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A China Cabinet of Choices: You Can Still Cruise the Dammed Yangtze on any of these Recommended Operators

One of the new wonders of the modern world, the Three Gorges Dam on China's mighty Yangtze River, will soon reach another marker in its slow progress from inception to completion, and tourism in the region will inevitably change.

Water began to run through the dam's sluice gates for the first time on the morning of November 5, 2002, when the temporary diversion channel was fully blocked. The major part of the huge dam has already been constructed, and now, the balance will be built across the former diversion channel. The construction project, the largest in the world at this time, is a fantastic sight by itself, and is featured on the famous Yangtze cruises operated by several travel companies.

From now through June 1, 2003, authorities say, the scenery along the river and its gorges will remain the same. Then, for a period of two weeks, the water levels are scheduled to rise at a rate of 5 meters (about 15 feet) a day. At the time of writing, nobody has yet determined what will happen to river cruise boats during this two-week period.

From now through mid June, some cruises will run between Maoping (just southwest of the dam site) to Chongqing (the former Chungking), in both directions. From June, final construction of the dam is expected to last six years, the third stage in its creation. Permanent ship locks should be ready by July 15, 2003, after which cruises over the former route (Wuhan to Chongqing and vice-versa) will resume.

Although the water level along the river and gorges will rise to a maximum of 80 meters (about 250 feet) above the present mark, much will remain to be seen, say tourism officials. The length of the Yangtze from Chongqing in the west to Wuhan in the east encompasses a gradual drop in altitude, from 1,000 meters (about 3,000 feet) above sea level down to the East China Sea itself-- 3,720 miles to the east of the river's origin! The water levels of the dam when completed in 2009 will be only 175 meters (about 525 feet) above sea level, so much of the spectacular scenery will remain, officials say.

Some 39 of the 108 historical objects and sites in the Three Gorges will be submerged when the dam is complete. Several will be moved and relocated elsewhere, one example being the Zhang Fei Temple in Yunyang. Larry Greenman, manager of public relations for Victoria Cruises, says that since mountain peaks and cliffs in the Three Gorges are between several hundred and more than 1,000 meters high, "most picturesque spots will not be impacted beyond the disappearance of a few plank roads and water-eroded caves."

Part of the famous ghost town of Fengdu will be submerged, a sorry fact indeed. But there is a little good news: the higher water levels will actually allow tourists to reach parts of the river that were previously not accessible, to travel further into the Small Three Gorges, for instance. The dam will itself become a major tourist attraction. Built to control the river's terrible floods, the project will also generate power, benefit navigation, and provide better water supply to the nation.

It's hard to predict the weather, especially on the notoriously gloomy Yangtze, which seems to catch clouds and dump their water on unsuspecting passengers even in the "best" travel months. Seasoned visitors say that spring and fall are best for weather here, but my trip in June (on the cusp between spring and summer) was well-sprinkled on, almost daily. Winter is best avoided, as sun may be elusive and it can be cold in the upper reaches of the river. If I had it to do over, I would pick autumn.

Victoria Cruises

The preeminent fleet of boats providing service to foreign tourists along the river is Victoria Cruises, used by several package tour operators. In business since 1994 and based in New York, the firm is U.S.-managed and operates "the largest fleet of vessels sustaining international standards of quality and comfort on the Yangtze." In 2003, the line will offer four- to nine-day itineraries for journeys downstream or upstream between Chongqing and Nanjing, or ones that begin and end in Wuhan. For more information, contact them at 800/348-8084 or 212/818-1680, fax 212/818-9889. E-mail them at contact@victoriacruises.com or visit www.victoriacruises.com.

Pacific Delight Tours

Working with Victoria Cruises, Pacific Delight Tours, which says it is "the largest provider of escorted and independent tours to China, the Orient and Southeast Asia," has an 18-day Grand Yangtze River SuperValue package, priced from $2,725 per person (sharing a double room). This includes a cruise between Nanjing and Chongqing (upstream or downstream) plus stays in Beijing, Shanghai and Xian, the Big Three of Chinese sightseeing targets.

You spend three nights in Beijing, two nights (upstream itinerary) or three nights (downstream itinerary) in marvelous Shanghai, and two nights in Xian, with accommodations in deluxe hotels. The upstream journey also includes one night in Nanjing. Sightseeing is included in all the cities mentioned, and the upstream package also features Suzhou (formerly Soochow).

