Travel and Photography Guide to Chongqing, the Cyberpunk City of China

Discover what to do in Chongqing (重庆), China’s cyberpunk metropolis, and where to take the best pictures in this amazing city.

I remember first hearing about this obscure city from a friend of mine who also lived in China many years ago. Back then, it wasn’t a particularly popular destination for foreigners, but I decided to visit anyway, since you don’t get the chance to see a city with a population of over 30 million every day.

Fast forward to today, and it seems that it’s impossible to avoid the endless stream of viral content coming from people who are visiting Chongqing, be it the building that looks like it’s on the first floor but it’s actually on the 20th floor (insert surprised face), or the amazing drone shows, or the futuristic skyline of the city surrounded by the fog.

Love it or hate it, Chongqing won’t leave you indifferent. I actually like it for this reason. Most cities in China, with few exceptions such as Beijing and Shanghai, lack personality; aside from a few landmarks in the city center, they all look the same. Well, this clearly isn’t the case with Chongqing.

In 1997, the city officially became a directly controlled municipality, separating administratively from Sichuan province and rapidly transforming into the megacity known today. In this article, I’ll explain what to see and what to do in this beautiful, futuristic city, including a few photography tips.

How to get to Chongqing

As you can imagine, this is one of the best-connected cities in the country (here is my China travel guide). You can easily reach it from pretty much anywhere in China. Whether you are flying or taking a train, I recommend using Trip. Remember that there are six train stations, some of which are a bit far from the city center. The newest and also one of the biggest in the world is Chongqing East.

When is the best time to visit

The city has a subtropical climate, very similar to Chengdu (here my guide), which means summers can be extremely hot and humid. Chongqing is actually famous across China for its intense summer heat, earning it a spot among the “Three Furnaces” of the Yangtze River region. Temperatures regularly climb above 35°C, and with the humidity, it can feel even more overwhelming. If you don’t handle heat well, you’ll definitely want to avoid July, August, and September. On top of that, July and August are peak holiday months in China, so the city is filled with domestic tourists.

Another thing you should know is that Chongqing is often overcast or foggy. In fact, locals call it the “Fog City” because the sun hides behind clouds for much of the year. It creates a moody atmosphere that can be quite fascinating for photography, but don’t expect clear blue skies unless you are extremely lucky. Even in the cooler months, you will likely find the city draped in mist, which gives it a very unique character compared to other Chinese cities.

I recommend spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November). During these seasons, temperatures are more comfortable, making it easier to climb steep hills and navigate riverfront areas. Winter is another option since it rarely gets extremely cold, though the damp chill combined with foggy days will make you feel colder than you actually are.

One important tip. I usually recommend avoiding the weekends in most places in China, but Chongqing is actually much better at the end of the week. This is because on Saturday, there is usually an amazing drone show, and many tourist places also have the lights turned on only on weekends. You’ll obviously find many more people, but it will be worth it.

Where to stay

Due to its massive size, it’s quite important that you choose the right place to stay in Chongqing. Some of the hotels with the best value for money are located far from the CBD, and I don’t really recommend staying there. Generally speaking, you want to stay in the Jiefangbei area, which is located on the northern tip of the peninsula where the central part of Chongqing is located. This is a good hotel, but anything else in this area will also be ok. Just check on Trip. Booking sometimes also has good deals even in China.

The good thing about this city is that the hotels are still relatively cheap, especially compared to Shanghai, and you’ll find plenty of options for all budgets.

What to do in Chongqing

You can spend anywhere from one full day to three or even four days in the city. The best option would be to spend two full days in the city and then do a one-day trip to other places nearby, such as Wulong.

I divided the places, keeping in mind the best time of the day to visit them. Some areas are much better at night or at sunset, and that’s when you should go, while others can be explored during the day. Many of the pictures you’ll see below are taken with a drone, but not all of them, and I’ve specified where it’s only possible to capture the same scene with a drone. If you do have one, remember to register it before coming to China (you can do it here).

Chongqing during the day

Luohan Temple (罗汉寺)

The Luohan Temple (罗汉寺), also called the Arhat Temple, is one of the oldest and most photogenic temples in Chongqing, right in the city center. Originally built during the Song Dynasty, it has survived wars and urban development. Inside, you’ll find hundreds of Arhat statues, each with unique expressions and poses, as well as intricate Buddhist carvings.

What I love about this temple is the contrast its traditional architecture provides with the surrounding modern buildings.

Getting there is easy. You can take Metro Line 1 or Line 6 to Xiaoshizi Station (小什字站) and use Exit 6, then walk for about five minutes. Like the traditional palaces in Seoul, here too you can rent a traditional Chinese dress (hanfu) and hire a local photographer for a photoshoot inside or around the temple area. If you’re interested, send me a DM on Instagram and I’ll share the contact details.

