West Sichuan Bamboo Sea Scenic Area is located in Pingle Town, Qionglai City, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. It is a national 4A-level scenic area, featuring bamboo forest canyons, flying waterfalls, and danxia landforms. The total area of the scenic area is about 10 square kilometers, with a vegetation coverage rate of over 90%. The negative ion concentration reaches up to 2 million per cubic centimeter, known as a "natural oxygen bar". The scenic area has the first railway-style climbing route (Via Ferrata) in China, a 200-meter-high glass skywalk, a 150-meter-high danxia cliff, and other landscapes. It also retains the ancient papermaking workshop ruins from the Ming and Qing dynasties, making it a comprehensive scenic area integrating natural sightseeing, outdoor sports, and cultural experiences.
History and Culture
Pingle Town, where West Sichuan Bamboo Sea is located, is a thousand-year-old town with a history dating back to the Western Han Dynasty. The ancient papermaking workshop ruins preserved in the scenic area demonstrate the inheritance and evolution of Cai Lun's papermaking technique in West Sichuan, with a history of more than 1,000 years. Ancient craftsmen used the abundant Cizhu bamboo resources here to make bamboo paper through 108 processes such as "cutting bamboo, soaking, steaming, pulping, and paper-making". During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the bamboo paper here was used as official document paper, and complete steaming pools, paper-making workshops, and other relics can still be seen in the existing ruins.
In addition, Qionglai City, where the scenic area is located, was an important post on the Southern Silk Road, and Pingle Town was once a water and land wharf where merchants gathered. The existing bluestone ancient road in the bamboo forest was the necessary path for ancient caravans to transport silk and tea. It still retains the traces of horse hooves and the wear and tear of paving stones, witnessing the prosperity of ancient commerce.
Main Attractions
Xianlü Muyun Bridge
Xianlü Muyun Bridge is a high-altitude glass skywalk spanning the bamboo sea canyon, with a total length of about 200 meters and a vertical height of 150 meters from the valley bottom. The bridge deck is paved with three-layer laminated tempered glass, which can carry 500 people at the same time. Walking on it, you can overlook the panoramic view of the bamboo sea in 360 degrees. On sunny days, the glass reflection and the bamboo forest set each other off, and on cloudy days, it is like walking in the clouds, making it an iconic photo spot in the scenic area.
Danxia Waterfall
Danxia Waterfall is the waterfall with the largest drop in the scenic area, pouring down from the 150-meter-high red danxia cliff, forming a unique landscape of "Red Cliff Waterfall". The waterfall falls in three stages. In the flood season, the water volume can reach 5 cubic meters per second, with a roaring sound and diffusing water mist. In the dry season, it is like a thread, gentle and moving. There is an observation platform below the waterfall, where visitors can feel the coolness of water mist up close.
Ancient Papermaking Workshop
The ancient papermaking workshop ruins cover an area of about 5,000 square meters, completely preserving the full set of facilities for bamboo paper production in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Visitors can visit the relics such as steaming pools, pulping pools, and paper-making workshops, and understand the traditional crafts such as "felling bamboo and soaking in the pond" and "boiling and sufficient fire". The scenic area has ancient papermaking experience activities from 10:00 to 15:00 every day. Visitors can make a piece of bamboo paper by hand, and the fee is included in the ticket.
Via Ferrata Climbing
Via Ferrata is a characteristic outdoor sports project in the scenic area. The route is about 800 meters long and is divided into three routes: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The beginner route is suitable for children and beginners, with a height of 30 meters and a duration of about 1 hour. The intermediate route climbs 80 meters, including challenging links such as suspension bridges and steel wire bridges. The advanced route needs to climb the 150-meter-high danxia cliff, with the whole journey taking about 3 hours. The project is equipped with professional safety equipment, and there are coaches to guide the whole process, with a ticket price of 120 yuan per person.
Food
Pingle Milk Soup Noodles
Pingle Milk Soup Noodles are a characteristic food of Qionglai. The milk-white soup base is slowly stewed with pig bones and chicken frames for 8 hours, and matched with handmade alkaline water noodles. The noodles are strong, and the soup is rich, often served with cold dishes such as shredded chicken and cold pig head meat. The "Old-Fashioned Milk Soup Noodles" in Pingle Ancient Town starts business at 4 am every day, with a single-store daily sales of more than 800 bowls and an average consumption of 15-20 yuan per person.
Qionglai Boboji (Chicken in Hot Pot)
Qionglai Boboji uses local free-range chickens. After being cooked, they are cut into pieces and skewered, then soaked in a secret red oil soup base. The soup base is fried with more than 20 kinds of spices such as rapeseed oil, dried chili, and Chinese prickly ash, which is spicy but not dry, fragrant but not greasy. The "Boboji" at the entrance of the scenic area uses bamboo skewers and is charged by the skewer (1-3 yuan per skewer). The average consumption is 30-40 yuan per person, and it can be paired with local rice wine.
Bamboo Sea Roasted Bamboo Shoots
Bamboo Sea Roasted Bamboo Shoots are made of fresh Cizhu bamboo shoots in the scenic area. After peeling, they are slowly roasted with charcoal fire to retain the freshness and juiciness of the bamboo shoots. During roasting, they are brushed with secret sauce (prepared from bean paste, Chinese prickly ash powder, and garlic), with a slightly charred outer skin and a crisp and tender inner part. They are sold at each snack stall in the scenic area. Large bamboo shoots are 15 yuan per root, and small bamboo shoots are 10 yuan for 3 roots, which are suitable as energy supplements during hiking.
