The Giant Buddha of Leshan is the largest Buddha in the world (71 meters high) that was carved out of Mount Emei in the 8th century. This attraction is located within a 2-hour driving distance from Chengdu and can be easily done as a day trip.
Award Flights to Chengdu, China
We booked a nonstop Hainan business flight from JFK to Chengdu (CTU) with 50K Alaska miles (~$200 taxes). All Hainan flights are currently suspended due to China travel restrictions.
Accommodation in Chengdu
We stayed in Hilton Chengdu, which was very reasonably priced with great customer service. Most hotels in Asia are happy to upgrade your stay to suites when they see that you have status with them (e.g., Hilton Gold or Diamond). We asked the hotel to arrange for a private taxi to take us to visit Leshan Buddha for a reasonable price of <$100 USD.
Giant Buddha of Leshan
After buying the tickets there is a long line with hundreds of tourists and it takes a while to get to the main area, but the final view is worth the wait. The statue of Buddha is beautifully sculpted with mesmerizing facial details and we were surprised to see it has been well preserved. There is a boat tour to see the statue from the river, which we skipped since it looked packed.
Summary
Giant Buddha of Leshan is a must-see destination for all travelers visiting Chengdu. Flights to Chengdu and China are easy to book with credit card points and China has a convenient 10-year multiple-entry visa that can be used to explore the country. We are hoping China will soon be open for post-COVID international travel without isolation requirements.