Things to do in  Chongqing

Scaling the monumental Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River near Yichang city in Hubei, the Three Gorges Dam Five-Step Ship Lock is one of the largest in the world. Large freight ships ascend or descend 40 stories in five separate stages, while many smaller vessels use the ship elevator (ship lift), which is the world’s biggest.

China’s signature river trip, a Three Gorges (Sanxia) cruise is the defining experience of the Yangtze, Asia’s longest river. Famed for their beauty for more than 1,000 years, the Three Gorges have been reshaped by the rising waters of the Three Gorges Dam. But the magic of Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge endures.

This impressive museum provides unprecedented access to the science, history, and cultural heritage of the Three Gorges region near the Yangtze River. Exhibits showcase traditional painting, calligraphy, and porcelain, as well as ancient coins and sculpture from the Han Dynasty, traditional costumes, and artifacts from southwest China.

A few hours north of Chongqing on the north banks of the Yangtze River sits one of the most bizarre (and bizarrely popular with Chinese tourists) sites in China: Fengdu Ghost City. This temple complex atop a hill overlooking the river offers a vivid representation of the three tests that the dead must pass to enter the netherworld.

This former residence of General Joseph Stilwell was converted into a popular museum where travelers can learn about this commander-in-chief of the American Army in the China Burma India Theater and learn about his life, conquests, and death while wandering the 1940s-style halls. The grounds offer some of the best views in Chongqing.

Some 4,000 animals representing 230 species, including the iconic giant panda and rare South China tiger, call the Chongqing Zoo (Chongqing Dongwuyuan home. Besides animal exhibits, the zoo also features an outdoor state, teahouse, amusement park, and a roller skating rink, making it a favorite family attraction.

China’s largest construction project since the Great Wall and the biggest dam in the world in terms of installed capacity, the Three Rivers Dam spans 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) and is more than 600 feet (183 meters) tall. The dam is an impressive feat of engineering despite the controversy surrounding its environmental and human impacts.