New Year Recommendations | A steamy trip to Chongqing

As we enter the depths of winter, everyone is looking forward to the “warm” and “steamy” feeling. The hottest city I can think of is Chongqing! Because not only does it have the spicy hotpot that people all over the country know, but it also has Beibei Hot Spring!

Last month, I shared my hot spring trip at Banyan Tree Ma Yugu in Tengchong, Yunnan. You can click to review : Ginkgo Season | Have you ever set out because of a photo? At that time, I was planning to book the latest Yueyinjing long-stay package launched by Banyan Tree, a preferential package booked in units of 7 nights, to give myself a Wonderful long vacation.

Banyan Tree Chongqing Beibei

Readers who are familiar with me should know that I am a big fan of Banyan Tree. Every time I visit a destination with Banyan Tree, it will be my first choice. In fact, I went to Chongqing once in the summer of 2020. At that time, I only wandered around the city. It was a pity that I did not go to the Banyan Tree in Beibei District.

This time I drove for 70 minutes from downtown Chongqing, winding through the mountains and overlooking the Jialing River. I finally arrived at the Banyan Tree surrounded by green forests. I was very excited. Similar to the Banyan Tree in Tengchong, the room types at the Banyan Tree in Beibei are also divided into hot spring rooms in the main building and villas in other areas.

I chose the most basic hot spring bathhouse (80 square meters). As soon as I entered the room, I skipped the familiar supplies and the smell of essential oils. The semi-open terrace hot spring pool made people want to jump in immediately to dispel the cold of winter. .

If you have enough budget, you can also choose the hot spring bathhouse (120 square meters), double-pool hot spring bathhouse (200 square meters), and two-bedroom double-pool hot spring bathhouse (350 square meters) in the villa area. Winter is not suitable for outdoor swimming, and hot springs are the most cost-effective.

After soaking in the steaming hot springs, take a short rest and replenish water, then you can eat steaming Chongqing hot pot. The Chinese restaurant serves spicy hot pot and the newly launched Thai seafood hot pot. They are both small hot pots, which are suitable for friends to choose their favorites.

The next day you can change your taste and try the Sichuan cuisine in the Chinese restaurant. I personally like to eat Sichuan cuisine, which is heavy in oil, spicy and full of aroma. I have stayed in so many Banyan Tree hotels at home and abroad, but I have rarely encountered such a satisfying taste experience. Don’t miss it when you come to Chongqing!

Things to do around Fishing City

With the explosive publicity on social networks, Chongqing has become an Internet celebrity city. Jiefangbei, Hongyadong, Chaotianmen, and Liziba Light Rail Station are almost all place names that friends who have never been to Chongqing will hear. As for Hechuan Diaoyu City, it is small and deserted, writing its glorious history in solitude.

The "Defense Battle of Diaoyu City" in 1259 was a life-and-death battle between the Southern Song Dynasty and the Mongols. It was also a major battle that changed the history of China and the world.

At that time, the Mongolian army was overwhelming and divided into three groups to attack the city and plunder the territory. The original plan was to capture Bashu and Hubei and then go down the Yangtze River to Lin'an, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, which is now Hangzhou. Meng Ge, the grandson of Genghis Khan, died unexpectedly outside the Diaoyu City in the middle road, which directly led to the hasty withdrawal of the Mongolian army that was attacking Hubei in the east, West Asia and North Africa.

According to historical records, the Mongolian army gathered about 70,000 to 80,000 troops at that time, and there were only 4,700 defenders and tens of thousands of people in Diaoyu City. Diaoyu City relied on its geographical advantages of converging three rivers and being at a commanding height, as well as the unity of the army and the people, and the rational command and dispatch of the garrison. It finally set a rare example in the history of Chinese and foreign wars in which the weak defeated the strong. Therefore, Diaoyu City was known as "the place where God broke the whip." .

After an on-site visit, we learned that Diaoyu City’s unique terrain makes the distant history come alive. The scenic area of ​​Diaoyu City is very well done. The five exhibition halls respectively display the origin of Diaoyu City, the detailed process of the defense of Diaoyu City, and the profound impact of the victory of the Battle of Diaoyu City on the world at that time.

In addition to domestic historical materials and documentaries, there are also commentary articles by historians from various countries, such as excerpts from "Global History". Although it is not uncommon for 3D holographic images to reproduce historical stories, there are also Chinese and English subtitles here, which is very international.

Coming out of the scenic spot just in time for the sunset, the calm Jialing River and the solemn Huguo Gate make people feel very quiet under the soft halo. Suddenly, they feel that this is not only a historical and cultural attraction, but also a treasured place to enjoy the scenery.

Diaoyu City is about 35 kilometers away from Banyan Tree Chongqing Beibei, a 45-minute drive. Going there from Banyan Tree will save half the distance than going from the city. Again, don’t miss it!

Special recommendation

"A Bite of China" said that there are more than 20,000 hot pot restaurants throughout Chongqing, and one in every 30 people is engaged in a hot pot-related occupation. There are indeed so many hotpots in Chongqing that it’s hard to choose. Compared to the Yuwei Xiaoyu Hotpot mentioned in the documentary, and to Dianping’s must-eat list, Black Pearl, I prefer the only Dafeng Lao Hotpot in Jiangbei District.

I was deeply impressed by the rich and delicious dishes, as well as the affordable price of 1 yuan for lemon ice powder and 100 yuan for free pot bottoms (before December 1, 2020). The environment is also very comfortable. The last time I came here was summer, so I could sit outside casually. This time, I sat indoors in the winter, with stone countertops, bamboo seats, and a few numbers written on the wall. It was full of Bashu rivers and lakes atmosphere.

On the premise of ensuring flow security,

Come to Chongqing and have a steamy New Year