Tower of Life at SKP Chengdu (生机之塔) – How to Visit the Bamboo Fountain!

If you’re visiting Chengdu in China, then you must visit the Tower of Life at SKP Mall.

It’s a giant bamboo fountain that lights up at night and will make you feel like you’ve been transported to the future. 

This installation makes a fabulous evening activity and is the perfect spot for photos. 

I was completely mesmerised and in awe of this place. It was mind-blowing to watch and took my breath away. 

But there were some things I wish I had known before my visit. So, I’m making this post in order for you to have the best possible experience.

Here is a complete guide on how to visit Chengdu’s Tower of Life at SKP Mall and whether it’s worth it. 

What is the SKP Tower of Life in Chengdu? 

The Tower of Life in China, also known as the Tower of Vitality, is a futuristic fountain installation in the panda city of Chengdu.

It’s made up of six bamboo pillars that are 26 – 39 metres tall (85 to 128 feet), which constantly cascade water.  

The mist from the jets gives the illusion that they are breathing, hence its name.

In the evening, these towers light up in different colours and look incredible against the night sky. 

It feels like you’ve stepped into the future, or been transported to another universe entirely, and it’s often called a Cyberpunk display. 

These bamboo towers are popular as they go viral on social media; it’s easily one of the most iconic attractions in Chengdu today. 

Where is the bamboo fountain in Chengdu? 

The Tower of Life, or Bamboo Fountain, is located above SKP Chengdu, which was built in 2022.

This is a sunken-style, futuristic luxury mall with architecture and displays that are out of this world.

It is a little farther south of the city centre, within the financial district.

Keep in mind that it can take you anything from 30 to 45 minutes to get here from central Chengdu. So, adjust your itinerary accordingly.

How to visit the SKP Mall in Chengdu

It’s very easy to visit SKP Chengdu by using the metro or taking a taxi:

• By Taxi: You can book a Didi to get here through Alipay. Trips are very affordable. The location on A-Map is ‘SKP Water Beacons’. The best drop-off point would be Gate 1. Then, it’s a 10-minute walk. 

• By Metro: You can take the Chengdu metro line 18 to Jincheng Plaza Station and use Exit B. It drops you near the entrance of the bamboo fountain.

When is the best time to visit the Tower of Life?

The best time to visit the Tower of Vitality is in the evening, when the giant bamboo pillars light up from 7.30 – 10 pm. 

You could visit for sunset. But for photography, I recommend visiting an hour or two after the sun has set, when the sky is properly dark.

Just keep in mind that the fountain switches off at 10 pm sharp, and everyone gets kicked out of the complex. So, don’t visit too late. 

As I was visiting in May, the sun set around 8.30 pm, and by the time the sky was properly dark, I only had around an hour here to get good photos. 

Everyone else was in the same boat, and so the crowd levels were really high. In the winter, you’ll have a lot more time.

Arriving at SKP Chengdu’s Tower of Life 

As soon as I arrived at the bamboo fountain in Chengdu, I was utterly captivated. 

I was greeted by six enormous pillars that light up in different colours and constantly cascade water into a pool below. 

This sci-fi forest appears to be ‘breathing’, and it was mesmerising to watch. I could have spent hours here, as I was so enraptured.

As it had been quite a hot day in Chengdu, the cascades were so refreshing. I was glad that the effort I made to get here was worth it. 

How to take the perfect photo or video

It’s worth walking around the Tower of Life to see what composition you prefer for your photos and videos.

The bamboo pillars are enormous. So, you may have to set your camera on a wide-angle lens to get them all in. 

As this place is so famous and often goes viral on social media, you can expect it to be insanely crowded. So, come armed with a little patience.

People tend to gather and crowd around the entrances. But it’s spacious, and there are many places to get great photos of the fountain.

Rainbow lights vs. monochrome

Something I loved about the Tower of Vitality is that it changes colours all the time.

You’ll see the pillars turn from a colourful rainbow to a Cyberpunk blue monochrome. 

