Chongqing
Chongqing stacks itself up the hillsides where the Yangtze meets the Jialing. It is disorienting, dramatic and delicious. Two days, and eat hot pot on the first night.
- Region
- Chongqing, Southwest
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Airports
- CKG
- Suggested stay
- 2–3 days
Overview
Maps do not work in Chongqing. Roads stack on top of each other, the metro passes through an apartment block, and the street outside your hotel may be the eighth floor. Accept it and walk.
The river confluence is the centre of everything. Cross on the cable car, look down from the ridge at Eling Park, and come back after dark when the whole hillside lights up.
The city is humid, foggy and known for heat in both senses. Its hot pot is the numbing, oily, beef-tallow original, and it is a point of pride.
Getting there
Jiangbei (CKG) is on metro line 3 and line 10, about 45 minutes to the centre. High-speed trains from Chengdu take just over an hour to Chongqing West or Shapingba; from Xi'an about five hours.
Rail tip. Your passport is your ticket. Book on 12306 or Trip.com, then go straight to the gate. See Getting around.
Where to stay
Jiefangbei
解放碑The peninsula tip. Central, busy, the classic base.
Malls, the monument, Hongya Cave a short walk downhill, and both rivers within reach. Noisy but easy.
Nan'an, south bank
南岸Across the Yangtze with the view back at the skyline.
Hotels around Nanbin Road face the city across the water. The cable car brings you over in four minutes.
Shapingba
沙坪坝University district, big transport hub, cheaper.
West of the centre with the high-speed station underneath a mall. Student prices and student energy.
Things to do
Hongya Cave
洪崖洞The stacked riverside complex that looks like a film set. Come after dark.
Yangtze River Cableway
长江索道A commuter cable car across the Yangtze, now the best ride in town.
Ciqikou
磁器口A Ming-era port town swallowed by the city. Crowded but fun.
Eling Park
鹅岭公园The ridge above the peninsula with the best free view of the city.
Dazu Rock Carvings
大足石刻Buddhist cliff carvings from the Song dynasty, ninety minutes out.
Eat
Hot pot, obviously, and the locals do it nine-part spicy in the summer heat. Also xiaomian (small noodles) at breakfast, spicy chicken (laziji) buried in dried chillies, and the fried everything at the night markets. Ask for a yuanyang pot with a mild side if you need a way out.
From travellers in Chongqing
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