A Special & Unforgettable Chongqing Tour from Chengdu by High Speed Train

In April, 2015, I have been to Chongqing for the first time. This is also the first time where I met my wife, so this travel means a lot to me.

Before I share the Real Chongqing tour, I would like to share one funny story. When I took the high speed train to Chongqing, I went to the wrong station in Chengdu! So how this happened?

As you know, there are four train stations in Chengdu downtown area (North, South, East and West Station). Generally speaking, the high speed trains will depart from Chengdu East Railway Station (only few will depart from North Station), so I didn’t check the train tickets carefully. What a stupid decision! When I get to the railway station, I found it is Chengdu Railway Station (Chengdu Railway Station is also called Chengdu North Station)! This really surprises me and also the time is already too late to travel from Chengdu East Station to Chengdu Station because it will take at least half an hour from Chengdu East Station to Chengdu North Station by subway line 7 (This subway isn’t open in 2015 yet). So if you will take high speed train to Chongqing independently, do remember to double check your train tickets which train stations you will exactly take the train. If you have booked the tour with us, our tour guide will double check the train tickets and you don’t need to worry about that.

In the same time, I would like to share one train station map in Chengdu as your reference which you could see all the train stations in Chengdu clearly.

-Train Station Map in Chengdu-

So let’s continue the “funny” story. Without getting to the correct station, things become much complicated. I have checked all the train tickets at both station and found all the train tickets are sold out because it is during our Tomb Sweeping Festival. I could feel the first date was ruined by me. Finally I have decided to take the bus to Chongqing from Chengdu. As you could see from the below map, it will take around 3 hours’ driving (around 265KM). Actually, it takes more than 4 hour because of the traffic.

Because we have local tour guides and vehicles in Chongqing, so we don’t recommend driving from Chengdu to Chongqing. Taking high speed train will be surely the best way, most comfortable and also more valuable.

-Chengdu to Chongqing Map-

With the sunset outside the window, the bus finally arrived in Chongqing.

-Beautiful Sunset Outside the Window-

For dinner today, we have tasted the local famous Chongqing Small Noodles. We didn’t take picture and the below photo is online. It is a good try.

-Chongqing Small Noodles-

After that, we took a walk at the South Riverside Road. For the first time I have seen the night view along the Yangtze River, to be frank, I was surprised how beautiful the night view in Chongqing! Please forgive my bad photograph skills.

-Beautiful Night View at South Riverside Road-

The next day morning, we first took the Light Rail to get to E’ling Park where you could embrace the impressive panorama of Chongqing City which has been highly praised as “Little Hong Kong” with its well-arranged row upon row of modern skyscrapers and two winding rivers surrounding.

When you enter the park, you will find the below picture. According to the picture, what you will find? Yes, two gooses and three musicians are playing cello, violin, etc. In Chinese, Goose is called “e” and “ling” means Mountains, so that’s why this park is called E’ ling Park.

-Statue of Two Gooses and Three Musicians-

Walking into this park, you will feel the spring is coming.

-Wandering inside E'ling Park-

There is also one bell in the park which will increase the culture atmosphere for this park.

-Bell in the Park-

Without much walking, you will find the Wangjiang Tower where you could choose to climb up to the top which is the best place to bird view the panorama of Chongqing City. It requires extra RMB5 per person. I highly recommend this place.

-Wangjiang Tower-

The weather is cloudy and rainy, so the picture isn’t very clear. If you come in a better weather, it should be better.

-The Panorama of Chongqing City-

From another picture, you will find the buildings in Chongqing are kind of old, especially under this cloudy and rainy weather.

-Cloudy and Rainy Weather in Chongqing-

Another photo for one corner of E’ling Park from the Tower.

-One Corner of E’ling Park-

Another picture from the Tower and you will understand why Chongqing is also called Mountain City.

-Mountain City Chongqing-

Next, we have taken the light rail to enjoy the historic visit to Ciqikou Old Town that is praised as the “epitome of Chongqing”. Take your leisure walk on the polished paved paths to admire its over 1,800-year-old historical culture dated from Song Dynasty, appreciate its well-kept tiled-roof folk dwellings of hundreds of years old, watch the well-inherited folk artistic skills, and imagine and once busy transshipping scene shown at the ancient port there. 

Instead of walking in this old town, I more recommend you to enjoy some activities or try some local snacks which will surely increase your impression about this Old Town.

Before you went inside, you could find the name 磁器口（in Pinyin, it is Ciqikou）with lots of lanterns at t the gate.

-Ciqikou Old Town-

When you’re there, you will find it is much more crowded than you thought. So that’s why we don’t recommend our guests to visit any places during the Chinese Festivals, including Spring Festival, Tomb Sweeping Festival, Labor Day Holiday, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day Holiday, etc.

Also I would like to mention one thing. Ciqikou Ancient Town isn’t like some other ancient towns in China which is very flat and easy to walk. Instead, there are many steps in this ancient town and for those who couldn’t walk too much or have difficulty in walking is not recommended to visit.

-Crowded Ciqikou Old Town-

Find one quiet corner and take one quick sketch is very interesting. Not because how good the “master” draw, but because it is totally not the same person from the sketch. So now, I still keep this funny picture. This only cost RMB10, so you couldn’t have too much expectation.

Also you could buy one flower ornament in the ancient street which you could find on my wife’s head. There are also many different shapes, colors, types, etc.

