Top things to do in Chongqing — 8 what to do in Chongqing & best things to do in Chongqing

October 1, 2023

Any destination has dozens of interesting things to do and experience, especially for a large city with a rich history and culture like Chongqing. Depending on the length of time you plan to stay here, you should choose your top priorities so you don’t miss out on the most interesting experiences when visiting this city with so many things to do and see. So, what to do in Chongqing? Let’s check out our top rated 8 top things to do in Chongqing, fun things to do in Chongqing and best things to do in Chongqing as below!

Chongqing, one of the most prosperous cities in China | best things to do in chongqing

Hongyadong, a symbol and must-visit place of Chongqing | best things to do in chongqing

Old street in Chongqing | best things to do in chongqing

Visit the Three Gorges Museum (best things to do in chongqing)

For a large city with many unique places like Chongqing, visiting the Three Gorges Museum will give visitors the most general overview of this city since its founding and construction period of Three Gorges Dam. This is considered the largest monographic museum in China with about 180,000 cultural artifacts, including ancient specimens, relics of the Three Gorges, bronzes in the Three Kingdoms period, artifacts of the Han Dynasty, and many ancient objects of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Currently the museum has 10 permanent exhibitions and about 40 temporary exhibitions each year.

A very impressive thing at the Three Gorges Museum is the cinema with an arc projection screen, serving visitors on the first floor for free. The film was produced and filmed by CCTV, Central Newsreel and Model Documentary Film Studio that documented the natural and cultural landscape of the Three Gorges area before dam construction. The film lasts about 22 minutes and is shown in 3 time frames during the day. Spending time watching the film, visitors will have a panoramic view of the majestic Three Gorges area from many different angles.

Inside the museum | best things to do in chongqing

Address: 236 Renmin Road, Daxigou, Yuzhong District

Experience the Yangtze River cable car (what to do in chongqing)

The Yangtze River cable car line was put into operation in 1987 with the initial purpose of increasing traffic efficiency between Yuzhong and Nan’an districts in Chongqing without having to spend too much money to build bridges. With a total length of 1,166 meters, this is currently an attraction for many tourists to experience traveling on a long cable car line with a height that can cover the entire large area between the two most bustling districts in Chongqing.

Each cabin is designed like an aerial bus with a classic design, but visitors still have enough space to take photos of the city or high-rise buildings blurred in the mist. Most people choose the cable car route to travel quickly and cheaply to the Jiefangbei shopping area in Yuzhong district. Although the city built the Dongshuimen Bridge right to the left of the cable car route, about 2 million visitors still use this interesting route to cross the river every year.

Reference ticket price: 10 RMB
Address: 151 Xinhua Road, Yuzhong District

Cruise the Yangtze River from Chongqing to Yichang (top things to do in chongqing)

The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world after the Nile and Amazon rivers. This 6,300 km long river flows through many areas with majestic landscapes, with the route from Chongqing to Yichang being considered a golden journey when cruising on this river, chosen by many tourists.

This journey will take about 4 days and 3 nights so visitors can experience the entire majestic scenery, towering mountain peaks, impressive Three Gorges area as well as historical relics scattered along the river. This journey will certainly give visitors from one surprise to another because the scenery continuously changes throughout the long journey, from peaceful to turbulent. Some highlights along the journey that tourists can visit include: Shibaozai Pagoda, Fengdu Ghost City, Three Gorges and the picturesque Wushan Range. Three Gorges Dam – the world’s largest hydroelectric dam project is also a modern project that leaves a strong impression on visitors when visiting.

Reference ticket price: from 356 USD – 551 USD, specific itinerary will depend on the cruise you choose. You can request an exact itinerary from the travel agency you plan to book for your trip for reference.

Visit Hongyadong Cave (fun things to do in chongqing)

Hongyadong Cave has a history of more than 2,300 years, once a military fortress of the ancient Ba kingdom during the Zhou Dynasty, which lasted until the Ming and Qing dynasties. This is also where ancient China’s earliest and most developed docks were located. This area still preserves a large multi-storey building built along the cliffs of the Jialing River, considered an attractive destination for tourists to experience ancient Bayu culture, view the river below and experience delicious food.

