If you’ve been researching Chongqing, you’ve probably seen this 19-story apartment building featured in many videos. It’s become an iconic photo spot for tourists.

I actually previously visited Liziba Station when I first came to Chongqing in 2020, but of course had to come check it out again on my recent visit back! Fight through the crowds of people to get your own photo shot of the train going through.

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1. How To Get To The Dazu Rock Carvings
2. Main Carvings To See At The Baodingshan Dazu Rock Carvings
   1. Dazu Rock Carvings Museum

How To Get To The Dazu Rock Carvings

The Dazu Rock Carvings are located in Dazu County, which is situated in the Chongqing Municipality of China. To get there, one can take a flight to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport and then travel by road for approximately 2 hours to reach Dazu County. Alternatively, there are also buses available from Chongqing city center that directly connect to Dazu County.

There are actually many carvings sites around Dazu County, which would take some time to see all of them. I only visited one site, the most popular one at Baodingshan. Travel China Guide has more info about the different sites.

Main Carvings To See At The Baodingshan Dazu Rock Carvings

The Dazu Rock Carvings showcase a diverse range of carvings, including intricate Buddhist sculptures, Taoist figures, and Confucian motifs. These carvings depict various scenes from mythology, historical events, and everyday life, offering a fascinating glimpse into ancient Chinese culture and beliefs.

The Baodingshan  region is about 12 kilometers northeast of the Dazu District city area. The largest and most well-known of Dazu’s five rock carving sites, it is encircled by historic temples, the Dazu Rock Carving Museum, and a commercial district.

Must see: Sleeping (reclining) Buddha, Taming the Wild Ox, and the Wheel of Time.

Dazu Rock Carvings Museum

There is a museum nearby the site to walk around.

I’ve seen photos of Wulong for a long time, and was really excited to finally visit! I’ve even been to Chongqing twice before but never had a chance to visit.

1. About the Wulong Karst Tourism Area
2. Tiankeng Three Bridges in Pop Culture
3. Hiking Around the Wulong Karst Bridges

About the Wulong Karst Tourism Area

The Three Natural Bridges are located about 2.5 – 3 hours drive from Chongqing’s city center in the Wulong district. The entire Wulong Karst Tourism Area itself is also well-known for it’s unique karst landscapes including caves, sinkholes, fractures, canyons and more. It is divided into three sections: the Three Natural Bridges, the Fairy Mountain, and the Furong Cave.

In Chinese, the 3 bridges are all named after dragons:  

• Tianlong 天龙桥 (Sky Dragon) 
• Qinglong 青龙桥 (Azure Dragon)
• Heilong 黑龙桥 (Black Dragon)

Tiankeng Three Bridges in Pop Culture

This incredible karst landscape and the Tianfu Posthouse here was featured in the 2006 Chinese film Curse of the Golden Flower(满城尽带黄金甲).

It was also featured in Michael Bay’s Transformers 4. There’s even a figure of Optimus Prime riding the dinosaur autobot from the film you can take a photo with!

Hiking Around the Wulong Karst Bridges

I really enjoyed visiting the area and getting to see this iconic place! There is a network of buses that will take you to the different scenic spots. The Three Bridges are the most famous to visit, so that’s where I started.

You’ll first walk down a mountain about 30 minutes to get into the canyon.

The most famous view is at the first natural bridge, the Tianlong Bridge. Don’t let these photos fool you – there are lots of people around and I had to wait some time for people to pass to get photos without other people in them. It was so cool to see this view though!

After the first bridge, you’ll follow a footpath that will lead you to the next two bridges. You’ll walk between cliffs and through caves, it’s just gorgeous.

After finishing the Wulong area you can take. a bus back to the starting point, or carry on to another scenic site. I briefly went to the Fairy Mountain, which is basically a giant meadow area with SO many goats just wandering around. You can buy corn to feed them – they are used to people and aren’t shy at all.

Overall, I think if your time is limited you can miss the Fairy Mountain and just focus on the Three Natural Bridges.

It was an incredible day, and I’m so happy I finally got to visit here!

