Left: Three fish on ice in a red bucket. Right: Person in colorful costume and makeup, holding a phone.
Scenic view of a stone bridge over a calm river surrounded by lush greenery and traditional Asian architectural elements with red lanterns.
Left: A tray with bowls of dumplings and noodles. Right: A child holding balloons, walking with two adults in a park.
Split image: left side shows four elderly men sitting at a table in a dimly lit room with political posters on the wall; right side shows a bowl of spicy noodle soup with toppings and a dish of tofu in water.
Chef cooking outdoors using a steaming wooden barrel
Left side shows a person pouring tea from a kettle into a cup. Right side depicts two people walking on a path under green trees near a stone bridge.
Left image shows a chef carving roasted duck in a restaurant. Right image displays a scenic outdoor garden with a circular stone entrance and people walking through.
A split image showing two scenes: on the left, an elderly barber cutting a customer's hair in a small, cluttered barbershop, and on the right, a table with various Chinese dishes, including meat and vegetable stir-fry, a bowl of soup, and chili sauce
Collection of Chinese tea cakes labeled "Menghai Chi Tse Beeng Cha" on a shelf and a person in the kitchen preparing a dish with chopped ingredients and grated cheese.
Various bowls with ingredients like greens, nuts, and spices on a table; person in a patterned blue outfit scooping rice from a large pot.
Left image shows a plate with bacon slices, chili flakes, pepper, and salt, with chopsticks on a wooden table. Right image depicts a person in a temple, making an offering, standing next to a gold dragon statue and traditional red and black architect
A person holding a bowl of chopped greens with a white spoon on the left, and a couple walking under a traditional Chinese gate with lanterns on the right.
Two-part image: Left shows a woman and a man kneeling at an ornately decorated altar in a traditional setting with flowers and fruits; Right shows a wall with graffiti of the word 'LOVE' and a large Chinese character, surrounded by decorative leaves.
Two images side by side: on the left, a row of traditional copper teapots with woven handles, placed in a rustic setting; on the right, a person wearing stage makeup with bright red highlights, staring into a mirror while adjusting their appearance,
Two photos: one of a person standing by moss-covered stone pagoda in a forest, and another of a person seated, playing a flute-like instrument against a decorated building wall.
Left: A person in a traditional dark robe smiling and talking on the phone next to a red building. Right: A close-up of hands preparing tofu with toppings on a griddle, using a spatula and seasoning from a metal shaker.
Group of elderly people sitting around a stone table outdoors, with food and drink, in a social gathering.
Man lighting incense sticks near a shrine, traditional Chinese architecture and bridge in lush forest.
A split image; on the left, roasted ducks hanging by hooks. On the right, a woman sitting by a street food stall with pots and a sign featuring Chinese text.
A traditional Asian street scene with wooden buildings and trees on the left, and a plate of seasoned grilled meat on a table on the right.
A man wearing a blue apron and headphones pouring water from a kettle in a traditional Chinese teahouse. On the right, two men are seated at a small wooden table engaged in conversation, with a decorative wall featuring red artwork.
Left: A building entrance featuring a large red octopus sculpture holding kitchen utensils and plates. Two men in suits stand nearby. Right: Two women in aprons chopping green vegetables at an outdoor market stall with baskets of produce.
Illustration of a smiling child with Chinese characters on a wall; steamed sago dumplings with red toppings in a perforated pot.
Outdoor tea house with people sitting at tables, bamboo chairs, and red lanterns hanging from a wooden roof.
Two images: Left shows two people playing Go in a traditional setting with ornate wooden doors; right shows kitchen utensils including a ladle, strainer, and skimmer on a woven bamboo surface.
Left image: plated dumplings covered with a crispy layer next to a metal teapot on a table. Right image: a person in traditional attire standing outside a Chinese temple with ornate decorations and calligraphy.
Left: Person in traditional Asian opera costume with intricate headgear and makeup. Right: Black and white image of a street scene with a panda mural and text "Min Town Studio Community."

Sichuan

Sichuan gets under your skin in the best possible way – it’s gritty, beautiful, and utterly magnetic. A land of misty bamboo forests, rolling hills, and villages where time seems to stop – until the mahjong tiles start clacking, that is – its people are known for being a little laid-back, and for their sharp sense of humour. The Sichuanese relaxed attitude is known in China as “xian qing,” which roughly translates to “leisurely mood” or “idle pleasure” and it’s reflected in the popularity of teahouses. Whiling away an afternoon at a Sichuan teahouse is an unforgettable pleasure. Fiery, fragrant, and deeply layered, food here is unlike anything else in the country. Think mouthwatering snacks, hot pot, mouth-numbing málà (that addictive combo of chilli and Sichuan peppercorn), and dishes that leave you dreaming of their flavour long after you’ve gone home. We mean, smoked duck? Yes please!

Sichuan is a place of delightful contrasts. The elegant legacy of indigenous Shu culture pulses through ritual masks, the clang of cymbals at traditional festivals, and the stylised gestures of Sichuan opera. Daoist temples and tea plantations dot picture-perfect mountainsides, and bamboo forests sway in the breeze. While the lights of Chengdu and other booming cities blaze bright, the stone-cobbled old towns and bustling produce markets of Sichuan’s rural corners offer a glimpse into a slower, deeply rooted way of life.

On this journey, we’ll dive deep – wandering through markets, following winding alleyways to hole-in-the-wall eateries, and soaking up the rich culinary traditions that make this province so alluring. Bring an open mind, a hearty appetite, and a little tolerance for spice. You’ll need it!

Keen to come to Sichuan? We’re planning trips in May and September 2026. Send us an email using the form below and we’ll be in touch with more details.

Interested in Sichuan?

Get in touch and we’ll keep you in the loop with dates, costs and all the other good stuff!