Chongqing
“The 8D Vertical Metropolis: A labyrinth of fog, mountains, and neon where ground levels are illusions and standard navigation requires three-dimensional logic.”
Survival Kit
🇨🇳 Essential China Survival Guide (Setup BEFORE leaving!)
Payment
Visa/Mastercard rarely work. Cash can be used but is rare. Set up AliPay and/or Wechat before leaving. WeChat can be difficult to set up, AliPay is easier and handle everything from payement, transport, food delivery, and more. Payement is done 99% of the time by QR code: either point your AliPay QR code to the vendor so he can scan it, or scan the QR code that will be displayed in front of the shop/cashier, enter the correct amount, and show the vendor the screen of your phone to confirm that you did pay
Maps
Google Maps is blocked. Use Apple Maps or Gaode or Amap or Maps.me instead. We recommend to have all of them to be sure. Navigating inside the maps can be tricky as a lot ofthe adresses are in Chinese. Be patient
Internet
Gmail, IG, and WhatsApp are blocked. You NEED a VPN (LetsVPN/Astrill) before you arrive. If your phone can use an eSIM, we recommend looking into it as it is cheap, works well and acts as its own VPN
Transport/Booking
Uber is gone. Use Didi (inside Alipay). For metros, setup the "Transport" tab: switch to the desire city at the top, then follow the procedure to set up the transport card. Then scan the QR code when entering and leaving the metro. For booking, I strongly recommend using Trip.com, from hotel to train tickets. If an hotel is on Trip.com, it will accept foreigner (refusing foreigner is not allowed anymore)
Prepare before you go
It can look daunting at first because China uses completely different set of apps. If you take the time to setup the app mentionned above before you leave, you will realise that China digital ecosystem is built on speed and convenience. There's a very high chance that after visiting China you'll wonder why you don't have the same system back home. The truth is you can do the task of 5 different apps we use on AliPay alone, it's a very powerful app. If you really don't care and wanna wing it, I recommend downloading at the very least AliPay and setting it up. You'll be fine with just this honestly.""
Mejor Momento
Spring / Fall
Moneda
CNY (Yuan/RMB)
Idioma
Local Language
Jan
6°C - 11°CHeavy thermal underwear, thick winter coats, wool socks
Atmospheric 'Silent Hill' fog
No central heating in most buildings
Feb
7°C - 13°CThermal layers, moisture-wicking base
Spring Festival energy
Persistent, miserable dampness
Mar
12°C - 20°CLight layers, waterproof shoes
Temperatures conducive to endless stair climbing
Variable and sudden spring rains
Apr
16°C - 24°CLight jackets, highly breathable layers
Best visibility for skyline photography
Brief window before the brutal summer humidity begins
May
20°C - 28°CCotton t-shirts, light trousers
Lush greenery along the riverbanks
Steep increase in humidity levels
Jun
24°C - 32°CBreathable synthetics, shorts, portable fan
Vibrant night market energy
Risk of heat exhaustion begins
Jul
28°C - 40°C+Minimal, loose synthetics, high-SPF sunscreen
Clear, dramatic skyline views at night
Extreme heat trapped by basin topography
Aug
28°C - 40°C+Shorts, UV-protection hats, hydration packs
Nocturnal exploration is the only viable option
Physiological danger during midday stairs climbing
Sep
22°C - 30°CLight layers, umbrella
Temperatures become survivable
Lingering humidity and sudden rainstorms
Oct
17°C - 23°CLight jacket, comfortable climbing shoes
Perfect walking weather
Golden Week (Oct 1-7) causes catastrophic overcrowding
Nov
12°C - 18°CJackets, thermal base layers
Moody, cinematic atmosphere returns
Solar exposure drops significantly
Dec
6°C - 11°CThermal underwear, heavy coats, wool accessories
Tourist sites are virtually empty
Indoor environments require wearing winter coats
Jiefangbei (Yuzhong)
The historic commercial center located on a hilly peninsula. It is a high-density zone where ground floors exist at multiple elevations. Home to the towering Liberation Monument, endless neon, and massive tourist throngs. It is convenient, but exceptionally loud.
Nanbin Road (Nan'an)
Located across the Yangtze River, this upscale, quieter district offers the absolute best panoramic views of the Yuzhong peninsula skyline. It feels more like a resort area, favored by luxury travelers and photographers.
Guanyinqiao (Jiangbei)
This is the 'real' city center for residents. A massive, authentic urban hub devoid of Western tourists, offering the best shopping, intense nightlife, and the primary hunting ground for the city's famous 'Yellow Ferrari' taxis.
Eling & Testbed 2
An artsy enclave perched high atop a ridge. Converted from old currency printing factories, it features 'industrial chic' aesthetics, excellent coffee culture, and cooler temperatures due to its elevation.
Dos & Don'ts
- The Z-Axis Reality: Distance is a meaningless metric without elevation. A restaurant 50 meters away on a map might require ascending 15 flights of hidden stairs. Always ask locals for 'Road Level' context.
- TCM Cooling Defense: To survive the oppressive summer heat, do as the locals do and consume Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) drinks like Suan Mei Tang (Sour Plum Soup) or Lu Dou Tang (Mung Bean Soup) to detoxify 'heatiness'.
- Hotpot Physics: The Jiugongge (9-grid pot) is not for separating different broths; it creates thermal zones in a single spicy tallow broth. Use the center for violent 15-second blanching, the cross squares for medium boiling, and the corners for long, slow stewing.
- The Capsaicin Shield: When eating hotpot, the dipping sauce must be strictly Sesame Oil and Minced Garlic. The lipids physically coat your esophagus, blocking capsaicin from binding to TRPV1 pain receptors and preventing severe gastrointestinal distress.
