# Laitan Ancient Town (涞滩古镇)

Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality · Southwest, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/laitan-ancient-town
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Time needed:** 1–2 hours
- **Getting there:** Take a bus from Hechuan Passenger Transport Center to Laitan (¥13), then a motorcycle or minibus into the old village.
- **Good for:** Old Towns & Villages, Hiking & Outdoors, Photography

## About 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.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 438. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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