The temple is in Jiefangbei, the heart of the city, where many of the other places I’ll mention next are located.

Jiefangbei (解放碑)

Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street (解放碑步行街) is the city’s main square, marked by the People’s Liberation Monument (人民解放纪念碑), one of Chongqing’s most recognizable landmarks. I think this area perfectly captures the spirit of modern Chongqing, especially in the evening when the lights are on.

If you are in this area at night, don’t forget to take some pictures of the iconic Chongqing Art Museum (重庆国泰艺术中心), also known as the Chongqing Guotai Arts Center, whose architecture is inspired by Chinese chopsticks. The museum hosts exhibitions featuring contemporary Chinese art, photography, and cultural installations.

If you are into photography, your next stop could be Chaodonglu (朝东路), a very popular street among photographers, thanks to the sense of compression you get when you photograph the towers of Raffles City in the background, with local warehouse workers busy loading and unloading trucks. This is one of the most iconic places in the city, and I’m sure you have seen pictures taken on this street.

From this spot, you can keep walking towards Raffles City (来福士广场), which is Chongqing’s most famous building, located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. It was designed by Moshe Safdie, the same architect who designed Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, which is why the two buildings look similar. The skybridge is the second-highest in the world after the Kingdom Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Besides the observation deck, you can also enjoy riverside walks around the base of the complex, although, as I will explain later, the best view of the skyline of the city is from the other side of the river.

Another great place for photography, located in the same area, is on the Dongshuimen Changjiang Bridge (东水门长江大桥).

From there, you can take some pretty impressive pictures of the cablecar crossing the river with the apartment buildings in the background. Right behind the bridge, you’ll find the Chongqing Huguang Guild Hall (重庆湖广会馆), a beautifully preserved historic complex built initially during the Qing Dynasty as a meeting place for merchants from Hubei and Hunan provinces. If you have a drone, you can capture the Hall against the bridge and the Raffle City in the background, giving you some pretty iconic pictures of Chongqing.

There are way more places to discover in the Jiefangbei area, but the ones I mentioned will give you a good starting point to explore, and they are all pretty much easily reachable on foot.

Kuixing Tower (魁星楼)

This is one of those places that went viral because it’s a pretty good representation of a city with so many layers. One moment you are on the ground floor, and the next minute you realize that you are actually on the 20th floor. There really isn’t much to do there besides taking a few pictures and videos, but I put it in this article because many people asked me about it. From there, you can walk back toward the Linjiangmen subway station (临江门站) on Line 2 and head to another super popular place: Liziba.

Liziba Subway Station (李子坝)

Liziba Subway Station (李子坝) is famous for the train passing directly through the middle floors of a residential building, creating one of the most photogenic subway scenes in the world. From the outside, you can see the train gliding through the building, while inside the station, the view of the city’s steep streets and surrounding architecture evokes Chongqing’s nickname, “Mountain City.”

Even in this case, there isn’t much to do besides taking some pictures of the train, but it will be worth it: you don’t see something like this every day.

Interestingly, the building and Liziba Station were constructed together, not sequentially. The residential building was designed with the metro line in mind, so the train could pass through the middle floors without disrupting the building’s structure or residents.

Hong’en Pavilion (鸿恩阁)

This multi-story wooden pavilion, built in a traditional Chinese architectural style, has great views of the city skyline and the surrounding hills. It’s beautiful, especially at night when the lights are turned on (usually after 20:00). The surrounding Hong’en Park is also quiet and perfect for photography, or if you want some time away from the crowds.

The Ring Shopping Park (重庆光环购物公园)

The Ring is one of the latest places that went viral due to its beautiful indoor garden, similar to the one in Singapore (I’m starting to see a pattern here). Besides that, there is also a small library on the third floor, but like pretty much every scenic library in China (see Tianjin and Chengdu), it’s only good in pictures. I recommend coming to this place only if you are really interested in creating content for social media, because it’s a bit far from the city center, and there isn’t anything else to do in the area.

Hot pot in a former air-raid shelter

If you want to try the most famous food in Chongqing, you might as well do it in a really unique location: a former air-raid shelter. There are many air raid shelters in Chongqing because the city played a crucial role during World War II as China’s wartime capital. From 1938 to 1943, Chongqing was heavily bombed by Japanese forces in what became known as the “Chongqing Bombing.” To protect civilians from these relentless air raids, thousands of tunnels and shelters were dug into the city’s rocky hillsides.