The only thing that is frustrating is that they only stay in one colour for a few seconds.

So, if you are hoping to film it in blue or teal, you’ll need to wait for it to change every few minutes.  

I loved the rainbow effect as it looked so vibrant. On every full rotation of colours, the pillars reset, and water will crash down over the area.

Prepare to get wet 

Something that people rarely share online is that you can actually get SOAKED visiting this fountain. 

A lot of people walk through the giant bamboo pillars when taking photos and videos, and head right into the spray. 

I would definitely have some waterproofs prepared, like a hat, coat or umbrella, if you plan to walk through the installation.  

Also, mind your step as the floor can be very slippery when the fountains are running. 

Of course, you can remain dry by just sticking to the outskirts. But it is really fun to play in the cascades! 

How long do you need to visit?

The Tower of Vitality is not an overly large place, and it’s mainly a quick photo stop in Chengdu.

However, this fountain is utterly breathtaking and will completely mesmerise you, so you could easily spend over an hour here.

It’s very crowded at night, so you may need extra time to get the photos and videos you want. 

I also wouldn’t leave without popping inside the SKP Mall, as the architecture and displays are both quirky and aesthetically pleasing. 

Is the Tower of Life at SKP Mall worth visiting?

Yes, the Tower of Life at SKP Mall was easily one of my favourite places I visited in Chengdu. 

This bamboo fountain bewitched me, and I could have spent hours here admiring the display. 

Of course, Chengdu is a historic city traditionally known for pandas. But their futuristic attractions and light displays will amaze you. 

China is living light-years ahead of the rest of the world, and the Tower of Life at Chengdu SKP is a great way to experience its progress. 

Don’t skip this incredible bamboo fountain; it will transport you to a different universe! 

Opening times & entry fees

Chengdu’s Bamboo Fountain is only open when the SKP Mall is open from 10 am to 10 pm.

It’s also completely free to visit the Tower of Life at SKP Chengdu. Making it a great budget activity. 

Important tips for the SKP Tower of Life

• The best lighting for the Tower of Life in Chengdu is around an hour or two after sunset when the night sky is darkest. 

• The fountain lights switch on at 7.30 pm and switch off at 10 pm sharp. So, keep this in mind.

• Bring an umbrella if you plan to walk through the water, or prepare to get soaked. 

• It can get very crowded at the fountain, so come armed with patience when taking photos. 

Don’t forget to go inside SKP Mall

The Tower of Life is an installation built above the SKP Mall. So, don’t leave before heading underground.

It’s a sunken-style, futuristic luxury shopping centre which has a wealth of designer brands and boutiques to browse.

Something I loved about visiting SKP Chengdu was the quirky displays you could find in each building. 

There were ethereal deers, apes in outer space and kangaroos in pampas grass. It was bizarre in the best way.

This mall is massive, so make sure to grab a map from the information desk to find your way around.

You could easily spend a couple of hours here. There’s so much to see and do.

Magical places to visit in Chengdu at night

Chengdu was one of my favourite cities in China due to all the futuristic light displays you could find. They are really living in the year 3000. 

Beyond the Tower of Life, there are plenty more lights you can visit in the evening. 

SKP Mall is opposite the world’s largest building, the Chengdu Global Center. This is a great place to visit either day or night. 

One of the coolest displays is inside the Demofang Mall; it’s a huge tunnel that brings the ocean inside. You can see whales and dolphins swimming.

I also recommend heading to the Chengdu Twin Towers, which has a cool display each evening.  

If you have the time in your itinerary, definitely travel to see Dujiangyan’s Blue Tears. 

The Minjiang River is lit up in a gorgeous teal colour, and it is absolutely magical to witness.

The journey takes around an hour from Chengdu, but it’s totally worth the time.

In fact, Dujiangyan makes a great day trip with attractions like Zhongshuge Bookstore and the giant panda statue.

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Save the Tower of Life at SKP Mall for later