Here you are, thinking that you’re too cool for cruising and yet, here Yangtze River is to prove you wrong. You’re still cool don’t worry. It’s just that in this epic destination, so is cruising. The longest river in all of China and the third longest river in the world, Yangtze makes for a great bucket-list stop for any superlative lovers. And let’s face it, that’s all of us.
It may have some stiff competition, but these dramatic, deep cut gorges are some of earth’s best. And meandering its way through China’s heartland for a mighty 6,300 km, there’s plenty of sights to go round – the mountains are gigantic, the culture is rich and the river winding. Labelling the endless scenery ‘picturesque’ would be but an understatement.
But you’re never going to travel it in full. We mean, you could, but there’s really no need, because travelling from Chongqing to Yichang – or vice versa – is where it’s at. Passing through the renowned Three Gorges, this is considered by many to be the most scenic section of the river, and well, who are we to argue? And aren’t you lucky to be able to journey along it. Once too dangerous to navigate and now one of the most sought-after spots of the river, this portion of water owes a lot of thanks to a record holder in itself, the fairly recently constructed Three Gorges Dam. Because – as if you needed anymore – Three Gorges is the biggest dam in the world, didn’t you know.
Sleepy, yet powerfully compelling, this is the ‘Mother River’ as far as the Chinese are concerned. It’s China’s throbbing heart, its spiritual soul and its natural divider for centuries – a cruise on the Yangtze is a journey along China’s most vital vein.
