Zigong is a large city of four million in southern Sichuan. It is a center for salt production, and while not worth the trip on its own merit, it is good for a stop off by road or rail from Chengdu.
Zigong is a pretty diverse city, with old and new side-by-side, in the form of ancient pagodas rubbing shoulders with ugly concrete monstrosities and shiny new shopping malls. There is plenty of accommodation in town and an array of interesting attractions to check out.
The main attraction for those with an interest in paleontology is the Zigong Dinosaur Museum. It is one of the world’s largest and sits over the top of a huge dinosaur fossil site. Also worth seeing in Zigong is the Giant Buddha at almost 37m high. The Zigong Salt History Museum is also worth exploring.
Getting There & Away
Zigong is best accessed by bus from the capital, Chengdu, 200kms to the northwest and site of Sichuan’s main airport. Flight time from Beijing is about 3 hours. The bus journey via expressway to Zigong is roughly 3 hours, starting off on the Chengdu-Kunming Expressway.
Things to Do
Zigong Attractions
- Zigong Salt History Museum
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A fascinating insight into zigong and its salt mines, with its huge xiqin assembly hall and other architectural highlights.
- Zigong Dinosaur Museum
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Also worth seeing, this museum was built right over a huge fossil site and is one of the largest museums of its type in the world.
Side trips from Zigong
- Bamboo Sea
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Situated around 100kms to the southeast at jiang’an, the bamboo sea is a forest of striking bamboo groves amid a region of mountains and lakes.
Events
- Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Show
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A spring event in february and march with lanterns, fairground rides, and teddy bears galore.