Dujiangyan Travel Guide 2026 — The Ancient Irrigation Wonder & Anlan Bridge

What's inside this guide Bucket List · Highlights · Q&A · Itineraries · Attractions · Activities · Where to Stay · Food · Getting Around · Shopping · Practical Info · Day Trips · Tips · Background · Plan Your Trip

Dujiangyan Bucket Listthe river, the bridges and the night beer

Stand at the Fish Mouth

The stone fish-shaped dam that splits the Min River — the 2,300-year-old beginning of the whole system.

Cross the Anlan Suspension Bridge

The swinging rope bridge over the Min — one of the five great ancient bridges of China, rebuilt in five spans.

Walk the Bottle-Neck Gorge

The narrow channel that controls the flood — the 'Bottle Neck' that turns the river into an irrigation tap.

Watch the night beer garden

From May to October the Nan Bridge banks fill with tables — river fish, beer and the floodlit bridge.

Climb to Yulei Pavilion

The temple-crowned hill above the city — the best view over the whole irrigation complex.

See the Dao Jie Dujiangyan show

The open-air water show on the river stage, 10:30–11:30 daily — tickets RMB 168–288.

Top Highlightswhat the ancient river does best

No.1
The Fish MouthThe stone splitter of the Min River — the engineering that has run unbroken for 2,300 years.
No.2
The Anlan BridgeThe five-span rope bridge over the white water — the swaying heart of the site.
No.3
The night Nan BridgeThe floodlit bridge and the beer tables of the old town — the evening face of Dujiangyan.
No.4
The river from the heightsThe red bridge and the green river from the Yulei hill — the postcard view.

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Dujiangyan

When is the best time to visit Dujiangyan?

April–June and September–November are ideal — mild weather and clear rivers. Summer (May–October) brings the night beer festival and the liveliest evenings; winter is quiet and cold, with the daily show suspended.

How do the tickets work?

The main site costs RMB 90 plus RMB 10 for the audio guide; the Buyunlang escalator is RMB 20 one way / RMB 30 return. The combined Dujiangyan–Qingcheng pass costs RMB 180. Winter hours run 08:00–17:30, other seasons 08:00–18:00.

How do I get there from Chengdu?

The Chengdu–Dujiangyan high-speed line takes 30 minutes from Chengdu's Xipu or North stations; bus 4 runs from the Dujiangyan station to the scenic area. By road the city sits 55 km north-west of Chengdu.

Is one day enough?

For the irrigation works and the old town, yes — a full day from Chengdu covers everything at a civilised pace. Add a second day for Qingcheng Mountain, 20 minutes away, with the combined pass.

Is the Dao Jie show worth it?

The open-air water performance on the Min River stage runs 10:30–11:30 daily (A seats RMB 168, B RMB 188, VIP RMB 288) — a spectacular retelling of the irrigation's history, worth the morning slot.

Can I book my Dujiangyan trip through ToursChinaTravel?

Yes — email [email protected] or message us on WhatsApp. Our team arranges the rail tickets, site passes, the show, hotels and a guide, free of charge and without obligation.

Sample Itinerariesthe irrigation and the mountain in two civilised days

Dujiangyan Classic 1-Day Tour

The Fish Mouth to the Nan Bridge — the whole ancient river in one day. View the plan →

Day 1

Morning rail from Chengdu; the Fish Mouth and the Flying Sand Weir, the Anlan Bridge crossing, the Erwang Temple and the Yulei Pavilion; afternoon the old town lanes and the Dao Jie show; evening beer fish at the Nan Bridge before the train back.

Dujiangyan & Qingcheng Mountain 2-Day Tour

The river and the Taoist mountain — the two world-heritage sights of the west. View the plan →

Day 1

The irrigation works — Fish Mouth, the Anlan Bridge, Erwang Temple and the Nan Bridge night.

Day 2

Morning up Qingcheng Mountain — the Tianshi Cave, Shangqing Palace and the cable cars — then the rail back to Chengdu.

All plans are bookable end-to-end by our team — see the full day-by-day Dujiangyan itineraries hub, or the day-trip pages for single-day options.

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

The Fish Mouth (Yuzui)

The 2,300-year-old stone fish dam that splits the Min River — 10% of the water to the irrigation canal, 90% to the river, by the natural curve of the current.

