Best things to do in Chongqing, China

Positioned alongside the Yangtze River, Chongqing offers plenty of attractions for travelers, including delicious cuisine, cultural museums, and even UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here’s our guide to the top things to do and see in this booming megacity.

Eat hot pot

Chongqing is known for its boiling temperatures, but the city’s ubiquitous hot pot is even more scorching. This style of cooking has been practiced in China for centuries and has no clear origin, with stories tracing it back to various regions including Mongolia and Southwestern China. The dish is cooked like a communal stew, with diners gathering around a pot of spicy boiling broth and tossing in a variety of ingredients, from thinly sliced meat and quail eggs to vegetables and mushrooms. For the people of Chongqing, hot pot is more than just a meal; it’s an experience and a chance to connect with family and friends. There are countless delicious hot pot eateries around the city, including the renowned Xiao Tian E.

Hike in the Wulong Karst Gelogical Park

Sprawling along the Wu River Southeast of Chongqing, Wulong Karst Geological Park is a breathtaking scenic area named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area is home to streams, caves, gorges, and karst limestone formations. Of the numerous natural wonders in this area, Three Natural Bridges, Furong Cave, and Houping Tiankeng, an eroded sinkhole, are particularly popular. The park is an excellent choice for nature lovers, as well as avid hikers. Furthermore, movie-goers may recognize it as a filming location for the movie Transformers: Age of Extinction.

Explore Ciqikou Old Town

For travelers seeking to escape the bustling energy of Chongqing’s city center, the out-of-the-way Ciqikou Old Town is an ideal solution. The quaint town is positioned in Shapingba District and dates back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties when it served as a port town and commercial center for the area. In English, the area is known as Porcelain Town, for its history as a porcelain producer. Today, visitors can still find porcelain pieces sold in the town’s shops, as well as numerous eateries selling beef soup, spicy stir fry, and various pastries. Ciqikou is also famous for being linked to Samuel CC Ting, a recipient of The Nobel Prize in Physics who studied in the small town during his childhood. The classroom where Ting studied has been preserved and is open to visitors.

See giant pandas at the Chongqing Zoo

China has become synonymous with the giant panda, an adorable animal native to the country’s central, southern, and eastern areas. As an endangered species, there are less than 2,000 giant pandas alive in the wild. Travelers itching to catch a glimpse of these bamboo-loving creatures can pay a visit to the Chongqing Zoo. Positioned five miles from the city center, the zoo is home not only to pandas, but to elephants, leopards and kangaroos, as well a variety of sea life housed in the zoo’s aquarium. The zoo’s lush hills, waterfalls, and foliage also make it a refreshing haven from Chongqing’s crowded streets.

Wander through the Three Gorges Museum

Named after the famous Three Gorges area alongside the Yangtze River, the Three Gorges Museum is situated in Chongqing’s busting Yuzhong District. In addition to information related to the Three Gorges, the museum also serves to preserve the history of Chongqing and is home to a variety of cultural artifacts and artistic pieces. Among its vast collection, visitors will find antique porcelain, sculptures from the Han Dynasty, paintings, and calligraphy work. The museum was originally founded as the Chongqing Museum but was later reopened under its current name.

See more: Challenge yourself with top 5 Chongqing spicy dishes

Source: Internet