Chongqing Day 5: Qingyuyan Palace Banquet, Longmenhao and Xiaohaoli Historic Streets & Nightlife at Jiu Jie
07 September 2026
Day 5 was one of our most eventful days in Chongqing, beginning with a palace-themed lunch at Qingyuyan (庆渝宴) and ending with a night out at ESMI. In between, we explored the beautiful streets of Longmenhao (龙门浩) and Xiahaoli (下浩里) and stopped for drinks along Nanbin Road (南滨路). Some parts were very much my kind of activity, while others were experiences I probably wouldn’t have tried on my own. Travelling with friends certainly added a little variety to my usual routine!
QINGYUYAN (庆渝宴)
I was particularly looking forward to today because we had booked lunch at Qingyuyan (庆渝宴), an immersive palace-themed dining show. We also booked the costume, hair and makeup experience, 妆造, to enjoy the full experience.
I initially tried booking through their official WeChat Mini Program. However, I missed the midnight booking release, and by the time I checked the next day, the makeup slots were already fully booked! Thankfully, Klook still had availability. I’m not sure whether the platforms had separate allocations, but I was happy we managed to book.
We choose the Prince first-row seats (亲王席) and adding the costume, hair and makeup experience for all three of us. We paid S$419.52 in total, or about S$140 per person. Our seats were beside the central runway, around its midpoint, which gave us a close view of the performances and plenty of opportunities to interact with the performers. There were cheaper seating options in the second and third rows, but we decided to go for the first-row seats. Our thinking was 来都来了: since we were already here, we might as well enjoy the full experience! Also, if you have dietary requirements, it’s worth contacting them before your visit to ask whether they can accommodate you. Two of us don’t eat beef, and they kindly arranged alternatives when I messaged the WhatsApp number listed on Klook.
The circled seats were the ones that we have chosen!
The makeup turned out beautifully. I felt the costume selection was a little limited, but I found an outfit I liked. One thing to note is that the makeup artist accompanied me into the changing room to help me put it on. I didn’t mind, although I was suddenly rather glad I had chosen decent underwear that morning!
There were photographers on site to help us take photos after getting dressed. Our package included one complimentary photo, with additional pictures available to purchase. The photos were really pretty (I loved the ones I chosen), although the editing slimmed my face a little too much in some of them.
Before the meal began, we explored the themed activity area, designed to resemble a traditional street. It's good to visit the place earlier so that you can visit the traditional street. We were given a pouch of game currency and could play games to earn more. I tried my luck at a dice game, 猜大小, betting on whether the total would be ‘big’ or ‘small’, and promptly lost all mine. Clearly, gambling is not my talent.
Colourful kites overhead as we explored Qingyuyan’s recreated traditional street before lunch.
Palace attendants lining the entrance to welcome us into 庆渝宴. Quite the royal reception!
The dining experience itself was great. I thought the centre seats in the first row offered an excellent view of the performances and opportunities to interact with the performers. The courses arrived after each performance segment, so there was time to take photos or record the performances and there was no rush to finish the food. As a slow eater, I had worried about keeping up with the meal. Thankfully, there was ample time between courses, and during our visit, the servers waited until we had finished before clearing our dishes. The servers were dressed as palace attendants and presented the food with a little bow, which added to the feeling of being guests at a royal banquet.
Ornate tableware, a golden dragon backdrop and a live instrumental performance before the imperial feast officially begins.
A royal procession through the dining hall to set the scene for our imperial feast.
An imperial court scene unfolding before the golden dragon backdrop.
Having our food served by a palace attendant, complete with a little bow. Feeling rather spoilt!
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (佛跳墙), served with a view of the elaborate dining hall from our front-row seats.
Flowing costumes, parasols and dramatic lighting, all just a few steps from our table.
An impressively plated meat course topped with a nest of golden garnish. The meat was a little tough for me, but I really enjoyed the sweet glaze.
Snippet of a dancer performing atop a giant drum.
Fried fish that came beautifully arranged.
Chongqing’s signature laziji (辣子鸡), with little bites of chicken tucked among a generous pile of dried chillies. This was yummy!
Another dish from the imperial feast. Honestly, I came mainly for the experience and initially thought the food might be quite gimmicky. All the food turned out better than I expected! Even the plum wine (梅子酒) tasted good.
The host spoke Mandarin throughout. That worked well for me, but visitors who don’t understand Mandarin may miss some of the introductions and dialogue. There was still plenty to enjoy visually through the costumes, dancing and staging.
I really enjoyed the whole experience. Getting dressed up, having our photos taken and watching the performances over lunch made it feel like much more than an ordinary meal. It was one of the activities I had most looked forward to, and I’m glad we managed to book the full experience.
