Pingle Ancient Town
Pingle Ancient Town
4
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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4.0
62 reviews
Excellent
23
Very good
25
Average
11
Poor
1
Terrible
2
Shawn C
Singapore, Singapore47 contributions
Oct 2017 • Friends
Just returned from an amazing day trip to Pingle Ancient Town. Getting there is a 2.5 hrs bus ride from XinNanMen Bus Station (Just beside XinNanMen Metro Station) that costed me only 33RMB per pax. The bus made a brief stop at QiongLe bus station before reaching the ancient town. So remember not to alight until the last stop.
As PingLe is further away from Chengdu, there are lesser foreign and local tourists. This made my trip to PingLe even during the busiest golden week a very pleasant experience. Entry to the ancient town is free.
PingLe ancient town is made up of multiple ancient alleyways and old bridges across a very beautiful stream. Similar to other ancient towns, there are many souvenir shops but the difference is that the local here are nicer and friendly. PingLe is not only a tourist attraction, many locals make this their home. So this is a great place to also experience how the locals go about their daily lives... sipping tea, playing mahjong or just chit-chatting beside the running stream.
While at PingLe, you should absolutely try the Milk Soup Noodles, a local delicacy that is eaten in the mornings as well as their fruit wine. For souvenirs, the stewed mushrooms are to die for. I also went kiwi fruit picking at nearby farm which was fun.
There are many local inns that you can spend the night. To truly enjoy PingLe, I suggest that you spend at least 2-3 days here and visit all the other attractions such as the Jinhua mountain, bamboo forest and tea mountain.
To return to Chengdu, just head back to the bus terminal you dropped off and get a ticket back at 30RMB. Remember that there are only 8 buses a day back to Chengdu, with the last bus departing at 5:30pm. So for peak travel period, you might just want to book your return ticket when you arrive at PingLe.
PingLe is probably the best ancient town I have visited so far and I will definitely return to spend more time here... hopefully really soon.
As PingLe is further away from Chengdu, there are lesser foreign and local tourists. This made my trip to PingLe even during the busiest golden week a very pleasant experience. Entry to the ancient town is free.
PingLe ancient town is made up of multiple ancient alleyways and old bridges across a very beautiful stream. Similar to other ancient towns, there are many souvenir shops but the difference is that the local here are nicer and friendly. PingLe is not only a tourist attraction, many locals make this their home. So this is a great place to also experience how the locals go about their daily lives... sipping tea, playing mahjong or just chit-chatting beside the running stream.
While at PingLe, you should absolutely try the Milk Soup Noodles, a local delicacy that is eaten in the mornings as well as their fruit wine. For souvenirs, the stewed mushrooms are to die for. I also went kiwi fruit picking at nearby farm which was fun.
There are many local inns that you can spend the night. To truly enjoy PingLe, I suggest that you spend at least 2-3 days here and visit all the other attractions such as the Jinhua mountain, bamboo forest and tea mountain.
To return to Chengdu, just head back to the bus terminal you dropped off and get a ticket back at 30RMB. Remember that there are only 8 buses a day back to Chengdu, with the last bus departing at 5:30pm. So for peak travel period, you might just want to book your return ticket when you arrive at PingLe.
PingLe is probably the best ancient town I have visited so far and I will definitely return to spend more time here... hopefully really soon.
Written October 7, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ama_hook
Paris, France91 contributions
May 2017 • Friends
Pingle is a great place to escape from the hurry of Chengdu and relax. People here are nice, like most people from the countryside, ready to help and warm-hearted.
There is many place to enjoy a tea near the river, children and adults playing in the river, some boats to go around, and chinese playing mah-jong everywhere. There are also a lot of souvenir shops, and a music plaza were every saturday at 13:30 and 19:30 there is people singing. Maybe you can plan to stay in the town itself for a day but not much more, as it is quite small.
I suggest you plan some trips outside the village, you can go to the Jinhua moutain 金华佛山, the tea mountain 花楸茶山, the bamboo forest, and the Jinji Valley. The two first ones are simply amazing !
You can all go there by tuk tuk except for the tea moutain, we managed to have a tuk-tuk driver for 160¥ (+tips) who found us in town, took us to the 3 places, and lead us back in town, waiting for us when we were at the scenic spots.
