Wulong Three Natural Bridges

The Three Natural Bridges (天生三桥) are the highlight of the Wulong Karst, a landscape so dramatic it forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage "South China Karst" and has doubled as a film set for Curse of the Golden Flower and a Transformers sequel. About 2–3 hours southeast of central Chongqing, here three of the largest natural stone arch bridges on Earth — Tianlong (Sky Dragon), Qinglong (Green Dragon) and Heilong (Black Dragon) — span a chain of vast collapsed sinkholes, leaving you walking on the floor of a canyon with hundreds of metres of rock arching overhead.

What you'll see

A glass-fronted lift drops you to the canyon floor, where a paved trail winds for a couple of kilometres beneath the three bridges. Each arch is staggering in scale: Tianlong is the widest, Qinglong the tallest, and Heilong the most richly streaked with mineral colours and seeping water. Between the first two bridges sits the lonely courtyard of the Tianfu Official Post, a reconstructed Tang-dynasty relay inn marooned at the bottom of the sinkhole — the building you'll recognise from the films.

Getting there and getting around

Wulong is reachable by high-speed and regular train from Chongqing North to Wulong Station (around 2 hours), then a connecting shuttle to the scenic area's visitor centre; many travellers join a day tour instead. From the centre, official shuttle buses carry you to the bridges' entrance — you cannot drive your own car in. The walking route through the canyon is mostly downhill and well paved, but it is long, so wear comfortable shoes.

Tickets, hours and seasons

The scenic area is open daily, roughly 8:30am–4:30pm (last entry earlier in winter). Entry to the Three Natural Bridges costs about ¥125 in peak season (March–October) and ¥95 in low season (November–February), with a separate shuttle-bus fee. Spring and autumn are ideal; summer is cooler than the city thanks to the altitude and shade, while winter can dust the karst with atmospheric snow but brings shorter hours.

Practical tips

Give yourself at least half a day, and a full day if you also visit the nearby Longshui Gorge or Fairy Mountain grassland. The canyon floor is cool and damp even in summer, so bring a light layer. Photography is best in late morning when sunlight reaches into the sinkholes. Because it is a long trip from the city, leave early and check the last shuttle time so you are not stranded.