Hongya Cave: Explore the Fascinating Urban Maze of Chongqing

Written by Veronica | Updated March 10,2026

Hongya Cave, or Hongyadong (洪崖洞) in Chinese, is a famous landmark of Chongqing’s dazzling night. Many visitors who have been to Hongya Cave say it reminds them of the movie Spirited Away. It sits where the Yangtze River and the Jialing River meet. You’re mistaken if you think Hongya Cave is actually a cave. It is, in fact, an 11-floor, 75-meter-tall Diaojiaolou, or stilt building, standing against a cliff. The whole structure covers an area of 46,000 square meters (495,140 square feet).

Hongyadong is a great example of Ba-Yu traditional architecture style, always among the best things to do in Chongqing. Like a living museum of Ba-Yu culture, each floor showcases different aspects of it, from history and folk art to Chongqing local foods and specialties. Different levels are connected by hidden channels like a massive, industrial maze. When night falls, the buildings are illuminated by brilliant golden lights and are reflected on the surface of the Jialing River, just like a castle in the air. This dreamy and enchanting scene reminds every tourist of the hot-spring bathhouse in the movie.

Content Preview

• Fast Facts about Hongya Cave
• Why Visit Hongya Cave?
• Top Highlights of Hongya Cave
• Hongya Cave: Architecture and History
• Different Levels of Hongya Cave
• The 1st and 11th Floors are Both the Ground
• How to Get to Hongya Cave in Chongqing
• Best Time to Visit
• How to Visit – Suggested Itinerary
• Travel Tips
• Common Questions about Visiting Hongya Cave
• Attractions Nearby Hongya Cave
• Plan a Magic Chongqing Tour with China Xian Tour

Fast Facts about Hongya Cave

• Address: Cangbai Road, Jiefangbei, Yuzhong District, Chongqing
• Opening Hours: 9 am-11 pm (lights are on 7:30 pm-11 pm)
• Tickets: Free
• Best Time to Visit: March to May, September to November (off-season)
• Recommended Visit Time: 2-4 hours
• Suited to: families, couples, photographers, and anyone who wants to have a taste of local life and food culture

Why Visit Hongya Cave?

• Iconic Stilted Architecture: Hongya Cave is known for the 11-floor Diaojiaolou (吊脚楼) clinging to cliffs—a masterpiece of Chongqing’s Ba-Yu style.
• Foodie Paradise: You can find almost every iconic Chongqing food here, including fiery Chongqing hotpot, spicy malatang, and street snacks like shihuishi skewers on Levels 3-5.
• Nightlife & Culture: Order a cup of cocktail at themed bars (Level 2) or spend time appreciating folk art carvings (Level 9), celebrating mountain-city heritage.
• Stunning Views: Staying at Level 1, where you can watch the Yangtze-Jialing rivers rush and merge into each other, or you can catch sunset panoramas at Level 11’s observation deck.
• Lights & Magic: Return after dark for dazzling neon-lit façades—a scene which can remind people of Spirited Away’s bathhouse.
• Free Entry: No tickets needed to wander this urban maze of history, food, and art.

Top Highlights of Hongya Cave

A complex of stilt houses

The stilt house complex of Hongya Cave is a masterpiece of traditional architecture in the Sichuan and Chongqing area. Through terraced platforms, stilted structure, and staggered layouts, Hongya Cave has been constructed as an 11-storey three-dimensional market nestled against the cliff. With a height difference of about 75 meters, it is renowned as “China’s Cliff City”. During the tour, you will find there are roads in front of you on both the 1^st floor and the 11^th floor. This is the magical charm of this mountain city.

Dreamy Night Scenery

The night scenery is definitely one of the highlights of Hongya Cave. When night falls, the warm yellow lights of the architectural complex are on at about 19:00. The buildings, bridge and river together form a splendid painting, and you will feel like watching the dreamy scene in an animation. The best locations to appreciate the landscapes and take photos are the Qiansimen Bridge and the viewing platform on the opposite side of the Jailing River.

