Carson Jelinek
Discover how Chongqing has become a modern mountain city, known for its tall buildings, bright riverfront skyline and lively hot pot culture.
Chongqing at night. jcx516. Pixabay.
At night in Chongqing, the city feels almost unreal. Trains pass through apartment buildings, highways wind around cliffs in several layers and neon lights shimmer on the two rivers that meet here. With its fog, heat and tall buildings, China’s mountain city has quietly become one of the world’s most unusual urban landscapes.
Located in Southwestern China, Chongqing is one of the world's largest cities, with a municipal population of over 30 million. Yet many travelers have never heard of it. It is one of China’s four direct-administered municipalities, along with Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. The city's topography is very mountainous, creating a maze of tunnels, bridges and buildings that gives off a futuristic vibe. In fact, Chongqing has been frequently compared to Night City, a fictional location from the 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077. What makes the real-life megacity unique is that it doesn’t spread out; instead, it rises. You can walk what feels like ground level in Chongqing, only to peer over a railing and realize you’re standing 20 stories above another street below.
Hongyadong commercial district, Chongqing. Tom Zhou. Pexels.
There are two major rivers surrounding Chongqing: the Jialing River, which flows from the north, and the Yangtze River, which flows on the east and south sides of the city. If you head to the Hongyadong pier, you can hop on a boat to tour the city and see its unique architecture and beautiful skyline, which is especially stunning at night when all the lights are on. Another fun way to observe the city is via the Yangtze River Cableway, which was originally built for transportation and has since become a major tourist attraction.
Buildings in Chongqing. Zuxian Zhang. Pixabay.
Chongqing has many great food options, with the city especially known for its mouth-numbing, fiery hot pot: typically a beef-tallow red broth infused with dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns that cause the numbing heat. Hot pot isn’t just a meal down in Chongqing; it’s a core part of the city’s identity. Eating hot pot means gathering around one shared pot, talking loudly and staying for hours. It’s a place for celebration, negotiation, catching up, grieving and partying, with all kinds of people participating in the tradition, from students on a budget to businesspeople closing deals.
Hot pot in Chongqing. yukuaikuai. Pixabay.
In Chongqing, you’re not just visiting a destination engineered for you; you’re stepping into a megacity still in the process of becoming itself, and that sense of motion might be its most compelling sight of all. “There is something in Chongqing for everyone,” says Edmund Ong, the Regional Director of Southeast Asia at Trip.com. Both scenic river landscapes and viral cityscape spots draw diverse visitors from around the world. Chongqing is overwhelming in the best of ways, and if you enjoy getting lost in a big city, then Chongqing is a place you need to check out.
Carson Jelinek
Carson is a 22 year old writer and filmmaker studying film and media productions at Arizona State University. His work explores travel, culture, and the people behind the places, with a focus on stories that encourage curiosity and global understanding.