I recently spent 3 days in Chongqing, walking, hiking, and taxiing all around the giant city in search of the best photo spots. Traveling isn’t all about the gram, but why not  have both a great trip and a great feed?

Top Instagram Locations in Chongqing

1. Hongya Cave (Hongyadong)
2. Zhonngshuge Bookstore
3. Hong’en Daoist Temple 鸿恩寺公园
4. Chongqing Bridges
5. Guanyuemiao temple
6. Eling Park

For more details about visiting Chongqing, check out my Chongqing City Travel Guide: Where To Stay and Top Things To Do

1. Hongya Cave (Hongyadong)

Hongyadong is a large-scale stilt house complex built alongside a steep clip on the bank of the Jialing River. Located in the center of Chongqing near Jiefangbei area, it’s the top photo spot in Chongqing, especially at night.

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2. Zhongshuge Bookstore

This bookstore in Chongqing is famous for it’s beautiful ladder hall. The ceilings are covered in mirrors to make the whole room feel like a giant maze or optical illusion!

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3. Hong’en Daoist Temple 鸿恩寺公园

The Hong’en Temple is a beautiful temple to see in Chongqing! As a bonus the park is not a commonly visited place in Chongqing, so you won’t run into many people here.

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4. Chongqing Bridges

Because Chongqing is between the Yangzte River and the Jialing River, the city is surrounded by bridges everywhere. This creates a unique and very beautiful cityscape to photograph. You’ll find great view points all over the city, from Nanbinlu to Nanshan.

5. Guanyuemiao Temple

This is a group of several temples together, but the most famous one to photograph is located at the very back. Featuring a unique Yin Yang symbol in the middle, there are some beautiful photos you can take here.

6. Eling Park

Eling Park is located behind Liziba Metro Station and offers a great 360 view of Chongqing city!

7. Hong’en Daoist Temple (Night)

I had to put this temple on here again because the night time here is something else! At night the whole temple lights up and is one of the most stunning temples I’ve seen in China.

Best Instagram Spots in Chongqing

These are just some of my favorite photo spots in Chongqing. The city itself is huge, and I’m sure you’ll find even more beautiful sites for taking photos! For more information about visiting Chongqing, check out my 3 Day Chongqing Itinerary: Best Things To See in 72 Hours.

3 Day Chongqing Itinerary

If you’re just passing through for a few days like I was it may be difficult to choose what’s best to do, so I wanted to share my 3 day itinerary for Chongqing to help you plan your trip.

• Day 1: Arrive in Chongqing, Hongyadong, Eling Park
• Day 2: Yangzte River Cablecar and Hong’en Daoist Temple
• Day 3: Ciqikou Ancient Town, Guanyuemiao Temple, Zhongshuge Bookstore

My focus was to try a mix of popular attractions, temples, food, and lesser known areas, and taking lots of photos. You might want to swap some activities if you have other things you’d prefer doing. For more detailed information about Chongqing, check out my Chongqing City Travel Guide: Where To Stay and Top Things To Do.

Day 1: Arrive in Chongqing, Hongyadong, Eling Park

I arrived in the morning on my first day and really hit the ground running after I left the airport and checked into my hotel. You can always adjust this itinerary depending on your arrival time.

Morning: Arrival

Metro/taxi from the airport to my hotel in the Jiefangbei area. Check in and get ready to explore!

Afternoon: Hongyadong, Lunch, Liziba Station, Eling Park

I walked to Honyadong, which was a 10 minute walk from my hotel. This is a famous stilted building filled with restaurants and shops, and is one of the top attractions to visit in Chongqing.

After exploring, I ate lunch at one of the many shops inside Hongyadong. These shops have many photos on the walls, and it’s very easy to point and choose what you want if you don’t know any Chinese. Most of the dishes are spicy Chongqing style, which you definitely should try!

I then took Line 1 from Xiaoshizi, transferred to Line 2 and hopped off at Liziba. This station is famous for the metro train that goes right through an apartment building!

Eling Park is nearby Liziba, so I grabbed a Didi to the park (you can walk, but it’s all uphill and would take quite awhile.) The park has free entrance and offers a great overview of the city! Take the stairs all the way to the top of the pagoda for a 360 view of Chongqing.

