May Day Road Trip in Chongqing: 3 Fantastic Routes to Avoid Crowds and Savor the Essence of Nanchuan's Scenery

Where to go for the May Day mini-holiday? I recommend an extraordinary route within Chongqing, with scenery along the way that can be called the essence of Chongqing's landscapes.

Speaking of Chongqing, everyone knows it's a trendy city with many popular check-in spots in the urban area, such as Hongya Cave, Chaotianmen, the Light Rail through Liziba, and the Yangtze River Cableway—each is incredibly popular online.

In fact, leaving the main urban area of Chongqing, there are many more fun places in the surrounding districts and counties. Among Chongqing's districts and counties, there is one that is relatively low-key and unfamiliar to outsiders: Nanchuan District.

Nanchuan District is located in the south of Chongqing, bordering Guizhou Province. It is known as the "throat of Yu and Qian" (Chongqing and Guizhou) and is called the backyard garden of Chongqing. Nanchuan District is about an hour's drive from the main urban area of Chongqing, within Chongqing's "one-hour economic circle."

With the official approval of the Chongqing-Qianjiang section of the Chongqing-Hunan high-speed railway, Nanchuan will also welcome a 350 km/h high-speed rail line, with two stations: Nanchuan North and Shuijiang North. At that time, the travel time between Nanchuan and the main urban area will be reduced from the current 1 hour to 15 minutes, ushering in an era of same-city integration.

Nanchuan also has a proud label: tourism. It is home to the World Natural Heritage site Jinfo Mountain. In spring, the mountains are covered with blooming azaleas; in summer, it's a cool summer resort; in autumn, the green pines and yellow broadleaf forests form a striking contrast; and in winter, it's a great place for snow viewing and skiing.

Nanchuan is also a top destination for retirement. In an online poll of China's top ten retirement destinations, Nanchuan ranked first. Its forest coverage rate reaches 54.8%, and it has 342 days of good or excellent air quality, ranking first in Chongqing. It boasts genuine natural hot springs, making it an excellent choice for the elderly to nourish their health.

With May Day approaching, I recommend several self-driving routes in Nanchuan to experience this backyard garden of Chongqing and feel the local customs. In particular, the attractions along the [Jinfo Mountain 178 Loop Road Trip · Full Scenery City-Country Self-Driving] route can be considered the essence of Chongqing's landscapes. The Jinfo Mountain loop is a total of 178 kilometers, homophonic to "together we prosper" (yi qi fa). Let's set off together.

Three-Day Jinfo Mountain 178 Loop Road Trip

D1: East Street — Liangyu International Health Valley — Jinshan Cultural Tourism Town (Yu-Qian cultural experience) — Toudou Town (Jinshan Lake, Aoyue Ferratas, Jinfeng Peak) — Delong Town (ancient ginkgo village, ancient tea tree village)

D2: Qingyuan Town (Pangguandu) — Dayou Town (viewing Muzhi Mountain, Shiren Mountain) — Longyan City (Mazui Grassland, Longyan Cloud Waterfall, Longyan Flying Waterfall) — Guanyinyan Post Station (Ancient Tea Horse Road)

D3: Shanwangping (Fantasy Forest, Ecological Stone Forest) — Sanquan Town (Shibangou, also known as Wanjuan Shutai)

Three-Day Scenery City-Country Tour

D1: East Street — Shenlong Gorge (gorge tour, mountain climbing, spring water rafting) — East Street

D2: Jinfo Mountain (explore the World Natural Heritage site)

D3: Shanwangping (Fantasy Forest, Ecological Stone Forest, starry camping) — Daguan Origin (pastoral scenery, flower viewing, fruit picking)

Two-Day Jinfo Mountain World Heritage Tour

D1: East Street — Jinfo Mountain Medicinal Botanical Garden — Jinsanquan Hot Spring — Jinfo Mountain Scenic Area (Jinfo Mountain Worship Platform — Ancient Buddha Cave)

D2: Jinfo Summit (sunrise viewing, sea of clouds) — Ecological Stone Forest — Lingguan Cave — Cliffside Plank Road — Swallow Cave — Golden Turtle Facing the Sun — Ancient Azalea Park (best viewing period April-May) — Jinfo Temple — Bitan Yougu — Tianxing Town

Nostalgia of a Small-Town Youth: Nanchuan East Street

This is the most popular street in Nanchuan, renovated and upgraded on the basis of the old town. In the Family Memory Hall, you can travel back to the era when your parents lived, with realistic scenes from the 1960s to 1990s vividly presented.

East Street also features many classic Nanchuan foods, such as Deng Hu Guokui, old duck soup, and old wontons—each brings back the taste of childhood.

After eating and drinking, you can check out the only rooftop Ferris wheel in Southwest China. This Dream Ferris wheel, built on top of a building, is 65 meters high, offering a panoramic view of Nanchuan city.

Address: Dongcheng Street, Nanchuan District, Chongqing

Dream Ferris Wheel: 20 yuan/person

Family Experience Hall: 39 yuan/person, free for children under 1.2m, 20 yuan for seniors over 60.

