Simian Mountain
Simian Mountain is a Danxia landform with rich natural resources and primeval forests. Numerous streams, lakes and waterfalls run through the mountains,…
Simian Mountain, Chongqing · CC · Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Admission
- ¥110 (February–October); ¥60 (November–January)
- Opening hours
- 8：00—18：00
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
- Getting there
- Multiple buses depart daily from Chenjiaping Bus Station in Chongqing for Jiangjin, fare ¥24.
- Guidebook rating
- 4 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 434. Open in Google Maps
About Simian Mountain
Simian Mountain is a Danxia landform with rich natural resources and primeval forests. Numerous streams, lakes and waterfalls run through the mountains, and a variety of animals and plants add vibrancy to the scenery. It is known as China’s “treasure house of species genes.”
Frequently asked questions
How much does Simian Mountain cost?
Admission to Simian Mountain is ¥110 (February–October); ¥60 (November–January), as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.
What are the opening hours of Simian Mountain?
Simian Mountain is open 8：00—18：00.
How do I get to Simian Mountain?
Multiple buses depart daily from Chenjiaping Bus Station in Chongqing for Jiangjin, fare ¥24.
How long should I spend at Simian Mountain?
Plan on 1–2 days for Simian Mountain.
Where is Simian Mountain?
Simian Mountain is in Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, in the Southwest of China. Simian Mountain Town, Jiangjin District
More places in Chongqing
Jinfo Mountain
Combining mountains, water, forests, rocks and caves, natural landscapes like this can be found throughout southwest China. Jinfo Mountain, however, has its own distinctive character, and it even has a ski resort and other recreational facilities, making it a great place to enjoy snow in winter. The scenic area is made up of three mountains—Jinfo, Baizhi and Jingba. Rare trees, exotic flowers and numerous nationally protected wildlife species thrive in its complex terrain. For urbanites who increasingly appreciate getting close to nature, this is a wild animal and plant park where you can nourish your soul and breathe fresh air.
West Gate combo ticket ¥260 (entrance ticket + cable car + shuttle bus); North Gate combo ticket ¥220 (entrance ticket + cable car) · 1–2 days
Ciqikou Ancient Town
“One stone-paved road, a thousand years of history.” For lovers of ancient towns and folk customs, Ciqikou is a 1,700-year-old town on the banks of the Jialing River. For food lovers, a visit means sampling its “Three Specialties”: qianzhang (pressed bean curd sheets), mahua fish (twisted dough fish), and maoxuewang (blood curd hotpot).
3–4 hours
Gongtan Ancient Town
Gongtan is known as “the first historic and cultural town in Chongqing.” Its stilted houses (diaojiaolou) are a major draw, and the riverside examples are large, old and finely built. The town's stone-slab streets are also worth lingering over, with their history, culture and a simple, lived-in beauty. In 2005, the entire town was relocated to make way for the Wujiang Pengshui Hydropower Station. The Gongtan you see today is brand new, and its 1,700-year history now lies permanently submerged beneath the Wujiang River.
Wujiang Gallery cruise ¥58 · 3–5 hours
Youyang Peach Blossom Land
There are two Peach Blossom Lands in the world: one in Tao Yuanming's essay, and one in Youyang, Chongqing. Youyang's Peach Blossom Land sits in the heart of the Wuling Mountains and condenses some of the most beautiful untouched scenery. When the peach trees are in bloom, the scenic area is covered in drifting petals. Along quiet stone paths, you pass one pavilion and terrace after another: the Tao Gong Shrine, the Taoyuan Stele Forest, fields and village houses. Everything seems almost identical to the scenes described in “The Peach Blossom Spring.” Main sights include Peach Blossom Land, Fuxi Cave, Youzhou Ancient City, Taigu Cave and Peach Blossom Land Square. Fuxi Cave, about 3 km long, features winding walkways, a deep underground river and colourful stalactites, making it especially striking.
¥100 · 3–5 hours
Dazu Rock Carvings
Even if you have seen the Longmen Grottoes and walked through the Yungang Grottoes, the Dazu Rock Carvings, as a masterpiece of ancient Chinese stone carving, are not to be missed. This is why they are said to be “the Dunhuang of the North and the Dazu of the South.” On 1 December 1999, UNESCO formally inscribed five cliff carving sites—Beishan, Baoding Mountain, Nanshan, Shizhuan Mountain and Shimen Mountain—on the World Heritage List. Baoding Mountain is a sacred Buddhist site, and the saying goes, “Pilgrimage to Mount Emei above, pilgrimage to Baoding below.” Its stone carvings at the Great Buddha Bay are the largest in scale, the highest in artistic value, and the best preserved. The carvings at Beishan are concentrated at Fowan (Buddha Bay), divided into southern and northern zones. The southern zone mainly features works from the late Tang and Five Dynasties, while the northern zone is dominated by works from the Northern and Southern Song dynasties.
Baoding Mountain ¥115; Beishan ¥70; combined ticket ¥140 · 4–5 hours
Laitan Ancient Town
Laitan Town sits beside the beautiful Qu River and is one of the “Little Ten Scenes” of Chongqing. It is about 85 km from urban Chongqing and easy to reach. Laitan Ancient Village has four gates arranged in cross-symmetry. Its walls are built entirely of stone blocks more than half a metre long, making them very sturdy. Inside, a 200-metre stretch of bluestone-paved street and more than 400 Qing-dynasty residences remain. Laitan's scenery is known for being ancient, unusual, distinctive, complete and graceful. Its Erfo Temple, cliff-carved Buddhist images, old temples, the Gu Weng City (ancient jar-shaped enclosure), the Ming-dynasty memorial archway, the Wenchang Palace opera stage, the Sheli Pagoda cluster, Diaoyu Fortress and the village houses are all ingeniously conceived and expertly built. Six jade Buddha statues brought from Myanmar add further charm to the site.
1–2 hours