Late April Vacation in Chongqing (Travel Tips)

After three years of pent-up travel desire—it wasn't easy. Finally, everything is slowly returning to normal. In late April, I took annual leave to experience the undulating Chongqing from A Writer’s Odyssey. Anyway, let's dive into the tips.

If the forecast in late April says 25°C or above, you can head out in a T-shirt. Looked it up: Chongqing has a long summer from May to October, so it's best to avoid those months for travel. The days we were there, every morning was foggy and hazy, the sun only came out after 1pm, and sunset was at 7:30pm. It felt like we had loads of time to kill—ho ho.

**II. Where to Stay and Getting Around**

If you love hustle and bustle plus convenience, you absolutely must stay near Jiefangbei. For our first few days, we were at a hotel not far from Linjiangmen Station on Line 2. It was only about a kilometer to the monument itself, and nearby spots like Hongyadong and Shibati were reachable within a 2km walk. Other places could be reached by metro, though the transfer routes inside some stations were a bit... long.

Later, we stayed near Nanbin Road in Nanping. That area is a bit like Hangzhou's Nanshan Road—lots of malls and bars, fewer pedestrians, rather quiet. But you can only rely on taxis for getting around.

**Hot pot:** I absolutely DO NOT recommend—I repeat, DO NOT RECOMMEND—that certain “Senior Brother Hot Pot.” Important things must be said three times!!! Its value for money does NOT represent Chongqing. A few days later, thanks to recommendations on Dianping, we found Sixth Aunt Old Hot Pot near Huangjueya Old Street. It was SO delicious. The beef was mind-blowingly good, and only 35 yuan per portion. Whoever asks me about Chongqing, I'll tell them to go there.

**Ice jelly:** We tried many shops' ice jelly, because each had its own philosophy, so the results varied. But all were pretty tasty.

**Fruit:** Luzumiao Street wasn't far from our hotel, and a stretch of it is lined with fruit shops. The loquats this season were unbelievably delicious—I even brought a basket on the plane when I left.

**Sexy Tea (Chayan Yuese):** At 18 kuai a cup, it's definitely worth a try. Not too sweet, not cloying, and carries a fresh, light fragrance—like gardenia or jasmine.

**IV. Places to Go**

**Dazu Rock Carvings:** So well-preserved, so lifelike. The museum there has a particularly rich collection—don't miss it. We booked a small-group day tour on Ctrip, 9 people including the driver. The scenic area is about 2 hours from Jiefangbei. Left at 8am, back at the hotel by 5pm. Really good value.

**Nanshan Anti-Japanese War Site (Chiang Kai-shek's Mansion):** The mansion is up on Nanshan, best reached by taxi. Not many visitors. During the war, the Chongqing government carried out massive mobilization and relocation—factories, banks... You'd never know it unless you see the historical exhibits in the memorial hall. Chiang's Yunxiu Building sits at the deepest part of the mountain. Imagining the wartime command center under my feet... ah, none of those ancients remain.

**Luohan Temple:** Exit at Xiaoshizi Station on Line 1. This was the filming location for Crazy Stone. The temple architecture is exquisite and antique. Opposite the library, there are free Buddhist books for those who are drawn to them. Worth a look.

We spent half a day walking from Luohan Temple — Kuaizi Street — Xinhua Road — People’s Park — Yangtze River Cableway — to Huguang Guild Hall. Our legs were destroyed. But it was a great way to soak up the scenery of the lower half of the city. And Amap’s 3D navigation came in pretty handy.

We also took two days for a round trip to Leshan by high-speed train. A colleague from Leshan recommended Jiaxiang Road for qiaojiao beef and ice jelly. We took a boat to see the Leshan Giant Buddha, strolled around Suji Ancient Town (all ancient towns look the same, you can skip it). Leshan is a really well-built, clean city. Public security seems good—I saw primary school kids in twos and threes crossing the street on their own after school. A screw fell off my sunglasses, and a girl at an eyewear shop fixed it for free. The taxi drivers and hotel staff were all super nice. Big thumbs up to this city.

**V. Other Places Visited or Passed By**

**Hongyadong – Qiansimen Bridge:** The night view is still quite beautiful.

**Shibati:** A passage connecting the upper and lower city, leading all the way down with various boutique-ish shops and really elegant lighting.

**Huangjueya Old Street:** Just a glance at the entrance after hot pot. All ancient towns nationwide look similar, so we skipped it.

**Huguang Guild Hall:** I see it as a kind of guild meeting hall in the past. Ticket isn't expensive, worth a visit—the wood carvings are exquisite. There's a free half-hour performance at set times with local dance, boatmen's songs, face-changing, and that kind of thing.

**Liziba Station (Line 2):** We sat in the front carriage and watched through the driver's window, filming a short video of the train burrowing through a building.

**Nanbin Road:** A perfect spot for river views.

Well, that's about it.