For the tea mountain, you have to order a car because it's quite far, we had both ways for 130¥.
There is no entry fee except for the Jinji valley, who costs 40¥ full price per person.
There is many place to enjoy a tea near the river, children and adults playing in the river, some boats to go around, and chinese playing mah-jong everywhere. There are also a lot of souvenir shops, and a music plaza were every saturday at 13:30 and 19:30 there is people singing. Maybe you can plan to stay in the town itself for a day but not much more, as it is quite small.
I suggest you plan some trips outside the village, you can go to the Jinhua moutain 金华佛山, the tea mountain 花楸茶山, the bamboo forest, and the Jinji Valley. The two first ones are simply amazing !
You can all go there by tuk tuk except for the tea moutain, we managed to have a tuk-tuk driver for 160¥ (+tips) who found us in town, took us to the 3 places, and lead us back in town, waiting for us when we were at the scenic spots.
For the tea mountain, you have to order a car because it's quite far, we had both ways for 130¥.
There is no entry fee except for the Jinji valley, who costs 40¥ full price per person.
Written May 30, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Qing Y
Bogota, Colombia4 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
Pingle is a nice little town just two hours by bus from Chengdu. Perfect to escape the crowds for one or two days. We visited the old town for a day and went to the Bamboo park (竹海) on the other. We were here on a weekend in October, which we can recommend.
Due to the closed shops and the abandoned theme park, we got the feeling that Pingle used to be very touristy. Right now, we have experienced Pingle as a quite small town with nice people and good food.
Due to the closed shops and the abandoned theme park, we got the feeling that Pingle used to be very touristy. Right now, we have experienced Pingle as a quite small town with nice people and good food.
Written October 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hugh G
Hamilton, New Zealand88 contributions
Sep 2015 • Family
The previous version of the Lonely Planet guide to China suggests this town is worth a trip. It has been dropped from the latest guide and that's presumably because it is a cheesy fake!
We went on a Saturday morning and by midday the place was absolutely packed with local families and regional tourists visiting the mega-touristy shopping strip. The setting on the river is quite attractive but there are many more interesting and vastly more authentic sights to see elsewhere.
The saving grace of this trip was staying in the nearby foothills in a truly old and very authentic farmhouse (Li's courtyard). This communal home hosted our family with great food, very interesting and beautiful countryside and a total absence of tourists of any nationality. I'm afraid I don't know how to book it, but Kevin from the travel desk at Mrs Panda hostel in Chengdu arranged it for us.
We went on a Saturday morning and by midday the place was absolutely packed with local families and regional tourists visiting the mega-touristy shopping strip. The setting on the river is quite attractive but there are many more interesting and vastly more authentic sights to see elsewhere.
The saving grace of this trip was staying in the nearby foothills in a truly old and very authentic farmhouse (Li's courtyard). This communal home hosted our family with great food, very interesting and beautiful countryside and a total absence of tourists of any nationality. I'm afraid I don't know how to book it, but Kevin from the travel desk at Mrs Panda hostel in Chengdu arranged it for us.
Written October 13, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mei L
Singapore, Singapore501 contributions
Sep 2014
I can see how the town might have been charming once upon a time but today it's one huge tourist trap. Many of the buildings are new (rather than restored) and the town comprises rows and rows of souvenir stands (many selling the same garish items), nondescript tea stops and identical-looking hotels.
The river is pretty as some reviewers have noted but most of it is lined with tourist rafts and tea shops, hardly at all postcard-perfect. Let's just say I've been to nicer and more photogenic ancient towns in China. At least travelers were not charged an entrance fee (although some opportunistic Chinese government official will probably see a commercial opportunity here within the next couple of years).
I would visit the town if it were an hour from Chengdu but the two hours it took each way to Ping Le makes the town barely worth it. If you have to see Ping Le, regular buses leave Xinnanmen Bus Station in Chengdu.
The river is pretty as some reviewers have noted but most of it is lined with tourist rafts and tea shops, hardly at all postcard-perfect. Let's just say I've been to nicer and more photogenic ancient towns in China. At least travelers were not charged an entrance fee (although some opportunistic Chinese government official will probably see a commercial opportunity here within the next couple of years).