Evening: Hongyadong Night Photos

I went back to Hongyadong again to catch the night time view, which is when Hongyadong really lights up and feels alive! For dinner I found another local Chongqing shop nearby, but you can also try the famous Chongqing spicy hot pot! Then I walked around the Jiefangbei area where there are lots of malls and shops.

Day 2: Yangzte River Cablecar and Hongen Daoist Temple

Morning: Cable Car Across the Yangzte River

In the morning I walked to Line 1 Xiaoshizi Exit 5b, where the Yangzte River Cable car ticket office is. The cable car is a great way to see the Yangzte River and get a great city view. It costs 20 RMB one way or 30 RMB round trip, cash only.

It can be quite crowded in the cable car line depending on when you go. If you want to enjoy the cable car with less crowds, you can just take a taxi to the other side of the river and take the cable on the way back.

I walked along Nanbinlu for awhile to admire the city before taking the cable car back to Jiefangbei. You can spend much more time on Nanbinlu and explore the shops and restaurants here, but I had other things I wanted to do in the afternoon!

Afternoon: Hongen Daoist Temple 鸿恩寺公园

There was a beautiful temple I really wanted to see, but there isn’t a direct metro line there. I took the Line 3 metro to Guangyinqiao and stopped for lunch and coffee in the area. It’s a big shopping mall area, so you’ll find plenty of food options!

Then I took a taxi or Didi about 10 minutes away (20 RMB) to get to Hong’en Temple Park.

Night Hong’en Daoist Temple

The temple is lovely during the day, but is especially beautiful at night! You definitely need to wait for sundown and see this temple light up. If you just want to see it at night, you can do something else during the afternoon and arrive here during the evening.

Day 3: Ciqikou Ancient Town, Guanyuemiao Temple, Bookstore

Morning: Ciqikou Ancient Town

In the morning I took Line 1 to Ciqikou Ancient Town station, and walked around the area. Most cities in China will have pedestrian or ancient town streets filled with shops food and tourist souvenirs. These are especially great if you’re new to China. If you’ve traveled a lot around China and have seen many, you may be looking for other places to go. For me, I was happy I went to walk around for a bit and feel the atmosphere, but it’s not a top must do for me.

Afterwards I found a local noodle shop outside the ancient town area to stop for some famous xiao mian noodles!

Afternoon: Guanyuemiao Temple 关岳庙

I took Line 1 down to Daping station and walked to the beautiful Guanyuemiao Temple area. I’ve always seen photos of this temple because of the giant Yin Yang symbol in the middle.

I don’t recommend walking from the metro station – it goes up and down through local neighborhoods and around small staircases and is a bit confusing! Unless you use Baidu maps it is difficult to navigate, and even if you do it takes longer than the map says. Take a taxi instead! Once you arrive, you’ll find the famous Yinyang temple behind a series of three other temples

Late Afternoon: Zhongshuge Book Store

Up next I went to Zhongshuge Bookstore, which is famous for it’s beautiful design inside! Go to Yangjiaping Metro Station Line 2, or you can take a Didi to Zhengcheng Broadway Plaza and walk from there.

The actual address of the Bookstore was very difficult to track down – I tried searching on Google Maps in English and Baidu Maps in Chinese, but kept getting weird results. Finally I found it – and I’ve got it here just for you

Chinese Address: 九龙坡区杨家坪杨正街8号中迪广场3楼
English Address: Zodi Plaza Mall, 3rd Floor

It’s just as beautiful as the photos I saw! Lots of other people were there taking photos as well, so you really have to wait with patience to get photos you want.

Night: Hongyadong and Bridge Night Photos

I wanted one last look around Hongyadong at night, so I went back to the area to take more photos! It was a great way to end my last night in Chongqing.

Travel for 3 Days in Chongqing

I had a very packed three days in Chongqing, but really enjoy seeing as much as I can when I visit a new city! I was able to check off all my top priority attractions as well. There are still many more things I didn’t get to do, so I would love to revisit Chongqing again (maybe in the spring!) to do more.

