Chongqing Hongyadong lies at No. 88 Jialingjiang Binjiang Road, Yuzhong District. As a national AAAA scenic spot, it is known for its 11-story stilt building complex (79m high, 31,500 sqm). Once Hongya Gate—an ancient Chongqing city gate—it was a military fortress as early as 316 BC. Its stilt building style is restored based on 2,300-year-old Bayu scenery. Warm yellow lights illuminate it at night, reminding people of the Bathhouse in Spirited Away. This guide covers photography, food, tours and pitfalls to help you visit smoothly, with night views, food and travel tips as the core.
Key Points for Viewing Hongyadong Night Views and Lighting Time
The night view of Hongyadong mainly benefits from its unique stilted building complex. Stilted buildings, dating back to before the Eastern Han Dynasty, are a feature of traditional folk houses in southwest China. Built on a steep cliff, Hongyadong has 13 floors, which centrally displays the style of the ancient Bayu capital. The lighting design uses warm yellow LED light strips to outline the upturned eaves and corners, with distinct light layers on window frames, railings and wooden columns.
Hongyadong Night Views
Before watching the night view, you need to know the lighting time. The switching time of the exterior lighting of Hongyadong is adjusted according to seasons: it turns on later in summer as it gets dark late, and earlier in winter as it gets dark early. The light is the most even about one hour after lighting, which is the golden time for photography. Hongyadong usually turns off the lights at 23:00. The following points are practical for tourists:
- Check the sunset time of the day before departure. Half an hour to one hour before and after sunset is the golden time for photography. At this time, the sky is dark blue, the building lights are on, and the colors are the most natural.
- If you want to take photos with fewer people, it is recommended to go before 18:30 or after 21:30 to avoid the peak flow of people.
- The scenic spot is open for free, no ticket is required.
Five Main Photography Spots for Hongyadong Night Views
Middle Section of Qiansimen Bridge
Panoramic Shooting Spot. Walk from the 11th floor (top floor) of Hongyadong onto the bridge for about 100 to 200 meters, stand on the right side in the middle of the bridge, and you can capture the whole row of stilted buildings and the skyline of Yuzhong Peninsula. After 22:00, the traffic flow decreases, and long exposure can capture the effect of intertwined vehicle tracks and lights. Note: Some areas on the bridge are forbidden to stay and shoot, please pay attention to the on-site signs.
Daijiaxia Cliff Walkway
Side Silhouette Shooting Spot. Navigate to the entrance of “Dongjian Shancheng”or near “Zhou Xiaobo Chongqing Noodles”, and walk along the lantern walkway down the cliff. This spot is several floors higher than Hongyadong itself, and you can take photos of the piers of Qiansimen Bridge and the side of Hongyadong, with fewer tourists than Qiansimen Bridge.
Jiangbei Grand Theater Riverside Beach
Cross-river Reflection Shooting Spot. Take Metro Line 6 to Grand Theater Station, walk to the riverside after exiting, and you can take photos of the panoramic view of Hongyadong and the reflection of Qiansimen Bridge. It is better to turn on the “Light Stream Shutter”or night mode of the mobile phone. Pay attention to whether the river rises when going there; do not enter when the water rises. Setting up tents is prohibited here since 2025.
Binjiang Road on the 1st Floor of Hongyadong
Low-angle Close-up Shooting Spot. Stand across the road on the 1st floor and look up to take photos of the layered stilted buildings intertwined with lights, suitable for taking silhouette portraits. It is recommended to shoot after 20:00.
11th Floor Platform of Hongyadong
Close-up Portrait Spot. Located on the top floor of the scenic spot, you can take photos of the layered landscape of the bridge and the lower part of the stilted buildings without crowds.
Food Options Around Hongyadong
Chongqing is a city of food, and there are many catering options around Hongyadong. The Bayu Folk Food Street on the 4th floor of the scenic spot retains the vitality of old Chongqing, with Chongqing noodles, Maoxuewang, hot pot and local specialty shops concentrated.