Included · 08:00–18:00 · Ancient Works · Engineering

View details →

The Anlan Suspension Bridge

The five-span rope bridge rebuilt in 1974 over the white water of the Min — the swaying crossing that every visitor walks twice.

Included · 08:00–18:00 · Bridge · Iconic

View details →

The Flying Sand Weir & Bottle-Neck Gorge

The overflow weir that dumps flood water and silt, and the narrow gorge channel that follows — the self-cleaning heart of the system.

Included · 08:00–18:00 · Ancient Works · Engineering

View details →

Erwang Temple & Yulei Pavilion

The temple to the builders Li Bing and his son, and the pavilion on the hill above — the best views over the whole complex.

Included · 08:00–18:00 · Temple · Viewpoint

View details →

The Nan Bridge & old town

The Song-dynasty bridge rebuilt in 1958, floodlit at night — and the beer tables, river fish and music of the old-town banks from May to October.

Free · All day (lively from dusk) · Bridge · Night Life

View details →

Guanxian Ancient Town

The old county town beside the river — the Chongyi Arch, the old walls and the lanes that hold the night beer festival.

Free · 24 hours · Ancient Town · Old Chengdu

View details →

More in the region on the Sichuan attractions page.

Activities & Festivalswater shows, beer nights and rafting

The Dao Jie Dujiangyan water show

The open-air performance on the Min River stage, 10:30–11:30 daily — A seats RMB 168, B RMB 188, VIP RMB 288.

The Qingming water festival

The April ceremony that re-enacts the annual dredging rite — the traditional opening of the irrigation season.

The night beer festival (May–October)

The old-town banks fill with tables, music and river fish — Dujiangyan's great summer ritual.

Hongkou rafting

The white-water rafts of the Hongkou valley — small boats and big boats both RMB 170, the adventure day-trip of the region.

Where to Stayold-town rooms by the river

Every hotel below is bookable by our team; browse the full Sichuan hotels directory.

Old-town guesthouses

Courtyard rooms in the lanes behind the Nan Bridge — the night beer at the door, doubles from RMB 80 at Xinxin Inn (18982015626).

Book: Sichuan hotels · or email [email protected]

Riverside boutique hotels

Jin'an Hostel from RMB 98 (028-67639744) and the Jianyue Zhijia boutique hotel — modern comfort with river views.

Book: Sichuan hotels · or email [email protected]

Chengdu day-trip hotels

Many visitors sleep in Chengdu and ride the 30-minute rail each way — the hotels near Xipu station suit the early train.

Book: Sichuan hotels · or email [email protected]

Mountain-foothill resorts

The hotels on the Qingcheng road for the two-day plan — from spa resorts to family guesthouses.

Book: Sichuan hotels · or email [email protected]

Food & Restaurantsriver fish, pig trotters and the night tables

Nan Bridge river fish & beer

The night ritual — freshly caught Min River fish grilled with chilli, washed down by the local beer under the floodlit bridge.

Tongxiao pig trotters (tongxiao zhuti)

The slow-braised trotters of the old town, melting and mild — the famous dish of the night streets.

Zhazha noodles

The morning bowls of the town — the chewy local noodles in red oil, the breakfast of the market lanes.

The Qingcheng four delicacies

The mountain specialities of the nearby Taoist table — the preserved dishes that end the two-day plan.

Shopping & Souvenirsmedicinal herbs and the mountain crafts

Chuanxiong & houpo herbs

The Ligusticum and magnolia bark of the region — the traditional medicines grown on the Dujiangyan slopes.

Root-carving (gen diao)

The driftwood and root sculptures of the old town — the craft souvenir of the river.

The Qingcheng four delicacies

The preserved mountain foods — the edible gifts of the Taoist table.

Tea of the Min valley

The local green teas of the Dujiangyan hills — the taste of the old town.

Full local-product guides live on the Sichuan specialties page.

Getting There & Aroundthirty minutes from Chengdu by high-speed rail

By train

By high-speed train

The Chengdu–Dujiangyan line from Xipu or North stations — 30 minutes, then bus 4 to the scenic area.

By coach

Long-distance buses run from Chengdu's Chadianzi and New South Gate stations, about 1.5 hours, RMB 16–25.

By car

55 km north-west of Chengdu on the G4202 ring and the S9 road — about 1 hour; parking at the visitor centre.

