3D Magic City Rampage Guide: This is How to Play in Chongqing, 99% of Influencer Guides Are Weak!

1. Must-Visit Attractions and Experiences

【Core Landmarks】
Hongya Cave
Highlights: Night view like Spirited Away, stilted buildings brilliantly lit.
How to play:
Night photography spots: Side of Qiansimen Bridge (panorama); opposite the road on the 1st floor of Hongya Cave (shooting stilted buildings from below).
Avoid pitfalls: Heavily commercialized inside, no need to enter; lights on at 19:30, off at 23:00, don’t go too early.

Liziba Monorail Through Building
Highlights: The world’s unique monorail passing through a building.
How to play:
View the monorail passing through from the observation deck (wide-angle lens is more stunning);
Ride the first carriage of Line 2 and record the first-person view of passing through the building.

Hidden spot: Jiangbei District Xiangguo Temple Riverside Park’s misaligned “monorail swallowing” view.
Yangtze River Cableway
Highlights: Aerial view of the confluence of two rivers, representative of Chongqing’s three-dimensional transport.
Tips:
Choose South Station (Shangxin Street) → North Station (Xinhua Road) direction, queues are half as long;
Window seat has the best view, reserve early.
【Culture & Nature】

Wulong Karst Scenic Area
Three Natural Bridges: Tianlong Bridge, Qinglong Bridge, Heilong Bridge, filming location of Transformers 4, enter at 8 AM to avoid crowds.
Fairy Mountain Grassland: A summer resort in June, horseback riding and shooting Japanese-style photos.
Transport: 2.5 hours from downtown, recommended to join a pure-play day tour (about 200 RMB including transport and tickets).

Ciqikou Ancient Town
How to play: Stroll on bluestone roads, visit old teahouses, try Chen Mahua (look for the “Chen Changyin” old brand); pray at Baolun Temple, avoid weekends.
Nanshan Yikeshu Viewing Platform
Highlights: The pinnacle of Chongqing night views, thousands of lights like a star river.
Tips: Go before dusk to see sunset + night view, take a taxi down (bus is hard to catch).

2. Food Map

【Must-Eat List】
Hotpot:
Old residential building stores: Sijing Hotpot (80 RMB per person, mildly spicy and flavorful); Peijie Old Hotpot (Hongya Cave branch, must order tripe and aorta).
Avoid: Don’t trust taxi drivers’ recommendations for “cheap hotpot”!
Noodles/Sour & Spicy Noodles:
Huashi Pea Noodles (Jiefangbei branch); Bayi Road Food Street handmade sour & spicy noodles (8 RMB/bowl).
Jianghu Cuisine: Yangji Longfu (spicy chicken, spicy blood stew); Wulong Bowl Lamb (warm up after exploring the geological fissures).
Snacks: Grilled sweet potato skin (with sour radish filling), Chongqing small glutinous rice balls, One Yogurt Cow (chili relief magic).

3. Recommended Itinerary
【3-Day Classic Line】
Day 1: Urban Magic Experience
Morning: Liziba Monorail Through Building → E’ling No.2 Factory (artistic factory);
Afternoon: Yangtze River Cableway (South → North) → Huguang Guild Hall (yellow walls and gray tiles for great photos);
Evening: Hongya Cave night view + Qiansimen Bridge.
Day 2: Cultural Ancient Town Tour
Morning: Ciqikou Ancient Town (try Mahua, listen to storytelling);
Afternoon: Baixiangju (24-floor old building without elevator, shoot cableway through building) → Nanshan Yikeshu night view.
Day 3: Natural Wonders
Wulong Tiankeng + Fairy Mountain day tour (join a group for peace of mind).
【5-Day Deep Tour】(Add Wulong + Dazu Rock Carvings)
Day 4: Dazu Rock Carvings (Thousand-Hand Guanyin, Six Realms of Reincarnation) → Return for Youting Crucian Carp lunch.

4. Local Insider Tips
Transport:
Mainly monorail + walking, get “Chongqing Public Transport Ride Code” on Alipay;
Lost navigation? Ask directions using landmarks: walk 200 meters from Jiefangbei in which direction?

Accommodation:
First choice: Jiefangbei/Hongya Cave (convenient transport), second choice: Nanbin Road (river view rooms);
Avoid homestays directly opposite Hongya Cave, noisy at night.

Pitfall Guide:
Hongya Cave “fast channel” is an elevator, don’t pay for it;
Choose “Jiaoyun Mingzhu” official boat for Two Rivers cruise (19:30 departure best for night view);
Wear non-slip sports shoes! Average 20,000 steps per day.
Best Season:
March-May / September-November (comfortable around 20℃);
Bring sunscreen in summer, down jacket in winter (Wulong area is cold).

5. Money-Saving Tips
Tickets: Students/seniors get discounts with ID; buy Wulong combo tickets online in advance to save 50 RMB.
Off-peak: Hotels drop prices 30% Monday to Thursday; Yangtze River Cableway less crowded before 9 AM / after 8 PM.
Group tours: Choose pure-play day tours for Wulong/Dazu, more worry-free and cost-effective than independent travel (200-300 RMB per person).

The essence of Chongqing lies in its “smoky fire atmosphere”: when lost, try a bowl of roadside noodles, collide with the lights of Hongya Cave under the nightfall, that’s where Chongqing’s soul is. Take the guide and set off!🚠