Chaotianmen Square

Chaotianmen ('Gate Facing Heaven') was historically the imperial messenger landing point and one of the 17 ancient gates of Chongqing. Today it's the tip of the Yuzhong peninsula where the Yangtze and Jialing visibly merge — brown vs green water clearly visible. The square sits below Raffles City. Free to walk to the waterfront. From here the 3-9 day Yangtze River cruises depart (book at Trip.com or directly at the pier office). The Three Gorges cruise to Yichang is a popular foreigner itinerary — 4 days, US$300-500 for mid-range cabins. Without the cruise, allocate 30-45 min to walk the waterfront. Best at sunrise when the river mist hangs over the confluence.