On a slow boat to China… Yangtze River

After reading my first posting about river cruises, many of my customers had a complete change of mind about this kind of cruises. They thought river cruises are for senior people only. The truth is that river cruises are a very good option for all ages.

This article is about a very interesting river cruise, a bit far away. Today we sail the Yangtze river in China.

There is an old saying – “On a slow boat to China” – well, why not relax on a slow boat on the beautiful Yangtze River. 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 mighty Yangtze, largest river in China, is said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. The ‘Ten Thousand Li River’ flows 6.300 kilometers from the snowy heights of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the East China Sea, just north of Shanghai. It goes by many local names, but to the Chinese it is most common name is simply Chang Jiang (Long River).
An old saying goes “If you haven’t traveled up Chang Jiang, you haven’t been anywhere” because the river winds through some of China’s most spectacular scenery. In the western Wu Shan (Witch Mountains) it meets the world-famous Three Gorges renowned for their dramatic beauty, cultural treasures, religious and historical sites, and most recently for the building of the controversial Three Gorges Dam.

The stunning scenery makes the Three Gorges cruise along the Yangtze a ‘must do’, either alone or as part of a longer trip.The Rising waters means that some sights have been lost but the phenomena has created newly navigable tributaries with amazing new sights and of course, the Dam itself, which is due for completion in 2009. The world’s largest hydroelectric power plant will generate the equivalent of 15 nuclear plants, control the centuries-old problem of devastating floods and allow navigation well into the interior. (25% of China’s ocean cargo enters the river between Shanghai and the sea.)

Chang Jiang has always been a major means of transport and has a colorful and exciting history. Ships were pulled by hand through some of the more dangerous reaches by ‘trackers’ working from narrow paths cut into the steep cliffsides.The pilots and captains that picked their way through the whirlpools, rocks and wildly fluctuating water levels have achieved legendary status.

These days, however, you can cruise the Yangtze in comfort and take in various sites and shore excursions along the way. The following are the attractions between Chonqing and Yichang listed from west to east: Chongqing, Fengdu, Zhongxian, Shibaozhai, Wanxian, Yunyang, Fengjie, Badong, Zigui, Maoping, Yichang, Plus Three Gorges, Lesser Three Gorges , Shennong Stream, Three Gorges Dam. If you choose to continue to Wuhan, there are will be more attractions to visit including Yueyang & Yellow Crane Tower. By cruising all the way to Shanghai, you will be able to do shore excursion to Nanjing and Yellow Mountain.

Apart from the beautiful Scenery, you will enjoy a lot from the particular local culture like: Burial Custom, Festivals, Ghost City, Peddlers, Relics, Remains and the Trackers.

We at http://www.cruise.co.uk  have lots of information to assist you in selecting the right cruise for you. We also offer ships and cruises for every taste and budget, ranging from five star luxury through four and three star comfort to economical local ferries. Ships sail between Chongqing, Yichang, Wuhan and Shanghai.

We will do our best to serve your needs.