[Chongqing Locals' Hidden Gem! Pengshui 1 Day 2 Nights Non-Self-Driving Complete Guide

🚂 A must-see for non-drivers! Unlock Pengshui transportation in 3 steps 1️⃣ Chongqing → Pengshui: High-speed rail direct and super convenient! ✅ Chongqing North Station → Pengshui Station (high-speed rail 1.5 hours, ticket price 72 yuan), more than 10 trips daily, recommended to depart before 9 AM to arrive in Pengshui by noon for lunch~ ✅ Exit tip: Don’t trust private cars soliciting passengers! On the right side after exiting is the bus station, take the “Pengshui - County” special line for 5 yuan/person, 20 minutes straight to the roundabout business district (taxi costs 30 yuan!). 2️⃣ County transportation: Taxi + bus combo ✨ Taxi tips: - First choice is the “Wanshun Ride” app (taxis in the county cost about 10-15 yuan), but! It’s hard to get a taxi from 5-7 PM, so it’s better to hail a taxi on the street directly (blue and white cars, meter fare is cheaper)~ - Taxi to Ayi River rafting costs about 60 yuan (you can negotiate a round-trip price with the driver, have him pick you up after rafting, saving 20 yuan). ✨ Bus tips: - County buses cost 1-2 yuan/person, take bus No. 3 to “Jiuli City Station” to get off, last bus at 7 PM, don’t stay out too late~ 3️⃣ Scenic area transportation: Sightseeing bus package is the most worry-free For Ayi River rafting, the second half requires taking a sightseeing elevator + sightseeing bus (single ticket 65 yuan, live stream package includes rafting + transportation for 269 yuan, save 30 yuan!). 🌙 First afternoon: Jiuli City Night Banquet — A Miao Village Light Show Through a Thousand Years Stepping off the bus, you’ll be shocked by the 99-meter-high Jiuli Divine Pillar! The entire Miao village is built on the mountain, with blue tile wooden buildings glowing golden in the sunset. At 6 PM, thousands of lanterns light up instantly, like stepping into the set of “The Longest Day in Chang’an”! 🏮 🌟 Must-do list: Night view + full experience 1️⃣ Jiuli Secret Realm Night Tour Walk through corridors hung with silver ornaments, light and shadow cast on the stone slabs, every shot looks like an ancient style masterpiece! When you reach the “Time Tunnel,” the LED screen plays Miao myths, standing in the middle for photos feels like being surrounded by starlight~✨ 2️⃣ “Miao Ancestor · Chiyou” Live Performance (tickets sold separately) Starts at 8 PM, over 100 actors perform the Miao migration history among mountains and waters, with fire breathing and walking on knives that make your palms sweat! The best part is the final thousand-person Miao dance, shaking hands to the rhythm instantly immerses you in the atmosphere~🔥 3️⃣ Miao Costume Dress-up Experience At Jiuli City gate, dozens of rental shops, 30 yuan/hour (basic costume included), 50 yuan/day (can wear out)! Recommended to choose the festive outfit with silver accessories (extra 20 yuan), makeup costs another 20-30 yuan, remember to bargain: “Rent for a day + makeup, can you do 100 yuan?” 💃 💡 Night tour tips: - Tickets are 58 yuan during August events (original price 90 yuan), get a free map at the entrance, the performance venue is behind Jiuli Palace~ - Wear Miao costumes to take photos at “Wind and Rain Bridge” and “Stilt House Cluster,” the light is softest between 7-8 PM! 🛶 Full second day: Ayi River Rafting — Chongqing’s Most Thrilling Water Roller Coaster! Take a taxi at 8 AM to Ayi River (about 60 yuan), as soon as you arrive you’ll hear screams! The rafting is divided into the upper half (gentle scenery) and the lower half (exciting water fights). For those not wanting too much physical effort, choose the lower half, 3 hours rafting finishes just at noon~ 🌟 Rafting complete guide: from preparation to screaming 1️⃣ Must-bring gear list: ✅ Sunscreen trio: arm sleeves + face mask + long pants (don’t wear shorts! I got “helmet marks” on my legs from sunburn😭) ✅ Battle tools: scoop (10 yuan each in the scenic area, buy a big one! Small ones are too slow to scoop water) + waterproof phone bag (5 yuan on the roadside, cheaper than in the scenic area) ✅ Change of clothes: there are showers at the rafting endpoint (5 yuan/person), quick-dry clothes are more convenient~ 2️⃣ Lower half thrill points explained: - “Tiger Jump Gorge”: 3-meter drop continuous rapids, the kayak will be thrown up, remember to hold on tight! - “Niujiao Village”: mid-rest stop, you can buy grilled corn (5 yuan) and ice jelly (3 yuan) to recharge before continuing~ - “Lover’s Valley”: calm water perfect for photos, steep cliffs on both sides, photos look like the Three Gorges~📸 3️⃣ Rowing tips: Teamwork for two! Paddle one in front and one behind when going downstream, when hitting shallow water both must push hard forward, or you’ll get stuck on rocks~ (We got stuck 3 times and the boats behind laughed at us😅) 💡 Pitfall warnings: - Don’t believe “full rafting is more cost-effective”! The full trip is 7 hours, your hands will shake by the end, the lower half is thrilling enough~ - Must buy sightseeing elevator + sightseeing bus! Walking to the rafting start point takes 1 hour, you can get heatstroke in the hot sun! 