Leshan Giant Buddha: Top Tips & Best Ways to Visit

The Leshan Giant Buddha is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of China's most impressive places to visit. Plus, it's close to Chengdu, an easy and pleasant day trip that will allow you to experience one of the country's wonders. Read on to learn the best tips for visiting the Leshan Giant Buddha, when to visit, and how to make your trip as memorable and smooth as possible.

Overview of Leshan Giant Buddha

Essential Travel Information

The impressive Leshan Giant Buddha towers over three rivers and is the biggest Maitreya Buddha carved into a cliff on the planet. Aside from its unique size and scope, this cherished Buddha has a long and proud religious history and is a regular pilgrimage destination for Chinese people.

Opening Hours and Tickets

We recommend that you spend about four hours visiting the Leshan Giant Buddha. This will give you enough time to see the Buddha.

• Distance from Chengdu: one hour by high-speed train or 149 kilometers away
• Opening Hours: 8 am-5:30 pm March to October, 8:30 am-5 pm November to February
• Ticket for the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area: 80 RMB.
• Ticket for the boat ride: 70 RMB

Historical and Cultural Significance

The Leshan Giant Buddha is one of China's most important places and a marvel of early engineering. This Buddha was constructed during the Tang Dynasty, took 90 years to build, and stands a full 71 meters high. Originally, its objective was to stand above the Qingyi, Dadu, and Minjiang rivers and protect the waters and the boats passing through them. Still, this Buddha became an important destination for pilgrims and people interested in Chinese history and culture over the years.

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Seeing the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area

Leshan Giant Buddha

Once you arrive at Leshan Giant Buddha, you can embark on a walking or boat tour. The boat tour costs an extra USD $9.65, and you can purchase these tickets either ahead of time or at the gate. We can also help you choose the best tour based on your needs.

Boat Tour

The boat tour is an excellent way to see the scenic area and Leshan Giant Buddha without breaking too much of a sweat. This tour lasts for around 1 hour, and you'll have the chance to capture amazing photos of the Leshan Giant Buddha from the water. One of the downsides to taking the boat tour is that you won't be able to see the details of the great Buddha statue.

Walking Tour

If you want to get really up-close and personal with the Leshan Giant Buddha and don't mind doing quite a bit of hiking, the walking tour is an excellent option and generally takes between 2 to 3 hours. Plus, you'll also be able to see more of the scenic area. Remember that parts of the walking tour are steep, and you'll need good shoes and a high fitness level to be comfortable on this journey. There are several stairs, especially around Nine Bends Plank Road, but you can't beat the views!

What to See in the Scenic Area

The Leshan Giant Buddha dominates the landscape and is the top reason why people visit the scenic area, but there are plenty of other sights to see. The Wuyou Temple sits directly across from the Leshan Giant Buddha and is an excellent place to get photographs of the Buddha statue and relax in the courtyards. It's generally a quiet and meditative temple.

Lingyun Temple is near the Buddha's head and is another excellent example of Tang architecture, and the Giant Sleeping Buddha is a naturally occurring formation that looks like a reclining Buddha from a distance.

Best Time to Visit Leshan Giant Buddha

Climb up & see the Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha is open all year round, but if you want to visit with fewer crowds and milder weather, autumn and spring are excellent choices, although you should avoid Golden Week (October) when you'll find more crowds. You can visit in the summer, too, but you'll encounter more crowds and need to bring water, especially if you're doing the walking tour.

How to Get to Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha is a little less than 2 hours by car from Chengdu, and private transportation is one of the easiest methods to get there. We can help arrange a private tour to pick you up at your hotel.

You can also go by high-speed train from Chengdu East Railway Station. Trains run multiple times daily, taking an hour between the two destinations. We suggest getting an early morning train. Occasionally these trains will stop at the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, but many make an uninterrupted trip to the Leshan Giant Buddha.

Another option is to travel by tourist bus from Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station. These buses take about 2.5 to arrive and make several stops along the way.

Travel Tips for Seeing the Leshan Giant Buddha

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We recommend you let us put together a customized itinerary and guided day trip to help you experience the Leshan Giant Buddha and nearby attractions like Emei Mountain. Mt. Emei is 40 kilometers from the Leshan Giant Buddha and one of China's sacred mountains. You'll find beautiful temples, hiking trails, and excellent scenery on and around this mountain.

There are also some things that you can keep in mind that will make your trip to the Leshan Giant Buddha as smooth as possible.

• Wear comfortable shoes, especially if you plan on the Walking Tour.
• Bring water and light snacks with you.
• Try to arrive early to avoid the crowds and the most intense heat - especially during summer.
• Wear modest clothing and respect the religious nature of the site.
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See China's Epic Cliffside Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha is one of the most impressive religious relics in the world and is bound to be one of the highlights of your vacation. At China Odyssey Tours, we can put together a personalized guided tour of this unmissable site. Email us at trip@odynovotours.com, or visit our contact page and get in touch today.