What to Expect on a Local Yangtze River Cruise in China

What to expect of a three-day Yangtze River cruise – a means of overland local travel in China, which is not a luxury experience.

For three nights and two days, I journeyed down the world’s third-largest river, which houses a third of China’s population on a local Yangtze River Cruise.

Within its winding gorges and cliffs on its 6,300km stretch, the Yangtze is a flowing history book. As a key focus of China’s heritage and a lifeline of its economy,  taking to the “Golden River” has become an established attraction on the travel trail.

The Yangtze River Cruise is an alternative means of travel to the train and overland routes a local would typically take. Most travellers will traverse the waters of Asia’s largest river the same way on one of the 60 or so Chinese and Western vessels on the waterways. 

Since only around a third of those are deemed luxury cruise liners, it is wise not to set your expectations too high. The term cruise, in this instance, does not denote high comfort unless you specifically pay hundreds of pounds for a more upper-class version of this route.

However, a local boat’s different levels of service, standards and basic amenities shouldn’t put you off going on a Yangtze River Cruise and experiencing China’s waterways. 

Planning a Yangtze River Cruise

How Long is a Yangtze River Cruise?

The full 2,253 km journey between Chongqing and Shanghai takes up to 11 days, but the most popular Yangtze River Cruise is the three to six-day option from Chongqing to Wuhan to visit the Three Gorges.

Where to Stay in Chongquing 

If you need to stay in Chongquing before boarding day, there are a few accommodation options. Opt for a little luxury in the Sheraton Chongqing Hotel, the mid-range Zou Qu Ye Travel Hotel or the Fangorn Hostel, which has private rooms and dorms. 

When is the Best Time to Take the Yangtze River Cruise?

The best time to take a Yangtze river cruise is in May and June, skipping July’s sweltering heat and humidity. The next best season is August, September and October, to catch even milder temperatures. However, this can lead to some cloudy and foggy days, as I experienced in October. 

What to Expect On Board a Chinese Cruise Liner

A standard Yangtze River Cruise boat requires stepping out of your comfort zone for a few days.

While I don’t mind roughing my way through a country on a budget, I tire of people who moan about something without researching beforehand, like some people on my boat.

You are travelling in China and they things differently to an average westerner. That includes the expectation of first-class service and extreme cleanliness. You won’t get this here since ‘clean’ by Chinese standards has a different meaning.

Our cabins were basic (if somewhat a little dirty) but bearable, and the toilet in the tiny bathroom was the squat kind with the showerhead hanging above it. The bar was simple and played host to China’s worst karaoke singers summoned for entertainment, and the food was overpriced and unexciting.

Regardless, we were there for the daily excursions and the views, not for the comfort. That should be at the forefront of your mind when undertaking this trip.

Preparing for a Chinese River Cruise

Stay Occupied

The basic set-up of any Chinese River Cruise, let alone a popular one like Yangtze River Cruise, can be difficult to deal with. Especially since you will spend a lot of time on the boat. Be sure to bring reading materials, Netflix downloads, snacks and other means to occupy yourself.

Make Your Fun

Long, life chats became the critical highlight in my cabin and beer was the evening saviour.

Pack Those Travel Essentials

For those who squeal at the sight of a slightly off-white bed sheet or old towels, bring a silk sleeping liner or a sleeping bag and microfibre travel towel. And pack the mosquito spray and hand sanitiser. 

Yangtze River Cruise Views

While my view was clouded with a fine coating of Chinese smog (which slightly ruined the experience) the high cliff faces that jutted out, the rock faces that lined the coastline and the pretty scattered towns that emerged from nowhere created a sporadic picturesque scene. Although the scenery becomes somewhat repetitive as time goes on.

At times I was transfixed, but overall I can’t wax lyrical about a romantic and astoundingly scenic route. The sheer size of the river and its strong flowing current becomes the more dominant and fascinating view of all, and the fact you are travelling on a world-renowned river.

What Do You Get To See on a Yangtze River Cruise? 

The daily organised stops and day trips from the boat provided me with the beauty and history fix I craved so it was worth jumping off when I could. Getting off at every stop on the Yangtze River Cruise isn’t compulsory, but I was often eager to stretch my legs and get out into the local towns.

All announcements are in Chinese with instrumental interludes, but timings for each excursion and later departures were listed on the board in the reception area. Do your research on each place or have a Lonely Planet at the ready since all cruise guides recite only in Chinese via annoyingly loud megaphones.

Boarding a local hand-paddled boat, my group visited the Three Little Gorges where we got up close to the magnificent and enclosed green surroundings. We drifted peacefully through the murky waters, past the misty wetlands and waded under draw-bridges that connected to hidden hilltop villages.

We also docked the following day at Fengdu Ghost City, nicknamed the City of Ghosts not because it’s abandoned, but because of the spiritual legends that exist here.

More so as you leisurely ascent the Ming Shan mountain. The legends include walking along a corridor without looking behind you, balancing on one foot for three seconds while looking straight ahead at a Buddha in a temple and being able to walk over a small bridge in either five or ten steps without stumbling over. If you fail in any of them, you are a terrible person.

The mighty Three Gorges Dam is at the Yichang end of the Yangtze River Cruise – the likely endpoint as many boats float downstream from Chongqing.

It’s impressive, even if you have to squint through the smog, but it’s one of those must-see things that you spend about five minutes marvelling at as it’s supposedly one of the largest hydroelectric power stations in the world.

I particularly liked the description etched in stone: “The construction of the Three Gorges project has made the long-cherished dream of the Chinese people come true.” I’m sure the Chinese people have been dreaming of much more than that, but at least it produces energy, prevents disastrous flooding and allows for safe travel along its wide-reaching waters.

Yangtze River Cruise Review – Is it Worth it?

Overall, a Yangtze River Cruise feels more like a rite of passage than an exceptional experience.

Sadly, much of the river is polluted, and the locals on board don’t help—I saw a few happily throwing their rubbish into the water. Also, swaths of the Yangtze are off-limits due to preservation measures in place. Therefore, you don’t get on land that much.

You hardly see local life from the boat as the towns are hilltop high and out of reach. With much of China, substantial construction is also in constant view, including high-rises and massive half-built bridges.

The Yangtze River Cruise may not be the most exciting and spectacular thing you ever do, but it’s certainly a relaxing break from the chaos of the mainland. If you love travelling on local transport, the cruise is a great way to travel through a stretch of China alongside its extensive train system and other overland routes.

The trip is a convenient source to get you from one major travel hub to another, whether going downstream from Chongqing to Yichang or the other way around.

You won’t be disappointed if you don’t raise your expectations too high. You will enjoy the peaceful surroundings and the time to recharge your batteries. Just don’t expect the service you receive from a cruise liner at home.

More on China Travel

For more insight into travel in China, see my full list of articles here, including time spent in Beijing, Shanghai and Dali. 

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