Chongqing China – Top-10 Day Trips from Chongqing

Chongqing is the largest of the four municipality cities in China and its territory extends far beyond the city covering more than 82000 square kilometers. A Chongqing address could in fact be a few hours by road from the city itself. What places to visit or things to do are there in the surrounding area of Chongqing city. Here are the top ten tourist attractions in and around Chongqing.

1. Dazu Rock Carvings

The Dazu Rock Carvings are Cliffside carvings in Dazu County. There are carvings in several locations in the south east of Sichuan province about 167km from Chongqing city centre. The rock carvings were initially created during the Tang Dynasty from 650AD and the last carvings were completed during the Qing dynasty of 1644-1912. There are more than 50000 statues and twice that numbers of Chinese characters. Most statues are Buddhist related with some Taoist and Confucian figures completing the artwork. There are five main sites of carvings and you may need to take a taxi from one location to another.

There are several bus stations in Chongqing with direct buses to Dazu County and buses take about 2 hours. A local bus (number 205) operates to Baodingshan Rock Carving site, from there to other area you will probably need to use a taxi. A combo ticket costs CNY170 in high season (March until November), low season it is CNY120. It is open daily from 8.30am until 6pm and you should allow from 3 to 6 hours for a visit.

2. Wanzhou Qinglong Waterfall

The Wanzhou Qinglong Waterfall is located in Wanzhou district about 4 or 5 hours north of Chongqing city by bus but still in Chongqing Municipality. The waterfall is an amazing sight at 115 metres wide and almost 65 metres high it closely rivals the Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou province as the most spectacular in China. Behind the waterfall there are two grottos. The bus from Chongqing costs CNY120, you will then need to take a local bus to the waterfall itself.

3. Black Mountain Valley

The Black Mountain Valley is also known as Heishan Valley and is 115km from Chongqing city. The area is 97% ecologically protected primitive forest. There are spectacular views of the mountains, deep sided valleys, steep cliffs and waterfalls. The Black mountain is connected by ancient plank roads and is a great place for rafting activities, hiking, hunting, mountain climbing or camping.

The Carp River Gorge is a spectacular sight with the rivers width being between 30 metres at its widest point to just 2 metres at its narrowest. It is a great place to visit in the summer as you are shaded from the sun while you may spot some of the 300 species of animals that roam freely here.

To visit this area from Chongqing city you must first take a bus to Wansheng, there are regular buses throughout the day and they cost around CNY40-42. From Wanshang take bus number 113 to the south gate, it takes about 25 minutes and costs CNY6. Walk through the area to the north gate (in this direction it is mostly downhill) and take bus 106 back to Wansheng, the cost is CNY5. The entry fee to the scenic area is CNY100, there are sightseeing buses inside the scenic area costing CNY30 and it is open daily from 9am until 5.30pm.

4. Jinfo Mountain

Jinfo Mountain gets its name of Golden Buddha Mountain because when the sun is shining it is said to look like a giant Buddha, it is classed as being a museum of natural plants. When you enter from the west gate you will soon find the Azure Stream Valley with its clear streams, waterfalls and beautiful shaded areas where the temperature will feel cool even on the hottest days of summer. There are several viewing platforms to observe the sights that are connected by a 2.5km long footpath. This walk should take about 1 or 2 hours and you may see monkeys playing in the forest. You can even camp here overnight, simply rent all the equipment or bring your own.

From there you can take a cable car up to the Qianniuping ski resort with its highest point 2080 metres above sea level. In the winter it has some ski runs suitable for experienced skiers and beginners. Here you will also find Jinfo cave filled with stalactites, and Jinfo Temple, the most famous temple on the mountain.

Close to the peak of Jinfo mountain is the Ancient Buddha Cave and some karst caves, these are closest to the north gate. It is best to enter by one gate, cross the scenic area and leave by the other gate. There is one direct bus each day that leaves Chongqing Long Distance Bus Station at 8.30am and costs CNY42. Tickets for the scenic area cost CNY75, except March, June, July and September when they cost CNY50. There are additional fees for skiing, cable cars and the Buddha cave costs CNY20.

5. Southern Hot Springs Park

The Southern Hot Springs Park is one of several hot springs located close to Chongqing. This one is just 26km from the city centre and has three swimming pools and lots of mud pools. The water from the sprins is especially good for treating ailments such as dermatitis, Arthritis, Rheumatism and Muscular Pain. From Nanping Bus station in Chongqing take a bus to Nanquan (Southern Hot Spring) station. It is open daily from 9am until 9pm and costs CNY68 from Monday until Thursday. Friday to Sunday and Chinese holidays cost CNY88.

6. Shenlong Gorge

In Chinese Shenlong means great dragons, and Shenlong Gorge is said to resemble a dragon in its shape. It is located close to Nanping Town, 85km from Chongqing city. The gorge is 4.2km long and 90 metres wide at its widest point and less than 10 metres at its narrowest. It is home to some diverse animals living in the thick forests. It has high mountains with steep cliffs and plunging waterfalls. It is a wonderful summer resort where you can go rafting along the river or camp overnight in the designated areas.

From the entrance you will have some climbing along the plank road to observe the caves and waterfalls that attract visitors here. The highlight is Shenlong Cave where legend has it that the Dragon King lived here and you can worship him for a happy life. An alternative route back down the mountain is to try rafting, it is almost 3km on the river with an overall drop of just 76 metres. The thrilling experience should take 30-40 minutes. There are showers and changing rooms at the end of the route. You can also camp there.

