China Cruise of Shanghai's Huangpu River

One of the best activities to do when you are in China is to take a cruise of one of its amazing rivers. If you are in Shanghai, a China cruise of the Huangpu River is highly recommended.

The Huangpu River is Shanghai's shipping channel both to the opening of the Yangtze River and to the East China Sea. The Huangpu River also separates the eastern and western sides of Shanghai, which many consider to be symbolic of Shanghai's history and its future. West Shanghai is home to 19th century landmarks that point to the city's past struggles while East Shanghai's landscape is filled with modern high-rise office buildings, hotels and entertainment areas, all pointing to the fact that Shanghai is China's financial center. A tour of Huangpu River is a memorable China cruise that will give the visitor the chance to observe closely the river that is vital to one of the world's fastest-developing cities.

There are several options for a China cruise of the Huangpu River. One way to truly appreciate this river is to take a three-hour tour along it going to the Yangtze River's mouth and then back. On this China cruise, you will marvel at the magnificence of the Bund - Shanghai's waterfront that is the city's symbol to the world. As you go along the river, you will pass by exceptional architecture such as the Jin Mao Tower, the Peace Hotel, the Oriental Pearl Tower and a host of other attractive industrial structures. Aside from these, you would also pass Suzhou Creek, which is spanned by the historical Waibaidu Bridge.

North of this creek are old warehouses that make up much of the Hongkou and Yangpu Districts. Then, the ship will take you to the shipyards, where you can observe the loading and unloading of freighters from all over the world. You will also pass by the Yangpu Bridge, which is a large cable bridge with the longest span worldwide. This China cruise will amaze you with the traffic on the river - ships, barges, fishing boats, rowboats. Lastly, this China cruise will take you to the mouth of China's biggest river, Yangtze River from where the boat will slowly turn around for the return trip.

The main company operating this particular China cruise is Shanghai Huangpu River Cruise Company. They have daily 3-hour afternoon cruises of the Huangpu River from 2pm to 5pm. This China cruise costs anywhere from $6 to $13 dollars, with the most expensive tickets reserved for the best seats and views on the top deck with drinks and snacks included.

There are also Huangpu River cruises for shorter periods of time, about an hour or two, that will take you along the major waterfront in between the northern Yangpu Qiao bridge and southern Nanpu Qiao bridge. There is also a 30-minute Huangpu River tour from Pudong. The schedules of the cruises vary from season to season so tourists are advised to check the schedules ahead.