- Loudness is not Aggression: Chongqing locals (Chongqingren) have a 'hot' temperament matching their food. Shouting in restaurants is the default volume of enthusiastic conversation, not anger. Do not be intimidated.
- The Bang Bang Army: You will see 'Stick Men' carrying heavy loads up stairs with bamboo poles. They are the human infrastructure of the city. If you hire one to carry your luggage, negotiate the price (¥10-20) upfront.
- Ganbei Intensity: Drinking with locals involves an intense 'bottoms up' (Ganbei) culture. Refusing a toast is considered highly rude unless you provide a firm medical excuse.
- Respect the Offal: Tripe (Maodu) and duck intestine are the prized kings of the hotpot table, valued for their crunch and snap. Refusing them is acceptable, but mocking them is culturally insensitive.
- Digital Pre-Configuration: Cash is functionally obsolete. You must install, verify, and link an international card to WeChat Pay or Alipay before your plane lands. Arrival without these apps degrades mobility to zero.
- No Flash at Liziba: When photographing the famous monorail passing through the residential building at Liziba Station, never use your camera flash. It blinds the transit drivers.
Key Phrases
Liziba Monorail Station
李子坝
An architectural oddity where CRT Line 2 trains pass directly through the 19th floor of a residential high-rise building.
White Elephant Residential Complex
白象居
A massive, brutalist residential complex built entirely without elevators, forcing residents to navigate extreme elevation via multi-level street exits.
Crown Escalator
皇冠大扶梯
Asia's longest single urban escalator, plunging 112 meters down a steep shaft to connect the upper city with the lower train station.
Hongya Cave
洪崖洞
An 11-story commercial complex clinging to a cliff face, famous for its glowing, 'Spirited Away' cyberpunk aesthetic at night.
Raffles City & Chaotianmen
来福士广场
A colossal, sail-shaped mega-structure topped with a 250m horizontal 'Crystal Skybridge', sitting exactly at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers.
Dazu Rock Carvings
大足石刻
A UNESCO World Heritage site featuring thousands of intimate, highly readable religious reliefs carved directly into cliff faces.
Wulong Karst National Park
武隆喀斯特
An epic, UNESCO-listed geological system of massive natural stone bridges, deep sinkholes, gorges, and subterranean rivers.
Huguang Guild Hall
湖广会馆
A sprawling, beautifully preserved Qing-era complex featuring striking yellow walls, built by migrant merchants.
🎒Travel Essentials for Chongqing
Curated gear recommended by locals to make your trip smoother.
High-Traction Urban Walking Shoes
Why you need it:Chongqing is built on mountains and steep gorges. Navigating the thousands of damp stone stairs daily requires aggressive grip.
High-Capacity Power Bank
Why you need it:Total logistical failure occurs if your phone dies. Payment, translation, and 3D map navigation are 100% reliant on battery life.
Portable High-Velocity Neck Fan
Why you need it:Crucial for surviving the brutal 'wet bulb' temperatures and extreme humidity of the 'Furnace City' summer.
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Nine-Grid Hotpot
九宫格火锅
A violently boiling cauldron of pure beef tallow, Erjintiao chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns, physically divided by a metal grid to create precise thermal cooking zones.
Chongqing Small Noodles
重庆小面
A violently flavorful breakfast noodle defined not by the wheat pasta, but by an aggressive 'zuo liao' (condiment) base of chili oil, lard, garlic water, and Sichuan pepper.
Sour & Spicy Fern Root Noodles
酸辣粉
Translucent, highly elastic sweet potato starch noodles submerged in a heavy broth of aged vinegar, fried chili oil, peanuts, and soybeans.
Fly Restaurants
苍蝇馆子
Hole-in-the-wall eateries known for questionable decor but serving elite, highly authentic home-style cooking (jiachangcai) at rock-bottom prices.
Oil Tea Porridge
油茶
A dying art of traditional breakfast: a dense, savory rice flour porridge topped with fried dough twists (sanzi), chili oil, and crushed peanuts.
24 Ore Perfette a Chongqing
Vertical Calibration & Transit Logistics
"Start at the Lianglukou Crown Escalator. Use it as functional transit, plunging 52m to recalibrate your spatial intuition of multi-level streets. Walk through the Shangqingsi area toward the Yuzhong ridge to witness the morning commuter flow scaling the mountain city."
Xiao Mian Daily Fuel
"Locate a 'Fly Restaurant' near a residential block. Sit on a plastic stool on the sidewalk and order 'Gan Liu' (dry) Xiao Mian with 'Wan Za' topping. This high-octane mix of chili oil, lard, and peppercorn is the true taste of working-class Chongqing."
Infrastructure & Density Safari
"Ride CRT Line 2. Sit on the riverside facing windows. Exit at Liziba Station, head to the street, and photograph the train punching through the 19th floor of the residential block. From there, navigate to the Baixiangju (White Elephant) complex to witness the gritty, lived reality of a massive housing block with zero elevators."
The Hotpot Ritual
"Engage in the core ritual: Authentic Chongqing Hotpot. Order a pure red oil, beef tallow Jiugongge pot. Use the violently boiling center square to blanch tripe for exactly 15 seconds. Coat everything in pure sesame oil and minced garlic to protect your stomach lining from the capsaicin."
Cyberpunk Skyline Logic
"Walk out onto the Qiansimen Bridge deck during the Blue Hour. Turn back toward the city to photograph the glowing, multi-tiered exterior of Hongya Cave against the towering CBD skyline. Avoid going inside the cave; the true value is observing the impossible scale and neon density from the outside."