Chongqing Garden Expo Park is located in the Longjing Lake area of Yuanyang Street, Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing. It is a national 4A-level tourist scenic area and the venue of the 8th China (Chongqing) International Garden Expo. The total area of the park is 3,300 mu, of which the lake area is 800 mu. The park is designed with traditional style, classical style, and classic style as the design concepts, forming four functional areas: the entrance area, the scenic area, the exhibition area, and the ecological area. It has five theme buildings including the Main Exhibition Hall, Bayu Garden, Longjing Academy, Chongyun Pagoda, and the Wind and Rain Bridge, as well as 127 urban exhibition gardens. It also has 51,000 square meters of landscape buildings and 26 scenic spots. There are 128 families, 359 genera, and 660 species of plants in the park, and more than 300 species of wild animals, including 9 species of wild animals under second-class national key protection.
History and Culture
On January 20, 2010, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development officially determined that the 8th Garden Expo would be held in Chongqing. In February of the same year, the preparatory work was launched, and the site was planned to be in Longjing Lake, Beibei New Area. On April 8, 2011, the construction of the main infrastructure of the Garden Expo Park entered the completion stage. On November 19 of the same year, Chongqing Garden Expo Park was completed and opened. Since its opening, Chongqing Garden Expo Park has effectively continued the theme of garden culture by holding various cultural activities, such as the Chongqing Chrysanthemum Art Exhibition, the Science and Technology Activity Week, and the Spring Festival Carnival.
Main Attractions
Main Exhibition Hall
The Main Exhibition Hall is one of the important buildings in the Garden Expo Park. It centrally displays the essence and development process of garden art. Through various exhibition and display forms, visitors can understand the rich connotation of garden culture.
Bayu Garden
Bayu Garden showcases the traditional architectural style and folk cultural characteristics of the Bayu region. There are antique pavilions, winding corridors, as well as carvings and decorations with Bayu characteristics in the garden. Visitors can feel the strong Bayu customs here.
Longjing Academy
Longjing Academy has a tranquil environment and an elegant architectural style, which is a place full of cultural atmosphere. Various cultural lectures, art exhibitions and other activities are often held here, providing a platform for visitors to understand traditional culture and art.
Chongyun Pagoda
Chongyun Pagoda is one of the landmark buildings in the Garden Expo Park. The pagoda stands tall. By climbing the Chongyun Pagoda, visitors can overlook the panoramic view of the Garden Expo Park and enjoy the beautiful scenery of lakes, mountains and gardens.
Wind and Rain Bridge
The Wind and Rain Bridge spans across the lake and has a beautiful shape. It is not only a transportation facility but also a great place to enjoy the scenery. Visitors can stroll on the bridge, admire the surrounding lake view and garden scenery, and feel the charm of the Jiangnan water town.
Delicacies
Chongqing Noodles
Some snack stalls and restaurants inside or around Chongqing Garden Expo Park offer Chongqing noodles. The noodles are chewy, the soup is spicy and fragrant, and with seasonings such as scallions, coriander, and pickled mustard tuber, it is one of the representative characteristic delicacies of Chongqing.
Hot and Sour Noodles
Hot and Sour Noodles are also common delicacies. The sweet potato noodles are smooth and Q-shaped. The soup is hot and sour, appetizing. With ingredients such as minced meat and pickled vegetables, the taste is rich and can greatly stimulate the appetite.
Barbecue
There may be barbecue areas or snack shops in the park that provide barbecue delicacies. There are various choices such as skewers, roasted chicken wings, and roasted vegetables to meet the different taste needs of visitors.
Tickets
The tickets for Chongqing Garden Expo Park are free. Visitors can make reservations by scanning the code to enter the park.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are from 09:00 to 17:00. Admission stops at 17:00, and the park closes at 20:00.
Tour Routes
The following is a reference for the tour route: Enter from the main entrance, first visit the modern garden, then reach Huicui Garden and Beijing Station through Bridge No. 1, and then go to the entrance of Shenzhen Garden. After passing Bridge No. 3, go to the Hong Kong and Macau Garden, then go to Longjing Academy and Bayu Garden, and finally leave from the main entrance; or enter from the east entrance, visit Jiangnan Garden, Western Garden (Chengdu), Northern Garden (Luoyang), Lingnan Garden, take a break near the fast food restaurant station, go to the Hong Kong and Macau Garden through Bridge No. 3, then return to Jiangnan Garden, and exit from the east entrance.
Transportation
- Subway: Take Subway Line 3 to the Garden Expo Park Station, and after getting out of the station, go straight for 500 meters to reach the east secondary entrance.
- Bus: Take Bus No. 555, 559, 575, 623, 633, 676, 883, 965 and get off at the main entrance station of the Garden Expo Park. Cross the overpass to reach the main entrance of the Garden Expo Park.
- Self-driving: Self-driving visitors can navigate to the main entrance of Chongqing Garden Expo Park or the east secondary entrance of Chongqing Garden Expo Park.
Must-visit Attractions
- Bayu Garden: It centrally presents the traditional architectural style and folk cultural characteristics of the Bayu region. The buildings are quaint, and the carvings and decorations are exquisite, with a strong Bayu flavor.
- Chongyun Pagoda: It is a landmark building in the Garden Expo Park. The pagoda stands tall, and by climbing it, you can overlook the scenery of lakes, mountains and gardens in the whole park, with an excellent view.
- International Garden Exhibition Area: It gathers the colorful urban gardens of Asian, European, American, African, and Australian countries, allowing people to appreciate the garden styles and cultural characteristics of different countries.
Tour Tips
- The Garden Expo Park is large in area. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes for better sightseeing.
- You can learn about the distribution of scenic spots and activity arrangements in the park in advance and plan the tour route reasonably.
- There are relatively few dining places in the park. You can bring some food, or dine at the restaurants or snack stalls by the lake.
- If you have enough time, you can slowly appreciate the landscapes of each park area and feel the charm of different garden styles.
Precautions
- During the security check for entering the park, prohibited knives are not allowed. For sealed beverages such as mineral water and tea cups, you need to take a sip at the security check point before entering the park.
- Pay attention to protecting the environment, do not litter, and do not damage the plants and landscapes in the park.
- When playing by the lake, pay attention to safety, take good care of the elderly and children, and do not approach dangerous areas.
- Follow the signboards in the park and the guidance of the staff and visit in an orderly manner.