Which is the Better Way to Travel Leshan Giant Buddha: Boat Ride or Hiking

The boat tour takes about 30 minutes short. After buying the ticket, you can take boat at two wharves by the Min River, north of Leshan Giant Buddha: Baxiandong Sightseeing Cruise Wharf (八仙洞码头, also called Baxiandong Cruise Terminal, Baxiandong Dock) or Leshan Port Sightseeing Cruise Wharf (乐山港码头, Leshan Port Dock).

First Line up to board, because the boat normally accommodate about 30 passengers. Please wear your life vest (provided for free) quickly after you get on the ferry, for it will depart soon once fully loaded. The sightseeing boat will head downstream towards the Giant Buddha quickly after a few minutes. Make sure you choose the left side to get a first chance to take photo. Then it turns around and slow down for a short stop (about 10 minutes) in front of the Buddha, when you can go upstairs, change to right side to take more photos or videos of the Giant Buddha. Here you can view intact big and stunning Buddha carved on the cliff. It gets crowded without any exception. But you can pay to take a photo with the Giant Buddha by a professional worker without other tourists in sight. When the boat returns back to the wharf, you can also enjoy the river view on both sides and capture a vivid Giant Sleeping Buddha upon the river. You won’t go ashore during the entire boat tour, and after landing at where you board, you can collect the photos at the Ticket Office.

Recommended Leshan Giant Buddha Tour by Boat:

√ 2 Days Best Chengdu Leshan Giant Buddha Tour with Boat Sightseeing

Parking near the North Gate is very convenient, so most tourists choose to enter Leshan Giant Buddha scenic area from the North Gate and exit from the East or South Gate (to visit Haoshang Bridge and Wuyong Temple). Enter through the Entrance Gate, you need to walk along a well-paved rocky footpath, where many Buddhist terms were carved on the left-side red sandstone walls. After walking for more than 10 minutes, you will finally arrive at Lingyun Temple (Dafo Temple), a very beautiful ancient Buddhist temple built in early Tang Dynasty keeping many Buddha figures and nice architectures. The 13-storey Lingbao Tower (similar architectural style as Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian) standing behind the temple is another landmark of Leshan City.

Walk further, soon you get to the right side of head of the Leshan Giant Buddha, where you can see the upper body and super big head, ear and slightly open eyes of the Giant Buddha. Hiking in former section is easy and simple. But going downstairs along the zigzag “Nine Plank Road” (Jiuqu Plank Road 九曲栈道) on the edge of the mountain to toe of the Buddha at the bottom may be a uncertain trail. The 278 stairs down are circuitous, steep and very narrow one-way path only for one person through at one time, so it will be quite crowed when there has thousands of visitors, and you must line up for two to four hours long, and finish the hiking once start.

The slow hiking is well worth the time and effort once you arrive at the statue feet, physically see the huge size, even a toe nail is bigger than your body. Look up at the Buddha, you surely will be shocked by its enormous size and overwhelming solemnity. Behind the construction, learn the ancient wisdom, harmonious coexisting of human and nature and unique Chinese culture with a tour guide. Take some memorable photos at the feet platform. Buddha feet are separated by rail for protection, but you can feel the torrential waters flowing and twisting under the Buddha. Later you need to hike up by another different path - Lingyun Plank Road (凌云栈道) at the left cliff to exit. En route out, you can visit Stele Forest, Museum of Hanya Tomb, Mahao Fishing Village. Exit from the South Gate and cross Haoshang Bridge (also known as Leshan Bridge), you can visit Wuyou Temple in the west island without extra tickets.

Recommended Leshan Giant Buddha Tours by Hiking:

√ 1 Day Giant Panda Visit & Leshan Giant Buddha Tour
√ 2 Days Mount Emei Leshan Giant Buddha Smart Tour
√ 4 Days Classic Leshan Giant Buddha & Mount Emei Tour from Chengdu

As the biggest night view project in Sichuan, the Night Cruise Tour of Three Rivers in Leshan provides tourists opportunity to look at the Leshan Giant Buddha decorated with modern light shows. The cruise tour route is: Wuyou Temple Cruise Terminal - Leshan Giant Buddha - Guanfo Tower - Baxiandong Cruise Terminal.

Departing from the dock, passengers will see ancient city of Qing Dynasty across the river, forming a distinct contrast with the buildings standing riverside. When getting close to the Buddha, the construction story will be told by the dazzling light performance. The colorful Giant Sleeping Buddha is the top highlight to help you recognize the lively sharp unclear in daytime.

2.Lingyun Mountain Night Tour

This is a culture themed evening tour newly opened for tourists. Walking under the dim lights and visit ancient sites near the Buddha, it brings you back to old time, contact with the history, give a quiet Buddhist shrine to sense. The evening mountain tour route is: North Gate - Front Mountain Path - Lingyun Temple/Head of Buddha - Yufu Pavilion - Haishi Cave - Lingbao Tower - Fengjilou Parking Lot - East Gate. Jiuqu Plank Road won’t open for safety.

3.Sun Island Tour

It is a less-known but very local way to overlook the front of Giant Buddha from Sun Island. You need to take a cruise to get to Sun Island from Tieniumen Dock between 08:00-18:00. Except viewing Giant Buddha at a distance, you can still drink tea, play Mahjong in a local farm house. The consumption is very reasonable.

Leshan Giant Buddha is located about 2 hours’ driving from downtown Chengdu. After your Panda tour in Chengdu, you will be transfer to Leshan in the morning. You’re suggested to make a Buddha boat tour within half a day, if your schedule is tight and you plan to visit Mount Emei in the afternoon. Of course, you can choose to hike if there are less visitors and you get to the scenic area very early. When time permits, you may have an in-depth exploration of Leshan Giant Buddha, try the two visiting ways together to enjoy different views and scenery, even go to nearby spots in Leshan, such as experiencing the only existing coal-burned railway in China - Jiayang Steam Train in Qianwei County, etc. Extended Emeishan Tours usually takes about 1 to 2 days, depending on your hiking route, physical condition and length of holiday. >> 2 Days Leshan Giant Buddha Visit with Jiayang Steam Train Experience

Travel Leshan with China Discovery

China Discovery is an experienced, professional and considerate travel companion based in Chengdu. Travel with us, you can enjoy well-organized tour services in the most convenient way, including the pick-up, local tour guide and drive, thoughtful accommodation, dining and worry-free transportation between each site and the ticket booking, etc. With our help, you can fully focus on the sightseeing journey using the minimum cost of time and energy. According to your itinerary and hobbies, you may choose from our Popular Leshan Giant Buddha Tours or contact us to customize a special one.

√ 5 Days Chengdu Leshan & Mount Emei Tour

√ 6 Days Leshan Mount Emei & Panda Volunteer Tour