[Photo provided to Shanghai Star]

8. Enjoy a glass of the local firewater, or more if you dare. The baijiu here has a time-tested quality and history, and has traditionally fuelled the courage of the region's famous warriors. It goes well with the equally fiery Chengdu hotpot that is the city's best-known signature, and export.

Suggestion: Again, guests at the St Regis are offered an Unveiling the Art in Baijiu Aficionado package featuring a private tour and tasting at Shuijing Fang Museum, China's first baijiu distillery. Shuijing Fang boasts a distilling process that is 600 years old, carefully preserved through the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. You get to meet a baijiu master who showcases the production of the traditional Chinese distilled alcoholic beverage.