Qijiang (綦江) is a district in the Chongqing municipality of South West China. It is a mostly rural district south of urban Chongqing.

Cities

• Qijiang urban area, including Gunan Subdistrict and Wenlong Subdistrict - Qijiang's administrative center and largest urban area
• Wansheng urban area, including Wansheng Subdistrict, Donglin Subdistrict and Wandong Town - gateway to Black Mountain Valley

Understand

Qijiang District is a new district that was created in 2011 through the merger of Qijiang County and Wansheng District.

Despite the merger, Wansheng District did not disappear. It was renamed the Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone and retains its own local government. Hence for example, public buses in Wansheng use a separate numbering system from the rest of Qijiang District.

Get in

By plane

A new airport, to be known as Chongqing Jiangnan Airport, is under construction near the town of Jinqiao, about 40 km from the Qijiang urban area and 20 km from the Wansheng urban area. The airport is expected to open in the first half of 2020.

Travellers arriving at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in Yubei District have several options for getting to Qijiang:

• Eight buses to Qijiang depart daily from the coach station located between Terminal 2A and Terminal 2B.
• Chongqing Metro Line 3 connects the airport to Chongqing North Station, where you can catch bus no. g02 to Chongqing West Station and then take a high speed train to Qijiang East Station.
• A taxi to Qijiang would probably cost at least ¥200.

By train

There are two major train stations in Qijiang:

• 1 Qijiang Station (綦江站), Hongqiao Road, Wenlong Subdistrict, Qijiang District (綦江区文龙街道虹桥路) (Bus route: Qijiang 106), ☏ +86 23 61277342. Old station that now only serves one inbound train per day from Chongqing Station. The train departs Chongqing Station at 10:40 and arrives at Qijiang Station at 13:03. The fare is ¥7.50. As of July 2018, there are no trains going in the opposite direction from this station. (updated Jul 2018)
• 2 Qijiang East Station (綦江东站), Intersection of Binhe Avenue and Shuanglong Road, Wenlong Subdistrict, Qijiang District (綦江区文龙街道滨河大道与双龙路交汇处) (Bus routes: Qijiang 215, Qijiang 216 and Qijiang 217). This station is on the Chongqing-Guiyang high-speed railway, which officially began operating in January 2018. As of July 2018, some English train reservation websites have not yet been updated to include this station. Eleven trains arrive here daily from Chongqing West Station. The journey time is 26 minutes and the fare is ¥22 for a second class ticket or ¥36 for a first class ticket. (updated Jul 2018)

By bus

• 3 Qijiang Bus Station (綦江汽车站), 46 Jiulong Avenue, Wenlong Subdistrict, Qijiang District (綦江区文龙街道九龙大道46号) (Bus route: Qijiang 101), ☏ +86 23 48617993. Most major bus stations in central Chongqing have buses to this station. The journey time varies from 60 to 90 minutes and the fare ranges from ¥26 to ¥29 (updated Jul 2018)
• 4 Wansheng Bus Station (万盛汽车站), 97 Lianghekou, Wansheng Economic & Technological Development Zone, Qijiang District (綦江区万盛经济技术开发区两河口97号), ☏ +86 23 48271229. This is the closest major bus station to Black Mountain Valley and the Longlin Stone Forest. Several major bus stations in central Chongqing have buses to this station, including Chenjiaping, Sigongli and Longtousi bus stations. The journey time varies from about 90 to 120 minutes and the fare ranges from ¥34 to ¥41. (updated Jul 2018)

Get around

Most places in Qijiang District can be reached by either local bus or long-distance bus. Taxis are also available.

Buses between the Qijiang and Wansheng urban areas operate from 06:30 to 20:00 and depart every 20 minutes in each direction. The fare is ¥5 and the journey time is approximately 40 minutes.

See

With a couple of exceptions, most of Qijiang's attractions are to be found in the rural areas.