Hongya Dripping Emerald

Hongya Dripping Emerald is one of the famous “Twelve Scenic Spots of Old Sichuan and Chongqing Area”. In ancient times, there were plenty of luxuriant trees in Hongya Cave and a stream flowed down the cliff, forming a waterfall. When the droplets fell, they were like green pearls and emeralds. Nowadays, through artificial design, the scene of water dripping along the cliff wall is recreated. You can find it on the first floor.

Hongya Han Que Gateway

Hongya Han Que is near the garage entrance on the first floor. It is not the original relic, but is carefully replicated based on the Han Dynasty cultural relics unearthed from Wushan Mountain in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. In ancient China, “Que” is the landmark building standing in front of the palaces, temples or mausoleums, somewhat resembling a “gate”. So it symbolizes authority and prestige. Through the gateway, you can experience the architectural style and ritual culture of over 2,000 years ago.

Diverse Local Food

Hongya Cave is also a paradise for food lovers. The fourth floor has plenty of food stalls. Here, you can find several kinds of classic snacks, such as sour and spicy rice noodles, wonton, cold rice cake, etc. On the other floors, there are also hotpots, the must-try and representative delicious food of Chongqing. If you want to try special local dishes, they are also offered in some time-honored restaurants here, such as Fan Shi Jiang Hu Cai (Fan’s Jianghu-Style Dishes).

Hongya Cave: Architecture and History

Among one of the top places to visit in Chongqing, Diaojiaolou is a typical Ba-Yu architectural style. They are stilted wooden houses built on the hillside or water. There are usually one or more levels of space below for storage and cattle. There is residential space above.

Diaojiaolous can not only adapt to the topography of the area, but also take advantage of land resources. They are moisture-proof, insect-proof, and prevent theft. They are both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

Hongya Cave has a history of over 2,300 years. It was built as a military fortress in the ancient Ba State (1046 B.C. – 256 B.C). Under Qianlong’s reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was used to defend against foreign invaders.

Later during the Republic of China, it gradually became a commercial center of Chongqing known as the “Little Hong Kong.” It was busy with shops, and restaurants, as well as casinos and brothels. The Hongya Cave you’ll see today on your Chongqing tour was constructed in 2013.

Different Levels of Hongya Cave

Level 1: Binjiang Pedestrian Street is the entrance of Hongyadong by the river. It is the best place to see the two rivers come together. There are many stalls selling Chongqing street food and handicrafts, as well as artists performing Chongqing folk art.

Level 2: Dynamic Bar Street is loved by visitors who love good nightlife. Bars and nightclubs of different styles and themes are packed with people from all over the country. This level of Chongqing Hongyadong truly becomes a cultural center where people listen to music, dance, drink, and chat.

Level 3: Ba-Yu Street showcases the traditional culture and folk customs of Chongqing. There are many Ba-Yu styled shops and restaurants, such as hot pot, skewers, malatang, and Mao Xue Wang.

Level 4: Street Food Feast Street is where to go to get an authentic taste of Chongqing. There are restaurants and street food stalls of different styles and prices, such as Lao Zao Hot Pot and Shihuishi skewers.

Level 5: Urban Balcony gives you options other than flavors of Chongqing. It’s filled with exotic restaurants and shops serving Japanese cuisine, Thai food, Italian pizza and so on. It is named the “urban balcony” because it has a great view of the two rivers converging below.

Level 6: Pillar of Ba Culture showcases the history and culture of Chongqing. A 27.5-meter (90-foot) tall pillar of Ba culture is engraved with important milestones in. the history of Chongqing, celebrities, and other information.

Level 7: Guo Xuanchang Sculpture Exhibition Hall is a memorial to Guo Xuanchang, the hero of Hongyadong.

Level 8: Center for Chongqing Specialty Products is a shopping area to buy Chongqing specialties and souvenirs. There are all kinds of goods, such as chili sauce and Mahua.