Snacks in the scenic spot:
- Lao Ma Wontons (4th floor): Red oil wontons with ice jelly, about 15 CNY per capita. It is recommended to choose mild numbing flavor; medium numbing may be unacceptable for tourists who do not often eat spicy food.
- Guo Crispy Pork (4th floor): Freshly fried, with strong spicy and numbing flavor, about 25 CNY per portion.
- Rose Ice Jelly (4th floor): Hand-made ice jelly with fermented glutinous rice and rose sauce, great for relieving spiciness, about 8 CNY per bowl.
- Hot and Sour Noodles: Available everywhere, freshly cooked noodles with fried soybeans, minced mustard tuber and red oil, about 15 CNY per bowl.
- Note: The hot pot restaurants in the scenic spot are expensive and taste average, it is not recommended to eat hot pot for dinner in the scenic spot.
Surrounding old hot pot restaurants (10 minutes’ walk to Daijiaxia or Cangbai Road):
- Canglong Old Hot Pot (Cangbai Road): A time-honored intangible cultural heritage brand operating in Hongyadong for 18 years, soup base 19 CNY. Recommended purple sweet potato beef, fresh hairy tripe, duck blood.
- Huzao Riverside Old Hot Pot (Binjiang Road Riverside): About 80 CNY per capita, dine by the river with river view, authentic taste.
- Guaxixi Hot Pot (Cangbai Road Branch): Nine-grid hot pot, duck blood and hairy tripe are must-order dishes, about 90 CNY per capita.
- Peijie Old Hot Pot: Large passenger flow, it is recommended to get a number in advance in the morning.
For first-time eaters of Chongqing hot pot, it is recommended to choose mild spicy soup base; medium spicy may cause discomfort for tourists who do not often eat spicy food. The longer the hot pot is boiled, the spicier it becomes, and mild spicy will also get spicier later. If you cannot eat spicy food, you can add non-spicy dishes to neutralize it halfway.
Local small restaurants towards Jiefangbei (10 minutes’ walk):
- Pangmei Noodle House: Pea mixed noodles with marinated eggs, a time-honored shop queued by locals, about 12 CNY per capita.
- Bayi Food Street: Concentrated with snacks such as roasted pig trotters, small glutinous rice dumplings, roasted pig brains.
- Jiaochangkou Night Market: You can go there after visiting Hongyadong in the evening, with more choices than in the scenic spot.
Practical tips for finding food: Enter the shops with more locals queuing up; this method is more reliable than online guides.
Chongqing Old Hot Pot Nine-grid
Quick Ways to Enter and Exit Hongyadong
Hongyadong is open for free, no ticket required. But the passenger flow is large at night, and elevators and entrances may have long queues. Master the following quick ways to save time.
Avoid queuing only at the entrance on the 1st floor. Hongyadong has three main entrances and exits: 11th floor (top floor), 2nd floor and 1st floor. The following methods are more efficient:
Enter through the side door from Jiefangbei direction
Walk to Kuixinglou Square next to Linjiangmen Bus Station, take the elevator down to the 1st floor, exit the elevator to Binjiang Road, walk forward 100 meters to reach the bottom floor of Hongyadong. No queuing required for the whole journey, taking about 5 minutes.
Detour via Daijiaxia
Walk to the west side of the top floor of Hongyadong, pass through the old residential area of Daijiaxia along the downhill stone steps, and enter the 4th floor food street through the side door. It is convenient to pass during the day; the light is dim at night but safe.
Take Light Rail to Linjiangmen Station
Exit from Exit A of Linjiangmen Station of Line 2, walk 300 meters to Kuixinglou, then enter by the above method.
Take Metro Line 1 or 6 to Xiaoshizi Station
Exit from Exit 9, walk about 10 minutes to reach the 11th floor entrance of Hongyadong directly.
