By evening the cableway cars are still crossing the Yangtze, the escalator at Lianglukou is still carrying people up and down the hill, and the boats at Chaotianmen are loading for their circuit of the two rivers. On the streets, small restaurants are filling with people eating before they go out, and the bars and arcades are beginning to fill.
Chongqing's nightlife is spread across a large, hilly city rather than concentrated in one strip, and much of it is informal: small restaurants, beer gardens, arcades and a few districts that draw a younger crowd. It suits visitors who are happy to move between neighbourhoods and to treat the evening as part of seeing the city rather than as a separate activity.
Where to go out in Chongqing
1. Jiefangbei and the semi-underground entertainment centre
Around the Jiefangbei War Memorial there is a semi-underground entertainment centre, at the same location as the Jiaochangkou station. It is a concentrated, indoor kind of night out rather than a street scene.
It suits anyone already in the centre of the city who wants options within a short walk. Note that the source describes this area as of 2016 and does not confirm which venues are currently trading.
2. The underground arcade in Jiangbei
In Jiangbei, north of the river, there is an underground arcade whose entrance is across from the large hotel near McDonald's. It contains many bars and restaurants.
This suits a group that wants several places to choose from in one complex. The source does not give opening hours or prices for the arcade.
3. The outdoor beer gardens above the arcade
Above the underground arcade are outdoor beer gardens serving reasonably priced drinks. The source describes them as consistently crowded, with a good atmosphere and live Premier League matches on large screens.
This is a good choice for an evening built around watching sport with a drink. The source advises against eating at the beer gardens.
4. Shapingba
Shapingba, in the west of the city, is described as a young people's and university area with many places for entertainment.
It suits a student-age or student-minded crowd, and an evening that is more about moving between casual venues than about a single destination.
5. Bars across the city
Chongqing has many bars, though the source notes that most are underpopulated. Local bottled beer is generally around ¥10 in bars, with several local beers available and occasionally Guinness at a higher price; in small restaurants, bottles of local beer start at around ¥3.
This suits a low-key evening rather than a big night out. The source warns that some bars send women to accompany and entertain customers and then demand large additional sums on leaving, so take care with unfamiliar venues and keep track of what you have ordered.
6. Liangjiang evening cruises from Chaotianmen
Evening cruises run on the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, departing from the fifth and sixth piers of the Chaotianmen dock at the northeast end of Yuzhong District. The trip lasts about an hour and gives a night view of the modern skyline; sailings are listed from 19:30 to 22:20, and tickets range from roughly ¥95 to ¥118 or more depending on class.
This suits a visitor who wants the river and the skyline as the main event of the evening, with dinner beforehand or drinks afterwards.
7. Hot springs in the evening
Several hot spring resorts stay open into the evening or around the clock. Northern Hot Springs Park in Beibei District has a resort open 10:00–22:00, with park admission at ¥10 and bathing from ¥308. Ronghui Hot Spring in Shapingba District is open 10:00–24:00 on weekdays and 24 hours from Friday to Sunday, at ¥149. Southern Hot Springs Park in Banan District is open 10:00–24:00 with prices starting at ¥88, Tianci Hot Springs Resort in Jiulongpo District is open all day at ¥79, and Tongjing Hot Springs in Yubei District is open 09:00–23:00, at ¥118 Monday to Thursday and ¥148 Friday to Sunday.
This suits a quieter evening, particularly after a day of walking the hills. Some of these details date from 2018, so confirm current hours and prices before travelling out.
How a night out unfolds
The sources describe small restaurants as the place to eat and drink cheaply in the evening, with local beer from around ¥3 a bottle, while bars charge around ¥10 for the same kind of beer. Evening cruises run from 19:30 to 22:20, and the hot spring resorts are the main venues that stay open late, with some open until midnight or around the clock at weekends. Beyond that, the sources do not set out a timetable for when people eat, go out or go home.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- National Day and the National Day Golden Week holidays, early October.
- Double Ninth Festival, in October.
- Christmas Day, in December.
- New Year's Day, in January.
- Spring Festival Eve and Chinese New Year, in February.
Frequently asked questions
What does a night out in Chongqing cost?
Local bottled beer is generally around ¥10 in bars and from around ¥3 in small restaurants. Evening river cruises cost roughly ¥95 to ¥118 or more depending on class, and hot spring entry ranges from ¥79 to over ¥300 depending on the facility.
Where can I go for a night out with a young crowd?
Shapingba, in the west of the city, is described as a young people's and university area with many places for entertainment.
Is there anything to watch out for in the bars?
The source warns that some bars send women to accompany and entertain customers and then ask for large additional sums when they leave, so take care.
What can I do in the evening that is not drinking?
You can take an evening cruise on the Yangtze and Jialing rivers from Chaotianmen, or bathe at one of the hot spring resorts, several of which stay open into the evening or around the clock at weekends.
Decide which part of the city you want to end up in, check the current hours and prices for anything you plan to book, and build the evening around that.