This August, Let's Go on a Vacation to Wulong, Chongqing!

If there is one city that gives me reason after reason to return, Chongqing certainly has more than enough for me to keep revisiting. I studied in Sichuan for four years and visited Chongqing every year during that time, and even after graduation, I often return to this familiar place. To me, everything here feels intimate and familiar. This time, I came to Chongqing with my best friend, planning to visit the Wulong scenic area, so we headed straight from the airport to our destination!

Day 1: Hangzhou – Chongqing – Fairy Mountain Visitor Center

Day 2: Three Natural Bridges – Fairy Mountain National Forest Park – Impression Wulong Show

Day 3: Furong River – Furong Cave – Chongqing Airport – Hangzhou

First, you need to fly or take a train to Chongqing from anywhere in the country. From Chongqing to Wulong, there are two public transportation options! Trains: Currently four trains pass through Wulong: 5609 at 07:30; K687 at 12:16; K191 at 13:37; K653 at 19:42. They depart from Chongqing North Railway Station and take about two to three hours to reach Wulong. From the train station, you can walk to the bus stop and transfer to buses heading to the various scenic spots. Buses: You can take a bus from Chongqing Sigongli Bus Terminal to Wulong Bus Station, then transfer. However, I'd recommend renting a car if possible—pick one up at the airport or train station. It gives you more freedom with your itinerary!

Chongqing Wulong Lvmanxuan Resort Hotel

There are plenty of accommodation options near the Fairy Mountain Service Center. Just pick one with high ratings—the surrounding area is incredibly convenient for dining and everything else.

As for the food, needless to say, Chongqing's cuisine is such that you can just pick any place and you won't go wrong. Following reviews, we tried several highly rated restaurants. The area around the scenic spots is very convenient for dining and lodging, much more lively and bustling than I imagined.

Our first stop today was the renowned Three Natural Bridges. After exchanging tickets at the Fairy Mountain Town Visitor Center, we hopped on a shuttle bus and headed to the scenic area. Wulong's most famous sight should be the spectacular Three Natural Bridges, a rare geological wonder and eco-tourism area, typical karst landform. The three majestic stone arch bridges—Tianlong Bridge, Qinglong Bridge, Heilong Bridge—make it the largest natural bridge cluster in Asia.

To enter the scenic area, the most convenient way is to take this elevator built on a sheer cliff. When you come out and look up, it's truly magnificent. This was my first time in such an elevator.

Then comes a long flight of stone steps leading down. Does the scenery look familiar? Yes, the hit variety show "Dad, Where Are We Going?" once filmed right here.

At the end of the path, a paradise-like scene unfolds before your eyes. This was also one of the filming locations for the movie "Curse of the Golden Flower." It's hard to imagine a house tucked away in such terrain—absolutely stunning!

This ancient courier station actually dates back over a thousand years and was rebuilt during the shooting of "Curse of the Golden Flower." The roof is shrouded by the towering abyss of Tianlong Bridge, surrounded by jagged rocks and lush shrubs. This traditional courtyard is made up of several connected wings with grey-green tiles and white walls, full of antique charm and an air of timeless tranquility.

At the entrance of Tianlong Tiankeng, there's a mechanical dinosaur—a souvenir left behind from "Transformers 4."

Before coming here, the spot I was most looking forward to was Fairy Mountain National Forest Park. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate, and by the afternoon, a thick fog suddenly rolled in, blanketing the entire forest.

We drove to the most beautiful road, and even though there was no blue sky or white clouds, there was an unexpected, mysterious beauty. The scene reminded me of a misty forest.

We also took the scenic sightseeing train—a retro little train that whisked us off to the next landscape.

Visibility was low, but the rainy, overcast weather gave the park a unique charm. Our transparent umbrella even became a photo prop, and every snapshot turned into a beautiful memory.

I imagine Fairy Mountain must be especially stunning in winter, with the entire forest covered in snow, all dressed in white like a fairy-tale world. My best friend and I have already promised to come back in winter to make up for this little regret!

We didn't see many animals, but we did come across a sheep, contentedly grazing, free and at ease!

Looking forward to better weather on my next visit!

