Would you like to be part of the history of the fastest developing city in China? Moving to Chongqing will be an adventurous and an exciting experience as it is undergoing very rapid urbanization. Express ways, bridges, tunnels and light rail are being built all over the city. It also has a lot of diversity – you can find the old mixed with the new. One moment you will find yourself in the middle of shopping areas with western stores where you can buy what you will see back home. A few minutes and a couple of turns later and you can easily be lost in the middle of local flea markets and food stalls where you will find plenty of cheap yummy food and perhaps some interesting things you can only find in China for souvenirs! If you enjoy tough bargaining, and love fabrics, Chongqing is the place for you. If you are a big fan of spicy food, you are in luck as their cuisine often consists of chili and hot Chinese peppers. You can experience numbing and burning sensation when you try one of the má là (麻辣) noodles, such as dan dan mian (spicy noodles with peanut sauce) or hot pot! But don’t worry for those of you who cannot eat spicy food, you can always order things by saying bu la de (not spicy) and they will give you the non-spicy version.

Chongqing is a river town. It sits at the confluence of two rivers: the Chang Jiang (or the Yangtze) and the Jialing. It is also the main starting point of the Three Gorges River tours. From the river port, you can go on weekend trips or week-long trips to interesting and beautiful areas of South West China! It is also a city with strong contemporary history. It was the Nationalist capital for about 8 years during the 2nd World War (or as China describes it, the Anti Japanese War) and also a centre for the United Front between the Nationalists and the Communists in their efforts to fight the Japanese between 1937 and 1945.

As the fastest developing city in China, more and more foreign companies are setting up in Chongqing and more foreigners being sent there to work. This has put quite a lot of pressure on the supply for quality expat standard housing. Generally, standards of housing are improving, but you may have to search. Some expatriates opt to stay in five and four stars hotel that offer long-term stay and you can have your own executive lifestyle!

For more information about Chongqing, please stay tuned to our Chongqing Expat Blog

Housing in Chongqing

Schooling in Chongqing

Medical Facilities in Chongqing