LONGMENHAO (龙门浩老街) & XIAOHAOLI (下浩里)
After lunch, we headed to Longmenhao Old Street (龙门浩老街) and the adjoining Xiahaoli (下浩里). I initially thought it would be quite commercialised, but these became some of my favourite places to wander in Chongqing. The restored buildings, little lanes and layers of rooftops made the whole area feel wonderfully photogenic.
A little sign pointing us towards Longmenhao Old Street (龙门浩老街).
Heading down into Longmenhao Old Street for an afternoon of wandering and shopping.
A grey-brick gateway and an enormous drum welcoming us to Longmenhao.
I particularly enjoyed browsing the handmade craft shops and souvenir stores. There were so many interesting things to look at, and browsing the shops here was very much my kind of activity!
“Welcome, Muggles!” A little magical welcome while browsing the shops.
A cute cat greeting shoppers outside a little souvenir and gift shop.
A gourd-shaped coffee sign outside 葫芦里咖啡. Even the shop signs were worth stopping for.
A little treasure chest of colourful hairclips made from real flowers!
“我在重庆.” Another little photo stop as we wandered through Longmenhao.
Yet another little photo stop at Longmenhao.
A tiled gateway towards Xiaohaoli (下浩里).
“来下浩里，就是要爬山.” Coming to Xiahaoli means climbing hills. A very fair warning, with Xiao Zhan (肖战) making an appearance on the poster below!
Looking up at the red bridge through the greenery at a Xiao Zhan (肖战) photo spot, recreating the view from his photo.
A giant terracotta-coloured figurine with a rather knowing expression, tucked beside a grey-brick building. This is also a Xiao Zhan (肖战) photo spot
Little ceramic cats enjoying a window seat with a view of Chongqing’s skyline. My kind of shop!
Cat-shaped cups and dessert-shaped diffuser stones. I couldn’t resist bringing home the panna cotta one!
Two cats offering a window-side hug. How was I supposed to resist a shop like this?
A giant character lounging across the tiled rooftops. Looking considerably more relaxed than we felt in the heat!
A glimpse of the river and city skyline beyond the tiled rooftops.
The afternoon sun above the bridge, with Chongqing’s skyline rising behind it.
An independent designers’ gift shop, with cheerful signs welcoming us in for another browse.
A sleepy dog, a waving cat and a cheese-shaped bench. This shop knew how to get my attention.
A Chongqing-themed magnet featuring the city’s iconic yellow taxi, affectionately nicknamed the “Yellow Ferrari.
My little shopping haul, complete with a bright yellow bag that was almost a souvenir itself.
Layers of cafés, leafy terraces, waterfall and tiled rooftops. One of my favourite views of Xiahaoli.
A panda having a private moment on the toilet in a Mr. Panda IP shop.
A cable car gliding beneath the red bridge, with tiled rooftops in the foreground and skyscrapers beyond. So many layers of Chongqing in one view.
Xiahaoli also had plenty of beautifully decorated cafés. Even the drinks and desserts were thoughtfully presented, making it tempting to stop at more than one. Many had outdoor seating overlooking the rooftops. In cooler weather, I could easily imagine spending an entire afternoon there, sipping a drink and enjoying the view.
Unfortunately, it was far too hot for that during our visit. As lovely as the outdoor seating looked, we couldn’t wait to retreat indoors for some air conditioning!
A white curtain and an understated stone sign marking the entrance to 苔 moss, our afternoon escape from the heat.
A little gathering of sheep across our green matcha drink. Almost too cute to disturb!
A beautifully layered parfait topped with melon and a delicate, translucent sugar decoration.
Cheesecake, a scoop of ice cream and a mint matcha drink for our leisurely café break.
Rustic pottery for sale inside 苔 moss. I was really tempted to purchase the panda cup, but it was a little too costly, so I had to sadly give it a miss.
XIAOSHULIN LIVE (小树啉Live)
After exploring Longmenhao and Xiahaoli, we headed to Xiaoshulin Live (小树啉Live) on Nanbin Road (南滨路). Along the way, we caught the most beautiful golden-hour light. The sun hadn’t fully set, and everything had that lovely warm glow.
The sun casting a golden path across the river as we made our way to Xiaoshulin Live.
The sky turning shades of peach and pink across the river.
Xiaoshulin Live had been on my list since I came across it on xiaohongshu because of its wave projections, and the atmosphere was lovely. The drinks were beautifully presented, and the taste was okay just not spectacular. It is definitely a nice place to just sit and chill. We didn’t stay long because we had another dinner stop planned, but I was glad we made time to visit.
