Chongqing Itinerary Guide 2025: Wulong, Hongya Cave, Hot pot and City Views

We started our Chongqing itinerary with the Kuixing Building, a 200-year-old landmark once used by scholars to pray for wisdom. Today it’s one of the most unique spots in the city.

The ground floor is also the 22nd floor. Yes. You read that right.

You stand inside the building thinking you’re on level one. Then you look out the window and realize you’re hovering above bridges and roads. This is the moment Chongqing’s famous vertical layout hits you. The sense of height creeps in only when you look down.

It’s the perfect intro to a city built in layers.

A short walk from Kuixing Tower is Jiefangbei, one of Chongqing’s busiest districts.

Even on a rainy day, people were taking photos in front of the Liberation Monument. The monument was originally built after the Second Sino-Japanese War as a symbol of victory and peace, and today it sits at the intersection of three major streets.

It’s usually packed, but rain chased most people away. We got a quieter version of what is normally a buzzing square.

We planned to visit Hongya Cave on our first night, but the rain turned into a full downpour. So we did what any cold, soaked travelers would do.

We went for hot pot.

Peijie Old Hot Pot is right inside Raffles City and had great reviews. We later learned Ishowspeed ate at the same restaurant which made us laugh because of course he did.

We ordered two broths.
A mild mushroom soup.
And the least spicy mala option available.

We learned our lesson in Chengdu. Never again will we order “full spice” unless we want to cry and suffer the next day..

The meats were fresh. The veggies were crisp. Ian was drenched in sweat by the end of the meal which is the highest compliment you can give a Chongqing hot pot.

When you arrive at Wulong, you take an elevator down into the valley and walk 10 to 15 minutes to the first bridge.

There are three natural bridges:

• Tianlong Bridge (Sky Dragon)
• Qinglong Bridge (Azure Dragon)
• Heilong Bridge (Black Dragon)

The first bridge is the most impressive. The scale is massive and the shape forms a perfect thumbs-up outline. Everyone was posing with their thumbs raised trying to line up the shape.

Next to the first bridge is a small traditional building. Inside is a shop selling drinks and snacks, which somehow fits perfectly into the ancient backdrop.

As you walk to the second and third bridges, you’ll also see a Transformers dinosaur statue. Parts of the Transformers movie were filmed here which explains the random Hollywood cameo.

To be honest, after the first bridge, the next two felt similar. Beautiful, but not mind-blowing.

We were ready to call it a day… until the bonus stop changed everything.

This came as a surprise stop on our tour and we went in with zero expectations.

It became one of the best hikes of our entire China trip.

The gorge is stunning.
Waterfalls.
Narrow canyon walls.
Fresh forest air.
Staircases carved along cliffs.
Greenery everywhere.

The walk took about 1.5 hours and was beginner-friendly. It felt like the scenery kept getting better with every turn.

This single hike redeemed the entire bus experience. If you join a tour and they include Longshui Gorge, you are in for a treat.

We started our final day at Xiahao Old Street. This area blends old mountain-city architecture with new cafes and art shops. It’s cozy, charming and a great place to wander.

The famous “This is Very Chongqing” wall is here too, and it was packed with people trying to take photos. Even during the day it had great atmosphere but I heard going there at night time has spectacular views.

Liziba is one of Chongqing’s most famous visuals: a monorail passing straight through a residential building.

The city did this to save land and money, and added soundproofing so residents don’t go crazy.

We rode Line 2 and stood at the front of the train to go through the building. Surprisingly, the train wasn’t crowded and the experience was smooth and fun.

Once you step outside though, it is packed. Thousands of people gather just to watch the train go through the building. It’s unique, but at the end of the day… it’s still a train going through a building.

We didn’t stay long.

This was the moment we had been waiting for.

Most people go to the base of Hongya Cave or the Qiansimen Bridge to watch the lights turn on. We chose the bridge.

We arrived at 5:50 PM and waited until 6:30 PM in the cold. The bridge was packed and somehow we still got a spot.

Then the countdown began.

When the lights switched on, the whole crowd cheered. The buildings glowed gold and red. It felt surreal, like watching a movie scene play out in real life.

Inside Hongya Cave, we climbed through the 11-story maze by stairs. One floor was dedicated entirely to food so we stopped for dinner. We ordered Shui Zhu Yu (水煮鱼), a spicy Sichuan boiled fish dish with numbing peppercorns and fragrant chili oil. Delicious, but filled with bones so chew carefully.

We explored every level before heading back out into the night. Ending our Chongqing trip here felt perfect. Now we fully understood why people call this the cyberpunk city of China.