Leshan

Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area is the core of Leshan, a city rated as "World Cultural and Natural Heritage" by UNESCO. This city is famous for its integration of Buddhism, mountains, water, and city.

Method 1: Mountaineering and Hiking (Nine Curve Trail)
Experience: Enter from the north gate of the scenic area, tour along the trail, and finally arrive at the top and foot platforms of the Buddha statue. You can observe the Buddha up close and from multiple angles, feeling its grandeur.
Highlights:
Buddha Head Observation Deck: Look at the Buddha's face and feel its solemnity.
Nine cornered boardwalk: Winding down the steep cliffs on the right side of the Buddha, it is very steep and exciting, and can capture a full body portrait of the Buddha. Downward one-way traffic, with long waiting times during peak seasons.
Buddha Foot Platform: Looking up at the 71 meter high Buddha, the shock reaches its peak.

Method 2: Boat Tour
Experience: Take a boat at the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area Tourist Center or Wuyou Temple Wharf to the confluence of the three rivers, where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the Giant Buddha and the "Reclining Buddha" natural landscape.
Highlights:
Panoramic perspective: The best way to take standard commemorative photos is to see the full view of the Buddha at once.
Watching the "Giant Sleeping Buddha": It is composed of Wuyou Mountain, Lingyun Mountain and Dongyan Mountain. The Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area is just at the heart of the "Sleeping Buddha", implying that "the heart is the Buddha".
Advantages: Time and effort saving (about 30-40 minutes), relaxed and comfortable, avoiding crowded crowds on the mountain, unique perspective.
Disadvantage: Unable to experience details up close.

Leshan is widely recognized as a food paradise in Sichuan, with a wide variety of snacks and outstanding flavors.
Stilted Beef: Suji Ancient Town is the most authentic, with clear soup and boiled beef offal, which is incredibly delicious.
Sweet skinned duck: Red-Stewed Duck with crisp and sweet skin and tender meat can be packed and taken away.
Bowl chicken: cold pot skewers, with two flavors of oil and bell pepper, spicy and delicious.
Bean curd jelly served with sauce: bean curd jelly served with sauce in Leshan is different from others. Steamed beef/fat sausage, crisp meat, etc. are added to it, which makes it taste rich.
Spicy Hot Pot: Leshan is an important birthplace of Sichuan style Spicy Hot Pot.
Fried skewers, chicken feet, ice noodles and other snacks are also very distinctive.
Recommended areas: Zhanggongqiao Food Street (popular among tourists), Jiaxing Road Food Street, Dongdajie (also frequently visited by locals).
Advantages: Deep experience, touchable history.
Disadvantages: Long time consumption (about 3-4 hours), certain physical requirements, and crowded queues on the boardwalk during peak seasons.