Wave projections washing across the floor while the real river and city lights stretched out beyond the bar.
A pretty pink drink with an even prettier sunset behind it at 小树啉Live.
The view to our dinner place is great as well, with Raffles City Chongqing lighting up across the river, its golden glow reflected in the water.
LANJUE · 270° RIVER-VIEW CHARCOAL GRILL & BAR (蓝爵·270°江景炭烧餐酒吧)
Now, about that dinner stop. Our Instagram feeds had been showing us rather a lot of Chongqing’s handsome, muscular men, and we decided to visit a barbecue restaurant known for that particular attraction. Please suspend your judgement for a moment.
We went to Lanjue · 270° River-view Charcoal Grill & Bar (蓝爵·270°江景炭烧餐酒吧) and ordered barbecue and crayfish. However, there were hardly any other customers when we arrived, and the staff seemed a little shy. They weren’t quite the larger-than-life personalities we had imagined from the reels, so the atmosphere felt slightly awkward. We had expected plenty of playful attention and banter, but the experience felt more transactional. The price listed on the menu reflected the food as well as the novelty interactions. Our order included a beer-bottle-opening trick involving a staff member’s abs, while the crayfish came with a feeding interaction. Each of us was fed just one piece, so that moment was rather brief! The staff mentioned that they also have performances on weekends, although I can’t remember the schedule. I wonder whether visiting on a busier evening might bring out more of the party atmosphere we had imagined. Overall, it was more of a photo-op experience. To be fair, one staff member stayed with us for most of the meal, and we had a good chat with him. While the experience wasn’t quite the lively 猛男烧烤 spectacle we had imagined from social media, there were still some enjoyable moments.
Dinner at Lanjue · 270° River-view Charcoal Grill & Bar (蓝爵·270°江景炭烧餐酒吧).
“Happiness is free. Special kinds of happiness might cost a little.” A rather fitting sign for tonight’s adventures!
It was certainly an unusual dinner and gave us something to talk about, but it didn’t quite live up to what we had imagined from social media. Interesting to try once, although probably not something I’d go out of my way to repeat.
ESMI NIGHT CLUB, JIU JIE (九街)
My two friends weren’t ready to give up on their search for 猛男, so we headed to ESMI Night Club (江北店) in the Jiu Jie (九街) area after dinner. We had heard there might be a male dance show. By then, I was already feeling sleepy, but my friends clearly had more energy left!
As I understood it, we needed to order drinks to get a table. The drinks were quite expensive, so we chose what appeared to be the cheapest option (or at least an amount we were willing to fork out), a bottle of bubbly that tasted more like a sweet drink. The club had a lively atmosphere, and I enjoyed the vibe despite being tired.
A giant animated figure looming over the DJ booth. The visuals at ESMI were quite a spectacle!
Pink lights, animated visuals and clouds of smoke billowing through the room at ESMI. The room was full of energy. My friends were ready for more; I was trying to stay awake. At some point, I remember resting my head on the sofa, trying very hard to keep my eyes opened. hah
A performer suspended above the crowd, with flowing fabric catching the light. There was plenty happening beyond the DJ booth!
We didn’t catch the male dance show, but dancers came over to our table, with interactions priced at RMB300 each during our visit. I was a little shyer than my two friends, so it helped that the dancer paired with me was the most outgoing of the group. He guided my hand to touch his muscles and even princess carried me, but nothing felt inappropriate or crossed my boundaries. Each dancer seemed to have their own dance and interaction style. The dancers also stayed to chat for a while before moving on, which made the experience feel more relaxed. P.S. And also, I thought my dancer was quite good-looking too. So, this time, I felt the interaction was worth the money haha!
After getting their fill of the male dancers, my friends apparently hadn’t had their fill of drinks. The bubbly at ESMI hadn’t quite hit the spot, so we headed to a nearby cocktail bar. I was more than ready for bed by then, but still tagged along, be it a little begrudgingly in my heart. I didn’t catch the bar’s name, although the cocktails were certainly eye-catching!
One final bar stop, with a glowing cocktail topped with pink foam.
A cocktail served in a Chinese-style tower-shaped cup, complete with a cloud of mist.
ALL IN ALL...
Day 5 was packed with experiences, including several I probably wouldn’t have tried on my own. Longmenhao and Xiahaoli were very much my kind of places, while our evening adventures took me a little outside my usual travel routine. Not everything lived up to our expectations, but I’m glad I tried something different with my friends. A few more experiences added to my basket of travel memories!
Love,
Shu
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