Many of these underground spaces still exist today, hidden beneath streets and buildings, and some have been repurposed into cafes, museums, or, as in this case, hot-pot restaurants. I picked the restaurant called 红九格老火 (解放碑防空洞店) because it had the best reviews. To be honest, the location is super cool, but the food is just mid. So if you want the experience, go for it. If you actually want to eat a good hot-pot, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Thousand Buddha Temple (重庆千佛寺)

This is a great location for photography because you can take one of the most iconic pictures of the city with the temple in the foreground and the Raffles City in the background. Right before the temple, on the main road, you can also capture the Sheraton Towers with the cablecar and the train passing in front of them. You’ll need a very long lens for that shot: at least a 400mm. I recommend this area only if you are into photography, since there really isn’t anything else to do.

Congqing 1949

The Chongqing 1949 Grand Theatre, located right next to Ciqikou Ancient Town (another interesting area, but worth it only if you will attend the show), is very impressive. Built exclusively for a single grand production, the show dives into the tense, high-stakes final months of Chongqing’s liberation during the Chinese Civil War.

It tells the raw, dramatic stories of political prisoners held at the historic Zhazidong and Baigongguan camps. If you want to understand the true grit and resilience behind the modern, neon-lit megacity you see today, this performance provides the deep historical context.

But even if history isn’t your main focus, the stage technology alone makes it a bucket-list experience. This venue features a massive, 360-degree rotating seating system that physically spins you into the middle of the action.

As the seats move, the scenery shifts around you, revealing 18-meter-high recreations of 1940s stilt houses, old river docks, and prison walls, all enhanced by brilliant 3D visuals.

They provide free English translation headsets at the venue, making this incredibly high-tech spectacle fully accessible and highly recommended for international travelers.

The seats in the A and B areas also rotate. There are three daily shows: one at 14:00, one at 16:00, and one at 19:30, and you can book them in advance on this link.

I usually don’t recommend watching purely propagandistic shows, but this one, along with the one in Guiyang, is definitely worth it, if only for the incredible artistic effort put into the theater and the production itself.

Chongqing at sunset

It’s pretty hard to see sunsets in Chongqing due to its quite terrible weather. In Chinese, it’s actually called the fog city because most of the time, the sun is not visible. This being said, with a bit of luck, you can have the chance to see Chongqing at its best.

Lotus Mountain (重庆莲花山)

There are quite a few places from which you can have a nice view of the skyline at sunset. You’ll find many bars and BBQ restaurants located on a mountain called Lotus Mountain (重庆莲花山) that you can reach by taxi and then with a short hike. All the food and beverages are overpriced, but what you are actually paying for is the fantastic view.

If you are planning to fly a drone, this is a perfect location to capture the entire Jiafangbei district like you can see in the picture above.

Huangjueya Old Street (黄桷垭老街)

This is my “secret” and favorite spot in Chongqing for drone photography. If you don’t have a drone, it’s probably not worth coming here, but if you do, you can take some incredible pictures of the old street with the skyscrapers of the town in the background. If you fly further beyond the village, you will also be able to capture the entire bay of the city.

This area is known for its well-preserved traditional architecture. The area dates back to the late Qing Dynasty and was once a bustling stop for merchants traveling along the Yangtze River, while today, its narrow stone-paved streets are lined with teahouses and local snack shops. Unlike similar places in the city center, this is very quiet, and it’s a great place to spend a peaceful afternoon. Don’t forget to check out the Sanmao coffee shop (三毛印记咖啡馆): it’s pretty beautiful.

Chongqing at night

Some cities are best at night, and Chongqing is 100% one of them. The good thing about night photography is that it doesn’t really matter if the sky is overcast. One thing to remember is that many places turn on their lights at specific hours (most commonly from 20:00 to 21:30), and some do so only on weekends. Generally speaking, the weekend is the best time to photograph famous landmarks throughout the city.

Hongya Cave (洪崖洞)

Hongya Cave (洪崖洞) is one of Chongqing’s most iconic places, and it’s also a great place to visit at the end of the day. Built into the hillside, the complex features a maze of wooden buildings inspired by traditional stilt houses known as diaojiaolou, a style typical of southwestern China.

At night, Hongya Cave transforms into a glowing wonderland. The entire complex lights up in warm golden tones, and its tiered structure looks like something straight out of a fantasy movie. Even if it’s a bit touristy, Hongya Cave is a must-see because it captures the essence of old and new Chongqing. To photograph Honyadong, it’s actually better to be on the opposite side of the river, where there is a park with a huge pedestrian area.

