Go to Chongqing: Navigate Like a Local with Gaode Map

Chongqing — China’s mountainous, spicy, neon-drenched megacity — is unlike anywhere else on Earth.

With its 8D streets, riverside monorails, underground malls, and staircase alleys, Chongqing doesn’t just challenge your taste buds — it challenges your sense of direction.

Google Maps? Useless here.

Enter Gaode Map (高德地图 / Amap) — your digital navigator through Chongqing’s vertical labyrinth. Whether you’re chasing hotpot, riding the Liziba light rail through a residential building, or hunting for hidden street art in Ciqikou, Amap is your #1 tool.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to use Amap specifically in Chongqing — with English settings, pro tips, and local hacks even seasoned travelers miss.

🗺️ Why You MUST Use Gaode Map in Chongqing (Not Google Maps)

Chongqing’s terrain is so complex that even locals get lost. Google Maps:

❌ Fails to show elevation changes (stairs, escalators, bridges)
❌ Misses building entrances (many shops are on 3rd floor… of a hillside)
❌ Doesn’t integrate with Chongqing’s unique transport (Yangtze Cable Car, Liziba Rail, Yangtze River ferries)
❌ Lacks real-time bus/subway updates

Gaode Map fixes all of this.

💡 Fun Fact: Chongqing has over 10,000 escalators and 20,000 staircases. Amap knows every one.

📲 Step 1: Download & Set Up Gaode Map in English

🚇 Step 2: Master Chongqing’s Public Transport with Gaode Map

Chongqing’s metro is clean, cheap, and covers most tourist zones — but its lines twist through mountains and over rivers. Amap makes it simple.

🔍 How to Plan a Metro Trip:

Tap the “Transit” icon (bus/train symbol)
Enter start & destination (e.g., “Hongya Cave” to “Eling Park”)
Amap shows:
- Which metro line to take
- Exact station entrance/exit (critical in Chongqing!)
- Walking path from exit to destination — including stairs & escalators
- Real-time train arrival

🚠 Pro Tip: Search “长江索道” (Yangtze Cable Car) — Amap shows ticket booth location, queue times, and best photo spots.

🚶 Step 3: Walking in Chongqing? Use AR Mode & 3D View

Chongqing’s streets go up, down, sideways, and sometimes through buildings. Amap’s AR Walking Mode and 3D View are lifesavers.

🕶️ Enable AR Walking Mode:

Start walking navigation
Tap the AR icon (looks like a phone with waves)
Point your camera — arrows and labels appear over the real world

📍 Try it near Jiefangbei or Hongya Cave — where alleys branch in 5 directions.

🏙️ Use 3D View for Orientation:

Pinch to zoom → tilt with two fingers to see buildings in 3D
Helps you spot landmarks like Raffles City’s “Horizontal Skyscraper”

🚕 Step 4: Book Rides & Find Hidden Entrances

Many Chongqing attractions have multiple entrances on different floors — Amap shows you exactly where to go.

🛺 Book a Didi Ride:

Search destination → Tap “Ride”
Choose Didi (or taxi) → Confirm pickup point
Driver sees your exact location — even if you’re on Level 3 of a hillside mall

🏯 Find Hidden Entrances:

Search “洪崖洞入口” (Hongya Cave Entrance) — Amap marks the official tourist entrance (not the back alley locals use).

🍲 Step 5: Discover Local Eats & Avoid Tourist Traps

Chongqing is the birthplace of hotpot and xiaomian (spicy noodles) — but not all spots are equal.

🔥 How to Find Authentic Food:

Search “重庆小面” or “正宗火锅”
Filter by “Highest Rated” or “Most Reviewed”
Look for red “爆” (Popular) or “新” (New) tags
Check user photos — real bowls > stock images

🌶️ Try: “珮姐老火锅” (Peijie Hotpot) or “花市豌杂面” (Huashi Noodles) — both show real-time queue lengths in Amap!

🧭 Pro Tips for Navigating Chongqing with Gaode Map

Save Offline Maps
→ Settings → Offline Maps → Download “Chongqing” for areas with spotty signal (e.g., mountain trails).
Use “Near Me” Filters
→ Tap compass icon → filter by “ATM,” “Pharmacy,” “Public Toilet” — lifesavers in a city this big.
Scan QR Codes for Instant Navigation
→ Many restaurants/hotels display Amap QR codes — scan to navigate instantly.
Set “Home” and “Work” Locations
→ Tap star icon next to frequent spots (hotel, coworking space) for 1-tap directions.
Download English Voice Pack
→ Settings → Navigation Settings → Voice → Download “English Female” for turn-by-turn.

📍 Top 5 Chongqing Spots to Test Your Gaode Map Skills

Hongya Cave (洪崖洞) — Find the correct entrance amid 11 floors of stairs.
Liziba Station (李子坝) — Watch the train pass through a building — Amap shows best viewing platform.
Ciqikou Ancient Town (磁器口) — Navigate narrow alleys to hidden tea houses.
Eling Park (鹅岭公园) — Use 3D view to find the park entrance uphill from the metro.
Raffles City Chongqing (来福士) — Use AR mode to find the Skybridge entrance on Level 9.

🎯 Final Tip: Chongqing Is Meant to Be Explored — Get Lost (Safely)

Even with Amap, allow yourself to wander. Some of Chongqing’s best moments — a hidden noodle stall, a rooftop view, a spontaneous mahjong game — happen when you step off the grid.

Just open Amap, tap “Explore Nearby,” and let the city surprise you.