• 1 Black Mountain Valley (Black Valley, Heishan Valley, 黑山谷), Heishan Town, Qijiang District (綦江区黑山镇) (Direct buses to Black Mountain Valley depart from Chongqing's Longtou Temple Tourist Transportation Center (重庆龙头寺旅游集散中心), which is on Kunlun Avenue (昆仑大道), to the east of the South Square of Chongqing North Station (重庆北站南广场). Be careful not to get mixed up with the long-distance bus station to the west. The bus departs daily at 08:00 and returns to Chongqing at 17:30. The fare is ¥45.), ☏ +86 23 48279999. Black Mountain Valley, sometimes translated as Black Valley or Heishan Valley, is a hundred-square kilometer nature reserve and geopark. It features gorges, caves, waterfalls, dense forests and interesting rock formations. ¥60 during slack season, ¥100 during peak season. (updated Feb 2018)
• 2 Longlin Stone Forest (Longlin Stone Sea, Wansheng Stone Forest, 龙鳞石海, 万盛石林), Shilin Town, Qijiang District (綦江区石林镇) (Catch bus no. 111 from the Wansheng Bus Station and get off at Shilin), ☏ +86 23 48279999. A set of limestone formations similar to the much more famous stone forest at Shilin in Yunnan Province, yet 200 million years older and a lot less touristy. The site is administered by the same company that administers the Black Mountain Valley Scenic Area. ¥80. (updated Jul 2018)
• 3 Qijiang Museum (綦江博物馆), Neighbourhood 3, Nongchang Village, Gunan Subdistrict, Qijiang District (綦江区古南街道农场村三社) (Bus routes 104 and 204 stop at the Power Bureau (电力局) bus stop, which is a few hundred metres north of the Qijiang East Station on Shuanglong Road (双龙路)), ☏ +86 23 48690516. 09:30-12:00, 14:00-17:00, no entry during last 30 minutes; the Introduction and Geology wings are closed on Sundays, the History Wing is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, the Stone Carvings Wing is open 7 days a week. Free. (updated Jul 2018)
• 4 Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking Institute (Qijiang Peasants' Printmaking Institute, 綦江农民版画院), Printmaking Square, Jiulong Avenue, Wenlong Subdistrict, Qijiang District (綦江区文龙街道九龙大道版画广场) (over a dozen bus routes stop here, including bus 217 from Qijiang Bus Station and bus 216 from Qijiang East Station), ☏ +86 23 48678133. 09:00-17:00. (updated Jul 2018)
• 5 Dingshan Lake (丁山湖), Shifo Village, Dingshan Town 丁山镇石佛村 (buses to Dingshan Town depart from the Qijiang Bus Station. There are 6 buses per day. The lake is 2 km from the Dingshan Bus Station), ☏ +86 23 48757001. Open all day. Sitting at 900 m above sea level, this lake, which has a surface area of 4.6 million m², is a popular getaway during the summer for locals trying to escape the heat. The Dingshan Lake Cooling Off Festival (丁山湖歇凉节) is held here from July 15th each year. Free. (updated Jul 2018)
• 6 Dongxi Ancient Town (东溪古镇) (Dongxi is roughly 40 km south of the Qijiang urban area. Buses to Dongxi depart from the Qijiang Bus Station. There are 10 buses per day). Dongxi was established around 200 BC as a farming community and blossomed into a full-fledged town during the 7th century AD. Notable historical buildings include the Wantian Temple (万天宫), the Nanhua Temple (南华宫), the Maxiangyue Post Office (麻乡约民信局), and the Taiping Bridge (太平桥). (updated Jul 2018)
• Qijiang National Geopark (重庆綦江国家地质公园), ☏ +86 400 1001946. 09:00-18:00, ticket sales begin at 08:45 and end at 16:30. Opened in April 2018, the park consists of three separate areas: Gujian Mountain Scenic Area, Laoying Mountain Scenic Area and Cuiping Mountain Scenic Area (also known as the Petrified Wood Scenic Area). A combined ticket to visit both the Laoying Mountain and Cuiping Mountain scenic areas costs ¥100.. (updated Jul 2018)
  • 7 Gujian Mountain Scenic Area (Gujianshan Scenic Area, 古剑山景区), Qingshui Village, Gunan Subdistrict, Qijiang District (綦江区古南街道清水村) (Catch bus no. 103, 104, 109 or 204 to Nanzhou Park (南州公园), then either take bus no. 504 or a minibus to the scenic area. The minibus fare is ¥3 and the journey time is about 20 minutes), ☏ +86 23 48699055. Free. (updated Jul 2018)
  • 8 Laoying Mountain Scenic Area (Laoyingshan Scenic Area, 老瀛山景区), Hongyanping, Sanjiao Town, Qijiang District (綦江区三角镇红岩坪) (Take bus no. 510 from Qijiang Bus Station to Jinyingou (金银沟) and then walk or catch a taxi or motorized pedicab to get to the scenic area). ¥80. (updated Jul 2018)
  • 9 Cuiping Mountain Scenic Area (Cuipingshan Scenic Area, Petrified Wood Scenic Area, 翠屏山景区, 木化石景区), Masangyan, Wenlong Subdistrict, Qijiang District (綦江区文龙街道马桑岩) (A short distance east of the old railway station). ¥30. (updated Jul 2018)

Do

• 1 Wansheng Ordovician Theme Park (万盛梦幻奥陶纪主题公园), Wansheng Economic & Technological Development Zone, Qijiang District (綦江区万盛经济技术开发区) (Catch bus 113 from Wansheng Bus Station to Black Mountain Valley South Gate, then transfer to bus 119 to get to the park), ☏ +86 23 64183472, +86 23 65341818. 09:00-18:00. Part of the Ordovician Tourist Resort (奥陶纪旅游度假景区), this theme park features a number of unusual attractions, including several cliffside swings that allow riders to swing over a cliff, a glass walkway that extends 80 meters from the cliff, and a series of bridges with huge gaps between the planks, which can only be crossed while one is tethered by a rope. Avoid this place if you are afraid of heights. ¥180. (updated Jul 2018)

Sleep

• 1 Howard Johnson Puhui Plaza Chongqing (重庆普惠豪生大酒店), 7 Tonghui Avenue, Qijiang District (綦江区通惠大道7号) (bus routes 202 and 301), ☏ +86 23 85888888. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Five-star hotel. From ¥412. (updated Jul 2018)
• 2 Meister Hotel (迈斯特酒店), 55 Jiaotong Road, Qijiang District (綦江区交通路55号) (take bus no. 216 from Qijiang East Station and get off at the Baibuti (百步梯站) bus stop), ☏ +86 23 48752222. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Three-star hotel. From ¥229. (updated Jul 2018)
• 3 Wansheng International Hotel (万盛国际大酒店), 1 Hongfeng Road, Qijiang District (綦江区红枫路1号) (take bus no. 104 from Wansheng Bus Station and get off at the Yangguang International (阳光国际) bus stop), ☏ +86 23 48339999. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Four-star hotel. From ¥327. (updated Jul 2018)
• 4 Saint Hotel (圣曼酒店), Level 3, Section B, Guoneng Outlets, 103 Songlin Road, Wansheng, Qijiang District (綦江区万盛松林路103号国能奥特莱斯B馆三楼) (take bus no. 104 from Wansheng Bus Station and get off at the Yangguang International (阳光国际) bus stop), ☏ +86 23 81715858. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Four-star hotel. From ¥195. (updated Jul 2018)

Go next

• Chongqing
• Guiyang