20 Things To Do In Chongqing At Night

Chongqing is not a city but rather a municipality in southwestern China and home to more than 28 million people (that’s 20 million more people than in London!). This busy metropolis is an incredible place to visit because of its geography, UNESCO sites, food and culture. Chongqing sits at the confluence of the well-known Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, making it a unique and important city in China. Chongqing is an interesting place to visit during the day and when darkness hits, it’s a fascinating and sparkling place to visit. Here are the best things to do in Chongqing at night.

Chongqing, China

20 Things To Do In Chongqing At Night

1- Admire Hongyadong Cave (Stilt House Complex)

Hongya Cave or Hongyadong used to be one of the ancient city gates and is a stilt house complex on the Jialing River.

Hongya Cave is an AAAA scenic spot because of the architecture and folk customs attributed to the site.

Hongyadong covered 11 floors.

From 6 pm to 10 pm the lights are switched off and this massive complex looks like a palace fit for a princess.

The complex is a series of hotels and retail spaces.

Head to the fourth floor of the complex to try some local food from the food market as well as food from spice stores.

Hongya Cave is at Cangbai Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing.

Recommended tours:

• Chongqing: City Highlights Guided Private Tour with Lunch
• Chongqing: Illuminated Night Tour with Cruise or Hot Pot
• Chongqing: Private Day Tour to Wulong Karst Geological Park

2- Explore Jiefangbei CBD

Head to Yuzhong District and you will find the Jiefangbei central business district, which is the beating heart of Chongqing and the first business pedestrian street in western China.

When Chongqing became a municipality (separate from Sichuan province) in 1997 the government began developing this CBD area.

There are plenty of things to see at Jiefangbei including the Chongqing Liberation Monument.

It’s also a wonderful place to go shopping with high end brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Armani and Prada.

If you get peckish, head to 81st Street for an assortment of local delights from fruit snacks to noodles, hot pot and barbecues.

Jiefangbei is at Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 步行街重庆时代广场附近 邮政编码 400011.

3- Cruise Down The Yangtze And Jialing Rivers

The Yangtze River is arguably the most famous river in China but it’s also the third-longest river in the world (after the Nile and the Amazon).

The Yangtze River rises in the mountains of Qinghai province and flows east (6,3000 km/ 3914 miles) past Shanghai to the East China Sea.

The Jialing River is a major tributary of the Yangtze River, and the two rivers meet in Chongqing.

One of the best things to do at night in Chongqing is to take a river cruise along both rivers.

From the river you really get a sense of the size of Chongqing and admire the skyline as well as the surrounding mountains.

There are a variety of river cruises some of which have additional onboard experiences, like face-changing from the Sichuan Opera or Chinese tea art.

4- Tantalise Your Tastebuds With Hot Pot

The hot pot is an incredibly important part of Chongqing culture and people from all over China travel to Chongqing for its food.

It is a staple dish of Chongqing so it’s super easy to find places to eat it.

According to 2019 data there were a whopping 26,991 hot pot restaurants in Chongqing.

Though you can choose your side dishes for hot pot, be prepared for some more unusual plates in Chongqing.

Tripe, duck blood, intestines, kidneys are some of the popular foods to dip in the red soup that’s made from beef tallow.

Chongqing hot pot differs from Chengdu hot pot in flavour and also because it has a nine patch pot with separate compartments.

There are several hot pot brands in Chongqing. Qiqi Eel Hot Pot, Zhaoer Hot Pot, and Qi Hot Pot are some good places to try.

• Qiqi Eel Hot Pot is at No.1-3 Linjiangmen, Yuzhong District （渝中区临江门1号附3号）.
• Zhaoer Hot Pot is at No.128 Jiefang East Road, Yuzhong District (重庆市渝中区解放东路128号望龙门车站旁).
• Qi Hot Pot is at Tianma Road No.99, Shapingba Distirct (重庆市沙坪坝区天马路99号).

5- Take The Yangtze River Cableway

You can view the Yangtze River from a cruise boat or from the Yangtze River Cableway, which stretches right across the Yangtze River 1166 meters (3825 feet) in length.

The cableway connects Yuzhong and Nan’an districts from Xinhua Road to Shangxin Street.

It travels at six metres per second and the ride lasts around five minutes.

A ride costs RMB ($2) and the cableway is open from Monday to Sunday from 7.30 am to 10.30 pm.

