Stilt Houses
A cliff of golden-lit stilt houses tumbling eleven storeys down to the river — Spirited Away made real the moment the lanterns switch on.
Hongyadong After Dark · Chongqing
Gateway to the Gorges · Chaotianmen
Chongqing4.64 hr19k saved
Where the Jialing pours into the Yangtze at the city's prow — and where the great multi-day cruises through the Three Gorges cast off at dusk.
It sits in Chongqing, and rewards going slowly rather than ticking it off. Best spring (apr–jun) / autumn (sep–nov); multi-day cruises depart in the evening.
Good to know
- Best time — Spring (Apr–Jun) / autumn (Sep–Nov); multi-day cruises depart in the evening
- Departure times vary by operator; most full 4-day cruises leave Chongqing late afternoon/evening.
Insider tip — Upgrade to a river-view cabin — the gorge scenery is the whole point. The Shennong Stream tributary detour (often included) is the highlight no one talks about.
Photo: Tauno Tõhk / 陶诺 · CC BY-SA 2.0
More in Chongqing
Monorail
A monorail that threads clean through the middle of a 19-storey apartment block — only in the mountain city. Watch from the platform across the street.
The Train Through the Building · Liziba · Chongqing
Cableway
A retro cable car swinging high over the brown Yangtze between the two banks — the old commuter line that became the city's best ride.
Crossing the Yangtze · River Cableway · Chongqing
Ancient Town
A surviving Ming-Qing river port of sloping lanes, teahouses and twist-fried mahua — the old Chongqing the towers grew around.
Porcelain Port · Ciqikou Old Town · Chongqing