Six days gives you Chengdu, a calm Leshan day and Chongqing, with one train and a single hotel change. Leshan works best as a day trip from Chengdu, so nobody repacks for it.
If you worry about spending your holiday on buses and in queues, this plan keeps Leshan to one unhurried day and everything else on foot or rail.
Who is this route for?
It suits culture and history lovers and first-timers who want the Buddha without climbing a mountain. Malaysian ordinary passport holders can stay up to 30 days per stay without a visa[1], so six days sits easily inside the limit. Confirm the rule on the official source before you fly.
For more on the area around the Buddha, read the Emeishan and Leshan region guide.
What does the route look like?
- Days 1 to 3: Chengdu, with Leshan as a day trip
- Day 4: high-speed rail to Chongqing
- Day 5: Chongqing sights and night view
- Day 6: fly home
Day by day
Day 1: land in Chengdu
Check in, eat close to the hotel and sleep early. Malaysia and China share one time zone[2], so there is no jet lag.
Day 2: Chengdu old city
Choose two historic stops, such as a shrine and a monastery, and keep a long lunch in between. Finish in a teahouse. This day sets your pace.
Day 3: Leshan Giant Buddha
Mount Emei and the Leshan Giant Buddha were inscribed together as a World Heritage Site in 1996[3]. You are going for the Buddha, not the mountain. Plan most of the day for travel and the visit, wear walking shoes and bring a rain layer.
Our Chengdu, Emei and Leshan itinerary gives the longer version if you want the mountain too.
Day 4: rail to Chongqing
The Chengdu to Chongqing intercity high-speed railway opened in December 2015 and is about 307 km long[4]. Chengdu East to Chongqing West takes roughly 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 30 minutes on typical fast trains[5]. Check in, rest and see the river lights after dark.
Day 5: Chongqing, slowly
Pick two sights, such as an old riverside town and the hillside streets, and keep dinner for hotpot. Order a mild or clear-soup pot if anyone cannot take chilli.
Day 6: fly home
Leave for the airport with margin. Check which airport and terminal your airline uses.
How should you manage the rail leg?
Your passport is needed to buy a ticket and pass the platform gates[6]. Tickets usually go on sale 15 days before departure[7].
At major stations, arrive 30 to 40 minutes before departure for the bag check[8]. G trains run up to 300 km/h[9]. The Chengdu and Chongqing pair guide says whether to treat them as one trip.
Where should you stay?
In Chengdu, choose a base near the metro and keep it for three nights. In Chongqing, choose between the river and the centre. Our Chengdu hotel area guide compares the Chengdu options.
How can you adapt it?
- Seniors: take a taxi to Leshan sights and skip long stair climbs.
- Children: add the panda base on Day 2 and keep the history shorter.
- Muslim travellers: the Hui avoid pork[10], so Hui-run restaurants are a sensible start. JAKIM removed the China Islamic Association from its recognised list in February 2025[11].
- Phones and payments: Google services and WhatsApp are blocked[12], and Alipay and Weixin Pay accept major foreign cards[13].
What should you book ahead?
Book flights, hotels and the rail leg. Save 120 for an ambulance[14].
Run the plan through the pace checker, price it with the budget planner and compare quotes in the package comparator. The itineraries topic page lists other routes.