The 14 Best China River Cruises

1.Huangpu Night Cruise: Cozy Vibe & Modern Shanghai Glow

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 520 reviews · 1 day · from $21Our pick

Cruise the Huangpu River for about 45 minutes, passing the Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and other riverside landmarks. Choose a daytime or evening departure, then select indoor, semi-open, or open-air viewing areas. English-speaking staff are available on major boats, but you must exchange your voucher for a paper ticket at the pier.

“An exellent view on the night city especially if you get a place on the upper deck. Tasty dishes.”

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2.Shanghai Night River Cruise Tour with Xinjiang Style Dining Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 324 reviews · from $155Top rated

Spend about three hours seeing Shanghai by private car, Huangpu River boat, and local Xinjiang restaurant. Guides such as Caroline, Queena, Kalvin, and Kiki provide English support, explain the Bund skyline, translate the menu, and help order halal dishes including big plate chicken, lamb kebabs, naan, and yogurt. Dinner is served on land, not aboard the boat.

“The view from the boat was great, saw many scenic views up and down the Huangpu river. Our guide Kalvin was very friendly and knowledgeable, gave us history of many buildings along the route.”

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3.Night River Cruise Tour with Xinjiang Style Dining

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 210 reviews · 3 hours · from $153

Spend three hours seeing Shanghai by night from the Huangpu River, with private hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, and a Xinjiang-style halal dinner. Guides such as Caroline, Queena, Snow, and Berlin are praised for city history, menu help, and photo tips. The evening suits first-time visitors and anyone short on time.

“Queena was an outstanding, customer-oriented tour guide who truly went above and beyond. Her flexibility and dedication made our tour exceptional. Thanks to her, my wife and I had an unforgettable experience. She treated us like family and made us feel incredibly welcomed. Queena is truly remarkable, and I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone looking for a great tour guide. In fact, I believe she deserves to be nominated as the best tour guide of the year! The night river tour was phenomenal you should do it.”

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4.Private Evening Tour: VIP Huangpu River Cruise and Shanghai Lights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 150 reviews · from $128

Join a private evening tour of Shanghai with hotel pickup, a VIP Huangpu River cruise, and guided stops at Yuyuan Old Street, Lujiazui, and Xintiandi. Guides such as Autumn, Mary, Tom, Linda, and Roy are praised for clear English, local insight, and excellent photos. You can return to your hotel or continue your night in the city.

“Mary was our guide, she was gave us a great experience. Spoke very good English. I am glad we were in the VIP section of the boat, it was very full!!”

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5.1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 148 reviews · from $209

This 8 to 9-hour private day trip pairs a four-hour Li River cruise with an English-speaking guide, onboard Chinese buffet lunch, Yangshuo countryside touring, and free time on West Street. Your guide and chauffeur handle hotel pickup, dock transfers, and the return drive to Guilin. Tony is one guide named in a detailed tour account.

“1-Day Guilin Tour to Reed Flute Cave, Xianggong Hill, Bamboo Boat & Night Show This tour was truly amazing, made even more special by our excellent English-speaking guide, Mr. Jeff. He is caring, attentive, and took very good care of us Read more”

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6.4 Star Luxury Li River Cruise with Buffet Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 80 reviews · 4 hours · from $92

Start with downtown Guilin hotel pickup, ride to Zhujiang Pier, and spend about four hours cruising to Yangshuo on a comfortable four-star boat. You will see pillar-shaped karst peaks, farms, villages, bamboo groves, and waterfalls from indoor seating or the observation deck. A Chinese or Western buffet lunch is included. No English-speaking guide is provided.

“Loved it but would have preferred a Chinese/ English speaking guide to have information as we cruise. With the qr code it was a bit difficult to follow. Eventually is quite expensive for just a car ride to the pier and the cruise. With an English speaking crew that explain ms the scenery and the traditions of the areas we see it could have been more value for money.”

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7.Two Rivers Night Cruise- Yangtze & Jialing Rivers

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 64 reviews · 1 day · from $38

Board near Hongyadong Pier for a 45-minute evening cruise on Chongqing’s Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. You’ll see the city’s illuminated towers, river junction, Grand Theatre, and natural riverbanks from the water. Onboard commentary adds context, though English announcements are not guaranteed. Bring your passport and arrive early for the best place to stand.