I would visit the town if it were an hour from Chengdu but the two hours it took each way to Ping Le makes the town barely worth it. If you have to see Ping Le, regular buses leave Xinnanmen Bus Station in Chengdu.
Written September 27, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Timothée G
22 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
We spent 2 weekdays in Pingle ancient town. Great place away from noise and pollution. We heard the place was full of tourists during weekends and holidays, but it was very quiet for us. If you're a laowai, expect to be stared at all day long! And come with a translator on your phone if you don't speak a word of mandarin.
Some nice places to go hiking around, if you're not too lazy avoid taking the tuktuk and go walking. Great place to stay one or 2 nights.
Some nice places to go hiking around, if you're not too lazy avoid taking the tuktuk and go walking. Great place to stay one or 2 nights.
Written April 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BobBonHere
Lytham St Anne's, UK2,707 contributions
May 2017 • Friends
Pringle old town is a lovely area (don't get mixed up with the normal town) with a central tree lined stream that runs down the central (mainly!) pedestrian area. As would be expected most of the shops are touristy but there some good restaurants towards the bridge over the river. Also in this part of the town is a wood burning forge and an ice cream shop where you can see them making the crisp ice cream cones outside the shop. Some buildings are reconstructions but most are original. What I particularly liked about the town was that it was a placed where people lived and worked, it wasn't just a tourist town, it's definitely worth a visit.
Written June 6, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Iuiliain
Guerande, France6 contributions
Mar 2015 • Couples
Beautiful town by the river, perfect for relax with many tea-houses, shops, picturesque streets.
Tuktuk drivers offer you to discover Jinji mountain with its amazing rope bridge (30RMB/pers, 3 km west of PingLe). Nice walk in the bamboo valley, it takes 1 hour to visit.
Lugou bamboo sea is a tourist trap without interest, only a short drive in bamboo valley but few walk.
1 day is enough to discover the town, walk along the river, visit Jinjii mountain. Avoid weekends and chinese holidays.
Easy acces from Qionglai tourist bus station, minivans run all day till 5pm (5RMB).
Tuktuk drivers offer you to discover Jinji mountain with its amazing rope bridge (30RMB/pers, 3 km west of PingLe). Nice walk in the bamboo valley, it takes 1 hour to visit.
Lugou bamboo sea is a tourist trap without interest, only a short drive in bamboo valley but few walk.
1 day is enough to discover the town, walk along the river, visit Jinjii mountain. Avoid weekends and chinese holidays.
Easy acces from Qionglai tourist bus station, minivans run all day till 5pm (5RMB).
Written March 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Feistygal
Chevy Chase, MD298 contributions
May 2014 • Solo
Pingle is written up as a great destination, but I was underwhelmed. There were no interesting buildings that I saw--just one-storey functional structures that had been turned into shops and restaurants.
But the good news is that the river is lovely. I visited on a cool spring day, but in the summer it would be great to go wading and rafting on the river. There are lots of teahouses and restaurants overlooking the river, so the view enhances the food and the tea.
The shops all seem to carry the same tourist goods--candy, sauces, children's toys, t-shirts, the usual. I left Pingle earlier than expected (which wasn't all bad because the traffic in Chengdu nearly doubled the total time of the bus trip that was scheduled for two hours.
But the good news is that the river is lovely. I visited on a cool spring day, but in the summer it would be great to go wading and rafting on the river. There are lots of teahouses and restaurants overlooking the river, so the view enhances the food and the tea.
The shops all seem to carry the same tourist goods--candy, sauces, children's toys, t-shirts, the usual. I left Pingle earlier than expected (which wasn't all bad because the traffic in Chengdu nearly doubled the total time of the bus trip that was scheduled for two hours.
Written May 13, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VIPofHotels
Fairbanks, AK161 contributions
Nov 2012 • Family
This town is by a river. The scenary is beautiful and I enjoyed it very much. I was there for a day visit, but next time I would like to stay in one of the lodges and drink tea by the riverside. Also, the food served by a restaurant there was delicious and clean, although cheap.
Written November 30, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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