🌉 Afternoon bonus: Wujiang Gallery — Chongqing’s version of the “Little Three Gorges” If you still have energy, take a taxi from Ayi River to Wujiang Gallery (about 40 yuan), take a boat to see the “Thousand-mile Wujiang, Hundred-mile Gallery”~ Recommended to take the 4 PM boat, the sunlight slants on the river, the reflection of green mountains is stunning! Boat ticket 50 yuan/person, 1-hour round trip~🚢 🌟 Perfect photo spots: - Second deck bow of the boat: spread your arms for a back shot, the river breeze blowing your hair feels amazing~ - Along the riverside road at “Wujiang First Bend”: take a taxi here, stand on the viewing platform to shoot the S-shaped river bend, looks like an ink painting! 🍢 Pengshui Food Map: These 5 restaurants you can order blindly! 1️⃣ Devil Chicken Feet (Minzu Road Branch) 🔥 Must order: Garlic chicken feet (spicy to the point of gasping but can’t stop) + iced tofu pudding (spicy relief, tofu pudding so tender it’s like drinking milk tea) 💰 Per capita: 20 yuan 💡 Tip: Opens after 3 PM, go early! If late, only wings left after chicken feet sell out~ 2️⃣ Ren Niang’s Potato Snacks (Shangmao Garden Branch) 🔥 Must order: Fried potato flowers (crispy outside, sticky inside, with chili powder and houttuynia) + Du Juanzi (made from konjac, sour and spicy, like eating QQ candy version of sour and spicy noodles) 💰 Per capita: 15 yuan 💡 Tip: Small shop, if you can’t find it ask locals “Where is Ren Niang’s Potato?” Everyone knows it! 3️⃣ Zhang Fen Rice Noodles (Roundabout Branch) 🔥 Must order: Beef rice noodles (broth made from beef bones, thick meat slices) + chili oil (add yourself, fragrant but not spicy) 💰 Per capita: 10 yuan 💡 Tip: Opens at 7 AM, locals’ breakfast favorite, queue if late! 4️⃣ Zhengjian Potato Restaurant (Minzu Road Branch) 🔥 Must order: Potato rice (potatoes stewed in rice, crispy crust) + Shaobai (fatty but not greasy, pickled sprouts soak up meat juice) 💰 Per capita: 25 yuan 💡 Tip: Old shop in an alley, navigate to “Zhengjian Potato Restaurant Old Shop,” more authentic than the new one~ 5️⃣ Binjiang Road Night Market At night, go to the night market next to Liangjiang Square, buy a serving of “Pengshui rice noodles” (different from Chongqing noodles, softer and stickier), then grab some grilled sweet potato skins, pair with a bottle of cold beer, blowing the Wujiang river breeze, super comfortable! 🍻 🏨 Accommodation recommendations: These 3 places are most convenient! 1️⃣ Roundabout Business District ✅ Pros: 10-minute walk to Jiuli City and food shops, bus station downstairs 💰 Price: Budget hotels 150-200 yuan/night, recommended “Pengshui Dasha Hotel” (established hotel, clean and hygienic) 2️⃣ Liangjiang Square ✅ Pros: Can directly see Wujiang night view at night, suitable for those who like quiet 💰 Price: River view homestays 200-300 yuan/night, recommended “Miao Village River View Apartment” (rooms with balcony, great river view) 3️⃣ Near Jiuli City ✅ Pros: Right at the scenic area entrance, good for those wanting to shoot the Miao village at dawn 💰 Price: Characteristic inns 180-250 yuan/night, recommended “Jiuli Inn” (wooden structure, experience Miao-style lodging) ⚠️ Final pitfall guide: 99% of people will fall for these! 1️⃣ Jiuli City tickets: During August events, you must buy tickets for the evening too, don’t believe “free after 7 PM,” I was stopped and had to pay extra~ 2️⃣ Ayi River rafting: Don’t wear light-colored clothes! During water fights, others splash you with “Huoxiang Zhengqi Water” (strong dye), my white T-shirt turned yellow😭 3️⃣ Miao costume rental: Don’t rent at the first shop at the scenic entrance! Walk into the alley, the second shop “Miao Sister Costumes” is cheaper, 50 yuan can rent with silver accessories~ 4️⃣ Food pitfall: Don’t go to the “Internet-famous stone slab barbecue”! Meat is tough and expensive, locals don’t go, better to eat snacks~ Screaming hoarse at Ayi River by day, speechless from the beautiful lights at Jiuli City by night, late night biting devil chicken feet while blowing the river breeze on Binjiang Road — this is the right way to explore around Chongqing. (PS: Remember to @ your silly bestie to go together, or no one will help you scoop water back! ) 🚀