Pay attention when leaving. After 21:30 at night, it is hard to take a taxi on Binjiang Road on the 1st floor, and online car-hailing may queue for dozens to hundreds of people. It is recommended to walk to Linjiangmen or Xiaoshizi Metro Station to take the light rail to leave, or walk along Binjiang Road towards Chaotianmen, with a nice night view along the way. The traffic near the wharf is heavily congested at night, it is not recommended to take a taxi or online car-hailing directly to the wharf area.
Attractions to Visit in Hongyadong During the Day
Some tourists think Hongyadong is only suitable for night visits, but there are actually attractions to visit during the day. The advantage of daytime is that there are relatively few tourists, so you can visit leisurely.
Attractions worth visiting:
Reunion 1980 Block on the 1st Floor
Restores the old streets of Chongqing in the 1980s, with video halls, old-fashioned barbershops and green train carriage models. You can take retro photos, and there are snack stalls selling ironed cakes and triangle cakes. Ticket about 30 CNY.
Dream Tour of Bayu Twelve Scenes on the 5th Floor
Displays the old twelve scenes of Chongqing through light and shadow and models, such as “Haitang Misty Rain”and “Longmen Haoyue”. Good interactivity, ticket price about 40 CNY.
Hongya Emerald Waterfall
Located on the 1st floor, one of the twelve ancient Bayu scenes of China. A small stream seeps out from the mountains and forests, forming a waterfall hanging down; in the dry season, water droplets are like green pearls and jade.
Visit intangible cultural heritage craft shops
There are shops selling Rongchang Folding Fans, Xiushan Flower Lanterns and Liangping Bamboo Curtains on the 4th and 6th floors. Rongchang Folding Fans are Chinese intangible cultural heritage handicrafts, priced from 50 CNY.
Suggestion: If time is tight, you can prioritize visiting Jiefangbei and Huguang Guild Hall during the day, and go to Hongyadong around 17:00 in the evening. If you stay for more than two nights, you can visit twice – visit the indoor parts during the day, and watch the night view and taste snacks specially at night.
Transportation to Hongyadong
Hongyadong is located at No. 88 Jialingjiang Binjiang Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, with convenient transportation.
International and external transportation:
- Airport: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is about 20 kilometers from the city center. Take Metro Line 10 to Hongtudi Station, transfer to Line 6 (towards Chayuan) to Xiaoshizi Station, walk about 5 minutes after exiting, the fare is about 5 to 7 CNY. You can also take Airport Express Line K01 to Jiefangbei, fare 15 CNY, departing every half hour. Taxi fare is about 60 CNY.
- High-speed Railway Stations: Both Chongqing North Railway Station and Chongqing West Railway Station are connected to the city center by metro.
Urban transportation (metro is the most recommended way):
- Light Rail Line 2 to Linjiangmen Station: Exit from Exit A and walk 300 meters to reach the top area of Hongyadong.
- Metro Line 1 or 6 to Xiaoshizi Station: Exit from Exit 9 and walk 500 meters to reach.
- Line 6 to Grand Theater Station: Exit from Exit 3 to reach the riverside viewing platform.
Taking Light Rail Line 2 is also an experience – the section from Linjiangmen to Huanghuayuan runs along the river, and the right side of the carriage can see Jialing River and the side of Hongyadong, fare 2 CNY.
Buses 111, 181, etc. can be taken to “Hongyadong Station”. You can also take Tourist Bus T040 for night visits.
Taxis or online car-hailing can be located at “Hongyadong Folk Custom Scenic Area”or “Hongyadong 11th Floor City Balcony”. Note: Do not locate at “Hongyadong Hotel”, which is another location.
Self-driving can navigate to “Kuixinglou Parking Lot”or “Jiefangbei Underground Parking Lot”; the former is a 10-minute walk to the 11th floor entrance of Hongyadong.
