots. Getting to and from here is hard, as you must use the taxi vans,which rely on being full and having unknowing foreigners pay out more than they should for the short journey to Ya'an or Bifengxia base (around 30mins) If you're going in a taxi or bus route, make sure you only pay to 5yuan fee and state clearly where you want to get off (even write it down or get a local to do so) Also tell the driver to leave as soon as possible otherwise they wait for every seat to be full so you may be waiting up to an hour, or you can threaten to get in another vehicle, so hold on to your cash until the engine has started.
The shops all sell similar souvenirs, many of which have pandas on or are traditionally Chinese. The prices are good in comparison to other tourist sites such as the Bifengxia base, but wander into neighboring shops you may find them cheaper so have a look around first and perhaps barter with the shopkeepers before you buy, especially on more expensive items.This is best place to stock up on snacks, drinks etc as there are many convenience stores and much cheaper than on site or small stall prices.
If you go from 5pm onwards, the streets fill with bbq grills which serve all sorts of meat/fish/veg on sticks and the smells are mouth watering so hard not to stop and taste some interesting bbq food, and very low prices. Chicken foot may not be your favourite but if done on the bbq it's probably the best it's going to taste and a cultural experience for sure!
6. Yazhou Gallery Bridge
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 19 reviews
Reviewed By Happiestbaby - Portland, Oregon
Always under construction, the Yazhou Gallery Bridge has a covered walkway with several high end shops to entertain your curiosities.
Coffee shops, restaurants, tea shops, hand bags, leather goods, wood carvings, and a bathroom should give you something to do.
You only need about 20-30 minutes to check everything out.
7. Dongla Mountain Shenmu Base
8. Ya'an Huaguo Mountain
9. White Horse Spring
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By inthaihill - Bangkok, Thailand
This was second time I had visited this location, the first while an instructor at Southwest Jiaotong University - Emei Branch in 2008 At the time I was interested mostly in Mengding Mountain as the first plantation of tea cultivated in China. Also as the original location of the panda bears of Sichuan. IN 2008, the site was just a site with a small shack and single caretaker. It was one of the most beautiful sites I had seen with the temple sitting in back of the Springs in the backdrop of a beautiful forested mountain. I was taken by the ancient carvings and stone structures not knowing at the time it was a genuine Tang Dynasty location (built under Emperor Zhenguan's reign in AD627). I was anxious to get back to see it when we visited Ya'an again in April 2017.
With me was my dear friend and Leshan Artist Ai Yun Hua. He was as anxious to see it for the first time as I was because he was familiar with it's history. The morning we visit the rain had been falling all night and was still coming down relatively hard. We both silently walked around taking pictures. I felt as if Mr. Ai was taking pictures for the expressed purpose of painting the scene in some future masterpiece. Knowing what this place represents to me was exciting but for those just looking at historical sites without knowing its history, it may be just average. Even with the rain (which gave it an interesting look) both Mr. Ai and I were extremely happy with our visit.
10. Mt. Zhougong National Forest Park in Ya'an
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