Leshan City, famous for Leshan Giant Buddha, is one of the must-see destinations for most travelers who visit Sichuan. It is about two hours’ drive from Chengdu. Visitors can reach the top of the great Buddha, and climb down from its head to feet, or take a river cruise in front of the Buddha Statue. Also, we highly recommend the delicious local food to you.
Leshan is a national historical and cultural city, the country's first batch of open cities, national green model cities, China's outstanding tourist cities, national garden cities, and national health cities. Leshan has three world-class heritage sites - the world's natural and cultural heritage - Emeishan and Leshan Giant Buddha, the world's irrigation project heritage Dongfengyu, 15 national level 4A scenic spots and above, and 35 national A-level scenic spots.
Leshan Giant Buddha
Recommended Length of Visit:
- 0.5 ~ 1 day
Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area is the must-see highlight of Leshan City. The world-famous Giant Buddha, carved into the western river cliff face of Lingyun Mountain, was included by UNESCO on the list of the World Heritage sites in 1996. Praised as the largest and the tallest carved stone Buddha Statue in the world, the Giant Buddha stands 70 meters tall. What makes the Giant Buddha so amazing is not only because of the huge size, but also the drainage system made of hidden gutters and channels. Because of this complex system, rainwater can be drained off, and the inner parts of the Buddha can keep dry and survive intact till now. Information on the nearby Jiajiang Thousand Buddha Grotto.
Leshan is also one of the best places to try authentic Sichuan Food. Read more on Sichuan Food in Leshan .
The opening hours of the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Spot:
1st, April – 7th, October (Peak Seasons ): 07:30 – 18:30
8th, October – 31st, March (Low Seasons ): 08:00 – 17:30
Once you choose to take the train to Chengdu, please pay attention to which railway station you get off the train.
Ticket Fees:
How to Choose Between a Boat Tour and a Walking Tour to Leshan Buddha
- Visiting Leshan Giant Buddha (getting to the feet of the Buddha) – 80 RMB
- Taking a ship to enjoy the panoramic view of Leshan Giant Buddha – 120 RMB for economy ship without air-conditioner; 150 RMB for comfortable ship with air-conditioner.
Leshan is a subtropical climate zone with four distinct seasons. The rainfall is abundant, the water and heat are in the same season, and the frost-free period is long. The annual average temperature is between 16.5-18.0 degrees. You can go to visit Leshan Giant Buddha any time you want, but spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best seasons to visit. More about Leshan weather
Leshan City is located in the transition zone from the Sichuan Basin to the southwestern mountainous area. The highest point is the main peak of Ma'anshan in Yibian Yi Autonomous County, with an elevation of 4,288 meters. The lowest point is the Machangba Hanjiang exit of Xinmin Town, Qianwei County, with an altitude of 307 meters. The average elevation of whole Leshan is 500 meters, and an elevation of Leshan City is of 360 meters. More about Leshan Geography and Altitudes
Since there isn’t any airport in Leshan city, travelers who want to visit Leshan Giant Buddha can go from Chengdu city or Shuangliu International Airport directly by both highway or high-speed train.
The most convenient way to get to Leshan by train is to take the Chengmianle Intercity High-speed Train, which only takes about 45 minutes. The high-speed train will get to Leshan Railway Station. There is also a North Railway Station for ordinary trains to this city.
Travelers can take private cars or long-distance buses from Chengdu downtown, or Shuangliu International Airport to Leshan City. It takes about 2 hours. There are two downtown bus centers offer scheduled air-conditioned long-distance coaches from Chengdu to Leshan city. One is Xinnanmen Bus Station and the other is Shiyang Bus Station.
How to visit Leshan and Leshan Giant Buddha? It depends on your days, budget and travel style. Tourists usually travel from Chengdu to Leshan. Stay several hours in Leshan to see the Giant Buddha, then return back to Chengdu, which is the classic one day tour. After Leshan Giant Buddha vist, go to Emeishan and return to Chengdu on the 2nd day, which is also very popular for tourists who have 2 days to explore Leshan and surrounding. Below are 3 recommended Leshan Giant Buddha tours:
For people who have only two or three days in Chengdu, this is the ideal trip. You will go to Dujiangyan Panda Base to have a full day's panda volunteering project to contribute your own effort to protect our Giant Panda. On the second day, you will be taken to visit the world famous Leshan Giant Buddha which is only two hours' driving away from Chengdu.
Classic guided Mt. Emei and Leshan Buddha Tour to explore world cultural heritage and immerse yourself in the cultural places of Mt. Emei and Leshan.
