Chongqing Happy Valley: The Sixth Happy Valley, Built Into the Hills

In Chongqing, even the amusement park makes you walk uphill. Chongqing Happy Valley sits on a gentle slope in Lijia, Liangjiang New Area. It opened on July 8, 2017, covers roughly 480,000 square metres, and is the sixth Happy Valley OCT built after Shenzhen, Beijing, Chengdu, Wuhan and Shanghai.

OCT poured the lessons from those five cities into this one — but what sets it apart is the word “mountain.” Its six themed zones follow the contour lines, so you think you’re walking flat while the ground keeps rising and falling beneath you. That up-and-down is something a plain-land park simply can’t offer.

Six zones, walked without backtracking

The park splits into Happy Time, Dream Island, Hurricane Bay, Dinosaur Forest, Old Chongqing and River Valley Mining Town. Pick a direction and circle the loop — don’t double back.

• Happy Time: the entrance zone — gentle rides, pretty lights, best for warming up and photos after dusk.
• Dream Island: family-friendly, mostly small trains and spinners; the pick for young kids.
• Hurricane Bay: water play meets thrills; busiest in summer, next to the Maya Beach water park.
• Dinosaur Forest: canopy trails and exploration rides, well shaded — good for adventurous kids.
• Old Chongqing: a 1930s Chongqing street rebuilt with stilt houses, a pier and rickshaws. The most “Chongqing” corner of the park, and the most photogenic.
• River Valley Mining Town: an American-Western mining-town set dressing with mine-themed rides; great for retro shots.

The two rides that carry the reputation

FlyOver (Yi Fei Chong Tian) — the world’s longest mountain flying coaster, with a track over 1 km long and a 60-metre maximum drop. You ride suspended on “wings,” and the key plunge borrows the hillside, so it hits harder and feels more weightless than the flatland version. If coasters aren’t your thing, save it for when you’re at your bravest.

Chongqing Eye — a roughly 120-metre ferris wheel, among the tallest in southwest China. Ride it at dusk and the whole Liangjiang New Area light show spreads out below, with the skyline across the river switching on with it. The park’s surest dose of romance.

Summer water park and night sessions

The Maya Beach water park opens in summer and is where Chongqingers escape the heat. Night sessions often bring EDM parties and light shows; once the temperature drops, the park is actually nicer to wander than by day.

Different crowds, different plans

• Families: head straight to Dream Island and Dinosaur Forest, stroll Old Chongqing slowly, and skip the intense rides in the first two hours.
• Thrill-seekers: FlyOver first, then chase the biggest drops on the map.
• Photographers: Old Chongqing street scenes plus the Chongqing Eye at night — light is softest just before closing.

Practical information

• Address: 29 Jinyu Avenue, Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing
• Hours: usually 9:30–18:00; extended to 21:00 on weekends and holidays (check the official site)
• Getting there: Chongqing Rail Line 6 to Happy Valley Station, Exit 3A; or buses 848 / 849 to Happy Valley Station
• Tickets: adult ~200 yuan, child/senior ~130 yuan, night ticket ~100 yuan (prices float)
• Best season: spring and autumn are pleasant; summer night sessions are lively; some rides may close in winter for weather

A few tips

Weekends and holidays get crowded — use the park’s official app for live queue times and ride the spikes off-peak. With kids, enter at opening when lines are shortest. Night tickets are cheap but cover fewer rides; for the coasters, a day or full-day ticket is the better value.