The same secret river as in Tomb Raider must-visit: Chongqing Zhuoshui Ancient Town

Everyone has discovered an earth-shattering secret! This underrated 5A ancient town in Chongqing is like a real-life scene from the Tomb Raider Notes! It has 100 times fewer people than Ciqikou, with both a secret river and ancient style buffs stacked up. Come and get this adventure guide～😎🕶️

🌈Perfect 1-2 day itinerary🌈

✨Day 1:
☀️Morning: Arrive at Zhuoshui Ancient Town → Stroll through the old street (lots of authentic snacks!)
🌙Afternoon: Climb to the top of the cross-river covered bridge (Asia’s longest wooden covered bridge!)
✨Evening: Must-see stunning light show (starts promptly at 8 PM!)

✨Day 2:
🔦Morning: Explore the Pu Hua secret river (Tomb Raider Notes fans will be thrilled!)
🚗Afternoon: Return trip or continue exploring Gongtan Ancient Town (recommended if you have time)

📸Must-check-in legendary spots📸

🏮Old street alleys:
Bluestone roads + pure wooden stilt houses, you might bump into an old lady selling maltose candy around the corner~ Rent a full set of ancient costumes (Hanfu/Miao costumes available) for just 50 RMB, and instantly turn your photos into ancient-style masterpieces📷

🌉Covered bridge:
The longest wooden covered bridge in Asia! Spanning the Apeng River is truly breathtaking~ When the lanterns light up at dusk, it’s like a 1:1 replica of the scene from "Spirited Away"! There are plenty of photo spots under the bridge waiting for you to discover📸

🌌Pu Hua secret river:
The main event! Drift by boat into a mysterious karst cave, with thousand-year-old stalactites hanging overhead✨ The boatman will say "look up at the stars," in the pitch-black environment with only the boat’s light, it feels like you might meet Zhang Qiling any second! There’s also the naturally formed "Three Bridges of the Sinkhole," making the adventure vibe max out💯

🚗Complete transportation guide🚗

Self-driving: Navigate to "Zhuoshui Ancient Town Parking Lot," about 4 hours from Chongqing (free parking!)
Bus: From Chongqing North Station South Square → Qianjiang bus → transfer to direct bus (about 1.5 hours total)
High-speed rail: Chongqing North Station → Qianjiang Station (1.5 hours) → Didi 20 minutes direct to the ancient town

🍜Food highlights🍜

🥢Must-try mung bean noodles! Freshly ground mung beans + special lamb sauce, sour and spicy and very satisfying~
🥩Sour vinegar pork: Tujia ethnic intangible cultural heritage food! The fermented pork texture is amazing
🍵Eagle tea: 3 RMB a cup, a perfect palate cleanser, available everywhere on the ancient town streets

💥Pitfall avoidance guide💥

⚠️Wear non-slip shoes for the secret river boat ride! The cave stays around 15°C year-round, bring a jacket
⚠️Best viewing spot for the light show is on the opposite bank! Don’t foolishly wait at the bridgehead
⚠️For specialties, it’s better to buy at Qianjiang supermarket; the ginger candy in the ancient town is too sweet, be cautious
⚠️Outfit advice: Ancient-style dresses + cloth shoes are a perfect match! Wear dark clothes for the secret river

This place is simply amazing! One-stop for ancient-style photos + underground adventure, and the best part is fewer people and beautiful scenery~ If you don’t visit here on a Chongqing trip, you’re really missing out!💔