Advice for Travelers to Chengdu

The pandas are totally worth it -- and definitely go, as all the guide books say, in the morning when the pandas are active.

While the Buddhist Wenshu temple is a famous draw, our overwhelming favorite was the Wenhua temple on the East of the city. We went right at dusk, it was cool and not crowded.

There aren't a lot of mid-range hotels in Chengdu. Just get thee a really nice one if you're so inclined. We stayed at the
Spring Business Hotel
No 80 Wen Miao Hou Jie
Chengdu
Sichuan
02886151666
for about $20 a night. Rooms were small, but very clean. And it was perfectly located right by Renming Park.

We got our hotel room through Jimmy who can organize everything -- tours, rides to and from the hotel (though these are three times the price of an easily-hailed taxi), and just getting you a place to stay in a city where getting a hotel room can be tough.
Jimmy is at 028 86062613 or jimmytour75@yahoo.com

Mr. Tray Lee -- whose business card boasts "A man who understands you in China" -- can offer a variety of very specialized tours on all aspects of the local culture from visiting a local kindergarden, to tea shops, to hospitals, to sichuan cooking school. His cell phone is 013908035353 or lee@rt98.com