The cableway is at Chong Qing Shi, Yu Zhong Qu, 新华路151号 邮政编码: 400012.

6- Take Yangtze River Cruise From Chongqing To Yichang

A cruise down the Yangtze River is an iconic experience and Chongqing is a great place to start your cruise.

A popular Yangtze River cruise is from Chongqing to Yichang, which takes four days and three nights.

Tours of this kind allow you to see Chongqing at night, including the mountains and lights.

Between Chongqing and Yichang there are plenty of things to see on this cruise.

Some of the Chongqing highlights include Eling Park, Ciqikou Ancient Town and the Three Gorges Museum.

The cruises take off from Chaotianmen Port at the confluence of the Yangtze River and Jialing River.

Chaotianment Port is at HH7Q+8PJ, Changjiangbinjiang Rd, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400013.

For more things to do in China read:

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• 20 China Beaches For Your Bucket List
• 20 Things To Do In Shanghai At Night
• 20 Things To Do In Guangzhou
• 21 Places To Visit In China
• 7 Things To Do In Xiamen
• 20 Things To Do In Xian
• Yangtze River Cruise
• Inner Mongolia In Winter
• Places To Visit In Yunnan
• 20 Things To Do In Beijing At Night
• 20 Smart Cities in China
• Winter in China – 20 Things To Do
• 15 Things China Is Famous For
• Living in China – Everything You Need To Know
• 20 Endemic Animals In China And Where To See Them
• 12 National Parks in China
• 20 Things To Do In Chengdu At Night
• 20 Things To Do In Chongqing At Night

7- Try Delicious Food At Bayi Food Street

If you are a foodie, then you must head to Bayi Food Street.

This wonderful food street is just a couple of minutes’ walk from Jiefangbei’s central monument.

Some of the best food on offer at Bayi Food Street include dan dan spicy noodles, hot and sour rice noodles, braised pig feet, deep fried pork and Shancheng glutinous rice balls.

During the evening this place gets busy with hungry tourists and locals looking to try as many snacks as they can.

8- Wander Around Ciqikou Old Town

Ciqikou Ancient Town is a must visit place in Chongqing, with many saying if you didn’t go there, did you really go to Chongqing!

This is a great place to buy souvenirs and enjoy some snacks.

This small town is situated just 14 km west of Chongqing Chaotianmen Peir.

The town is surrounded by mountains and was once a famous business port during ancient China.

The town was built between 998 and 1003 and during the Qing Dynasty it became famous for selling porcelain.

The town has 12 streets to explore.

Ciqikou is in Shapingba District, 400038.

9- Photograph the Chongqing Skyline On Nanbin Road

The sprawling metropolis of Chongqing has an impressive skyline to rival New York and Chicago.

One of the best places to photograph the Chongqing skyline is from Nanbin Road, which is in the centre of the city with the Yangtze River in the north and the Nanshan Mountain behind.

Nanbin Road has been nicknamed the “Chongqing Bund” much like The Bund in Shanghai.

As well as admiring the view, Nanbin Road is also a wonderful place to try Sichuan food or enjoy tea and some of the many tea houses.

10- Ride A Train Through A 19-Storey Building

Don’t worry this isn’t a dangerous activity in Chongqing! Liziba station is on line 2 of Chongqing Rail Transit in the Yuzhong District.

This station is on the sixth to eighth floor of a 19-story residential building.

Naturally, you might be thinking that this would be a rather noisy place to live.

Specialised noise reduction equipment was used to make the sound more bearable for residents.

If you are not going to ride the subway at least head to the street outside to take photos.

Liziba station is at Floor 6-8, Commercial and Residential Building, No. 39, Liziba Main Street, Yuzhong District, Chongqing.

11- Walk Around Eling Park

While parks are commonly considered to be more of a daytime attraction, in China parks are enjoyed in the evening too.

Eling Park is on a hill in the centre of Yuzhon District and its position on the hill means you can enjoy wonderful views of Chongqing from the park.

The park dates to the Qing dynasty in 1909 when it was built by a wealthy businessman.

Head up to the lookout tower for views of the city or stroll around the subtropical plant garden.

You will find lots of older residents heading to Eling Park in the evening for exercise, dancing, and socialising.

Eling Park is at 181 Elingzheng St, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China, 400014.

12- Climb To New Heights At The Raffles City Exploration Deck

Chongqing’s unique location at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers means it’s a great idea to see the city from up high.

