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Voykit pocket guide · China
Leshan
乐山
Spend one full day in Leshan to see the Giant Buddha and a nearby park; add a night only if you want to explore the old town or Mount Emei.
Leshan sits at the confluence of three rivers in Sichuan and is famous for the Leshan Giant Buddha, a UNESCO World Heritage site, plus a handful of nearby temples, parks and historic walls that can be covered in a day. Overnight stays are useful for a relaxed pace or a side‑trip to Mount Emei.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 乐山
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (rainy, hot)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥120–¥180 excl. bed · Mid ¥180–¥300 excl. bed · High ¥300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus ride (city) | ¥2 |
| Taxi first 2 km (1.2 mi)Taxi first 1.2 mi (2 km) | ¥3 |
| Taxi per km after 2 km (1.2 mi)Taxi per km after 1.2 mi (2 km) | ¥0.70 |
| Giant Buddha admission (adult) | ¥80 |
| Giant Buddha ferry crossing | ¥70 |
| Map at kiosk | ¥4 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CTU · Chengdu Shuangliu International
- High‑speed rail links to Leshan in ~1 h (check schedule).
Typical fares
- Chengdu → Leshan high‑speed rail
- about ¥54, 52 min–1 h 20 min (check schedule)
- Bus K1 from Leshan Station to Giant Buddha
- ¥2, 30 min (check times)
- Taxi city centre → Giant Buddha
- ≈¥15–¥20 (check traffic)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Public buses (¥2 per ride) and pedicabs are cheap; taxis start at ¥3 for 2 km (1.2 mi) then ¥0.70 /km plus ¥0.50 fuel surcharge. City maps cost ¥4 at kiosks.Public buses (¥2 per ride) and pedicabs are cheap; taxis start at ¥3 for 1.2 mi (2 km) then ¥0.70 /km plus ¥0.50 fuel surcharge. City maps cost ¥4 at kiosks.
See and do
Known for
- Leshan Giant Buddha
- Mount Emei (World Heritage)
- Suji Ancient Town
- Oriental Buddha Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Emei | High‑speed rail to Emeishan Station (≈1 h), then local bus to the mountain base | ≈2 h total each way |
| Suji Ancient Town | Bus 13 or 601 from city centre (≈30 min) | ≈1 h round trip |
Sleep
- Leshan Railway Station area
- Convenient for arrivals, many budget hotels within 5 min walk.
- Shizhong District centre
- Close to Giant Buddha and historic sites; mid‑range options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much is this? | 这个多少钱？zhè ge duōshǎo qián? |
| Where is the Giant Buddha? | 大佛在哪里？dà fó zài nǎlǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Peak tourist times at the Giant Buddha (mornings) can cause 2‑hour waits; arrive early or late afternoon.
- Free entry for children under 6 and seniors over 65; children 6‑18 pay ¥40, adults ¥80 (check holiday rates).
- Foreign visitors need permission for Jinkouhe Grand Canyon; verify with local police.
Leshan is generally safe; keep an eye on traffic when crossing streets and carry a copy of your passport for occasional police checks.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Leshan yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Leshan Giant Buddha
- Mount Emei (World Heritage)
- Suji Ancient Town
- Oriental Buddha Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Leshan, revision 5297856 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5297856
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/leshan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.