Stand on the Ming-era gate at Xichang Ancient City and the four streets below you meet in a cross: North Street, South Street, Cang Street and Fu Street, radiating out from the old centre. Beyond the rooftops, Qionghai Lake and Lushan Mountain sit south of the city, and on a clear winter day the light here is brighter and drier than almost anywhere else in Sichuan.
Xichang suits travellers who want a base in far southern Sichuan for lake wetlands, a mountain climb and a look at Yi culture, with the option of a day trip out to the satellite launch centre. It rewards people who are happy to walk, cycle and eat simply rather than chase a checklist.
This guide covers the sights and experiences named in the source material, ordered roughly by how much of your time they deserve, followed by a one-day plan and answers to common questions.
Top things to do in Xichang
1. Qionghai Lake and Lushan Mountain Scenic Area
Qionghai Lake and Lushan Mountain sit south of the city centre, and the surrounding wetlands have a bike path of roughly 40 km all the way around. This is the anchor of a visit to Xichang: you can ride the loop, stop where the water opens up, and treat the mountain as a separate half-day.
There is a ticket fee of ¥55, but many sections of the lake can be reached without buying a ticket, so decide whether you want the full circuit or just a stretch of shoreline before you pay. Combine the lake with the mountain on the same day only if you start early.
2. Xichang Lushan
Xichang Lushan is one of the area's famous scenic spots, and there are several ways up: on foot, or by ropeway, with a slide for the descent. From the top you get a panoramic view over the whole city of Xichang.
The monkeys on the mountain allow a close-up encounter, but watch your food, since they are known to grab it. If you climb on foot, allow time to rest on the way up and take the slide down if your legs are done.
3. Xichang Ancient City
Xichang Ancient City is not one of the finest ancient cities in China, but its most iconic building is the Ming-era city gate. The old city of Jianchang was square in the Ming Dynasty, with four walls each 1,200 metres long, and the existing area is about 130 hectares, centred on four archways.
The streets run in a "ten" shape: North Street to the north, South Street to the south, Cang Street to the west and Fu Street to the east. Writers and calligraphers including the Ming Dynasty writer Yang Sheng'an, the Qing Dynasty calligrapher He Shaoji, the Qing minister Zha Jiantang and the modern educator Huang Yanpei left ink marks in the ancient city of Jianchang, so look for inscriptions as you walk rather than rushing the gate.
4. Liangshan Yi Slave Society Museum
On Lushan hill at 6 Lushan Road, this is the only museum in China with exhibitions on the slavery system of the Yi people, which remained in the Liangshan area until the 1960s. It is free, and it is the best single place to make sense of the Yi culture you will see around the region.
It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00–16:00, and is closed on Mondays, so plan it for a day when you are already heading to Lushan rather than making a special trip. The phone numbers listed are +86 834 3950099 and +86 834 3223150.
5. Xichang Satellite Launch Center
The Xichang Satellite Launch Center was founded in 1970 and delivered for use in 1982, and since China's first communication satellite launch in January 1984 it has carried out more than a hundred satellite launches at home and abroad. It is in Zeyuan Township on Aerospace North Road, and the contact number is +86 8343864011.
Note that the spaceport itself is about 64 km northwest of the city, so this is a committed half-day or more rather than a quick stop. It is the one item on this list that needs arranging in advance.
6. Qionghai National Wetland Park
This is a plateau wetland nature reserve with high ecological value and one of the largest urban wetland parks in the city. The wetland covers about 20,000 acres and works to conserve water sources, regulate the urban microclimate, purify water quality and provide habitats for animals and plants.
It opens 08:00–18:00 and the ticket is ¥50; the phone number is +86 834-3952075. Go early if you want the water still and the paths quiet, and bring sun protection, since Xichang is sunnier than the Sichuan Basin.