Check out my other itineraries for traveling in China:

• A Three Day Itinerary for Hiking Huangshan
• The Ultimate 7-Day Beijing Itinerary
• 8 Day Hunan Itinerary: Zhangjiajie, Furong Ancient Town, & Fenghuang Phoenix Village

Here’s a guide for visiting Chongqing, including:

• How To Travel To Chongqing
• When To Visit Chongqing
• Where To Stay in Chongqing
• Things To Do in Chongqing

How To Travel To Chongqing

As a major city in China, it’s very easy to travel to Chongqing! There’s an international airport, many train stations, and many city buses. Once you’re in the city, there’s a well connected metro system with English, as well as taxis, didis, and buses. I found it very easy and convenient to travel around Chongqing.

When To Travel to Chongqing

Located in central/southwestern China, Chongqing has hot summers and mild winters. Chongqing is often called the “Fog City,” as it’s geographical location between the Yangzte River and Jialing River creates excess water vapor that precipitates to fog when the temperature changes during the day and night. Chongqing usually has over 100 foggy days a year, so chances are it will be foggy on some days you are there. Overall, Chongqing is nice to see any time of the year, but it’s recommended to avoid the high summer time as its very hot and humid.

Where To Stay in Chongqing

Chongqing is a giant municipality, with over 9 million people alone in the city proper area, and more than 30 million in the whole region. The city has many districts spread out around the large area.

I recommend staying in Jiefangbei area, which is right in the heart of Chongqing. It’s centrally located which makes it convenient to travel around to other attractions. There are plenty of hotels and hostels in this area, as well as lots of shops, restaurants, convenience stores, and mall. I used Trip.com to book a hotel and got a great deal at a hotel called IU Hotel (Chonqing Jiefangbei Center). It was very basic, but the location and price was the most important thing to me.

There were multiple metro stations nearby within walking distance, as well as the Yangtze cablecar and the Hongyadong scenic area. Note: if I lived in Chongqing I wouldn’t want to live in this area, but for a short visit it’s great!

Ultimately, the area you stay in depends on how much you want to spend, what attractions you want to see, and how much you are concerned about the location.

Best Things To Do in Chongqing

There’s so much to see and do in Chongqing! Chongqing offers something for everyone: whether you’re a nature lover, a city dweller, a foodie, or a night owl, you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Check out my 3 Day Chongqing Itinerary: Best Things To See in 72 Hours for more details about these locations!

• Hongyadong Cultural Area
• Eat Chongqing Spicy Food
• Visit Chongqing Temples
• Walk Around The Parks
• Liziba Station
• Zhongshuge Bookstore
• Yangzte River Cable Car
• Yangtze River Cruise

Hongyadong Cultural Area

Hongyadong is a large-scale stilt house complex built alongside a steep clip on the bank of the Jialing River. It’s free to walk through and is filled with many shops and restaurants. It’s great during the day, but the night time is when it really comes alive! Make sure you cross the road for great pics at night.

Eat Chongqing Spicy Food

Chongqing is known for its spicy food. And by spicy I mean super numbing spice! After the initial sensation fades, you’ll be craving more. Try the famous Chonqing hot pot while you’re here, as well as the xiao mian (小面), a famous kind of noodle you can find anywhere in the city.

A bowl of xiaomian usually uses more than 10 different spices, like Sichuan pepper, chilies, spring onions, etc. There are many topping options like beef or pork. I tried the beef xiao mian and it was so good!

Visit Chongqing Temples

Chongqing has many famous temples! My favorites are the Hongen Daoist Temple 鸿恩寺公园 and the Guanyuemiao Temple, but there are many others to see.

Eling Park

Despite being a big city filled with skyscrapers, Chongqing also has many nature areas and parks to explore! The city does a great job with balancing the urban and nature area. Many parks and gardens are built up high in the city and offer great views. I went to Eling Park and was reward with a lovely 360 view of Chongqing!

Yangtze River Cablecar

A cablecar ride over the famous Yangzte River is a great way to get a nice view of the city, and also cross to the other side. It costs 20 RMB for one way, or 30 RMB for a round trip. After you cross from Jiefangbei side you can walk around Nanbei lu area before taking the cable car back.

