Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wu Gorge
( Wu Xia) - the Gorge of Witches - is stunning, cloaked in green
and carpeted in shrubs, its cliffs frequently disappearing into ethereal layers of
mist. About 40km in length, its towering cliffs are topped by sharp, jagged
peaks on the northern bank.
At 80km,
Xiling Gorge
( Xiling Xia) is the longest and perhaps least im-
pressive gorge; sections of the gorge in the west have been submerged.
Apart from some of the top-end luxury cruises, most tour boats no longer
pass through the monumental
Three Gorges Dam
. The passenger ferries
and hydrofoils tend to finish (or begin) their journey at
Taiping Creek Port
(
Taipińgxi Gang), upstream from the dam. From here, two types of shuttle bus
wait to take you into Yichang (one hour). Ordinary tourist boats tend to use
Maoping Port
( Maoping Gang), from where you can at least see the dam,
and which is also connected to Yichang via shuttle buses.
BOATS
There are four categories of boats: luxury cruises, tourist boats, passenger
ships and hydrofoil.
Luxury Cruises
The most luxurious passage is on international-standard cruise ships
(haohua
youlun),
where maximum comfort and visibility accompany a leisurely agenda.
Trips typically depart Chongqing mid-evening and include shore visits to all the
major sights (Three Gorges Dam, Little Three Gorges et al), allowing time to
tour the attractions (often secondary to the scenery). Cabins have air-con, TV
(perhaps satellite), fridge/minibar and sometimes more. The average duration
for such a cruise is three nights and three to four days.
Tourist Boats
Typically departing from Chongqing at around 9pm, ordinary tourist cruise
ships
(putong youlun)
usually take just under 40 hours to reach Yichang (in-
