Taking a boat down the Yangzi River through the heart of China is a great, if very Chinese, experience.
The Yangzi is the longest and mightiest river in China, and the 3rd longest in the world. This part of the trip focuses only on the journey from Chongqing – a giant of a city with 31m people – to Yichang further to the east in a route that is around 20km and takes around 40 hours / 3 nights (leaving Chongqing in the evening).
The impossibly steep sides of the canyons, the beauty of the Little Three Gorges, and the ghost towns formed by the world’s largest dam make this a truly unforgettable experience. Truly mega wow. The only reason it doesn’t get the top wow score is just how busy it gets. But, hey, that makes it a true Chinese experience!
Tip #1 – take time to shop around for the right cruise companies
You’ve broadly got two categories of options:
- International cruise companies – high level standard and expect to pay US$500-US$800 for a cabin in 2025 prices.
- Local cruise companies – 100% catered towards the Chinese market. This means public tannoy systems, early starts, the classic megaphone-flag-style tours and typically more crowded. Bear in mind that the average Chinese person has ZERO understanding of personal space) compared to what you are used to.
We went with the local boat option because we were living in China at the time, a bit money conscious and wanted the full blown experience. On balance, I’d say that if you can afford it, go with the international cruise company. I’m hesitant to say it is “better”, but you’ll most likely have a more relaxing and serene experience . . . without the megaphones and not having to wait for your ears to recover.
Tip #2 – triple check what you are paying for with the cruise company.
The key things to check are:
- Individual tickets to the individual temples along the way – they are a bit dull and samesy after a while and you can buy the tickets when there.
- If the cruise includes a trip through the Little Three Gorges – the international ones will, but the local Chinese ones will often expect you to have arranged and paid for it.
The route map down the Three Gorges – from Chongqing to Yichang