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County-level city in Sichuan, China
Photo: NoGhost, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Anjuesi
A small, central temple.
Jinggangsi
Temple with an adjacent shop that sells prayer flags and other Buddhist goods. At lunch time it is also possible to ask if you may eat in the temple kitchen, for a small fee.
Namosi
Paomashan
This is the mountain under which the city lies, famous for being referenced to a popular love song and horse races in the past. Guide books have cautioned about incidents of muggings in the past, so going in groups may be advisable.
Entry may be limited.
Entry via stairway on right hand side, grounds floor is unrelated shops. It's a functional place of worship, more than an attraction.
English signboards that give an interesting background to the history of the spring and horse races on Paoma Shan/Mountain.
Witness droves of locals dance to traditional music at the town square. They all mimic one leader through the steps, can you spot who she is?
Serves as a marketplace for all things yak. Culturally relevant to the local Tibetans, it is a one-of-a-kind site to see. Warning, not for traveler with a weak stomach!
A hot spring resort. A private room with a pool may entail a wait of up to a few hours, while a public pool is available immediately. A bit rough on the edges but this place is very affordable. It's the real deal offering great medicinal benefits. Bring your own towel.
3200m
National park containing lakes, forests, mountains, hikes, hot springs and grasslands. The entrance price is rather high by Chinese standards but it still well worth the (literally) breathtaking views. This is wild man's lake in Tibetan and you will be going up high to see the glory of the unspoiled alpine world. If you venture up in winter via taxi (¥200 one way) you most likely will be the one and only guests in the park with it all to yourself. You can practice your Mandarin or Tibetan with the local staff who just love visitors at this time of year essentially giving you a private tour of the whole park. Bring sunscreen and warm clothing. Internal bus circuits the park from the lake down to the valley every 30 min.
康定情歌国际音乐节
An annual cultural and music festival associated with Kangding's famous love-song tradition. The 2026 festival featured street performances, music, cultural activities and interactive events at several locations in central Kangding, including Luliucheng.
Venue for both good food and ambience. The restaurant is decorated in a traditional style, with adjacent private rooms and waitresses in traditional dress. Waitresses and local customers have a habit of dancing to the local music playing in the cafe. The food is varied and delicious. Westerners may appreciate the potato fried in Yak butter. Service is prompt.
Small cafe serving drinks and - perhaps - western breakfast. Check out the unusual Tibetan handicraft prototypes that adorn the cafe walls.
Restaurant on the second floor that serves up french fries, bobo shakes, and other East-West-blend fast foods.
a tiny hole-in-the-wall, serves up the best meat dumpings in Kangding, maybe anywhere. They do take-away, or you can ask them to set up a table in the street.
Surprisingly good coffee on the second floor of the building, overlooking the river/town. Has an international vibe to it.
A Tibetan-style and -owned guesthouse with very clean rooms & dorms, some with own bathroom. 24-hour hot showers.
Quiet and clean hostel, overlooking Kangding. Run by two Americans, only foreign-run guesthouse in town. It is built in authentic Tibetan style and supports local cultural interests. The only downside is its location high up above the town which requires a little hike. Internet, coffee, breakfast, dinner and lots of friendly travel info. Dorm rooms and suites.
The typical youth hostel with English-speaking staff. Very friendly and lots of travel information available. There are six and eight people rooms (shared bathroom) and twin/double/family rooms. Nice use of wood for furnishing/decoration.
Opened in 2019 and owned by one of Zhilam's former staff. Very clean and spacy and a nice common area.
By train
The Sichuan-Tibet railway from Chengdu to Lhasa will pass through Kangding, but is not expected to open until 2030 at the earliest.
By bus
Buses travel from Chengdu (departures from 07:00 to 13:00, 8 to 11 hours, ¥141), Tagong (4 hours, ¥40), and to Ya'an on the way back to Chengdu.
Taxis start at ¥5, while the size of the city makes walking feasible.
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Garzê (Kangding) · Regional · KGT
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