One of the most popular activities in China is a Yangtze River cruise. Although some cruises start or end at Shanghai the most common cruise is from Yichang to Chongqing. Upstream starts from Yichang and downstream from Chongqing.
There are a number of different cruise companies that operate this sector with the season running from mid March to late November. The main cruise companies are Victoria Cruises, President and Century Star and some of these offer cruises in combination with visits to other major tourist places such as Xian, Kunming and Beijing.
Although most passengers fly in (or come by bus or train) to start their cruises it is worthwhile to spend a day or so at each end port – Yichang and Chongqing.
Yichang is the smaller of the two with an urban population of around 1.5 million. It is one of the busiest ports on the Yangtze although the day I visited there were not many ships plying the river apart from some small fishing craft. I was surprised to see two men swimming in the murky waters and a few brave souls washing clothes. It is now becomingan increasingly important road and rail hub.
The central city is compact with a few major roads criss-crossing the city. Although there are new, tall office buildings with more being constructed close to the river it has the air of a country town. Most of the shops are small with only a few of the international brand names apparent and most of these are food places like Pizza Hut.
There are a couple of large parks in the centre of the city and in one of these we found a group of older citizens ballroom dancing to music blaring out from a tape deck. There were amused and I think appreciative glances when my wife and I joined in for a while – we are better at dancing than tai chi which has its own group.
ballroom dancing in city park, Yichang
As a sign of the modernity of China I noted that the wide cycle paths on the edge of the main streets were practically deserted as people move away from bicycles to motor bikes and more and more cars. The dress, particularly of the younger people, was typical of youngsters all over the world and many were eating out throughout the day. We had a meal at a Pizza Hut which was very busy with a large number of staff who treated us like royalty.
In the park which stretches along the river bank Khenjiang Tower is a lovely multi-storeyed pavilion typical of many similar pavilions and temples along the Yangtze. Many children were playing in the park anxiously watched over by grandparents while the parents work – nowadays a common sight in China.
Khenjiang Tower, Yichang
The airport at Yichang is about 26km from the city and buses and taxes can take you to downtown where there are a range of hotels available. A downside for the independent western tourist is tate not many of the locals speak English which can be a problem eg I had difficulty in confirming the departure point of my cruise as it had recently changed to a new location.
Chongqing is a much larger city with an urban population of over 6 million. Although located in Sichuan province it is part of a larger municipality created in 1997 with a total population of over 33 million controlled directly by Beijing. Situated at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers it is a major industrial and economic centre on the upper reaches of the Yangtze.
The city area is perched on a hilltop promontory overlooking the confluence of the rivers and Chaotianmen Square at the end of the promontory is a popular place for locals to gather and watch the passing river traffic.
The central part of the city and its main shopping plazas is a hive of activity with lots of construction and reconstruction. Old buildings are being replaced with new hotels and shops – I noted Tiffany’s and Louis Vuitton boutiques due to open soon – and there is major activity in creating pedestrian only streets. The speed of laying the paving stones is remarkable. Five star hotels include international names such as Intercontinental, JW Marriott, Sofitel, Ramada Plaza and Crowne Plaza as well as many Chinese owned properties.
Although big brand names are everywhere there are still many older style shopping areas full of tiny shops selling every conceivable item. There is also a large supermarket of the French group Carrefours which sells a huge range of groceries and fresh produce and also has a good selection of wine which is becoming increasingly popular in China.
In the middle of all this business activity on Minzu Road it the 27m high People’s Liberation Monument built to commemorate victory over the Japanese in World War II. The top of the monument contains a large clock and the base is surrounded by colourful flowers and it provides a focal point for your bearings when exploring the city area.
People’s Liberation Monument, Chongqing
There are a number of excellent museums in Chongqing including the China Three Gorges Museum and a Folk Medicine Museum. The Museum of Natural History contains some dinosaur remains found locally. An unusual museum is the General Joseph W Stilwell Museum located in the residence he operated from for two years from 1942 when commander in chief of the American Army in the China Burma India theatre.
There are numerous temples throughout the city. In the midst of the bustling downtown area is Arhat Temple which was originally built over 1000 years ago but the current building dates from 1945. Devotees line up at stalls outside to buy incense and ‘gifts’ for the temple that contains important steles and cliff inscriptions and a Depository of Buddhist Texts.
Arhat Temple, Chongqing
If you have the time the hour long trip out to the ancient village of Ciqikou in the western part of Chongqing on the Jialing River. Narrow streets and lanes have been preserved; the town is famous for porcelain although these days it is a popular place to relax and enjoy the local cuisine. Chongqing cuisine like that of the rest of Sichuan is spicy and hot.
Perched on a hill top it is quite a ‘climb’ from your cruise ship to the city streets. Porters carry your bags up steep steps to waiting taxis and coaches, the bags tied by ropes strung on poles. It was amazing to see out three bags all tied together carried by two porters who made a real production out of their efforts.
The international airport is about 15km from the city centre and a taxi will cost you only about $8. The trip takes you past huge numbers of towering residential blocks housing the large population of Chongqing.
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