River Cruising In China

Yangtze River Cruises

There is an old song by Kay Kyser that starts out like this “I like to get you on a Slow Boat to China”. Well why not be on a slow boat on the Yangtze River instead. A Yangtze River cruise will take you through the cradle of China while giving you the opportunity to see some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable.
The Yangtze is the longest and greatest river in China. It is said to be the cradle of the Chinese Civilization. The ‘Ten Thousand Li River” flows 3915 miles from the snowy-white heights of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the East China Sea, just north of Shanghai. The Yangtze River goes by many local names but to the Chinese it is mostly known as the Chang Jiang (the Long River).
An old Chinese proverb is “If you haven’t traveled up the Chan Jiang, you haven’t been anywhere”. The Chan Jiang River winds through some of China’s most spectacular scenery. The Chan Jiang flows from the Western Wu Shan (Witch Mountains) and meets the world-famous Three Great Gorges, renowned for their dramatic beauty, cultural treasures, sacred and historical sites and now for the building of the Three Gorges Dam.
The stunning scenery makes The Three Gorges cruise along the Yangtze a “must do” alone or as part of a longer trip, particularly against the backdrop of the rising waters, newly navigable tributaries and of course the Three Gouges Dam itself. The Three Gorges dam is China’s largest hydroelectric power plant that will generate the equivalent of 15 nuclear plants and will control a centuries old problem of devastating floods and allow navigation well into the interior of China.
The Yangtze has always been one of China’s major means of transport, with a colorful and exciting history. Ships were hauled physically through some of the more perilous reaches by “trackers” while working from narrow paths cut into the steep cliff sides. The pilots and captains were renowned for picking their way thought the whirlpools, rocks and wildly fluctuating water levels, have achieved legendary status.
These days, however you can cruise in the lap of luxury on the Yangtze! Cruise tours offer ships and cruises for every taste and budget, ranging from five star luxury cruise ships through four and three star comfort to economical local ferries. Yangtze River cruises set sail from various ports and all offer shore excursions to the most interesting sites in China. For more information on Yangtze River cruises please visit my travel web site under Spring Tours.
Capt Bob