Common Problems to Avoid When Visiting Hongyadong
When visiting Hongyadong, pay special attention to the following points:
- Do not buy “fast track tickets”: Hongyadong is completely free. The so-called fast track is just leading tourists to the elevator entrance, charging 10 to 50 CNY. Ignore people shouting “lead the way for fast track”on the roadside.
- Do not take the elevator the whole time: Queuing for elevators may exceed one hour during peak hours. There are stairs connecting each floor, and walking can better experience the characteristics of the mountain city.
- Do not wear high heels: The scenic spot and surrounding areas are paved with stone roads, steps and slopes. It is recommended to wear flat sports shoes.
- Do not arrive too late: If you want to watch the lighting moment, it is recommended to arrive 20 minutes before lighting and wait in a suitable position.
- Do not eat hot pot for dinner in the scenic spot: The hot pot restaurants in the scenic spot are expensive and taste average. Walk to Daijiaxia or Cangbai Road, and you can find affordable and authentic restaurants in about 10 minutes.
- Pay attention to shooting restrictions: It is forbidden to stay and shoot at entrances, elevator entrances, fire passages and other areas.
- Beware of boarding the wrong wharf for “Two Rivers Cruise”: Chaotianmen Wharf and Hongyadong Wharf are two different boarding points, about 2 to 3 kilometers apart. Please check the boarding wharf information carefully after purchasing tickets.
- Getting lost or encountering problems: You can look for volunteers in red vests in the scenic spot, who provide free direction guidance and help tourists avoid various consumption traps.
Nearby Attractions to Visit Along with Hongyadong
There are many attractions within walking distance around Hongyadong, which can be arranged together:
- Jiefangbei: About 10 minutes’ walk. A landmark building in Chongqing, China, with concentrated business districts and food around.
- Huguang Guild Hall: Walk east along Binjiang Road from the bottom floor of Hongyadong for 15 minutes. The yellow fire walls are very conspicuous by the river.
- Yangtze River Cableway: Take one stop from Xiaoshizi Metro Station to Shangxin Street, or walk about 20 minutes. The one-way trip takes about 5 minutes, overlooking the confluence of the two rivers.
- Luohan Temple: Located near Xiaoshizi Station, 15 minutes’ walk. Filming location of the Chinese movie Crazy Stone.
- Ciqikou Ancient Town: A bit far away, a thousand-year-old ancient town with blue stone roads, old teahouses, Chen mahua and Maoxuewang, free admission.
Practical Information for Visiting Hongyadong
- Carry documents: When the passenger flow is large during holidays, you may need to scan the code or register your ID card at the entrance, please carry your passport or Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents.
- Travel during off-peak hours: 19:00 to 22:00 at night is the peak flow of people in Hongyadong. If you want to avoid crowds, you can go after 22:00, and the lights last until 23:00.
- Night view shooting skills: Turn on the night mode of your mobile phone, and find a railing or step to support your arm. Use the river reflection to compose the picture to make it more layered. Wearing light-colored clothes stands out more in the night view.
- Two Rivers Cruise: If you want to watch the panoramic view of Hongyadong from the river, you can experience the Two Rivers Night Cruise (such as “Jiaoyun Mingyue”Cruise, ticket price about 118 CNY). Board after 19:30, and the right deck of the bow can capture both the lighting of Hongyadong and the lighting effect of Qiansimen Bridge at the same time.
After visiting Hongyadong, tourists will find that it is not only a popular check-in spot. The stilted buildings show the three-dimensional space of the mountain city, the hot pot flavor reflects the wharf food culture, and the layered lights present the night landscape of the city. The night views, food and travel guide of Chongqing Hongyadong are interrelated: only by combining night views and food can you get a complete visiting experience. I hope this guide can help tourists save time in queuing and detours, and focus on the actual experience – blowing the river wind on Qiansimen Bridge, looking for hot pot restaurants frequented by locals in the alleys of Daijiaxia, or holding up your mobile phone to wait for the light and shadow changes at the moment of lighting. Wish you a pleasant trip in Chongqing, China.