-Quick Sketch in Ciqikou Old Town-

Try some local snacks on the street. Chongqing people also like very spicy food, so you may double confirm with your tour guide before you buy it because might be very spicy!

-Local Snacks in Ciqikou Old Town-

Another famous snack is a must when you visit Ciqikou Ancient Town or even Chongqing. It is called 麻花. You will find this two words in the below sign in every store. The most famous one is 陈麻花.

-Chenmahua (陈麻花) in Ciqikou Old Town-

There are many different favors, including spicy, sweet, salty, etc. You could choose the one you like or even you could buy some for your friends or families. I believe they will be at least interested in that or even like it.

-Different Flavors of Chenmahua-

After a happy time at the Ancient Town, it is late afternoon and we get back to the downtown area to try the famous Chongqing Jiugongge Hotpot. Why we called it Jiugongge? Because there are nine lattice as you could see and “Jiu” means 9 in Chinese. If you like spicy food, you must try this!

-Chongqing Jiugongge Hotpot-

Next, we walk to Jiefangbei. Located in the center of Jiefangbei Commercial Pedestrian Street in Yuzhong District, Chongqing City, it is the spiritual symbol of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War and the only monument in China that commemorates the victory of the Chinese nation in the Anti-Japanese War.

-Jiefangbei-

Then, go down to visit Hongya Cave, the must-see highlight to appreciate the layers of featured Ba and Shu regional wooden tilted houses overlapped leaning the mountain up to 11 stores, which looks quite glittery lit by the orange lights from nightfall. And continue to get up to the 11 level with vehicles and roads alongside to catch the sparkling nightscape of Jialing River and the nearby buildings with beautiful neon.

Before you get to the Hongya Cave, you will find many interesting buildings for taking photos.

The first one is about many houses were built on the mountain. I guess it means Chongqing City is a mountain city.

The second one is Pirate Ship.

-Wonder at Hongya Cave-

The third one is about one coachman. You could also sit by the lady and take one photo.

-A Coachman Pull a Cart-

Finally we come to the Hongya Cave. The best time to visit Hongya Cave is surely at night. I have found two pictures online and you will find how beautiful it is at night.

-Hongya Cave Day versus Night-

Here below is one picture about the roof which I thought is very beautiful.

-The Roof of Hongya Cave-

One Photo Wall shows you the history and culture about Chongqing.

-Hongya Cave Walls-

Compare to take photos from the outside, the photos inside looks bland. There are still many stores selling different products there.

-Stores in Hongya Cave-

There are 11 floors about this building. Except -1 and from 5th to 8th floor, you could take a walk on other floors, including the FOLK FOOD STREET, TRADITIONAL CRAFTS STREET, INTERNATIONAL REASTAURANTS, etc.

-Hongya Cave Floor Directory-

From Hongya Cave, you could also watch the river view.

-River View from Hongya Cave-

On the third day, the only place we visited is the Three Gorges Museum. The vast collection of more than 280 thousand pieces of precious historical relics will let you have an amazing understanding of the great Yangtze River and formation of the magnificent Three Gorges, and also tell you the gradual thriving of Chongqing from 3,000 years ago, to its war defense in 20s century, and developmental path to be one of the 4 prosperous municipalities in China. 

Today, the weather is rainy. I was standing in front of the Three Gorges Museum.

-Wonder at The Three Gorges Museum-

The exhibitions includes Porcelain, Painting and Calligraphy, Coins in other dynasties, Sculpture Art of Han Dynasty, Anti-Japanese War History, Southwest Ethnic Customs, Bashu culture, etc.

Because I have been to many museums before, so I only chose to visit Southwest Ethnic Customs, & Bashu Culture Exhibition which is really interesting.

I would like to share some photos.

This is one sculpture of the boat trackers in Chongqing.

-Sculpture of the Boat Trackers-

This is one photo about the boat that people ever used to catch fish and also it was an important transportation mean in the past.

-Wonder with Fishing-boat-

This is one photo about people were hitting the iron.

-Workers were Hitting the Iron-

This photo showed the things that were usually used in the kitchen of one local farmer.

-Kitchen of One Local Farmer-

By the way, if you’re interested in Three Gorges Dam, you could also visit the Exhibition there.

-Three Gorges Dam Exhibition-

After around 2 hours inside the museum, we went out and you will find People’ Hall right cross to the Museum. If time allows and also you’re interested, you could take a look also.

-People’ Hall-

Because our train departs at noon time, so our Chongqing Tour finished. When we come back to Chengdu, I hardly made one mistake again! People all know that the train station in Chongqing is very complicated because its South Square and North Square are not connected. That means if you are happen to be in South Square, it will take more than 1 hour by walking and more than 10 minutes by taking taxi.

However, what makes you crazy is the broadcast of the light Rail as below:

Passengers, who arrive at Chongqing North Station South Square, please get off at Chongqing North Station, those who arrive at Chongqing North Station North Square, please get off at Longtou Temple Station, and those who arrive at Chongqing North Station, please get off at Chongqing North Station.

So for the first time comer to Chongqing, when you heard this and I believe most people will not know where to get off the station. This happened to us also! I totally don’t know how to do. Get off or not? God bless! Someone who knows this told us how to do and we have arrived at the correct station and correct square! Finally we’re back to Chengdu again!

If you’re interested in Chongqing tour and the tour nearby, like Dazhu, Wulong Karst Landforms, Yangtze River Cruise, please never hesitate to contact Wonder at China Discovery &Yangtze-River-Cruises!