Did you know the natural power of giant pandas ranks next to brown bears and polar bears, more powerful than tigers? Yet recently giant pandas are famous just because they are cute or they eat and sleep all day.
Their natural strength has been a historical legend recorded in ancient China:
According to Chinese historical records, a mythological warrior named Chi-you (2730BC), actually used a panda as his mount while fighting with the Yellow Emperor. Although ending in failure, it was still with great historic significance.
However, sadly with time passing by and the environments changing all the time, giant pandas can only be seen in China, most of them in Chengdu, Sichuan.
What are Sichuan Giant Panda sanctuaries?
Since most giant pandas are gathered in Sichuan, China, it's no wonder that there has been so many giant panda sanctuaries out there, including eight nature reserves and nine scenic parks.
Nature reserves consist of : Wolong Nature Reserve, Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve, Mt. Siguniang Nature Reserve, Laba River Nature Reserve, Anzihe Nature Reserve, Heishui River Nature Reserve, Jintang-Kongyu Nature Reserve and Caopo Nature Reserve.
And Nine Scenic Parks comprise Dujiangyan Scenic Park, Mt. Tiantai Scenic Park, Mt. Siguniang Scenic Park, Xiling Snow Mountain Scenic Park, Mt. Jiguan-Jiulonggou Scenic Park, Mt. Jiajin Scenic Park, Miyaluo Scenic Park, Mt. Lingzhen-Mt. Daxue Scenic Park and Mt. Erlang Scenic Park.
Which Panda’s sanctuaries you visit?
Well, with so many sanctuaries listed above, you must be kind of lose your way that which place is better to go to. In order to save your time, personally I'll love to recommend these three destinations as references.
First of them definitely is Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, which is least farthest away from the downtown of Chengdu. The convenience of transportation and other famous tourist scenic spots nearby, like China Lane and Marquis Wu Temple, makes it really popular. What is more important is that here you could visit many young and little baby pandas, for the breeding research of giant pandas is the core mission of the base center. You could take videos and pictures with them in a pretty close range.
Opening times: 7:30am~18:00pm (Attention: 17:00pm will close the tickets.)
Admission Ticket: 58 CNY
Address: Outside Chengdu North Panda Avenue 1375, Chenghua Area, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China.
The second one is Bifeng Valley Panda Natural Reserve Area, which have been breeding many “celebrity pandas” well-known to the world as a friendship and peace ambassador, like Tuantuan and Yuanyuan for Taiwan, Beijing Olympic Panda and Shanghai World Expo Panda. It's also the first ecotypic wild zoo in China as well as the only wild zoo in Sichuan simultaneously. As what you heard that it is a valley, so you could enjoy a amazing natural view out there. Most of giants pandas there are the adult giant pandas, either sleeping or eating all day. Opening times: 9:00am~17:00pm
Admission Ticket: 180 CNY
Address: Bifeng Valley, Yucheng Area, Ya'an City, Sichuan Province, China.
About the last one I have to say is Wolong Giant Panda Reserve, which is the best place for giant pandas to exit in terms of the climate, natural environment and the forest density. There are more than 100 giant pandas in Wolong protection area. If you're lucky enough, you even could touch them and take photos with them. Besides giant pandas, many state-protected animals and plants like Golden Monkey also deserve to have a visit, as well as the wild giant panda observation station, giant panda museum, etc. At the same time you could do the science research there, pandas searching and adventure hiking.
Opening time: All day.
Admission Ticket: Depending on yourselves, here are some tourist projects provided: Giant Panda Museum: 20 CNY; Giant Panda Park: 60 CNY; Science Research of Giant Panda Trench: 98 CNY; Wild Giant Panda Searching: 360 CNY; Hiking Adventure at Zhenghe Trench: 120 CNY.
Address: Wolong National Nature Reserve, Wenchuan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous prefecture, Sichuan Province, China.
I guess most of you guys may choose Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base as your destination in order to save your time. But if you're working or studying in China, you can spend more time to visit different giant panda protection areas to enjoy various views of panda living environment.
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