To get to Shenlong Gorge, take a bus from Nanping Bus Station in Chongqing to the Nanchuan West bus station, buses leave every 15 minutes and take about 2 hours. At Nanchuan take a bus to Shenlong Gorge, this bus takes about 30 minutes and costs CNY8. The entry fee to Shenlong is CNY130, CNY150 at weekends and holidays. To camp overnight it costs CNY100, or CNY50 if you have your own tent.

7. Wansheng Stone Forest

The Wansheng Stone Forest is believed to be the oldest stone forest to be found in China and was formed between 465 and 600 million years ago. In addition to the stones there are underground karst caves and local villages of the Miao people so you can experience their culture and traditions. If you visit during January or February you may witness their Mountain Treading Festival that is held over the first few days of the lunar New Year.

Inside the karst caves it is very cool even on the hottest days outside and the formations you can see today were formed over millions of years. You can take a bus to Wansheng from Chongqing, there are several each day and they take about 2 hours and cost CNY40-42. On arrival at Wansheng take the local bus number 111 to the Stone Forest, it costs CNY5 and takes about one hour. From May until October the entry fee is CNY80, the rest of the year it costs CNY50. It is open daily from 9am until 4pm.

8. Wulong Karst

The Wulong Karst National Geology Park is an important centre for the studying of Karst’s in the south of China; it is located on the lower reaches of the Wujiang River to the south east of Chongqing city. It features some spectacular features such as caves, gorges, underground caverns and natural bridges.

The three natural bridges are the largest natural cluster of bridges to be found in Asia and a rare sight to be seen anywhere in the world. They are over 200 metres high and have an average span of 200 metres and sit in a gorge measuring 1.2km long. The Giant Doline is the world’s largest cluster of tiankeng formed by erosion and is Asia’s longest underground system of caverns. Because of its remote location it has not had the same impact from human involvement as other karst systems in Guizhou and Yunnan provinces.

To get to Wulong take a bus from Sigonli Station in Chongqing, they depart every hour from 6.40am until 11.40am, the bus fare is CNY60. You can take a train from Chongqing North Railway Station to Wulong, the train takes about 2.5 hours. In Wulong you can take a bus or taxi to Xiannu, the bus costs CNY8.

There is a separate entrance fee for each section, the Natural Bridges and Two Giant Dolines cost CNY135 from March until October, CNY95 the rest of the year. The Longshuxia Fissure Gorge costs CNY115 or CNY85 during the high and low seasons while the Furong Cave Costs CNY120 in high season and CNY65 the rest of the year. There is a free shuttle bus from the entrance to each scenic area. It is open from 8.30am until 4.30pm in high season and 9am until 4pm in low season.

9. Youyang Scenic Area

Youyang Scenic area is a land of natural beauty particularly in the peach blossoms during spring. These are in contrast to the limestone caves with inscriptions carved long ago. There are lots of garden areas with paths criss-crossing the many routes you can take. In Qiancun village you can discover the way of life of the Tujia and Miao minorities and in Taogong Temple there is a folk museum full of cultural relics in this stilt house that is positioned over the river.

Along an ancient plank road you will find Fuxi Grotto, it is the longest and largest Karst cave to have been discovered in Chongqing municipalitity. From here you can take a shuttle bus to Youzhou Ancient Town, the main street is 1.3km long and has buildings built in the traditional styles of the Miao and Tujia ethnic minorities. Youzhou is like a living museum.

To travel to Youyang from Chongqing’s Sigongli Bus station takes around 5 hours and the bus costs CNY110, from there, a taxi to the scenic area takes about 10 minutes. The entrance fee is CNY128 and this covers all the attractions and the shuttle bus. It is open from 7.30am until 6pm from April until October and from 8am until 5.30pm the rest of the year.

10. Simian Mountain

Simian Mountain is located in Jiangjin District and has five main scenic areas that are open to the public. The Dragon Pool is a barrier lake that was formed by a landslide; you can row a boat on the lake or observe the monkeys as they happily play in the surrounding forest. After passing the Danxia Landform Cliff you will arrive at the Wangxiangtai Waterfall, it is 160 meters high and 46 metres wide. It is the highest one-step waterfall in China. It is a wonderful sight to see in the moonlight.

The Pearl lake is at 1298 metres above sea level and is the highest lake in the mountain area. The water of this lake forms Pearl Waterfall. Walking to the east will bring you to Honghai Lake; it is actually two lakes, Big and Small Honghai. You will be able to see lots of local wildlife here both on the lake and on the shoreline.

The Chinese Love Ladder tells the story of a 20 year old man who eloped with a widowed woman ten years older than him in 1950. At that time this relationship was deemed immoral hence the act of eloping. They lived on the mountain and because it has such steep slopes he began carving steps to make the journey easier for his lady. He spent more than 50 years carving over 6000 steps before he died. It is now known as the Love Ladder and now on the Chinese Valentine’s Day (seventh day of the seventh lunar month) couples come here to celebrate this love story.

Simian Mountain covers a very large area and so I recommend you use the sightseeing bus inside the scenic area. It costs CNY40 and can be used as many times as you like. It is also a good idea to take more than one day for your visit, the admission ticket is valid for two consecutive days and there are several hotels or places for overnight lodging both on the mountain and nearby.

There are lots of buses from Chongqing’s bus stations to Jiangjin costing from CNY20-24. At Jiangjin take a local bus to the entrance. The admission fee is CNY110 from February until October, the rest of the year it costs CNY60. There are additional fees for boating on the lakes.

Conclusion

Lots of these activities and attractions are in mountainous environments so the summer months would be the best time and despite it being hot the mountains are generally shaded. The alternative to this is skiing which has to be a winter activity.