The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, on the city's northern edge, is the best place in the world to see giant pandas at close range. Arrive at opening time (7:30am) when the pandas are active and feeding before retreating into their long daily nap. By 10am the animals are mostly asleep and the crowds are building. The base also houses red pandas, which are more active and acrobatic than their giant counterparts and often overlooked by the panda-focused crowds.
The base covers a substantial area of bamboo forest and requires a good two hours to properly explore. Photography is permitted everywhere. The breeding centre itself, where cubs are raised, has a viewing area that is extraordinary when newborns are present (typically summer and autumn). Take Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue station, then a short taxi or shuttle.