West Sichuan Bamboo Sea Scenic Area is situated in Pingle Town, Qionglai City, Chengdu, Sichuan Province. As a national 4A-level scenic spot, it is distinguished by bamboo forest canyons, cascading waterfalls and springs, and Danxia landforms. Covering a total area of approximately 10 square kilometers, the scenic area has a vegetation coverage rate of over 90%, with the maximum concentration of negative oxygen ions reaching 2 million per cubic centimeter—earning it the reputation of a "Natural Oxygen Bar". Within the scenic area, there are various attractions including China's first railway-style climbing route (Via Ferrata), a 200-meter-long high-altitude glass plank road, and a 150-meter-high Danxia cliff. It also preserves the remains of ancient papermaking workshops from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Integrating natural sightseeing, outdoor sports, and cultural experiences, it stands as a comprehensive scenic destination.
History and Culture
Pingle Town, where West Sichuan Bamboo Sea is situated, is a thousand-year-old ancient town with a history dating back to the Western Han Dynasty. The preserved remains of ancient papermaking workshops in the scenic area demonstrate the inheritance and evolution of Cai Lun's papermaking technique in the West Sichuan region, with a history of over 1,000 years. Ancient craftsmen utilized the abundant local Neosinocalamus affinis resources to make bamboo paper through 108 processes, including "cutting bamboo, soaking, steaming, pulping, and paper fishing". During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the bamboo paper produced here was used as official document paper. Complete relics such as steaming pools and paper-fishing workshops can still be seen in the existing remains.
In addition, Qionglai City, where the scenic area is located, was an important post station on the Southern Silk Road, and Pingle Town was once a land and water wharf bustling with merchants. The existing bluestone ancient roads among the bamboo forests were the necessary routes for ancient caravans to transport silk and tea. To this day, they still retain traces of horse hoof prints and wear on the paving stones, witnessing the prosperity of ancient commerce and trade.
Main Attractions
Xianlü Muyun Bridge
Xianlü Muyun Bridge is a high-altitude glass plank road spanning the bamboo sea canyon, with a total length of approximately 200 meters and a vertical height of 150 meters from the valley bottom. The bridge deck is paved with three layers of laminated tempered glass and can accommodate 500 people at the same time. Walking on it, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the bamboo sea. On sunny days, the reflection on the glass complements the bamboo forest beautifully; on foggy days, it feels like walking in the clouds. It is a landmark check-in spot of the scenic area.
Xianlü Lanyue Bridge
Connecting the two highest peaks in the scenic area, it has a span of 299 meters, a width of 2.5 meters, and a vertical height of 150 meters. As the world's first double-deck high-altitude panoramic corridor, it adopts a fully transparent design. With the ground seemingly invisible beneath your feet, walking on it feels like strolling in mid-air, overlooking 100,000 mu of bamboo sea.
High-Altitude Viewing Platform
The entire platform is built by cutting into the rock wall, covering an area of about 400 square meters. Visitors can dine here while enjoying the beautiful scenery.
High-Altitude Glass Plank Road
Built on a cliff, this glass plank road has a total length of 260 meters, a width of 1.5 meters, and a vertical height of nearly 100 meters from the ground. It is a perfect combination of "water, forest, light, stone, and sound".
Deep Valley Plank Road
With a length of about 2 kilometers, it is built along the valley bottom, allowing visitors to enjoy a close-up view of the bamboo forest.
Bamboo Museum
The exterior of the building adopts a bird's nest-style frame, with thick bamboo as pillars and thin bamboo as the framework, integrating nature and tradition. Inside the museum, through three themes—bamboo craftsmanship, bamboo culture, and bamboo in daily life—it showcases the magnificent scenery of the 100,000-mu bamboo sea and the thousand-year-old cultural context of coexisting with bamboo. Visitors can learn about crafts such as bamboo paper making and bamboo weaving on porcelain here, and also experience full manual operations to feel the charm of bamboo weaving, which is described as "splitting bamboo into threads and using threads to create paintings".
