Waterways in China

China has 110,000 kilometers of navigable rivers, streams, lakes, and canals, more than any country in the world. Construction of new railways and highways has diminished the utility of China’s rivers for passenger transport. Nonetheless, passenger boats are still popular in some mountainous regions, such as Western Hubei and Chongqing (the Three Gorges area), where railways are few and road access to many towns is inconvenient. Choosing a cruise ship as the vehicle to go out for travel in China, you can have a special enjoyment and experience, as well as enjoy the interesting and beautiful scenery along the river.

1. Main Navigable Rivers in China

The main navigable rivers are the Heilongjiang River, Yangtze River, Xiang River – a short branch of the Yangtze, Pearl River, Huangpu River, Lijiang River and Xi Jiang. Ships of up to 10,000 tons can navigate more than 1,000 km (621 mi) on the Yangtze as far as Wuhan. Ships of 1,000 tons can navigate from Wuhan to Chongqing, another 1,286 km (799 mi) upstream. The Grand Canal is the world’s longest canal at 1,794 km (1,115 mi) and serves 17 cities between Beijing and Hangzhou. It links five major rivers: the Haihe, Huai River, Yellow River, Qiantang, and Yangtze.

2. Most Popular China Cruise

Yangtze River Cruise

A Yangtze cruise, ordinarily between Chongqing and Yichang, a total of 193 km, is a journey to visit the most attractive parts of the Yangtze River. The highlights of a Yangtze cruise includes: sailing across the natural wonder – Three Gorges, visiting Three Gorges Dam – the world-largest dam, exploring the authentic lives of local people & culture, etc. Scenery en route are hundreds of relic and cultural sights and breath-taking natural attractions.

Li River Cruise

Covering 84 kilometers waterway from Guilin to Yangshuo, Guilin Li River Cruise is a wonderful experience to enjoy Karst landscape in southern China. The landscape of Li River usually reputed as the symbol of the natural landscape in China. On comfortable cruise ship, travelers will be marveled at the green mountains, strange caves, cormorant fishing scenes and tranquil villages. A visit to Guilin without Li River Cruise would not be complete.

Grand Canal Cruise

Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is the longest man-made river in the world. Scenery on the way is mainly the unique water villages in south China such like Wuzhen, Zhouzhuang and Tongli and China’s rolling tranquil countryside. The 146.6km Suzhou-Hangzhou section of the Grand Canal, enabling the passenger to feast his eye on the natural beauty of this water-bound land south of the Yangtze River.

Hupu River Cruise

With a total length of 113 kilometers, Huangpu River is the mother river of Shanghai. You can take the Huangpu river cruise to see the modern building complexes of Shanghai, the beautiful view of the Bund, the Oriental Pearl TV Towerand the Pudong New Area. The whole cruise takes about 45 minutes.

Pearl River

The Pearl River is the general name of the three rivers, Xijiang, Dongjiang, Beijiang and other tributaries collecting the pearl river delta. It is China’s third longest river after the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. The pearl river flows through Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Guangdong, finally into the South Sea. When tour Guangzhou, night cruise along the Pearl River is the highlight and the don’t-miss activity.