The free things are the good things
### Hongyadong
Free. Anyone selling you a "fast pass" or an "inside ticket" is running a scam.
The stilted complex is best seen lit, from the Qiansimen bridge side, between about 19:00 and 22:00 — and it is noticeably less crowded before 19:00 or after 22:00.
One caveat: English guides say no reservation is needed, while Chinese-language local sources say weekend and holiday entry can be capped. During the 2026 National Day holiday the city imposed traffic controls around it. Check locally if you are going on a holiday weekend.
### Liziba — the train through the building
Free, because the viewing platform sits outside the metro fare gates; you need no ticket to look.
The Line 2 station occupies floors 6 and 7 of a 19-storey residential block, which the train passes straight through. It was completed in 2004, so the building was designed around it rather than the other way round.
### Ciqikou
Free to enter. Extremely crowded at weekends — come on a weekday morning, and walk up the side lanes away from the main souvenir street, where the old riverside village survives.
Yangtze River Cableway
¥30 one way, ¥50 return, or ¥98 with an observation deck. About 4–5 minutes across 1,166 m of river.
Book through the official WeChat account up to two days ahead; daily sales open at 07:45 on weekdays and 07:15 on holidays. No ID is checked at the gate — you just scan the QR ticket, which makes it one of the easiest things in China to do spontaneously. A weekday before 18:00 is quietest.
Dazu Rock Carvings
The UNESCO site, and worth the day. Baodingshan ¥115, Beishan ¥70, or ¥140 combined in peak season, cheaper December to February.
Real-name advance reservation is required through the official WeChat account or an authorised platform. Take the high-speed train to Dazu South, about 50–60 minutes from Chongqing West. Baodingshan is the main site; allow a full day for both.
The Three Gorges cruise
Yes — Chongqing is the usual upstream start. The standard trip is 4 days and 3 nights downstream to Yichang, or 5 days and 4 nights going upstream, which is slower and generally cheaper.
Prices run roughly US$363–840 per person depending on ship and cabin. Cabins on the newer ships sell out for the April–May and September–October peak, so book well ahead through the operator or an agency.
Downstream is the more popular direction: you cover more ground per day and finish nearer the Three Gorges Dam.
When to come
Mid-April to late May, and late September to early November. March, April and October are the months locals name.
Avoid July and August, when Chongqing earns its nickname as one of China's "furnaces" — it is genuinely punishing, and the city is largely vertical, so you will be climbing.
Getting there
Jiangbei International (CKG) has metro Line 10 to both terminals, which is faster than Line 3. Chongqing North and Chongqing West handle high-speed rail — check which one your ticket uses, because they are far apart.