7. Luoji Mountain
Luoji Mountain spans Puge, Dechang and Xichang, forms part of the Qionghai–Luoji Mountain Scenic Area, and is the largest Yi-inhabited area in China. The main peak reaches 4,359 metres, there are 72 peaks above 4,000 metres, and above 2,500 metres the ground is densely covered with Quaternary glacial relics; the scenic area also has glaciers, hot springs, springs and waterfalls.
It opens 08:00–18:00 and the ticket is ¥70; the address is Luojishan Avenue, Luojishan Town, Puge County, and the phone number is +86 834-4779326. There are no people and no roads in the undeveloped part of the scenic area, so do not rush in there.
8. Xichang Dashiban Ancient Village
Xichang Dashiban Ancient Village was built in the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, and it was an important town and post station on the ancient Southern Silk Road and the Ancient Tea Horse Road. It sits in Qionghai National Tourism Resort, facing Qionghai and backed by Luoji Mountain, surrounded by mountains on three sides.
It opens 08:30–18:00 and the contact number is +86 13881480172; the address is Hainan Street. Its Tea Horse Road character makes it a natural pairing with a lake day rather than a separate outing.
9. Moonlight style town
Moonlight style town sits at the foot of Qionghai Lushan Mountain on Haibin Middle Road, and is one of the three most beautiful tourist towns in Liangshan. It is built around moonlight culture and fishermen culture, and its natural style and ethnic customs are compared in the source material with Erhai Lake and Kuanzhai Alley.
Come here to appreciate the customs of Liangshan, and treat it as an evening stop when you are already on the lake side of the city.
10. Small fishing village
The small fishing village is the most important natural fishing base in Qionghai. Qionghai is an important natural fishery base in Liangshan Prefecture, and 829 fishermen once lived here, which is how the village got its name; most no longer make a living from fishing.
Bus 111 goes there. It is a straightforward add-on to a Qionghai day rather than a destination in its own right.
11. Xichang Haihe Park
Xichang Haihe Park is a good place for locals to take a walk after dinner. You can drink a cup of good tea in the riverside teahouse and take half a day at leisure.
This is the low-effort option for your first evening in the city, when you want to sit down rather than cover ground.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Xichang Ancient City while it is quiet, walking the four streets that meet in a cross and looking for the inscriptions left by Yang Sheng'an, He Shaoji, Zha Jiantang and Huang Yanpei. Then head to Lushan hill for the Liangshan Yi Slave Society Museum, which opens at 09:00 and is closed on Mondays.
Afternoon: Climb or ride up Xichang Lushan for the panoramic view over the city, keeping an eye on the monkeys and your food, then come down to the Qionghai Lake and Lushan Mountain Scenic Area. If you want the formal wetland, Qionghai National Wetland Park is open until 18:00; otherwise use one of the lake sections that needs no ticket and walk or cycle a stretch of the path.
Evening: Finish at Moonlight style town at the foot of the mountain on Haibin Middle Road, or, if you would rather stay in town, take a walk and a cup of tea at Xichang Haihe Park.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Xichang?
Winters are mild, very sunny and dry, while summers are very warm and rainy, with over 60% of the annual precipitation falling from June to August. If you want the bright, dry conditions the city is known for, aim for the winter months.
Do I need to pay to see Qionghai Lake?
There is a ticket fee of ¥55 for the Qionghai Lake and Lushan Mountain Scenic Area, but many sections of the lake can be accessed without purchasing a ticket. Qionghai National Wetland Park is separate, with a ¥50 ticket and opening hours of 08:00–18:00.
Which day is the Liangshan Yi Slave Society Museum closed?
It is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00–16:00. Entry is free.
Can I visit the Xichang Satellite Launch Center?
The center is in Zeyuan Township on Aerospace North Road, and the spaceport is about 64 km northwest of the city, so allow a substantial block of time. The listed contact number is +86 8343864011.
Work out which of these fit your days, check the opening days for the museum and the wetland, and start building your Xichang itinerary around the lake.