World Natural Heritage: Jinfo Mountain

Jinfo Mountain is a World Natural Heritage site, a typical example of global karst table mountains, covering an area of 1,300 square kilometers, with the highest peak at 2,238 meters above sea level. It preserves over 8,000 species of organisms and more than 4,000 types of Chinese medicinal herbs. Silver fir, square bamboo, azalea, wild ginkgo, and wild large tea tree are known as the "Three Wonders of Jinfo Mountain."

April to May is the season when azaleas bloom on Jinfo Mountain, with flowers covering the mountains in a riot of color. Particularly, the Jinfo Mountain Wild Ancient Azalea Park features 15,000 large ancient azaleas, the world's largest known, most concentrated, and most magnificent wild ancient azalea community.

Jinfo Mountain also has many attractions, such as the Great Sleeping Buddha, Golden Turtle Facing the Sun, Cliffside Plank Road, Ancient Buddha Cave, Ecological Stone Forest, Yaochiba, and South Slope Geopark, all excellent places to visit.

Ticket: Peak season 80 yuan, off-peak 70 yuan.

Water from Heaven: Longyan Flying Waterfall (Ma Niao Shui)

The surrounding towering hills and abundant precipitation contribute to another super landscape of the Jinfo Mountain Karst. Amidst the mountains, an independent and abrupt peak looks like a horse's mouth from the side. The Longyan Flying Waterfall plunges through clouds and mist, creating a magnificent sight, hence the name "Longyan Flying Waterfall."

Longyan Flying Waterfall faces the Mazui Grassland and Mazui Mountain from a distance, so locals also vividly call it "Ma Niao Shui" (horse urine water). It is located in Shibangou, Longyan Scenic Area of Jinfo Mountain.

Ancient Tea Horse Road: Guanyinyan Ancient Post Station

At the foot of Longyan City, beside Shanwangping, there is a quaint wooden building and a winding stone path. This post station, a microcosm of thousands of years of history, still seems to echo with the sounds of people and horses bustling in the past.

Hundreds of years ago, it was an important post station on the official road and a key trade passage between Chongqing and Guizhou. Though times have changed, it has become a scenic spot in people's eyes.

Spirit City: Longyan City

Longyan City is located at the eastern foot of Jinfo Mountain. Due to its strategic location on the Chongqing-Guizhou corridor and its dangerous terrain, it has been a military stronghold since ancient times. It was also a battlefield where the Southern Song Dynasty resisted the Mongol-Yuan army, successfully blocking the Mongol invasion southward, thus endowing it with the spiritual connotation of an undefeated and steadfast city, historically known as the first southern barrier.

Ginkgo Queen: Ancient Ginkgo Community

In Yangjiagou Ginkgo Village, Delong Town, south of Jinfo Mountain, there is a large wild ginkgo community with a total of more than 3,000 trees. Among them, a 2,500-year-old ginkgo queen is the oldest ginkgo tree ever discovered, worthy of being called the world's ginkgo king.

Ancestor of Tea Trees: Millennium-Old Ancient Tea Tree

Nanchuan Ancient Tea Tree No. 1 is a representative single tree among the first batch of protected clusters in Nanchuan District. It is revered by generations of Jinfo Mountain tea farmers as the "ancestor of tea trees," with an age of over a thousand years. Its canopy is still vigorous, with thick, glossy leaves free from pests. Currently, due to protection efforts, tea picking from this tree has ceased.

Century-Old Ancient Ferry: Pangguandu

Pangguandu was once an official ferry. Around the ferry were many kilns, and the dock was bustling with merchants and kiln workers, making it a prosperous place. The large crowds gave it the name Pangguandu.

Pangguandu features karst landforms with unique mountain shapes resembling layered volumes of heavenly books, a true wonder. Today, it has become a popular leisure destination.

Pangguandu is located in Qingyuan Town, Nanchuan, and admission is free.

Game for the Brave: Ferratas High-Altitude Climbing

Ferratas is a high-altitude climbing activity, easier than rock climbing, suitable for all ages, originating from Italy. In Toudou Town, Nanchuan, on the cliffs at the southern foot of Jinfo Mountain, you can see many people, after donning equipment, guided by instructors who accompany and protect them throughout, climbing the rock walls like Spider-Man, walking on steep cliffs at high altitudes. During the climb, you can enjoy unique views from observation points.

Puxiang Jinfo Mountain Resort Hotel

This secluded luxury hotel cost 75 million yuan to build but has only 18 rooms, and it exclusively enjoys the 7-kilometer-long Wolongtan Gorge. Except for hotel guests, outsiders are prohibited from entering the gorge.

The overall style of the hotel is Japanese-inspired, with exquisite courtyard landscapes of pines and cypresses. A winding path leads to the hotel and the gorge. The small buildings with black tiles and gray walls are artistic and charming. A red iron bridge spans the river valley, exuding internet-famous vibes, while the public area is elegant and quiet with a hint of Zen.

Jinfo Mountain International Health Valley

In the health valley, there is the Aibinong Resort. Staying here feels like being in a Suzhou garden thousands of miles away, blurring the boundaries of time and space, perfectly blending gardens and mountain living. After a tiring drive, you can soak in hot springs here, feeling as if you are in a fairyland amidst the rippling water.

Do you like these self-driving routes? Where do you plan to go this May Day holiday? Feel free to leave a comment. Follow Lights Camera Travel, and let's see the world together.