Chongqing

Perched on steep hills overlooking the confluence of two rivers, Chongqing is one of China's more unusual cities. Dusty grey tenements and shining office towers cling to the precipitous hillsides that make up much of the city centre.

Another unique aspect is the absence of bicycles. There's barely a cyclist to be found, as the hill climbs make it coronary country for any would-be rider. More shocking: in 1997 the city banned outright the use of car horns to improve noise pollution on the congested peninsula.

Chongquing is the largest city in the Sichuan area, formally part of Sichuan province, but was elevated to become a Municipal Chingqing City. (4 municipal cities in PR China are Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing).