Southwest China
The Giant Buddha at Leshan is the largest stone Buddha in the world — 71 metres of Tang-dynasty sandstone sitting where the Min, Dadu and Qingyi rivers collide. It was carved to calm the currents that were sinking boats at the confluence, which is why the best view is from the water: the rock face only makes sense from a boat, and the stairway that descends beside the Buddha only makes sense after it.
The case for going
The full-frontal view from the river takes 20 minutes and is the only angle that shows the scale. Go before 10am, before the tour fleets.
The nine-turn stairway cut into the rock beside the Buddha descends to his feet — single file, narrow, and worth every step.
The monastery above the Buddha, with the confluence view the Tang monks looked at when they decided where to carve.
The city is a food town that China eats at rather than visits: bobo chicken, sweet-skin duck, and the west Sichuan habit of everything braised in chilli bean paste.
Practical
Humid subtropical. Mild winters, hot summers, spring and autumn are the comfortable windows.
Usually a day trip by car from Emeishan (35 minutes) or Chengdu (2 hours). Emeishan HSR station is 30 minutes away; the Chengdu–Kunming line also stops at Leshan.
Airport. Via Chengdu Tianfu, then 2 hours by car or 1 hour by HSR (CTU)
Rail. Emeishan station is the convenient rail gateway — 1 hour 15 minutes from Chengdu East, then a 35-minute transfer.
In pictures
Questions travellers ask
One day: the Giant Buddha from the river and from the cliff walk, plus the old town's food street. It pairs with Emei Shan as the two-stop leg from Chengdu.
The riverside old town for the evening food culture — Leshan's street food is the equal of Chengdu's — with the Buddha sites a short drive out.
The high-speed rail from Chengdu, about an hour, or from Emei Shan in 20 minutes on the same line. The Buddha is 30 minutes from the station by taxi.
Yes — it is the largest carved Buddha in the world, 71 metres, and the river-view of it from the boat is the single best hour of the Chengdu day trip.
Routes through here
Southwest China
5days
The two UNESCO sights of southern Sichuan in one clean week: the Tang-dynasty Buddha cut into the river cliff at Leshan, and the Golden Summit of Emei Shan floating above its sea of clouds. The pacing is deliberately gentle — summit by cable car, soak in hot springs at night, and Chengdu’s pandas on the way home.
From US$1,190per person
Combine it with
