For a foreign passport holder, the Xi’an–Chengdu high-speed route is two bases of three nights each. Sleep in Xi’an inside the city wall (Beilin or Lianhu) and in Chengdu around Jinjiang or Qingyang. The bullet train between them takes about 3–4 hours, and both cities are packed with licensed hotels that register foreigners cleanly — so you check in twice and ride once.
The Chengdu–Leshan–Emei trio is a loop: base in Chengdu for the pandas and food, then take the high-speed rail south to Leshan’s giant Buddha and Mt Emei’s monasteries, sleeping in one licensed room for the stay. This plan is built around that base-plus-loops logic and the booking notes it creates.
An 8-day Southwest China loop for a foreign passport holder works as four bases: three nights in Chengdu, one near Leshan/Emei, two in Kunming, and two in Dali (or Lijiang). High-speed rail stitches the region together, and each city has licensed hotels that register foreigners — but mountain and old-town inns vary, so confirm the licence each time you book.
A foreign passport holder’s 6-day Sichuan plan is two main bases plus a return night: three nights in Chengdu (with a Leshan/Emei day trip), two nights up at Jiuzhaigou, and a final night back in Chengdu before flying out. Chengdu and the Jiuzhaigou gateway town both have licensed hotels that register foreigners; the mountain resorts vary, so confirm the licence each time.
Five days in Chengdu work from one central base, with the panda base, Leshan and Mt Qingcheng as day loops, so you unpack once and let the metro do the travelling. This plan is organised around that single room and what to know before you book it.
Four days in Chengdu is enough for the pandas, the temples, the teahouse life and a Sichuan food blowout, all from one central base. The city is flat, walkable and Metro-connected, so a single hotel near the centre keeps every sight close and lets you graze the famous cuisine across several evenings rather than one rushed sitting. Here is the day-by-day plan and where to stay.
The best Chengdu base for foreigners is the centre around Tianfu Square or the riverside near Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li. These districts keep you on the metro, near international hotels that handle foreign passports smoothly, and within reach of the pandas, teahouses, and Sichuan kitchens. Avoid far suburbs.