Day Trips From Dujiangyanthe Taoist mountain, the rafting gorge and the night town

Qingcheng Mountain (1 day)

The misty Taoist mountain — the Tianshi Cave, Shangqing Palace and the cable cars, 20 minutes away.

Hongkou rafting & the gorge (1 day)

The white-water rafts and the green gorge of the Hongkou valley — the adventure day of the region.

The old town by night (half day)

The Nan Bridge, the beer tables and the river fish — the evening face of Dujiangyan.

Travel Tipsthings to remember

1 · Cross the bridge at dawn

The Anlan Bridge swings wonderfully at 08:00 with no crowd; by 10:00 the tour groups own it.

2 · Ride the escalator to Yulei

The Buyunlang escalator (RMB 20 one way / 30 return) saves the hill climb and gives the best overview.

3 · Book the show's morning slot

The Dao Jie show runs 10:30–11:30 — plan the Fish Mouth for before it and the temple for after.

4 · Buy the rail return at the station

The Dujiangyan–Chengdu trains fill by late afternoon — buy the return the moment you arrive.

5 · The combined pass saves money

The Dujiangyan–Qingcheng pass at RMB 180 beats two single tickets if the mountain is on the plan.

Background & Historythe river that has run unbroken since 256 BC

Geography & climate

Dujiangyan sits where the Min River leaves the mountains for the Chengdu Plain, 55 km north-west of Chengdu — a humid subtropical city at 700 m, ringed by the Longmen hills.

A brief history

In 256 BC the Qin governor Li Bing built the Fish Mouth, Flying Sand Weir and Bottle-Neck Gorge — a gravity system with no dam, no locks and no moving parts that still waters the plain today. UNESCO listed it in 2000, and the Erwang Temple has honoured the builder for two millennia.

The culture of the city

The Qingming water festival re-enacts the ancient dredging rite each April; the night beer garden and the river fish of the Nan Bridge are the modern ritual — the river remains the spine of the town.

Plan Your Dujiangyan Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place

Everything on ToursChinaTravel is bookable through our team by email or WhatsApp. Here's where each part of your Dujiangyan trip lives on the site.

Dujiangyan Travel Guide — the 2,300-year-old river that feeds a province

Dujiangyan Bucket Listthe river, the bridges and the night beer

Stand at the Fish Mouth

Cross the Anlan Suspension Bridge

Walk the Bottle-Neck Gorge

Watch the night beer garden

Climb to Yulei Pavilion

See the Dao Jie Dujiangyan show

Top Highlightswhat the ancient river does best

The Fish Mouth

The Anlan Bridge

The night Nan Bridge

The river from the heights

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Dujiangyan

When is the best time to visit Dujiangyan?

How do the tickets work?

How do I get there from Chengdu?

Is one day enough?

Is the Dao Jie show worth it?

Can I book my Dujiangyan trip through ToursChinaTravel?

Sample Itinerariesthe irrigation and the mountain in two civilised days

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Activities & Festivalswater shows, beer nights and rafting

The Dao Jie Dujiangyan water show

The Qingming water festival

The night beer festival (May–October)

Hongkou rafting

Where to Stayold-town rooms by the river

Old-town guesthouses

Riverside boutique hotels

Chengdu day-trip hotels

Mountain-foothill resorts

Food & Restaurantsriver fish, pig trotters and the night tables

Nan Bridge river fish & beer

Tongxiao pig trotters (tongxiao zhuti)

Zhazha noodles

The Qingcheng four delicacies

Shopping & Souvenirsmedicinal herbs and the mountain crafts

Chuanxiong & houpo herbs

Root-carving (gen diao)

The Qingcheng four delicacies

Tea of the Min valley

Getting There & Aroundthirty minutes from Chengdu by high-speed rail

By high-speed train

By coach

By car

Day Trips From Dujiangyanthe Taoist mountain, the rafting gorge and the night town

Travel Tipsthings to remember

1 · Cross the bridge at dawn

2 · Ride the escalator to Yulei

3 · Book the show's morning slot

4 · Buy the rail return at the station

5 · The combined pass saves money

Background & Historythe river that has run unbroken since 256 BC

Geography & climate

A brief history

The culture of the city

Plan Your Dujiangyan Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place