“The cruise was very nice and I would recommend to buy the vip package for 80 Yuan on board.”

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8.Li River Cruise and Yangshuo Private Day Tour from Guilin

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 53 reviews · from $132

Spend about four hours on the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo, passing Xingping Old Town and famous limestone peaks. An English-speaking guide handles pickup and transfers, while lunch is served aboard the boat. In Yangshuo, explore West Street independently or arrange your own bike ride, bamboo rafting, or evening show.

“This is a must do. The guide, Fifi, called me at the hotel the night before to make sure we knew where to meet. She spoke great English and made sure we made it. The river cruise is amazing.”

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9.Pearl River 1-hour Night Cruise (Optional Piers)

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 39 reviews · 1 day · from $15Best value

Take a 40-minute Pearl River night cruise through Guangzhou, with open-air seating and six possible piers. Choose a departure near Canton Tower, Haixinsha, Beijing Road, Shamian, or the Canton Fair area. Expect skyline views, illuminated landmarks, and a paper-ticket exchange at most piers. Check your email for the exact pier and sailing time.

“magnifique moment même s'il faisait très froid. Un peu compliqué à trouver le point de départ.”

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10.Guangzhou Pearl River Night Cruise and Canton Tower Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · from $140

Meet your English-speaking guide, often Damon or Zack, for a private Guangzhou evening. Depending on your package, you can pair a Pearl River cruise with Canton Tower’s 108th-floor view, a Cantonese dim sum dinner, and short walks around Huacheng Square, Haixin Bridge, and Haixinsha Park. Hotel pickup and drop-off keep the night simple.

“Great tour of Guangzhou by Zack! As foodies, we opted for our own itinerary which included both food and sightseeing and Zack took it all in stride! We ate our fill at the best local dimsim restaurant and other culinary delights Guangzhou haRead more”

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11.Private day tour :Guilin-LiRiver bamboo boat-Yangshuo Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews

This private Guilin tour packs Reed Flute Cave, Daxu Ancient Town, a one-hour electric bamboo boat ride on the Li River, Xianggong Hill, and Impression Sanjie Liu into one long day. An English-speaking guide such as Jerry or Jeff handles transport and local explanations for your group of up to four.

“Unforgettable day. Jerry and his team did an amazing job!!! He gave us recommendations based on our preferences to make most of our time in Guilin. Jerry always available for any questions. He also helped us to book the transportation froRead more”

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12.4D3N Yangtze River Victoria Cruise: Chongqing to Yichang

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 9 reviews · 4 hours - 4 days · from $647

Spend three nights aboard a Victoria Cruises ship sailing from Chongqing to Yichang. You will pass through the Three Gorges, visit Shuang Gui Mount, Shennv Stream, and the Three Gorges Dam, and enjoy meals, shore tours, and onboard activities. Andy Guilin is the local contact for booking questions and trip details.

“Amazing cruise! Everything was well organized, the rooms were great and the staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful.”

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13.Chongqing Night Tour: River Cruise and Hidden Views

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $142

Meet your multilingual guide at Linjiangmen Station for a three-hour Chongqing night outing. Walk through neon-lit Hongya Cave, take an approximate 45-minute cruise on the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, and visit lesser-known viewpoints. Hao may lead the experience, and taxi fees plus bottled water are included.

“This evening tour was an absolute highlight of our trip to China - Hongyadong was magical at night, like stepping into a glowing fairytale. The energy at Guanyinqiao Bridge was electric, buzzing with neon and locals - highly recommended for those want to escape the heat in the morning and enjoy the city.”

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14.Chengdu: JinJiang River Night Cruise Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2 reviews · 2 hours · from $38

Board at Dongmen Wharf for a 30-minute evening cruise on the JinJiang River. You’ll pass the 1,200-year-old meeting point of the Fu and Nan Rivers and glide under Anshun Covered Bridge in a glass-enclosed boat with heated seats. The Chinese-speaking host assists with boarding, and the small group is limited to 10 people.

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