Hongya Cave is located in the riverside area of the Yangtze River and Jialing River two rivers converge and core business circle of Chongqing Jiefangbei Cangbai Road. It has city tourism landscape, and urban cultural landscape. Ba-yu traditional architectural features of “stilted building” are the main body of Hongya Cave, and it was built according to the mountain, and built along the river.
Hongya Cave has a history of more than 2300 years. "Hongya Cave Folk-Custom Scene Area" project is one of the “eight popular support projects” conducted by the Chongqing municipal government in 2005, a total area of 46000 square meters, is the "key landscape engineering in Chongqing" and "AAA key travel project". It is the best place to visit group of stilted buildings, appreciate Hongya Dicui, stroll mountain city old street, watch ba-yu culture, and taste delicious food, and it is also the Jiangbei lounge.
What to See
Whole Hongya Cave can be divided into Zhiyan River bar street (纸盐河酒吧街), Tiancheng Lane Bayu Custom Street (天成巷巴渝风情街), Shengyan Food Court (盛宴美食街) and Exotic Style Street Urban Balcony (异域风情城市阳台) four streets. Four streets provide a fashionable element respectively and there is chain bar like the U.S. global pirate bar and a series of world famous chain bar.
Tiancheng Lane Bayu Custom Street present a classic style that with 2300 years of Ba-yu prosperity as the carrier, shows the classical dwellings with blue bricks, stone tile, red green eaves tile, and the "folk craft work" would be appeared in here.
Shengyan Food Court expresses everyone another scene of "different food city".
Exotic Style Street Urban Balcony is one of the biggest urban traffic switching station in Chongqing city, Hongya Cave city balcony parking lot can accommodate 30 to 40 vehicles at the same time, people who visit or wander here or stay in Hongya Cave may take the escalator or the elevator to the Jiefangbei Stele or reach any of the floor of Hongya Cave.
The Specific Features of Different Floors of Hongya Cave
11th Floor: Hongya Cave Grand Hotel lobby is in 11th floors, and there is viewing platform and bus station; from here pass through a small corner to Jiefangbei Stele;
10th and 9th Floor: this floor is a must visit place for foodie. And there is popular photography site "pirate ship" and the grand theater wall engraved with the film and television star photo; here people can drink coffee and view the river at the same time and watch stray singer singing at night, enjoy the local slow life;
4th Floor: there is Ba-yu folk custom food street in this floor, where is a good place for eating; Local specialty overall price is a bit expensive in here, but the hot pot base can be cheapest as 10 RMB;
3rd Floor: 3rd floor is all sectors workshop old street, and there are waterfall, ancient road, bridge and other scenery, where is the first choice place to enjoy the cool;
2nd Floor: 2nd floor is Chongqing tourism commodity center, people can find some Chongqing specialties such as bamboo weaving, the traditional textiles, etc.;
1st Floor: people can go directly to the Jialing River to go for a blow, or take a night cruise on the lake.
Best Viewing Spots for Hongya Cave
While exploring Hongya Cave from the inside—starting at the 11th-floor riverside viewing platform and making your way down—is a great experience, many visitors also enjoy admiring its dazzling night view from the outside. The lights typically turn on around 7:30 PM and stay lit until 11:00 PM. The best viewing points are located across the river and in nearby areas:
Center of Qiansimen Bridge
- Location: From the top floor of Hongya Cave, walk about 150 meters along the road to reach the bridge. The middle of the bridge offers the best angle.
- Highlights: Perfect for capturing the full panorama of Hongya Cave, along with the river scenery and shimmering reflections. This spot is ideal for wide-angle and dramatic night shots.
Grand Theatre Riverside Park
- Location: Take Metro Line 6 to Grand Theatre Station (Exit 2), then follow navigation to “Baoding Gate” (保定门) to reach the riverside.
- Highlights: Offers diverse compositions featuring Qiansimen Bridge, Hongya Cave, and the Raffles City complex on the opposite bank. Best for combining architectural and bridge views. Note: The park may close during the flood season—check in advance.
Daijia Lane Cliffside Walkway
- Location: Enter from the Daijia Lane entrance opposite the 1st floor of Hongya Cave, then walk down the cliffside path.
- Highlights: A quieter, lesser-known spot for unique side-angle shots of Hongya Cave and the surrounding streets. Great for close-ups and street photography.
Opposite the 1st Floor of Hongya Cave
- Location: On the road or pedestrian bridge directly across from the 1st floor of Hongya Cave.
- Highlights: Best for close-up views of the building’s details. It can be crowded during holidays, so plan accordingly.
On a Two Rivers Cruise
- Location: Board a Yangtze–Jialing Two Rivers cruise to view Hongya Cave from the water.
- Highlights: Offers a dynamic perspective of the entire complex and surrounding city lights, with reflections dancing on the river surface—perfect for night photography.
Travel Guide of Hongya Cave
【Recommended Visiting Time】 2 to 4 hours
【Best time to travel Hongya Cave】 it is suitable to travel all year around, and people can visit group of stilted buildings, appreciate Hongya Dicui, stroll mountain city old street, watch ba-yu culture, and taste delicious food in here.
【How to get to Hongya Cave】
By bus: Take bus No. 111, 112, 114, 132, 151, 181, 261, 262, 424, 0491, 866, or 881 to Hongyadong Station (洪崖洞站).
By subway:
- Take Metro Line 2 to Linjiangmen Station (临江门站) and walk about 500 meters northeast.
- Take Metro Line 1 or 6 to Xiaoshizi Station (小什字站), exit from Exit 6 or 9, and walk to Hongya Cave.
Travel tips:
Hongya Cave can be extremely crowded, especially in the evening. Taking a taxi may not be the fastest option due to traffic congestion. The 11th floor entrance is generally more convenient for transportation than the 1st floor—it is closer to Xiaoshizi Station (Line 1) and Linjiangmen Station (Line 2), about a 10-minute walk from Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street, and also easier for catching a taxi.
Ask a Question
