Is tap water safe to drink in Chengdu?

Chengdu's tap water is treated, but the distribution system is old in places, and locals generally boil water before drinking. Restaurants serve boiled water or tea, and hotels provide bottled water. Drinking tap water straight is not recommended for visitors.

Bottled water is inexpensive and available at convenience stores, supermarkets, and hotels. Carry a refillable bottle and buy water as needed.

• Do not drink tap water straight
• Bottled water is cheap
• Locals boil water

Ice in drinks may be made from tap water. If you have a sensitive stomach, ask for no ice. Raw vegetables and salads may be washed in tap water; choose cooked food if you are concerned.

Street food is generally safe at busy stalls, but the same hygiene precautions apply. Bottled drinks are safer than drinks with ice from unknown sources.

Hotels usually provide two bottles of water per day. Convenience stores sell large bottles for a few yuan. A travel kettle or hotel kettle can boil water for tea or coffee.

If you are hiking or visiting a day trip, bring enough water. On Qingcheng Mountain, water is available but overpriced. Do not refill from streams.

• Ask for no ice
• Choose cooked food
• Bring water on day trips

Be stricter if you are traveling with young children, are pregnant, or have a compromised immune system. For formula and for brushing a toddler's teeth, use bottled or fully boiled water, and rinse bottles with boiled water rather than tap. Chengdu's hotels and train stations usually have hot-water dispensers; the water is boiled, so it is fine for tea and instant noodles, but clean the spout with hot water first if it looks grimy. Ask the hotel to confirm whether the kettle has been descaled, or buy a cheap travel kettle.

Stomach trouble in the first few days is common and usually settles. Carry oral rehydration salts rather than relying on sugary drinks, and do not self-medicate with antibiotics you brought from home without advice. Ice is the usual culprit: chain cafes and nicer restaurants often use filtered ice, while street stalls may not, so ask for no ice (bù yào bīng) when in doubt. Salads and cut fruit are washed in tap water; if your stomach is sensitive, stick to cooked food and fruit you peel yourself.

What to verify: whether your hotel provides bottled water daily (most do, two bottles), where the nearest convenience store is, and whether your day-trip operator supplies water. On Qingcheng Mountain and at Leshan, vendors sell water at a markup, so carry a bottle from the city. Do not refill from streams or temple taps, and do not assume a restaurant's tap-water rinse is safe for someone with a sensitive gut. None of this needs to be stressful; it just means drinking boiled or bottled water like locals do.