Level 9: Hongya Group Carvings showcases the folk art and traditional crafts of Chongqing. You’ll see a sculpture group, the Memory of Mountain City by Guoxuanchang. It is sculpted from brass, an artistic transformation of the traditional stilted house.

Level 10: Hongya Dicui is the most iconic viewpoint of Hongyadong with an artificial waterfall from the top of the mountain.

Level 11: Jialing Sunset, the top of Chongqing Hongya Cave, is the best spot to overlook the Jialing River and watch the sunset with a spacious observation deck.

How to Get from the 11th Floor to the 1st Floor

• Staircase: enter from the “Scenic Area Entrance” on the 11th floor and follow the “entrance”signs to find the indoor staircase or escalator leading down. Besides, near the main entrance, there is also an outdoor staircase that leads to each floor. It is next to a dragon sculpture and below the signboard of “九宫格老火锅”.
• Elevator:the elevator is beside the “大刀张重庆火锅”. Once you reach the signboard, look to your right for the elevator sign under the eaves. Follow the sign to the find the two main elevators. There is a channel on the left of the two elevator. Walk along the channel, you will see another elevator, where fewer tourists are waiting.
• Alternative route: at night, the elevators and staircase are usually crowded with people, it may take up to 1 hour to wait for the elevator. So this route is recommended by our local guide. First, navigate to the Goldman Sachs Wealth Creation Center (高盛创富中心). Take the elevator from the 22^ndfloor to the 1^st floor, exit and turn right. Walk along the riverside road for 5 minutes and you will reach the 1^st floor of Hongyadong.

Note: all the staircases and elevators in Hongya Cave are free. If someone claims to charge for guiding you, do not trust them.

The 1st and 11th Floors are Both the Ground

There is a funny topic on the Internet that “Both the 1^st and 11^th floor lead to the roads in Hongya Cave”. This is the fact and it is formed due to the magical terrain of Chongqing. Both floors are the ground. The difference is that the 1^st floor is close to the river and the 11^th floor is near the road. Most tourists will walk from Jiefangbei to Hongya Cave. They will feel amazing when they find that they are actually on the 11^th floor. Continue walking downwards, they can enter the scenic area directly. This is an interesting experience.

How to Get to Hongya Cave in Chongqing

By Flight: If you fly into Chongqing at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, take metro Line 10, transfer to Line 2, and get off at Lingjiangmen station.

By Train: From Chongqing North Railway Station, take metro Line 10, transfer to Line 2, and get off at Lingjiangmen station. From Chongqing West Railway Station, take metro Line 5, transfer to Line 1, and get off at Xiaoshizi station.

By Metro: Take metro Line 1, 2, or 6 to either Lingjiangmen station or Xiaoshizi station. They are each about a 12-minute walk and a 16-minute walk from Hongyadong.

By Bus: Take Bus NO. 111, 151, 181, 262, 466, 881, or 866 to Linjiangmen station. Or take the city sightseeing Bus NO. t480 to Jiabin Road Hongya Cave station.

By Taxi/Car: You can get to Hongya Cave from pretty much anywhere in the city by car. But Chongqing traffic is famously hectic. Public transportation might be a better idea to avoid any inconvenience.

Best Time to Visit

The dazzling night view is the most charming scene for Hongya Cave, so the best time to visit it is after the lights are on at night. During this time, the layers of stilt houses seem to shine brightly and the hustle and bustle atmosphere can be experienced. If you want to observe the details of the stilt houses and explore the stores there, daytime will be a better choice.

How to Visit – Suggested Itinerary

To ensure tourists can enjoy the charm of Hongya Cave completely, we plan this half-day itinerary for tourists. The core route is Qiansimen Bridge – 11^th floor – explore from top to the bottom.

At dusk, you can take the metro to Grand Theater Station and walk to the Qiansimen Bridge. Here is the best shooting place for Hongya Cave and the city skyline. You can also catch the moment the lights turn on. Then, walk about 15 minutes to the entrance of the 11^th floor and explore downwards to discover the stores and experiences of all the floors. Both the panoramic view from a distance and the immersive experience are included in this tour.