Shibati (十八梯)

Shibati (十八梯) literally means “Eighteen Steps” and is one of Chongqing’s most famous old neighborhoods. This place was once a maze of narrow staircases, wooden houses, and small family-run shops that climbed up and down the hillside between the city’s upper and lower parts. The area has been reconstructed to maintain the look and atmosphere of the old neighborhood, combining restored wooden façades with new commercial spaces.

Getting to Shibati (十八梯) is easy since there’s a metro station called Jiaochangkou Station (较场口站) right next to it.

Xiahuali – Xiahao Lane (下浩里)

This is another newly renovated neighborhood, located in Nan’an District along the southern bank of the Yangtze River. The narrow alleys, vintage buildings, and old shop signs give you a sense of stepping into the Chongqing of the 1930s, but unlike Hongyadong, you’ll find fewer tourists. Many of the original houses have been converted into stylish cafes and boutique shops, and every corner of this small village is just perfect for photography, and you won’t even need a drone.

You can easily get there by taking the cablecar from the other side of the river (North Station: Jiefangbei-Xinhua Road). Remember to book the ticket a few hours in advance (you can do it here), especially if it’s during the weekend and around the sunset time.

Night view of the skyline in Hugui Shihua Steps Park (呼归石花阶公园) and drone show in Changjiahui Shopping Park (长嘉汇购物公园)

The area near Hugui Shihua Steps Park is the best place to see the drone show every Saturday and to take pictures of Chongqing’s skyline. You’ll also find quite a lot of excellent restaurants overlooking the bay. This area is surprisingly not too busy, especially compared to other parts of Chongqing like Hongyadong.

The drone show takes place every Saturday, usually at 8:30 PM, except in the event of heavy rain. There are many places to watch it, but the best spot is near the Changjiahui Shopping Park (长嘉汇购物公园).

The show lasts about 20 minutes and is quite interesting, although roughly one-third of the performance is essentially advertising. If you want to be sure about the schedule and whether the show will take place, ask at the hotel where you’re staying.

Day trip to the 816 Nuclear Town (816地下核工程) and Wulong Park (武隆)

One of the most fascinating places to visit around Chongqing is the 816 Nuclear Town, a massive underground complex originally built during the Cold War for China’s nuclear weapons program. Inside its labyrinth of tunnels, reactor halls, and preserved machinery, you can witness the scale and ambition of a project that remained top secret for decades. You can usually find an English-speaking guide at the ticket office, and I highly recommend it, as they provide valuable historical context and technical explanations that make the experience far more meaningful.

To reach the 816 Nuclear Town, take a high-speed train from Chongqing North Railway Station to Fuling North Station, which usually takes around 30-40 minutes. From there, take a taxi. It’s a bit of a journey, but well worth it for the chance to explore one of China’s most extraordinary and hidden Cold War relics.

Wulong (武隆) is a natural area in southeastern Chongqing, famous for its dramatic karst landscape, caves, natural bridges, gorges, and sinkholes. The region is part of the UNESCO South China Karst World Heritage site, and its highlights include the Three Natural Bridges (天生三桥), Furong Cave (芙蓉洞), the Fairy Mountain (仙女山), and other features like Longshuixia Gorge. The Three Natural Bridges, in particular, are pretty impressive: three limestone arches (Tianlong, Qinglong, Heilong) perched over deep valleys, surrounded by sinkholes and cliffs, creating excellent photo opportunities and a sense of scale.

To get to Wulong by train, you can take one of the trains from Chongqing to Wulong South Railway Station (武隆南站), which takes one hour. Once at the train station, take a taxi to the tourist center inside the park.

The park is massive, and you can easily spend a day exploring it if you want. I decided to combine the 816 Nuclear Town with Wulong in a day trip. It’s pretty tight but doable. But if you choose to do the same, you’ll need a driver, as it will save you a lot of time. Send me a DM on Instagram if you want one.

Final Thoughts

Chongqing has become incredibly famous in recent years, and the fame is well deserved. This is also my favorite city in China, alongside Shanghai. I love it because it has personality and it’s not a generic city without soul, something that is unfortunately quite common in many Chinese cities.

You can spend a day or a week there and never get bored. There are virtually unlimited opportunities to capture the same amazing pictures that show the stark contrast between traditional China and its modern side.

The two main challenges you’ll have to deal with when traveling there are the weather and the endless stairs: be prepared to walk up and down so many hills all the time you’ll stay there. The weather is also a big problem, especially if you are into photography. It’s quite rare to find blue skies, and it’s often foggy, but this, after all, is also what makes this city so magical.

As always, don’t forget to get a VPN before traveling to China. I recommend this one. If you prefer an eSIM, this is a great option. Finally, don’t forget to get a good travel insurance such as this one.

Here you can find more pictures I took in Chongqing.