*Tip* It can be very crowded taking the cable car from the Jiefangbei side. If the line is extremely long, you can take a taxi to the Nan’an side of the river, then take the cable back.

Liziba Station Station

Liziba Station is famous in Chongqing because the metro line runs right through a 19 story apartment building. I read many articles about this building years ago and was very excited to see it in person!

Zhongshuge Bookstore

This famous bookstore is Zhongshuge branch. It’s a very popular site to visit (and take photos in) because of it’s unique ladder hall, which is filled with mirrors and looks like an optical illusion.

Nanbinlu/Beibinlu City Views

For some awesome city views, stroll along Nanbinlu or Beibinlu! If you go to Nanbinlu you can walk along the river and see iron statues and paintings or go to Landmark Riverside, a restaurant and shopping complex which has amazing views of the peninsula. Nan Shan (South Mountain) is also on that side and has some viewing platforms and a temple overlooking the city.

Ciqikou Ancient Town

Ciqikou is an ancient part of Chongqing that is now a famous walking street. You can try many street foods here and browse the shops. There were many entertaining shop keepers advertising their goods here!

Other Things to Do:

There are many more things to do in Chongqing! From hiking, Chongqing Zoo, Wulong Karst, Guotai Artistic Center, Botanical Garden, Three Gorges Museum, People’s Assembly Hall or just walking and enjoying the city views, there are many options.

Take a Trip to Chongqing

As one of China’s biggest cities, Chongqing offers a unique cultural experience! From exploring the giant urban scene to trying the spiciest hot pot of your life, you’ll find plenty of things to enjoy in Chongqing. For more details, also read about The Best Instagram Spots in Chongqing!

Check out some of my other recent trips in China:

• Harbin Ice and Snow Festival Travel Guide
• Snowy Sunrise at Jinshanling Great Wall
• Furong Ancient Town: The Magical Waterfall Village of Hunan, China

What many people may not know is that there is more than just the Great Wall and temples to see here. From beaches and mountains to stunning waterfalls and unique minority cultures, there’s a lot to check off on your China bucket list!

I’ve made this quiz to help give you some ideas of where to travel! Whether you’re a first-time traveler in China or have already been before, choose what kind of experience you’re looking for in China to see which province or locations you should travel to!

Take my Buzzfeed Quiz:

Where Should You Travel in China?

To see all of my answers and learn more, keep reading below! I’ve broken my answers down into different categories based on foods, activities, and landscapes of China.

**Note: It’s hard to include everything – there are too many amazing places in China and I could not include them all in this quiz! Also these are just some ideas of places to go, and the quiz result may not actually reflect where you should travel

Top Places to Travel in China

1. The Most Famous and Traditional Sites in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, or Xi’an
2. The Spicy West: Sichuan Province or Chongqing
3. Southern Karst Mountains: Guangxi or Guizhou Province
4. Explore Cantonese Culture: Guangdong Province
5. Hike One Of China’s Most Stunning Mountains
6. Coastal City in China: Sanya, Qingdao, or Xiamen
7. Explore China’s Minority Groups and Outer Provinces: Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet, or Yunnan
8. Unique China Experience!

1. The Most Famous and Traditional Sites in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, or Xi’an

2. The Spicy West: Sichuan Province or Chongqing

3. Southern Karst Mountains: Guangxi or Guizhou Province

4. Explore Cantonese Culture: Guangdong Province

5. Hike One Of China’s Most Stunning Mountains

6. Coastal City in China: Sanya, Qingdao, or Xiamen

7. Explore China’s Minority Groups and Outer Provinces: Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet, or Yunnan

8. Unique China Experience!

Where To Travel In China

No matter where you travel in China, you’re sure to be amazed by the incredible people and places you encounter here. If it’s your first time visiting China, check out my 10 Tips For Your First Trip to China!

Also read about some of my other favorite trips I’ve taken in China:

• Furong Ancient Town: The Magical Waterfall Village of Hunan, China
• A Three Day Itinerary for Hiking Huangshan
• The Best Instagram Spots in Beijing