The eight-night Yangtze River excursions on a Victoria boat sail upstream between Nanjing and Chongqing or downstream between the same two cities. Cruise highlights include a tour of the Three Gorges Dam Site and sailing through the Three Gorges (Qutang, Wu and Xiling). Also included are roundtrip transpacific airfare on Northwest Airlines from Los Angeles, all intra-China air/land transportation, 16 breakfasts, 15 lunches (upstream) or 14 lunches (downstream), and 15 dinners, roundtrip transfers between airport, hotels and cruise ship and all baggage handling, hotel taxes and service charges.

For the 18-day upstream trip, you pay from $2,725 to $2,925, with departures from Los Angeles on these Sundays in 2003: April 13, May 11, June 8, June 22, July 6, September 7, September 21 September 28, October 5, October 12, October 19 and November 2.

For the 18-day downstream trip, the prices are $2,765 to $2,995, with departures from Los Angeles on these Thursdays in 2003: April 10, May 8, June 5, June 19, July 3, September 4, September 18, September 25, October 2, October 9, October 16 and October 30.

Domestic add-on airfares are available from dozens of gateways in the USA. For more information or to make reservations, contact your local travel agent or Pacific Delight Tours, phone 800/221-7179 or 212/818-1781, Web site www.pacificdelighttours.com.

Ritz Tours

Ritz, a New York-based firm that specializes in China, is offering a downstream Majestic Yangtze River 19 Day Tour, costing from $2,899 per person, sharing a double room. The package includes roundtrip transpacific airfare from Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York (JFK) on either Air China, Cathay Pacific Airways or American Airlines; luxury hotel accommodation (five-star hotels in four of the five cities visited), sightseeing tours by air-conditioned bus, three meals a day for the entire trip (except for the free day in Beijing and the entire stay in Hong Kong). Meal details: a full American breakfast or buffet breakfast each morning, Chinese or Western dinners in the hotels or at local restaurants, local specialty dinners in two cities (a Peking Duck banquet in Beijing, and an Imperial Dumpling banquet in Xian). Also included is entertainment, an acrobatics show in Beijing, a "Stage Show of the Tang Dynasty" in Xian, and a local minority folklore music & dance show in Guilin.

You spend four nights in Beijing at the five-star Crowne Plaza Hotel, during which time you visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace, as well as journey to the Great Wall and the Ming Tomb Museum.

Then you fly to Xian, the most important starting point of the Silk Road, where you visit the Terra Cotta Warriors, the City Wall and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, including two nights in the five-star Hyatt Regency. Then you fly to Chongqing, now the biggest city in China (in terms of land mass), which you tour briefly before boarding your Victoria Cruises ship. You'll spend the first night in port and the next four nights drifting down the river. From the ship, and depending on the nature of the river during the dam construction project vicissitudes, you make stops at the Ghost City of Fengdu, cruise the Three Gorges, and explore a tributary and the dam itself. You tour Wuhan after disembarking, spending the night there, then leaving for Shanghai, where you spend three nights at the five-star Hilton International.

In Shanghai you visit the Yu Garden, the Bund and the Nanjing Road shopping area, and perhaps take an optional tour to Suzhou, "the Venice of the East." The next day, fly to Guilin, where you visit the Reed Flute Cave and cruise the Li River through the fantastic rock formations made famous by generations of Chinese landscape painters. (Two nights at the five-star Royal Garden Hotel.) Finally, you fly to Hong Kong, where you spend four nights (at the Hyatt Regency Hotel), with a half-day city tour and lots of free time for shopping and good eating, not to mention sightseeing on your own.

Ritz has an optional three-night Bangkok Extension, should you wish to see more of the East. For more information and to make reservations, contact Ritz Tours at 212/973-1998 or ny@ritztours.com, Web site www.ritztours.com.

Additional Choices

Two other firms to check out are China Focus Travel (tel. 888/688-1898, www.chinafocustravel.com) offering 13-, 15-, 19- and 22-day river tours starting from $1,999 and, for the more active traveler, Intrepid Travel (tel. 866/944 3900, www.intrepidtravel.com), which has a 15-day Beijing to Shanghai via the Three Gorges (on smaller boats) from $1,100.


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