Chongqing | China Health Getaway

1. Sky Swing & Chaotianmen

Sky Swing – Raffles City Cloud Swing, also called Sky Swing, Cloud Leap/Soar, or Skylift Swing, is part of the Exploration Deck, Cloud Paradise, and Skywalk adventure zone at Raffles City and the Crystal horizontal skybridge.

Chaotianmen is the historic gate and pier at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. One of Chongqing's ancient “Nine Open and Eight Closed” gates, it was once an important port and imperial reception site.

Today it remains a major Chongqing landmark and viewpoint, offering dramatic river and skyline vistas—especially at night—alongside modern developments such as Raffles City.

2. Ciqikou Ancient Town

Ciqikou Ancient Town is a beautifully preserved 1,000-year-old historic riverside settlement located along the Jialing River. Originally a thriving porcelain trading port during the Ming and Qing dynasties, its name literally means “Porcelain Port.”

Today visitors can wander through traditional bluestone streets lined with wooden stilted houses, historic teahouses, local shops, and authentic Chongqing street food.

Rich in history and culture, Ciqikou offers a vivid glimpse into old Chongqing within one of China's most modern cities.

3. Dazu Rock Carvings

The Dazu Rock Carvings are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1999. Dating mainly from the 9th through the 13th centuries, from the Tang through Song dynasties, the site contains approximately 50,000 cliffside and cave sculptures together with more than 100,000 inscribed characters.

The carvings combine Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian themes with remarkable artistic detail, depicting religious figures, everyday life, and moral stories.

Major carving areas include Baodingshan and Beishan. The site is especially notable for its artistic diversity and its evidence of religious and philosophical harmony in medieval China.

4. Hongya Cave

Hongya Cave is one of Chongqing's most famous landmarks. This impressive 11-story complex is built into the cliffs overlooking the Jialing River and showcases traditional Bayu-style stilt houses known as diaojiaolou.

The popular National 4A tourist attraction is filled with shops, local restaurants, cafés, and nightlife. After sunset, thousands of golden lights illuminate the buildings, creating one of Chongqing's most spectacular night scenes.

Its magical appearance is often compared to the architecture in Spirited Away. Hongya Cave is especially beautiful after dark when the glowing buildings reflect across the Jialing River.

5. Chongqing Zoo

Chongqing Zoo is one of the city's most popular attractions and a National 4A Tourist Attraction. Opened in 1955, the zoo covers approximately 43.5 hectares and houses more than 4,000 animals representing over 260 species.

The zoo is particularly famous for its giant pandas and provides visitors with an excellent opportunity to see these beloved animals up close. Other residents include South China tigers, golden monkeys, Asian elephants, red pandas, and many other species.

Naturalistic habitats, gardens, walking paths, family areas, and dining make Chongqing Zoo an enjoyable destination for visitors of all ages.

6. Wulong Karst Scenic Area

The Wulong Karst Scenic Area is one of China's spectacular natural wonders and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the South China Karst region.

Located approximately two to three hours from downtown Chongqing, the area showcases dramatic limestone landscapes formed over millions of years.

Visitors can experience the famous Three Natural Bridges, enormous tiankeng sinkholes, Furong Cave, deep gorges, hiking trails, and panoramic viewpoints.

7. Fairy Mountain National Forest Park

Fairy Mountain National Forest Park is a beautiful natural destination within Chongqing's Wulong District and a designated National 5A Scenic Area.

At an average elevation of approximately 1,800 to 1,900 meters, the park is known for its cool mountain climate, vast alpine meadows, dense forests, rolling landscapes, and panoramic views.

Often called the “Southern Pasture” or “Oriental Alps,” Fairy Mountain offers horseback riding, peaceful walks, fresh mountain air, and summer escapes. During winter, the landscape transforms into a snowy destination with winter recreation and skiing.

8. Liziba Station

Liziba Station is one of Chongqing's most unusual and famous urban landmarks. Located on Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2, the monorail appears to pass directly through a 19-story residential building in Yuzhong District.

Opened in 2004, the station occupies floors 6 through 8 of the structure, allowing trains to travel through the middle while residents live above and below.

This remarkable engineering solution was designed for Chongqing's steep and densely developed terrain. It has become an internationally recognized symbol of the city's unique “8D” mountain-city design.

9. Raffles City Chongqing

Raffles City Chongqing is one of the city's most recognizable modern landmarks, dramatically located at Chaotianmen where the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers converge.

Designed by architect Moshe Safdie, the complex features eight towers, including two 350-meter “sail” towers and the spectacular 300-meter-long Crystal horizontal skybridge, approximately 250 meters above the ground.

Visitors can enjoy the Exploration Deck, glass-floor viewing platforms, outdoor skywalk experiences, panoramic river and skyline views, shopping, restaurants, rooftop spaces, the InterContinental hotel, and spectacular nighttime lighting.

10. Two Rivers Night Cruise

The Two Rivers Night Cruise is one of Chongqing's most memorable experiences, offering a spectacular journey along the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers after sunset.

Guests board beautifully illuminated multi-deck cruise boats while enjoying views of Hongya Cave, bridges, Chaotianmen, Raffles City, and the dramatic point where the two rivers meet.

Lasting approximately 45 to 60 minutes, the cruise provides a unique water-level perspective of Chongqing's famous “8D” mountain-city skyline.

11. Yangtze River Cableway

The Yangtze River Cableway is an iconic aerial tramway spanning approximately 1,166 meters across the Yangtze River, linking Yuzhong District near Jiefangbei and Xiaoshizi with Nan'an District.

Opened in 1987 as China's first large passenger cableway over the Yangtze River, the ride takes approximately four to five minutes and offers panoramic views of the river, bridges, skyline, and surrounding cityscape.

Originally an important commuter connection, the cableway is now a popular National 4A tourist attraction and cultural landmark.

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