There is nowhere higher than the Crystal Exploration Deck at Raffles City.

The glass bottom sky deck first opened in 2020 and stands at 250 m making it the highest of its kind in western China.

The views are particularly impressive at night when Chongqing comes to life.

It costs around 120 RMB (US$16) to visit the skydeck, with cheaper tickets available for students.

13- Appreciate Chongqing’s Size At The Nanshan Tree Viewing Platform

What’s unusual about this viewing platform on Nanshan Mountain in Nan’an District is the observation deck is formed around a large tree.

It is a wonderful spot at night time where you can marvel at Chongqing’s skyline and its many bridges.

The Nanshan Tree Scenic Spot is open from Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 10.30 pm with the last admission being at 10 pm.

Tickets cost around 30 RMB (US$4).

The Nanshan Tree Viewing Platform is within the Nanshan Scenic Area, Nan’an District, Chongqing City (Longhuang Highway).

14- Watch The Sichuan Opera At Chongqing Chuanju Opera Theater

Though Chongqing is not technically part of Sichuan anymore it still maintains much of the province’s culture.

Sichuan opera features amusing narration, singing, staged fighting and of course the famous face changing masks.

Granted if you are just visiting China, you won’t understand much of what is going on, but the theatrics and entertainment are worth it.

This is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in Chinese culture.

The Chongqing Sichuan Opera Theater is at No.76, Jintang Street, Yuzhong Distrct, Chongqing.

15- Grab A Drink In Yuzhong District

Yuzhong District is Chongqing’s central district and the heart of the municipality and in summer, it’s an ideal place to start your night out.

Yuzhong has a flourishing nightlife scene.

During summer this place is usually bustling with markets, fairs, bars, clubs and even people playing sports.

Wander around the district in search of the best bars with the best atmospheres.

16- Check Out Three Gorge Square

Another great pedestrian street in Chongqing is Three Gorges Square, otherwise known as Sanxia Square.

The square features a mix of culture, commerce and leisure pursuits.

The square is split into four sections: the commercial and cultural street, a celebrity sculpture garden, the green art park and the three gorges landscape garden.

The area is almost like an urban homage to nature, with a fake river (or gorge) flowing through the square.

This is a top place to go walking at night as the pedestrian street is bustling with people.

There are shops, restaurants, and plenty of things to see.

17- Drink China’s National Drink At A Teahouse

Who says evenings must be about drinking alcohol, in Chongqing you can drink tea!

Drinking tea has a long history in China and is a perfect way for people to unite.

Check out Jiaotong Teahouse, which has been a popular spot in the city since the 80s.

It is an interesting place to get a feel for local Chinese culture and customs as well as sampling authentic tea.

Jiaotong Teahouse is at No. 20 Huangjueping Zheng Street, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing.

18- Check Out The Chongqing World Financial Center Observation Deck (Huixianlou Tower)

The Chongqing World Financial Center (WFC) is at the heart of Chongqing.

The tower has 78 floors and stands at a height of 339 m.

Some people refer to the WFC as the “Peak of the West” because upon completion in 2014 it was the tallest building in the western region of China.

The Huixianlou Observation Deck is on the 73rd and 74th floors, 320 m above ground level.

As well as an abundance of skyscrapers you will be able to see the confluence of the Jialing and Yangtze Rivers as well as the Yuzhong Peninsula.

The Chongqing World Financial Center (WFC) is at 民族路188号, Yuzhong District, Chongqing.

19- Marvel At Danzishi Shilao Street

Zhangjiahui Danzi Shilao Street is in Nan’an District in Chongqing.

This street might not be as famous as Jiefangbei but it’s a great place to head to at night.

This is a quaint street with beautiful architecture, at night the place is charmingly lit with fairy lights.

It is a wonderful place to eat, drink and take in views of the Jialing River.

Zhangjiahui Danzi Shilao Street is at No.68 Taichange Road, Nan’an District, Chongqing.

20- Drink On Jianbei 9th Street (Bar Street)

Jianbei 9th Street is one of the trendiest and most vibrant bar streets in the city.

There are a plethora of KTV venues, bars, dance clubs, barbecue street food and snack shops – everything you need for a good night out.

You will find a lot of young people in this area grooving to music in a mix of western style bars and traditional Chinese clubs.

From Latin inspired bars to hip hop joints, there’s a place for every taste.

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