After IShowSpeed: what to know before you go to Chongqing

Photo: Jerry Wang / Unsplash

In spring 2025 the streamer IShowSpeed toured China live. According to Macau Business, his five streams (Shanghai, Beijing, Henan, Chengdu and Chongqing) drew more than 35 million views on YouTube. In Chongqing he filmed the skyline, the nightlife and the light-rail train that runs straight through an apartment building.

Then the bookings followed. Trip.com data, reported by eHangzhou, showed inbound bookings to Chongqing up 193% year on year over that May Day holiday. And it hasn't faded. The Chongqing government says foreign entries and exits through its airport rose 86% in the first half of 2026, to more than 610,000.

How the wave built

My take: unlike a lot of viral destinations, Chongqing earns it. It looks unreal in person too. But the city that photographs so well is also one of the more confusing places in China to get around, and the videos skip that part.

Field notes before you go

The map will lie to you (a bit)

Chongqing is built on steep hills where two rivers meet. A place 500 meters away on the map can be twenty floors up or down, and "ground floor" depends which street you came in from. Hongyadong is the famous example: the road at the top and the riverside at the bottom both feel like the entrance.

What helps: use Amap rather than an imported map app, read the walking route's elevation and stairs before setting off, and when you're tired, take a DiDi. Short rides are cheap, and drivers here know the layers.

Liziba is a train platform, not a viewing platform

The train-through-the-building shot is Liziba station on Line 2. The best view is from the viewing area below, at street level, not from the platform itself. It gets busy on weekends. Go on a weekday morning if you can.

Night is the show, and the crowd

Hongyadong lit up, the river, the bridges: this is what people come for, and everyone comes at the same time. Go once at peak for the photo, then walk away from the riverfront to eat. The Yangtze River cable car is a fun crossing, but expect a queue at popular times.

Spicy is the default

Chongqing hotpot is numbing and hot by design. Useful words: 微辣 (wēi là, mildly spicy) and 鸳鸯锅 (yuānyāng guō, the split pot with one mild side). Many hotpot places will ask about spice level up front. See ordering food for using the QR menus.

Summer is serious

Chongqing is famously hot and humid in July and August. Spring and autumn are far more pleasant for all that stair-climbing.

Where to stay and how long

Base: Jiefangbei, in Yuzhong district, puts you within walking distance (with stairs) of Hongyadong and the riverfronts, with metro lines underneath. More neighborhood notes are on the Cities page.

Time: Give it more than a day. Two full days covers the city; a third lets you do Ciqikou old town or a day trip to the Dazu Rock Carvings.

Getting there: high-speed trains from Chengdu take from about an hour, so the two cities pair easily. See booking trains.

Quick questions

Is Chongqing worth it if I've only got a week in China?

If you like cities and food, yes, especially paired with Chengdu. If it's your first trip and you want the classics, Beijing and Shanghai come first.

Will I find English?

Less than in Shanghai. Signs in the metro are bilingual, but restaurants often aren't. A translator app with the offline pack is essential. See the app list.

Is it crowded all the time?

The famous viewpoints, yes, in the evenings and on holidays. Most of the city, no. Half the fun is getting slightly lost somewhere nobody films.

Sources: Macau Business; eHangzhou, Jun 2025; Chongqing government, Aug 2026; TASS, Sep 2026; Global Times, Jul 2026.

If something here has changed, email me. I re-check every guide and update the date at the top.

Written by David, who lives in China. About me

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