Via Ferrata Climbing
Via Ferrata is a characteristic outdoor sports project in the scenic area. The total length of the route is about 800 meters, divided into three routes: elementary, intermediate, and advanced. The elementary route is suitable for children and beginners, with a height of 30 meters and a duration of about 1 hour; the intermediate route has a climbing height of 80 meters, including challenging sections such as a suspended bridge and a steel cable bridge; the advanced route requires climbing a 150-meter-high Danxia cliff, with a total duration of about 3 hours. The project is equipped with professional safety equipment and guided by coaches throughout the process. The ticket price is 120 yuan per person.
Tour Routes
One-Day Tour Route: Scenic Area Entrance (8:30) → Shuttle Bus to Via Ferrata Starting Point (10 minutes) → Via Ferrata Elementary Route (1 hour) → Photo Shooting at Viewing Platform (30 minutes) → Lunch (at the scenic area restaurant or with self-prepared food) → Walk to Xianlü Muyun Bridge (30 minutes) → Tour the Glass Plank Road (40 minutes) → Return by Shuttle Bus (before 16:30). This route covers the core attractions, with moderate physical exertion, suitable for most visitors.
In-Depth Tour Route: Day 1 - Tour Pingle Ancient Town → Stay at an inn in the ancient town; Day 2 - Tour West Sichuan Bamboo Sea in the morning (following the same route as above), go to Jinhua Mountain near the ancient town in the afternoon to visit the Tang Dynasty cliff carvings (ticket price: 20 yuan), and experience the night view of the ancient town in the evening. This route combines natural landscapes and historical culture, suitable for visitors with sufficient time.
Travel Tips
- It is recommended to wear non-slip sports shoes, as there are many stone steps in the scenic area and some sections are slippery; for the Via Ferrata project, long-sleeved shirts and long pants are required, and slippers or sandals are not allowed.
- There are fewer people on the glass plank road in the morning, providing better photo-taking conditions; from 11:00 to 15:00 in summer, the sun is strong, so it is necessary to pay attention to sun protection. You can bring a sun hat and sunscreen (SPF 30+).
- The intermediate and advanced Via Ferrata routes require relatively high physical exertion. It is recommended to warm up in advance. Visitors with hypertension or heart disease are not allowed to participate.
Notes
- Smoking and open flames are prohibited in the scenic area, and violators will be fined 50-200 yuan; running and jumping are prohibited on the glass plank road, and sharp objects that may scratch the glass are not allowed to be carried.
- For the Via Ferrata project, safety equipment must be worn, and visitors must follow the coach's instructions. The equipment must not be removed without permission during the process. Children must 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; there is much rain in summer, so you can bring a foldable raincoat (sold at the scenic area for 10 yuan each).
- The last shuttle bus of the scenic area departs at 17:30. It is recommended to arrange the downhill time reasonably to avoid hiking at night; the shuttle bus from Pingle Ancient Town to the scenic area stops operating at 18:00.
Transportation
- Self-Driving: Chengdu Urban Area → Chengdu-Wenjiang-Qionglai Expressway → Qionglai West Exit → Pingle Town. The driving time is about 1.5 hours, and the parking fee at the scenic area is 10 yuan per day.
- Bus: Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station and Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station have daily direct buses to Pingle Ancient Town, with a driving time of 2 hours and a ticket price of 45-50 yuan; take Bus No. 306 from Qionglai Urban Area to Pingle Ancient Town, with a departure interval of 30 minutes, a driving time of 40 minutes, and a ticket price of 6 yuan.
- Scenic Area Transportation: There is a shuttle bus from Pingle Ancient Town to the scenic area entrance, costing 5 yuan per person with a 10-minute ride; the internal shuttle bus of the scenic area costs 10 yuan per person (one-way) and can be taken multiple times.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open year-round, with daily opening hours from 8:30 to 17:30, and entry is stopped at 17:00. The Via Ferrata project is open from 9:00 to 16:30 (until 16:00 in winter). The ancient papermaking experience activity is held from 10:00 to 15:00 (once every hour on the hour). The glass plank road may be temporarily closed in extreme weather (such as strong winds and heavy rains).
Tickets
The ticket price is 60 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account of the scenic area "川西竹海景区" to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.