Hongya Cave - Most Stunning Night View in Chongqing

Located at the bank of the Yuzhong Peninsula, along the Yangtze River, Hongya Cave is regarded as a living fossil of Chongqing culture for its long history of more than 2,300 years. Hongya Cave, covering an area of 46,000 square meters, is an 11-storey, 75-meter stilt building butting up against a steep cliff, reflecting Bayu traditional architecture style.

By nightfall the gorgeous light shines on the buildings, tourists will marvel at the grandeur of the Hongya Cave night view. It is topping the list of trendy internet-famous destinations!

With a favorable location and well-developed transportation, other famous tourist attractions are nearby such as Jiefangbei and Chaotianmen. It’s convenient to get around these scenic spots together.

2 Days Chongqing & Wulong Karst Landscape Exploration Tour

Itinerary: Chongqing / Wulong / Chongqing
Highlights: Wulong Karst Geological Park, Natural Three Bridges, Longshuixia Gap, Three Gorges Museum, Hongya Cave

Historically, Chongqing has experienced four large-scale fortifications: the first in 314 BC during the Qin Dynasty, the second in 226 during the Three Kingdoms period, the third in 1249 during the Southern Song Dynasty, and the forth in 1371 during the Ming Dynasty. Gradually, 17 city gates were built and Hongya Cave was one of them. Since the 1940s, the Hongya Cave began to have a series of stilted houses. After planning and construction by the government, old stilted buildings were demolished and rebuilt. Thus, Hongya Cave presents to the world with a new face.

Some tourists would be confused after visiting Hongya Cave because they don’t see any “cave” in this scenic spot. Is Hongya Cave really a “cave”? Strictly speaking, Hongya Cave is not a “cave” but a closed city gate which is mainly used for military defense. Now it has totally been transformed into a tourist area for sightseeing and leisure. In addition to cultural and historical sites, there are also various shops spreading over 11 floors.

Stilted houses are special architectures with Bayu style, reflecting the perseverance of the ancient people. They are built according to terrain, scattering randomly. This type of architecture takes advantage of the firm bearing force of cliffs to support the whole building, which saves building materials and improves stability. Also, it can cover up some cliffs, having aesthetic and protective effects. The lower part of the stilted house is empty, and the upper part is solid. The wooden dwellings manifest Chinese national wisdom and creativity. This complex of stilted houses can be said to be a unique wonder in the world.

Hongyadicui（洪崖滴翠）

Water flows down from the mountains covered by forests, forming a waterfall when it is rainy. With diminished rainfall, water droplets drip down, always reflecting the bright sunlight. The green color of the water is as deep as that of the jade, hence the name “Hongyadicui”. (cui means jade in Chinese) At the front gate of Hongya Cave are steps leading up to the waterfall. These stairways are filled with locks and ribbons bearing wishes and good fortune. Tourists can place their wishes and blessings on the stairways through locks or ribbon.

Urban Balcony

Standing at Urban Balcony, tourists can command a fine view of two rivers (Jialing River and Yangtze River) converging. It’s also a great place to have a panoramic view of the new CBD in Chongqing.

In the middle of Urban Balcony Square stands a sculpture group. The theme sculpture is Memory of Mountain City created by Guoxuanchang. It is forged from brass, transforming the traditional stilted house into an exaggerated form but still remain authentic. This giant brass sculpture is about 13 meters high and 8 meters wide, just like a mountain towering towards the sky. In a word, Urban Balcony is a perfect lookout point.

Local Snacks

Gourmet Street is a paradise of dainty snacks, serving many traditional snacks that are mostly spicy and hot, like Hot and Sour Rice Noodles. You can find different restaurants on the 4th, 9th and 10th floors on Hongya Cave. In Chongqing, the most famous food is hot pot, also known as tripe hot pot or spicy hot pot. No visit to Chongqing is complete without sampling the local hotpot. Raw materials are mainly cow stomach, pig artery, duck intestine, blood and so on. There are also regular materials like beef rolls, mutton rolls, meatballs etc. for your option. After enjoying the fabulous scenery, we encourage tourists to taste this essential food.

Hongya Cave is situated in Yuzhong District, Chongqing, which is the convergence zone of the Jialing River and Yangtze River. The Grand Theater and Hongya Cave face each other across the river. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from Hongya Cave to the Grand Theater, covering a distance of 1.2 km. Jiefangbei is just on the south of Hongya Cave, tourists can walk there for 10 minutes.

