Guide to Raffles City Chongqing and Chaotianmen Square

When it comes to Chongqing’s most surreal buildings, Hongyadong resembles a nighttime dreamscape from Spirited Away, while Raffles City Chongqing beside Chaotianmen Square looks more like a “cyberpunk ark” moored at the river’s edge.

The first time I stood beneath it, I instinctively took a step back. It was not fear, but the overwhelming sense of the entire building bearing down on me, like a huge wave crashing over me and slamming me onto the docks at Chaotianmen. Eight streamlined towers soar into the clouds overhead, while the Crystal skybridge stretches across the sky. The whole complex looks as if it might cast off at any moment and sail into the Yangtze.

But the real appeal of Chaotianmen and Raffles City goes beyond that first upward glance. It lies in the way the experience changes as you move from the riverfront to the skybridge and from daylight into night.

To experience that full transition, I’d recommend coming in the late afternoon and allowing about three hours. Start by seeing where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet, spend some time in an old teahouse, and finish with the night views from the Exploration Deck at Raffles City.

Getting there

Raffles City and Chaotianmen Square are easy to reach by metro. Take Line 1 to Chaotianmen Station, then look for the passageway between Exits 2 and 3. It leads directly into the Raffles City mall.

Once inside, simply continue straight along the main corridor until you reach Gate 8. Exit through the gate, and you will come out onto Chaotianmen Square.

Opening hours

Raffles City mall is open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The Exploration Deck at The Crystal has the same opening hours, but last admission is 45 minutes before closing. If you plan to go up for the night views, avoid arriving too late.

Chaotianmen Square itself is open 24 hours a day. However, Chaotianmen Chengli is a commercial area inside the square, and opening hours vary by shop.

How to explore Raffles City and Chaotianmen

I arrived at Raffles City a little after 4:00 p.m.

Summer afternoons in Chongqing stay hot well past four, so rather than head straight out into the sun at Chaotianmen Square, I spent some time inside the mall before taking the elevator from the Chaotianmen Atrium (朝天门中庭) up to the viewing terrace in Gateway Park (山城花园). Select Level 1 in the elevator, and you will come out directly onto the terrace.

Gateway Park is higher up than Chaotianmen Square, with a broader, more open view. From there, you can clearly see the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet and look down over the entire square. When the weather and water levels are right, the two rivers can look noticeably different in color, with one appearing muddier and the other clearer. Together, they resemble a Chongqing yuanyang hot pot, divided into two sides with contrasting broths.

Because several nearby towers block the sun, the terrace at Gateway Park stays out of direct sunlight, and the breeze coming off the river makes it especially comfortable.

Note: Both this terrace and Chaotianmen Square directly in front of it are excellent places to watch Chongqing’s drone shows.

Afterward, I left the mall through Gate 8 and headed to Chaotianmen Chengli (朝天门·城里), a commercial area tucked beneath Chaotianmen Square. There are creative boutiques and plenty of places to eat inside, but Daqi Teahouse is where I would spend a little extra time.

Daqi Teahouse is filled with bamboo tables and chairs, and its stage adds to the feel of an old Chongqing teahouse. You can order a cup of tea and enjoy performances such as guzheng music, Sichuan Opera face-changing, or long-spout tea pouring. It is much more comfortable than walking around outside in the sun.

By the time I left the teahouse, the worst of the afternoon sun had passed. When I returned to Chaotianmen Square, the heat outside no longer felt quite so oppressive. You can then walk along the walls around the square, get a closer look at where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet, and turn around to take in the imposing presence of Raffles City behind you. By then, you will have more or less finished your visit to Chaotianmen Square.

It is worth noting that the walls around the square are not city walls preserved from centuries ago. They are later reconstructions built to restore the area’s historic appearance. The original walls were demolished in 1927 to make way for dock construction.

By the time I finished exploring Chaotianmen Square, sunset was approaching. If you plan to visit the Exploration Deck at The Crystal, head back into the mall to buy a ticket and go up.

Find the elevator in the Jialing River Atrium (嘉陵江中庭), take it to L1, then follow the signs to the Exploration Deck viewing gallery (探索舱·云端乐园). Ticket prices vary by season. My visit happened to fall during the summer holiday peak season, when admission was RMB 138 per person.

The deck is 250 meters above ground, and many visitors time their visit for dusk and stay until after dark. From here, you can look down over Hongyadong, Chongqing Grand Theatre, Nanbin Road, and several bridges across the rivers. The view is especially beautiful during blue hour.

Those with a head for heights can also try the Skywalk and Sky Swing. I am naturally afraid of heights and was nervous even about stepping onto the deck’s glass floor, so I’ll leave those for you to try.

If you are not planning to stay for the night views and just want clear photos of the city and rivers, morning is actually a better time to visit. The light is softer, and visibility is usually better. In the afternoon, you are more likely to be shooting into the light, which can leave both your photos and the distant river views looking gray and hazy.