After leaving the forest park and having dinner near the visitor center, we headed to the Impression Wulong theater. If you're visiting Wulong, how can you miss such a breathtaking show? We had bought tickets for the earliest performance and excitedly awaited this visual feast!

The "Impression Wulong" theater is set in Taoyuan Grand Canyon, Wulong County, Chongqing, about 9 kilometers from Fairy Mountain Town. The canyon is U-shaped, with a 180-meter drop from top to bottom. The distant mountains are mysterious, the nearby peaks are majestic, and the ravines are serene. The theater's location not only protects the ecology but also provides a perfect performance space.

This stunning show was created by the Impression "Iron Triangle": Zhang Yimou served as artistic consultant, while Wang Chaoge and Fan Yue were chief directors. It reminded me of Impression Lijiang I saw in Yunnan and Impression Liu Sanjie in Guilin—each performance struck a chord, stunningly beautiful.

Over the 70-minute show, more than 100 performers sing with heartfelt emotion, with the almost-lost "haozi" (work songs) as the main theme. We were immersed in the magnificent natural landscape of this heritage site and the unique local culture of the Ba-Shu region.

I have to say, every element—the lighting, the performers' genuine expressions, the deeply moving story—is breathtaking. Lost in this passionate performance, I felt almost as if I had traveled through time. Even as the performers left the stage and the lights went out, the aftertaste lingered. Truly, if you come to Wulong, don't miss the Impression Wulong show!

We then drove to our destinations for the day—Furong River and Furong Cave. As soon as we descended the mountain, the weather cleared up beautifully. It got a bit hot, but the scenery made it all worthwhile!

To enter the scenic area, you first take this high-altitude cable car, offering a sweeping view of the mountains. Overlooking the area, the river's surface shimmered with shifting colors in the sunlight, and I couldn't stop clicking my shutter.

The river was a brilliant emerald green today. Nature's palette is truly amazing. The scene before me was like a painting, making me forget the heat for a moment as I was wrapped in refreshing green.

You can tell from all the photos I took just how beautiful it was. I remembered the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, and honestly, this was no less spectacular.

To get the full Furong River experience, we needed another cable car transfer—this one was a bit quirky, almost like a moving elevator.

We boarded a small cruise boat moored by the river and set off on our Furong River journey.

I hadn't been on a little ferry like this in years, and I squealed with excitement.

The Chongqing section of Furong River is a national key scenic area. The river course stretches 35 kilometers, featuring a classic, large-scale U-shaped canyon.

In the high gorge and calm lake section within Wulong, Chongqing, the water is a deep, clear green-blue, bordered by ancient, twisted tree roots in all kinds of shapes, waterfowl dancing, stalactites hanging, cascading springs and waterfalls, and lush green shadows. This is the most beautiful stretch of Furong River.

Our final stop, Furong Cave, is a massive limestone cave formed during the Pleistocene of the Quaternary period (over 1.2 million years ago), developing in ancient Cambrian dolomitic limestone. It's hailed as one of the world's three great caves. I've visited quite a few similar caves, but Furong Cave is indeed the biggest and most spectacular I've ever seen!

The stalactites in the cave come in myriad shapes, with a 15-meter-wide and 21-meter-high stone waterfall and stone curtain, smooth palm-like stalagmites as lustrous as jade, and curly stones and flowers glistening like stars.

Based on the distribution of the stalactites, the areas have been given poetic names. For example, the Sea Dragon Palace—from a distance, it's a riot of color, making you feel as if you're walking through an underwater palace. The name is perfect!

The cave's main sights include the Golden Throne Hall, Leifeng Pagoda, Jade Pillars Reaching the Sky, Jade Forest and Qiong Flowers, Canine Crystal Flowers, A Thousand Years' Kiss, Animal Kingdom, Sea Dragon Palace, Giant Screen Waterfall, Stone Field Pearls, Reproduction Pillar, Coral Jade Pool, and more. Touring Furong Cave truly makes you feel the magical work of nature.

Another reason I loved Furong Cave: it's so cool inside! We lingered and didn't want to leave. This kind of temperature is perfect for escaping the summer heat, so be sure not to miss it!

Our two-day trip flew by, and we've already promised to return in another season!