Frozen Cake
Frozen Cake is a traditional dessert in Qionglai, made by fermenting and steaming glutinous rice and rice. It has a soft and spongy texture, sweet but not greasy. The "Chen Ji Frozen Cake" in Pingle Ancient Town inherits a hundred-year-old craft and is handmade every day. It has flavors such as original, sesame, and peanut. The single selling price is 2 yuan, and the 10-piece gift box is 20 yuan, which is a common souvenir purchased by visitors.
Tickets
The ticket price is 60 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "川西竹海景区" to get the latest information or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open throughout the year, with daily opening hours from 8:30 to 17:30, and admission stops at 17:00. The opening hours of the Via Ferrata project are from 9:00 to 16:30 (until 16:00 in winter), and the ancient papermaking experience activities are from 10:00 to 15:00 (one session every hour). The glass skywalk may be temporarily closed in extreme weather (such as strong wind and heavy rain).
Tour Routes
One-day tour route: Scenic area entrance (8:30) → Sightseeing bus to the starting point of Via Ferrata (10 minutes) → Beginner route of Via Ferrata (1 hour) → Walk to Danxia Waterfall (20 minutes) → Take photos on the observation platform (30 minutes) → Hike to the ancient papermaking workshop (40 minutes) → Experience ancient papermaking (1 hour) → Lunch (scenic area restaurant or bring your own dry food) → Walk to Xianlü Muyun Bridge (30 minutes) → Tour the glass skywalk (40 minutes) → Return by sightseeing bus (before 16:30). This route covers core attractions, with moderate physical exertion, suitable for most visitors.
Deep tour route: D1 Tour Pingle Ancient Town → Stay in the ancient town inn; D2 Morning tour of West Sichuan Bamboo Sea (route as above), afternoon go to Jinhua Mountain near the ancient town to visit the Tang Dynasty cliff carvings (ticket price 20 yuan), and experience the night view of the ancient town at night. This route can balance natural landscapes and historical culture, suitable for visitors with sufficient time.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Chengdu urban area → Chengwenqiong Highway → Qionglai West Exit → Pingle Town, about 1.5 hours' drive. The scenic area parking lot charges 10 yuan per day.
- Bus: Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station and Chadianzi Bus Station have direct buses to Pingle Ancient Town every day, with a journey of 2 hours and a ticket price of 45-50 yuan. Take Bus No. 306 from Qionglai urban area to Pingle Ancient Town, every 30 minutes, 40 minutes' journey, ticket price 6 yuan.
- Scenic area transportation: There is a ferry bus from Pingle Ancient Town to the scenic area entrance, 5 yuan per person, 10 minutes' drive. The sightseeing bus in the scenic area is 10 yuan per person (one way), and you can take it multiple times.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Xianlü Muyun Bridge: 200-meter-high glass skywalk, vertical height 150 meters, 360-degree overlook of the bamboo sea. On sunny days, the reflection is picturesque, and on cloudy days, it is like a fairyland.
- Via Ferrata Climbing: 800-meter railway-style climbing route, divided into three difficulty levels. The beginner level is suitable for parent-child activities, and the advanced level challenges the 150-meter danxia cliff, equipped with professional safety equipment.
- Danxia Waterfall: 150-meter drop waterfall, water volume of 5 cubic meters per second in the flood season. The Red Cliff Waterfall landscape is unique, and the observation platform below allows close contact with water mist.
- Ancient Papermaking Workshop: 5,000-square-meter ruins, retaining the Ming and Qing bamboo paper production facilities with 108 processes. You can experience manual paper-making from 10:00 to 15:00 every day.
Tour Tips
- It is recommended to wear non-slip sports shoes. There are many stone steps in the scenic area, and some sections are slippery. The Via Ferrata project requires long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Slippers and sandals are prohibited.
- There are fewer people on the glass skywalk in the morning, and the photo effect is better. The sunlight is strong from 11:00 to 15:00 in summer. Pay attention to sun protection and carry a sun hat and sunscreen (SPF30+).
- The intermediate and advanced routes of Via Ferrata consume a lot of physical strength. It is recommended to warm up in advance. Visitors with hypertension and heart disease should not participate.
- For the ancient papermaking experience, arrive at the workshop 10 minutes in advance to queue. Each session is limited to 30 people. It is recommended to arrange for the 10:00 or 14:00 session.
- Restaurants in the scenic area are concentrated near the entrance and the ancient papermaking workshop. It is recommended to try milk soup noodles and roasted bamboo shoots, with an average consumption of 25-40 yuan per person.
Notes
- Smoking and open flames are prohibited in the scenic area. Violators will be fined 50-200 yuan. Running and jumping are prohibited on the glass skywalk, and carrying sharp objects to scratch the glass is forbidden.
- The Via Ferrata project must wear safety equipment and follow the coach's guidance. Do not remove the equipment without permission in the middle. Children need to be accompanied by adults (1:1 ratio).
- There are many mosquitoes in the bamboo forest. It is recommended to wear long pants and apply mosquito repellent. It rains a lot in summer, and you can carry a folding raincoat (sold in the scenic area for 10 yuan per piece).
- The relics in the ancient papermaking workshop are fragile. Do not touch or climb. Follow the staff's instructions when experiencing paper-making.
- The last sightseeing bus in the scenic area is at 17:30. It is recommended to arrange the downhill time reasonably to avoid hiking at night. The ferry bus from Pingle Ancient Town to the scenic area stops operating at 18:00.