Nestled among steep hills where the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers converge, Chongqing is a sensory marvel blending futuristic skyscrapers with mist-shrouded valleys. Known as China's "Mountain City," its unique topography has shaped a culture of resilience and creativity—evident in cliffside highways, riverside cable cars, and fiery hotpot feasts.
Hongya Cave
This 11-story wooden building hangs on a riverside cliff, showing traditional Bayu design. By day, explore tea shops and spicy chili markets. At night, golden lights make it shine like a waterfall over the river. From the rooftop, see modern neon bridges and hazy mountain views side by side.
Ciqikou
Nestled on the banks of the Jialing River in Chongqing, Ciqikou Ancient Town is a captivating window into old-world China, dating back over 1,700 years to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Once a bustling river port famed for its porcelain production – evident in its name and ceramic fragments still embedded in its streets – this "Little Chongqing" preserves labyrinthine stone alleyways, traditional timber-framed buildings, and ornate temples like Bao’en Temple.
Three Gorges Museum
Located in Chongqing’s bustling Yuzhong District, this museum is a gateway to understanding the Yangtze River’s history, ecology, and cultural legacy. Explores the history of the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Dam project through artifacts, models, and interactive exhibits.
Wulong Karst
Wulong Karst, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site and Global Geopark in Chongqing, showcases one of Earth’s most spectacular karst landscapes, formed over millions of years. Its dramatic geological wonders include three iconic formations: the Three Natural Bridges (Tianlong, Qinglong, and Heilong)—massive limestone archways towering over lush valleys; Furong Cave, a vast underground palace adorned with ethereal stalactites, stalagmites, and crystal-clear subterranean rivers; and Houping Tiankeng (Englacial Tiansheng), a colossal sinkhole cluster featuring the world’s deepest vertiginous shaft elevator (120m) descending into a primordial rainforest floor.
Dazu Rock Carvings
The Dazu Rock Carvings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, represent one of China's most spectacular and well-preserved collections of religious cliff sculptures, dating from the 9th to 13th centuries during the Tang and Song dynasties. Located in Chongqing, these exquisite carvings span over 75 protected sites across steep hillsides and cave temples, with Beishan and Baoding Mountain as the twin artistic pinnacles. Masterfully integrating Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian iconography, Dazu stands out for its artistic sophistication, thematic diversity, and profound spiritual narratives—vividly depicting deities, moral parables, and daily life in over 50,000 statues.
Chongqing