Leisure time in Chengdu

 Doing an internship in China, specifically in Chengdu is great! Where you work hard during the day for you company, you should also ‘play hard’ during your time off. Chengdu offers you many options to for your leisure time, varying from bars, clubs, restaurants, parks and many more. I always go out with my friends here to discover more from Chengdu and the beautiful Chinese culture. In this post I will give you some tips on what you can do during your time off, so that you can also fully enjoy your stay here in the capital of the PANDAS!

During the day: RELAX!

Massage

Need a break from your business or hospitality internship work week? Taking a massage or going to a bathhouse is a way the Chinese like to relax. It is relatively cheap, good for your body and mind, and you can stay there all day if you wish. You can go to enjoy a Chinese massage at many places in the city, but the best one is in the Nijaqiao district of the city. You can get there by taking metro line 1 and get out at the Nijaqiao district of the city. Take exit C, cross the street so that you walk West, then it is after 100 meters on your left side.

Price: Massages start from 70RMB

Visit a Park

There are many beautiful parks in China and Chengdu is no exception. It is also the place where the Chinese go to relax. They bring some music, food, family & friends and then just go there to relax all day. Going to one of those parks is a good way to learn more about the Chinese culture, and gives you possibilities to integrate with the Chinese people. It is also a nice way to practice your mandarin; have some tea and talk to the Chinese. The biggest park in Chengdu is People’s Park, easy to find since it has its own metro stop on line 2.  It’s a great break from your internship.

Price: Your metro ticket

Shopping

In case you like shopping, there are many options for you in Chengdu. There are more shops here than you could ever imagine. Since Chengdu has many rich people, there are plenty of beautiful shopping areas where you find all the most exclusive brands. In case your budget is a little lower, don’t worry! H&M and Zara are also here, so you do not have to worry about your credit card limit. Chunxi Road is the main shopping district of Chengdu, where you will find all the brands you ever wished for. It is easy to find by metro, just take line 2 and get out at Chunxi Road.

Price: Your metro ticket

Drinks

It is after 5pm or you found another excuse to have a drink or you want to sit after all that shopping? Well do not go anywhere, because near Chunxi Road you have some nice places to have some beers or wine. I suggest you go in the IFS Building (the one with the big panda hanging on the edge of the building) and go up to the roof. There you will find many bars where you can also sit outside and enjoy the afternoon sun. All the bars up there are good, most importantly is trying to find a nice table outside.

Dinner time: Wine & Dine

Of course there are many restaurants in Chengdu, with cuisines from all over the world. Since I do not like spicy food, I will give you some tips for some good Western restaurants.

Taikoo Li

When you want to take a break from the hospitality food, or are in need for some western food the Taikoo Li Area is the place to go! With several excellent western Restaurants including Element Fresh, blue frog and other grill & bar restaurants. Here you can enjoy all the Western food that you are missing from your home country, and on top of that; the English of the staff is excellent. Finding Taikoo Li is quite easy; take exit Chunxi Road at metro line 2, then walk towards the big Abercrombie & Fitch shop, cross the street and then you are in Taikoo Li. Since you are going to a Western place where they have to import most of their ingredients, prices are relatively high.

Price: For a drink and main course around 150/200 RMB

 Nuhi’s Deli

If you want to enjoy some classic Napolitana-style pizzas and focaccias, homemade pasta or fresh salads

I have another good suggestion for you; Nuhi’s Deli. In this small restaurant you will find Italian food like you are used to from the West, made with fresh ingredients and with passion by the friendly owner Nuhi. Reaching this place by metro is a little more complicated since it is not very near a metro station, so I would recommend taking a taxi. Show this address to the taxi driver, and you will reach Nuhi’s without any problems:  成都一环路南一段9号凯悦新城2楼9号(红瓦寺学府城对面)

Price: For a drink and main course around 150 RMB

Eight Trees

For the real connoisseurs amongst us, Eight Trees is the place to go! This restaurant has a Singaporean cuisine and is managed by an absolute perfectionist; everything you will try there has the most refined flavors. Singaporean may sound like Chinese food to you, but it is absolutely different; Singaporean food is less spicy and makes use of some great herbs and spices. On top of that, there selection of wines is absolutely amazing, this since the owner lived in France and is a great wine fanatic. Nice detail to mention: it is situated in one (and only) historic Christian church in Chengdu, so the ambiance is great as well.  Show this address to the driver: 成都平安巷9号(西华门街25号)

After Dinner: Time for some drinks

Vinoteca

Nice and elegant place where you can enjoy some good wines while listening to some live saxophone jazz music. They have a nice rooftop terrace as well, this is especially nice for the balmy evenings. Their name is already suggesting it (Vino means Wine), but they mainly serve wines, so in case you are a beer drinker, you might want to go somewhere else. Vinoteca is situated in the Taikoo Li area, therefore you have to take exit Chunxi Road at metro line 2. Walk towards the Abercromie & Fitch store, cross the street and there you will find Vinoteca on the left at the second floor.

Price: Bottle of wine starts from 150RMB

Flair

My favorite place in Chengdu to hang out, by far! If you want to enjoy some great drinks with an absolutely amazing view, you have to visit Flair. Flair is located at the 27th floor of the Ritz Carlton building, and is an elegant and trendy bar where you can enjoy the view in combination with some relaxing music. I suggest you dress up a bit more than for other places since it is a high-end bar. If your budget allows you, you can also enjoy some of the best Sushi in town at flair.

The address in Chinese is: 610017青羊区顺城大街269号成都富力丽思卡尔顿酒店25层

 Price: Beer starts from 50RMB, bottle of wine from 400RMB

Midnight: Clubbing

Muse

When you have some energy left, and you want to have some real clubbing party, go to Muse! Here you can party all night with both Chinese and Western people. In muse they play House, progressive house and techno music, which are the right components for some good party. So wear your dance shoes and hit the dance floor! Address in Chinese: 成都九眼桥太平南新街6号中海格林威治城

Price: Beer starts from 40RMB, cocktails from 60RMB

V Plus Lounge

If you want to enjoy some of the finest drinks with a nice view, the V Plus Lounge is the place to be! Located at the city center, at the Tianfu square, you can enjoy a nice view from the 37th floor. It is a good combination of some good music and some relaxing lounge atmosphere, while enjoying the view and drinks. You can go by metro to get out at Tianfu Square (Intersection point line 1 and 2), or you can take a taxi and show the driver this address: 成都天府廣場百揚大廈37F頂層

Price: Beer starts from 50 RMB, cocktails from 70RMB

TAG

For the best techno and music you have to go to TAG! This place is managed by Dutch guys who come from the techno scene in the Netherlands, and they know how to throw a party! Every week there are other (international) Dj’s performing at TAG, so you can dance all night long! Reaching TAG is not that hard; take metro line 1 and then get out at Nijaqiao, take exit c, walk towards the American embassy then follow the road until you reach the Poly Center buildings, Building A, 21st floor. Not feeling like taking the metro, show the taxi driver this address: 成都保利中心3栋A座21楼

Enjoy your time in Chengdu, it really is an awesome place to do an internship!!