Travel Tips

• Avoid Crowds: Hongya Cave remains illuminated until 23:00. To avoid the peak hours while enjoying the night view, it is better to visit there on weekdays or after 21:30 on weekends, when the number of tourists will drop by more than 50%.
• Drone Show: Every Saturday, there is a large-scale drone show near Hongya Cave. From May – September, it is held at 21:00; and from October to April, it is at 20:30. The best viewing spot is on the 11^th floor of the Hongya Cave and Qiansimen Bridge.
• Wear Comfy Shoes: Expect steep stairs and uneven paths across 11 floors, and it will be even harder to walk among the pressing crowds.
• Navigate Smart: Take metro Line 1/2/6 to Lingjiangmen/Xiaoshizi stations (10-min walk). Don’t consider taxis during rush hours.
• Photography Hacks: the best positions to take panoramic photos are the Qiansimen Bridge and the Riverside Park near Grand Theater, which are also popular spots for night views. To have a closer view, both the road opposite the 1^st floor and the viewing platform on the 11^th floor are ideal places.
• Food Precautions: Spice levels are no joke—ask for “微辣” (mild) if sensitive.
• Cash isn’t king: Most stalls accept Alipay/WeChat Pay, but don’t worry if you haven’t downloaded them, cash would always be acceptable.
• Safety: Hold railings on staircases; some areas lack barriers near cliffs.
• Nearby Pairings: Combine with a Yangtze River cruise or Three Gorges Museum for a full Chongqing day.

Common Questions about Visiting Hongya Cave

What’s unique about Hongya Cave’s architecture?

The most famous and unique view of Hongya Cave is the 11-story Diaojiaolou (stilt house) that built into the side of a cliff. Its layered design, wooden structure, and riverside positioning together make it one of Chongqing’s most visually striking landmarks. And it’s a signature of traditional Ba-Yu architecture.

What can I do at Hongya Cave?

You can have lots of fun here! For example, try famous Chongqing street food, explore local crafts, admire folk art, enjoy live performances, sip cocktails at theme bars, capture stunning river views and more.

Is it better to visit Hongya Cave during the day or at night?

Both time periods offer something unique and worth-seeing. Daytime is better for people who want to explore shops, museums, and view the rivers. But for photo lovers and night owls, evening (especially around 7:30–10 PM) is incredibly magical with its neon lights and “Spirited Away” atmosphere.

Is there an entrance fee for Hongya Cave?

No, it’s free. You can explore all levels of Hongya Cave without buying a ticket. However, shops, restaurants, and some performances would charge separately.

Which floor should I enter/exit from?

There are mainly two entrances you can choose:

Level 1 (Binjiang Pedestrian Street) is best for river views and street food.

Level 11 (Jialing Sunset) is ideal for panoramic photos and easier access from high ground.

Is Hongya Cave usually crowded?

Yes—especially at night and on weekends. People like to visit it from 7:30 PM to 10 PM when the lights are on, so this period is the most crowded. For a quieter experience, go early in the morning or visit on weekdays.

Attractions Nearby Hongya Cave

• Three Gorges Museum is a comprehensive museum of Chongqing’s history and art. With its massive collection, you can learn about the history of southwest China, especially Ba-Yu culture and Sanxia culture.
• Yangtze River Cruise is a great addition to your China tour. You can visit different places along the iconic river. You might want to visit Fengdu Ghost City, Shibaozhai, the Three Gorges Dam, and more.

Plan a Magic Chongqing Tour with China Xian Tour

As a famous mountain city, the terrain in Chongqing is very complicated. For first-comers, it is very easy to get lost. If you are planning a tour to Chongqing, it is highly recommended to travel with China Xian Tour. We can arrange a local driver for you who is familiar with the road status and travel routes. So you do not have to worry about detours. Besides, we are experienced in tailoring an itinerary based on tourists’ preferences. So contact us right now to start your Chongqing tour.