Since Chongqing is a modern city and one of the largest municipalities of China, there is a wide variety of transportation to choose from. Bus, taxi, subway, and rail transit are all available. To avoid traffic jam, Rail Transit is a better option. Tourists can take Rail Transit Line 1, Line 5, Line 6, Line 10, etc.

From Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, you are recommended to take Rail Transit Line 10 and then transfer to Line 6. (25km/about 1 hour)

From Chongqing Train Station, you can take Rail Transit Line 1. (5km/about 0.5 hours)

From Chongqing North Train Station, you can take Rail Transit Line 10 and then transfer to Line 6. (8.5km/ about 0.5 hours)

From Chongqing West Train Station, you can catch Rail Transit Line 5 and then transfer to Line 1. (18.5km/about 1 hour)

However, there is no direct rail transit to Hongya Cave, tourists need to walk extra distance. There are two subway stations near Hongya Cave. Xiaoshizi station（小什字站） and Jianglinmen station （江临门站） both are 779 meters away from Hongya Cave, costing about 12 minutes waking to the 11th floor of Hongya Cave.

Chongqing is known as a mountain city with complex traffic system. Tourists often spend lots of time finding the right way. If you need local private transfer service, please feel free to contact us!

Chongqing has a subtropical monsoon climate, and it’s very hot here in summer for its mountainous terrain. Spring, autumn and winter are all suitable for tourists to check in at this new landmark of Chongqing. But comparing with summer and winter, spring and autumn are not that hot and dry like summer, not that cold and foggy like winter. So, spring and autumn are more proper to appreciate the view of Chongqing. Between 18:00 to 23:00, Hongya Cave will be illuminated, making it the ideal time to snap photos of the magnificent buildings.

Hongya Cave is a popular tourist spot, especially during the holidays, to be more specific, May Day holiday, Dragon Boat Festival holiday and National Day holiday. Though admission is free, it limits passenger volume. Tourists may be unable to gain entrance to the site. It would be better to stagger the Minor vacation to avoid the crowds. Even in normal day, there’s still a lot of tourists around. It would be better to make reservations in advance especially on holidays. To know more about China holidays, China holidays travel tips 2024 may help a lot!

Many photography enthusiasts visit Hongya Cave in an endless stream, capturing beautiful moments and creating photos albums to remember the experience. Where is the best place to record the beautiful scene? Three positions are recommended for your reference.

On the side of Qiansimen Bridge, Tourists can take pictures of the overall view of Hongya Cave.

Standing at the first floor of Hongya Cave, tourists can take a close-up. Going to the Grand Theater, Qiansimen Bridge and Hongya Cave can both be included in your picture.

What are you waiting for? Take your camera, go to enjoy the beauty of Hongya Cave and discover the spectacle Bayu culture!

Please note if tourists want to walk from Hongya Cave to Qiansimen Bridge, they need to set off from the 11th floor of Hongya Cave.

In Chongqing, it is recommended to visit Hongya Cave in the evening to see the beautiful night scenery, which resembles Spired Away movie. Chongqing is called “the most hospitable city in China” by many netizens. Plenty of tourists would spare 3 days to explore the captivating city. Check the following plan to see how to experience the charm of Chongqing!

Day 1-you will learn about the Three Gorges and Yangtze River after visiting the Three Gorges Museum . After lunch, you will roam in E’ling Park to enjoy life at a leisurely pace. If you are interested in Chinese history, you can go to Jiefangbei during the rest afternoon. By nightfall, Hongya Cave will offer you magnificent nighttime landscapes and Lumia art.

Day 2-Wulong Karst boasts massive natural sceneries where tourists can immerse in this area all day. You will first appreciate the Three Natural Bridges, experiencing the uncanny workmanship of nature. Heading to your next stop-Longshuixia Gap, you will feel the power and perseverance of the earth.

Day 3-Dazu Rock Carvings is also a must-see attraction in Chongqing. Reputed as “the pearls of the oriental art”, Dazu Rock Carvings will leave an indelible impression on you with its religious sculptures and carvings. Before lunch, you can tour Baodingshan Rock Carvings to indulge yourself in invaluable Buddhist art. After lunch, you won’t miss Beishan Rock Carvings which houses over 5,000 status.

Recommended Chongqing Tour Packages:

▶ 2 Days Chongqing & Wulong Karst Landscape Exploration Tour

▶ 4 Days Chongqing Essence Tour with Yangtze Cruise

▶ 5 Days Chongqing, Yangtze Cruise & Wulong Karst Tour