r/chongqing

I from Tokyo and I gonna go and live in Chongqing next month. I’m looking for friends there.
Both Chinese and foreigners are okey!

Hello, could you tell me which hotel to choose that is recent and, above all, very clean (no insects, etc.)? It’s complicated to find one on Trip because even the best hotels have some negative reviews. I’d like it to be located in the city center, close to Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street, and ideally with a nice view as well.

My budget is ideally between €20 and €50 per night, though I could go up to €80 if it’s really worth it.

I'm solo travelling to Chongqing in 4 days for 6D5N trip. I am wondering is it normal to solo drink/club in Chongqing?

If so where do you suggest?? I'm into chinese/english liveband and any club.

This is my first time solo travelling

I am going to be visiting from the netherlands end of may/early june for a few weeks with my family (kids 4, 3 and 0).

questions:

- what is/are the best hotels?

- what are the nicest areas to walk around in? (important for booking nice hotels that are close to them)

- any chance to play sports while I am there? I am fairly proficient in basketball, football, tennis, squash, badminton. a place to watch sports would also be cool.

- nicest areas for shopping? tech/(custom) clothes preferred (for my wife and kids).

any other suggestions are welcome.

so far I have booked stays at the Song hotel and the indition hotel but I still have some gaps.

I posted in the "planning travel" thread as well but those seem to be pretty dead so thought I would make a new post. Perhaps some of the answers can go into a subreddit Q&A so people don't need to keep asking the same questions?

My future wife and I are going to visit Chongqing next week for 4 days and I want to do a photoshoot on one of those days preferably the entire day if it is possible within my budget (200€ ~ 1600 yuan), if not then just the evening/night.

Do you guys have any experiences or recommendations?

I’ve been living in Chongqing for a while as an international student, and honestly, being introverted here feels like playing life on hard mode sometimes.

The city is huge, loud, crowded, and extremely social. People go out a lot, bars are always full, hotpot culture is super group-oriented, and even simple daily things can become exhausting when your Chinese isn’t perfect.

Sometimes I feel like if you’re extroverted, Chongqing is one of the best cities ever. But if you’re introverted, it can become lonely really fast.

Don’t get me wrong I actually love the city. The night views, the food, the vibe, the mountains… it’s beautiful. But mentally and socially, it can be difficult to adapt sometimes.

Anyone else experienced this in Chongqing or in China in general?

I grew up in Chongqing, so for a long time I genuinely thought the city was just… normal.

Then I moved to Glasgow for university and started travelling around Europe. I met people from all over — not just the UK — and that’s when I realized Chongqing is actually kind of insane to foreigners.

The funniest moment was probably when some British friends visited me in Chongqing for the first time. They thought Google Maps was glitching because we kept going “upstairs” and somehow ending up at street level again.

At one point I told them:
“Yeah the restaurant is on the 8th floor… but also technically on the ground floor.”

They were completely confused.

Other things that shocked them:

• random apartment buildings built into cliffs
• hotpot places still packed at 2am on a weekday
• bars hidden inside old air-raid shelters
• how Chongqing people casually walk up giant staircases every day like it’s nothing
• the general feeling that the whole city looks like a cyberpunk movie without even trying

After living in the UK for a few years and travelling around Europe, I also realized foreign tourists often experience China very differently from locals.

A lot of people only visit Beijing or Shanghai, which makes sense, but honestly my European friends usually end up talking about Chongqing the most afterwards.

I think it’s because the city feels less “polished” and more alive. It’s chaotic, confusing, loud, humid, friendly, and sometimes completely ridiculous in the best way possible.

Spending years around international friends also made me realize I understand both sides pretty well now:

• what foreigners find overwhelming in China
• what they unexpectedly love
• what makes them uncomfortable
• and what experiences they remember years later

So yeah — I’m a Chongqing local who studied in the UK.

Happy to answer questions about Chongqing, local culture, nightlife, food, weird city design, or what it’s actually like visiting here as a foreigner.

I have a YT travel channel for the Brazilian public, will finish a 2 month China trip next week.

Although I do not do interviews in my channel, I would love to interview a Brazilian living in China or a resident who speaks Portuguese 🇨🇳🇵🇹🇦🇴

Hi, I (31m solo traveller from Germany) have the pleasure to be in Chongqing until this Sunday. I'm searching for a drinking buddy this Friday or Saturday, most preferably to explore 9th street. Drop a message if you are down!

Hello, I will be based in Chongqing soon and want to contact some 1:1 replica sellers. Please contact me for WeChat.

Hi everyone!

Im planning a trip to Chongqing this september. Im 24 years old, a slavic guy with blond hair and blue eyes, Im fit, and Im have good 🍆.

I need advice on casual hookups (ONS/FBW) in these city. Specifically:

Apps Which apps are currently best for meeting people open to casual encounters? Tantan, or should I try Tinder with a VPN? Are there any local alternatives that work well for foreigners?

Places Which city generally has a more open and progressive atmosphere for international dating? Chengdu, Chongqing or etc.?

Nightlife Could you recommend specific neighborhoods, clubs, or bars in these cities where it’s easy to meet locals or other travelers looking to have a good time?

I’ve heard that Chengdu is very liberal and has a great club scene, but the atmosphere in Chongqing also seems amazing. I’d really love to hear feedback from people who have recently lived or traveled there.

Post here if you are planning a visit to Chongqing and want tourist advice, including "how-to's" (how to get a SIM card, how to get from point A to point B, etc.), tour guide or company recommendations, restaurant recommendations, itinerary advice, etc. Please indicate if you would like tour guides to contact you (or not).

Tour guides- feel free to respond to users directly within this thread if they have indicated they are open to being contacted. Please respect those who have not indicated or indicated they would not like to be contacted.

Today is happening an additional drone show at 20:30. We'd appreciate any tips on the best place to watch the drone show. Preferably somewhere that isn't too crowded.

Last night I tried the local hotpot in Chongqing. Normally I can tolerate really spicy food but the spiciness of what I had was a different level my body wasn’t prepared for. Just a bit of background, I am suffering bad reaction from pollen in Beijing a week ago so I have a bit of clogged nose. Note that I also ordered “less spicy” in the specification as I know local tastebuds have different standards when it comes to spiciness.

When I started eating, I noticed immediately that the spiciness is indeed intense as I started coughing. This made me question if they took into consideration the “less spicy” request I had in the order. Then after a few more bites I had runny nose so I had to blow. When I did, there was blood. And it kept bleeding with the runny nose. Mind you I am on blood thinners for my heart medication. I didn’t even finish the meal at that point as the bleeding wouldn’t stop. I ended up resting in the hotel. It’s now more than 24 hrs and there’s still some blood when I blow my nose so I do it very slowly.

It should have been an experience for the books but somehow it’s now a bit traumatic for my. 😫