Chongqing, Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou Self-guided Travel Guide

Chongqing, Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou are all located in the same region, the heartland of the Bashu civilization. If you have the opportunity to visit this land of abundance, you won’t regret experiencing its local customs and traditions. Below is a self-guided travel guide for Chongqing, Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou.

This was our first graduation trip as seniors. Our group of four decided to go on a three-city tour!

【Essentials for Travel】

★ Yourself

★ ID card, Student ID

★ Cash (Many tourist attractions do not accept Alipay, RMB 1000 is enough for four people)

Camera (Optional)

Power bank

Charger, data cable

Toothbrush, toothpaste

Towel

Slippers

Bath products (Travel size)

Skincare products

Underwear

Socks

Thermos

Umbrella

Gloves, earmuffs, scarf

Sunglasses (Optional)

Comb

Tissues

Snacks

Heating pads

High-altitude sickness medicine (We brought it but didn’t need it… awkward)

Pickled mustard greens, salted duck eggs, dried radish (Essential for travelling!)

Wet wipes (Many restrooms in Jiuzhaigou don’t have hand washing facilities.)

Makeup

Makeup remover

Razor

Hairspray, hair wax (My boyfriend insisted I write this.)

Day 1【Chongqing】

We arrived in Chongqing at 2 pm and stayed at the [All Seasons Chongqing Jiefangbei Walking Street Hotel]. I highly recommend this hotel because it’s incredibly convenient. It’s right next to the [Bayi Road Snack Street] and a short walk from the [Jiefangbei].

After settling in, we headed to the [Bayi Road Snack Street], which is right behind the hotel. It’s a very short street, but later we discovered that this walking street actually forms a large circle…

A very large circle…

We first had some skewers on the snack street, and also tried the [A Cup of Yogurt]. However, it wasn’t what I expected. The yogurt was like a drink, similar to a smoothie. Although everyone recommends it, I just went for a check-in.

You have to try the [Huashi Wanzha Noodles], but this shop is hard to find. We had to ask around before we finally found it. It’s a very small shop.

When we arrived, it was around 5 pm, and there weren’t many people yet. Most of the customers were locals. We ordered a bowl of spicy noodles, and wow! It was so good!

Super delicious! (Actually, they have seats inside, but we thought it would be more fun to eat on the street. It even attracted a lot of customers for the owner without us even trying.) Then we ordered a non-spicy one, and it was also good! Good! Good! You really have to try these Huashi Wanzha Noodles in Chongqing!

(There’s a funny story: the owner spoke in the local dialect. I couldn’t understand her very well. We asked her how much the noodles cost, and she said “12.” I heard “4,” and she had to repeat it three times before I realized it was 12.)

As we walked back, we had some [Hao You Lai Sour and Spicy Noodles] on the [Jiefangbei Walking Street] (it’s a chain store). It was SO spicy! My goodness!

I almost cried from the spiciness. We each had a bowl of [Liang Gao] (rice cakes) to ease the heat, like a savior in the snow. The rice cakes were delicious, sweet but not overly sweet, perfect for reducing spiciness.

Then we walked to the [Hongya Cave]. Because we chose a good hotel, walking there wasn’t too far. I suggest you visit the [Qiansimen Bridge] first to see the panoramic view of the Hongya Cave and take some photos. There’s a light rail under the bridge, and every time it passes by, it’s just so crazy.

After enjoying the view, we went inside the [Hongya Cave]. It’s built on a mountainside, and the first floor we saw was actually the 11th floor… we were shocked!

Inside, we had the [Lao Ma Dumplings], recommended by netizens. It’s on the 4th floor of the Hongya Cave. When I first saw it, I thought, isn’t this just a bigger version of our dumplings?