How Chongqing in China offers an enthralling ‘8D’ experience like nothing else

My first glimpse of Chongqing’s architectural marvel came quickly: Liziba station, where the monorail passes directly through the eighth floor of a residential building. Even knowing the photos, seeing it in person felt surreal – like stepping into a Christopher Nolan film. Contrary to myth, the station and building were designed together, an integrated feat of engineering.

I was staying at the Park Inn by Radisson Hongya Cave Monument for Liberation, in the Yuzhong district. Hongya Cave is not a cave but a sprawling “stilt building” complex comprising retail spaces, markets and hotels, and is one of the most popular attractions in the city. My 37th-floor hotel room offered sweeping views, but the vertical living came with hidden costs.