Hongyadong is an 11-story, 75-meter-high architectural block located on a steep cliff. It is especially loved by tourists because its architecture is very similar to the building in the animated film “Spirited Away” by the famous Japanese company Ghibli. The interesting thing is that visitors can enter the 1st and 11th floors by two different routes, and use the elevator to explore each floor, where restaurants, bars, cafes… are arranged separately according to the products it offers such as traditional styles, foreign cultures or handmade items…

Magnificient night | top things to do in chongqing

Address: Cangbai Road, Yuzhong District

Explore Ciqikou old town

A famous old town located very close to Chongqing center, this place is considered a must-see place for tourists who love the ancient yet bustling old town of Ciquikou. This place used to be a bustling port town, specializing in trading porcelain products from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Coming here, visitors will have the opportunity to see ancient houses with typical ancient architecture and experience Sichuan-inspired folk culture from snacks to tea shops with hundreds of types of tea and impressive opera performances. Walking around the street corners, visitors can also experience traditional embroidery, and choose to buy a few paintings or ceramics as gifts, which is also a very interesting way to explore this ancient town.

Address: Ciquikou town, Shapingba district

Visit the Great Hall of the People

Located opposite the Three Gorges Museum on Renmin Square, it is a landmark building and considered one of the ten cultural icons in Chongqing. The hall complex is an attached architectural cluster including the main hall and three corresponding buildings in the east, south and north directions located on an area of about 6.6 hectares. The main hall is about 65 meters high and can accommodate up to 4,000 people.

Built mainly in the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, combined with a part of western architecture to create a monumental project. The blue dome of the front hall was built in the style of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, implying the wish for prosperity and peace. Coming here, visitors will be fascinated by the majestic structure nestled under verdant trees, with its striking crimson color and elaborate carved details.

Address: 173 Renmin Road, Daxigou, Yuzhong District

Try Sichuan spicy hot pot

In fact, you can enjoy hot pot anywhere in China with the same ingredients: boiling the broth at the table and dipping in vegetables as well as meats and seafood. However, Chongqing spicy hot pot is said to be the most impressive, leaving many impressions on diners as well as carrying the pride and culture of the local people.

Chongqing spicy hotpot | what to do in chongqing

There are many types of hot pot served in Chongqing such as beef hot pot, lamb hot pot, 4-flavor hot pot… however the most mentioned is the spicy hot pot served at the table with the hot pot divided into 9 compartments, served with beef offal, duck intestines, beef, pork kidney and dipped vegetables. You will be less impressed with hot pot if you can’t eat spicy food. However, there are also many options for you at famous Chongqing hot pot restaurants such as Liuyishou or Ezhangmen which are places to eat you should visit.

Sichuan spicy hotpot, a must-try dish in Chongqing | fun things to do in chongqing

Take a walk around Jiefangbei central business district (fun things to do in chongqing)

This can be considered the area that most fully and clearly represents the vibrant and modern city of Chongqing. This is considered the city’s most prosperous pedestrian district with the People’s Liberation Monument in the middle.

Surrounded by skyscrapers and giant billboards illuminated day and night, Jeifangbei CBD is considered a gathering place for young, trendy people with trendy lives. A series of luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Rolex, Cartier… are gathered here. In addition, shopping centers, entertainment areas, dining, accommodation and a series of companies are headquartered here, turning this place into a leading vibrant area of the city, attracting thousands of customers and thousands of visitors every day.

Address: Yuzhong District, Chongqing

It can be said that Chongqing city is a surprising destination for many people. Because besides the first impression of a crowded city with towering, somewhat old houses on the outside, this city has countless impressive things for visitors to experience and explore. From the most modern buildings to the amazingly majestic natural scenery along the Yangtze River, it will make visitors go from one surprise to another.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Chongqing you can refer to

Check out more China guide here. And Chongqing travel blog here.