But for the serious tourist, the city itself does not seem that exciting because there are not many famous travel sites to go other than the Three Gorges and Dazu Stone Sculptures, which are both hundreds of kilometres away from the urban center of Chongqing.

Essentially a mountain city, Chongqing is surrounded on all sides by steep hills which lock the fog and mist in the basin. Getting there is not difficult, thanks to the numerous train routes and flights connecting the city with other parts of China.

When coming out of the airport or one of the city's railway stations, you will probably be surprised by the swarms of men with shoulder poles and ropes in hand.

They quickly surround you, eying your luggage and asking where you are going.

They are the bangbang, or porters, a group unique to the mountain city, who help people carry their luggage.

Because Chongqing is a mountain city, there are many steep places that taxis and buses cannot get to. So the bangbang's provide a special service in Chongqing and probably will continue to do so as the city modernizes.

Just say "No" to them if you do not want to hire them. Usually, a taxi can take you to any of the star hotels in Chongqing.

But if you want to keep a special part of the mountain city in your memory, hire a bangbang and walk with him for a while. Their charge ranges from two yuan (24 US cents) to 10 yuan (US$1.20). The fee depends on the distance and the weight of your luggage.

Apart from the surrounding mountains, Chongqing is also embraced by the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, both passing through the downtown area, providing a touch of nature to the otherwise unrelieved industrial views throughout much of the urban area.

Walking in the streets of Chongqing, you will note a disproportionate number of fashionable beauties. The yearlong mists, the wet climate, and even the popular hotpot here are believed by some Chinese to nurture feminine beauty.

It seems there is no other interesting thing to see in the streets in the daytime. Crowds of people, lines of stores and napping peddlers at noon are the normal view here.

The suburbs, however, are home to some wonderful spots, including various hot springs and pleasant mountain walks. The reason most people visit the municipality is to see or take a trip along the Yangtze River or Jialing River.

Some of the more interesting spots in Chongqing are leftovers from the revolutionary era. The Chongqing Municipal Museum, Hongyan Revolutionary Museum (the former office of the Eighth Route Army), the cemetery of the revolutionary martyrs in the Gele Mountain (Zhazi Cave and Bais' Residence, both prisons before 1949), the former Official Residence of Jiang Kai-shek and the Residence of Zhang Zhizhong (Gui Yuan) are all worth a look. There are also a few prisons dotted about the town, reminders of Chongqing's chequered past.

Chongqing's night scenery is undoubtedly fascinating. Colourful lights cover the mountains from head to toe. And the two rivers embrace and reflect the brilliant city. Only the bridges crossing the river make it clear where city ends and reflection begins.

Chongqing dishes are rich in flavour and use almost 40 different cooking methods in their preparation. Chongqing food is largely a hybrid of Sichuan cuisine and local specialty dishes.

This is where the hotpot originated and Chongqing residents are still very keen on their native dish, tucking in even when the sun is shining.

Chongqing is frequently cloudy and foggy, even in the summer months, and pollution levels here are high. Spring and winter are the best seasons to visit, and the rainy autumnal season is best avoided.

To Get There

Take a train from Beijing (T9 or 1389 from the Beijing West Railway Station) or other cities to Chongqing. Trains have to slow down to 70 km per hour while running through the mountains. The total time by train from Beijing is still 28 hours, and the fare is about 400 yuan (US$48) for a sleeping berth.

So flying is the most convenient way to go, taking only two hours. Most ticket agencies in Beijing offer a 40 per cent discount on air tickets to Chongqing, the fare coming in at 810 yuan (US$97).

Taxi and luxury buses at the Chongqing Jiangbei Airport can be found at the airport building exit.

It takes half an hour to get downtown.

Chaotianmen Harbour is the starting point for the Three Gorges tour. Tour ships from Chongqing to Wuhan or Yichang leave every half hour.

(Beijing Weekend November 19, 2002)