I am a local from Leshan. Since I was born, I have known that there is a world-famous Buddhist sculpture in my hometown: the Leshan Giant Buddha. It is the tallest cliff-side stone statue in the world, carved by hand on a cliff, and was built during the Tang Dynasty. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for both culture and nature.
The Leshan Giant Buddha is located at the meeting point of three rivers (Min River, Dadu River, and Qiyi River), where disasters like shipwrecks often happen. Master Haitong passed through this area and decided to build a giant Buddha to calm the local disasters.
For our local people, the Giant Buddha is like our grandpa, and we affectionately call him "Buddha Grandpa", because he stands across from the city of Leshan like a guardian, protecting us and bringing us peace, harmony, and good fortune.
In the local dialect, we say: "When Buddha Grandpa washes his feet, the people of Leshan take a bath." The feet of the Giant Buddha are as high as the foundation of Leshan city.
If there is a flood and the water level rises too high, the city would be submerged. So, to protect Leshan people, Buddha Grandpa has given up many chances to wash his feet.
Facts about Leshan Giant Buddha:
- Chinese name: 乐山大佛
- Location: About a 2-hour drive from Chengdu.
- Visiting Time: 40 minutes by boat or 2 hours for hiking (not including waiting time).
- Age: Over 1200 years old. Construction started in 713 and took 90 years, finishing in 813.
- Opening Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM for hiking; 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM for Boat tours.
- Height: 71 meters.
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Ways to Visit the Leshan Giant Buddha
Leshan Giant BuddhaThere are two ways to visit the Leshan Giant Buddha: hiking or taking a boat. Whether by boat or on foot, you will see the same Buddha, just from different angles. Hiking gets you closer to the Buddha, while the boat provides a full view and great photo opportunities.
The boat and hiking have separate entrances, about 3 kilometers apart. If you hike and want to take the boat afterwards, you can take a sightseeing bus to the boat entrance.
During peak tourist seasons (July, August, mid-January to mid-February), there can be waiting times of 1 to 3 hours for the sightseeing bus.
Since you see the same Buddha, and given the distance and possible waiting times, I suggest choosing one option based on your physical condition.
The tickets for hiking and the boat are separate. If you want to do both, you will need to pay for both.
Whether you buy a boat ticket or a hiking ticket, you need to show your passport at the visitor center or purchase them through the official WeChat account of the Leshan Giant Buddha.
During peak seasons, especially for boat tickets, it's recommended to buy them 2 days in advance, as ticket sales stop when the visitor limit is reached.
On Foot
Lingyun Mountain is where the Buddha is located. It is a small mountain only 75 meters high and easy to climb. Hiking allows you to see the Buddha's head up close, taking photos just 3 meters away.
Our guests took photos with the Buddha's headYou can experience the thrilling path down to the Buddha's feet and back, getting a close view of them. The steps are steep and high. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, or pneumothorax, I do not recommend this path.
However, if you love exercise, challenges, and excitement, hiking is the best choice. Generally, people without those health issues can complete the hike, including the path to the Buddha's feet, in about two hours.
The hiking path is steep.The downside of hiking is that it's hard to take a nice full-body photo with the Buddha. The foot platform is too close to the Buddha.
Since the Buddha is 71 meters high, you need to adjust your phone to a wide-angle view and take the photo from a very low angle, which often results in strange facial angles.
In addition, there may be waiting times while hiking. During peak seasons, the route to the Buddha's feet usually has a wait of 2-3 hours, with no way to avoid it.
Especially in summer, long waits and high temperatures can lead to heatstroke, so I do not recommend hiking during that time.
During the Spring Festival, it's also not recommended to hike because many people come to pray during the Spring Festival.
In last Spring Festival holiday, I took clients hiking, and we waited 2 hours just to enter the mountain.
After taking photos at the Buddha's head, we gave up on the optional route to the feet and left directly. Excluding the hellish waiting experience during peak seasons, hiking is usually very enjoyable.
By Boat
Visit Leshan Giant Buddha by boatTaking a boat does not require much physical effort. It takes only 5 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the dock.
There are two docks for the boat: Wulong Temple Dock (乌尤寺码头) and Jiazhuo Dock (嘉州渡码头).
- In winter, only Wulong Temple Dock is open because the water level is too low for boats to navigate from other directions.
- In other seasons, both Wulong Temple Dock and Jiazhuo Dock open. Once Jiazhuo Dock is open, it is better to choose it because it is closer to the city of Leshan, making transportation more convenient.
(Leshan is also famous for its food, like sweet skin duck and spicy chicken, so you can enjoy local cuisine after the boat tour.)
As the boat approaches the feet of the Buddha, the hidden statue suddenly appears from behind the mountain, which is very impressive! I still remember my shock when I first saw the 71-meter-high Buddha appear out of nowhere while on the boat. It made for great videos to share on social media.
Panoramic view of Buddha from the boatThe entire boat tour lasts 40 minutes, with the boat stopping in front of the Buddha for 5 minutes, allowing time for photos.
Usually, during peak seasons, the wait for the boat will not exceed 2 hours, and there is a VIP line available for those who do not want to wait. See our 3-Day Giant Panda and Giant Buddha Tour
Our guests took photos with the Buddha on the boatHowever, the downside of taking the boat is that the time spent with the Buddha is too short - only 5 minutes.
Plan a Day Trip from Chengdu to Leshan Giant Buddha
The high-speed train from Chengdu to Leshan is very convenient, and there are direct buses to the Giant Buddha from the train station.
However, local staff in Leshan usually do not speak English, and there are few English signs, making it complicated to transfer between the high-speed train and public transport.
Since the routes for the boat and hiking are complex, if it's your first time in Leshan, I suggest taking a private tour.
- It is recommended to leave Chengdu at 8:00 AM. It takes about two hours to get to Leshan, either by high-speed train or private car.
- Typically, you can start your visit around 10:30 AM. If there are no lines, hiking usually finishes around 1:00 PM. If you take the boat, it will finish around 11:30 AM.
You can have lunch afterward and then return to Chengdu or drive another hour to Emei Mountain. You may choose to stay one night at the foot of Emei Mountain and visit it the next day before returning to Chengdu. You can see our 6-Day Chengdu, Dujiangyan, Leshan, and Emei Tour for inspiration.
Mount EmeiBest Times to Visit Leshan Giant Buddha
The scenery of the Leshan Giant Buddha is not limited by seasons. Avoiding peak times during winter and summer vacations is generally the best time to visit.
In summer, be careful of heat. Temperatures can reach 40 degrees Celsius, and long waits can easily lead to heatstroke.
If you are taking a boat, it is better to arrive in the afternoon, as there may be low water levels in the morning that prevent navigation. The best time of day for hiking does not change.
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