Every summer vacation, people are struggling with whether to take their children on a trip, and this year is no exception. The current hot summer is one of the main reasons. Secondly, children need a companion to travel with, and it would be even better if they could arrange a family trip together. Additionally, adults need to be able to take their holidays together. These various problems have been troubling me, and in the end, I decided to go on a budget trip with my own family. After years of scouting and online exploration, I personally customized a self guided tour of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. Starting from Chaozhou, I took a train directly to Wuhan, stayed in Wuhan for one day, took a high-speed train to Yichang, then took a cruise to Chongqing, stayed in Chongqing for three days, and returned by plane, with a total of nine days.

1、 The specific itinerary is as follows:

On the first day (Saturday, August 16th), the Chaozhou Wuchang express train departed at 17:35 pm and stayed overnight in a soft sleeper.

On the second day (Sunday, August 17th) at noon, lunch will be held at Yonghe Restaurant at Wuchang Railway Station. Afterwards, we arrived at the Homeless Shouyi Store in Wuhan, paused for a moment, and then went on a tour of Hubei Provincial Museum, Hankou Jiangtan, Guanggu Pedestrian Street, and had dinner.

On the 3rd to 7th day (August 18-22, Monday to Friday), in the morning, visit the Wuchang Uprising Museum and Memorial Hall, with a distant view of the Yellow Crane Tower. In the afternoon, visit Guqin Terrace and Guiyuan Temple, and arrive at Hankou Railway Station. McDonald's and Yonghe Restaurant at the station provide supplementary meals.

Take the Hankou to Yichang high-speed train, departing at 15:06 and arriving at Yichang East Railway Station at 17:08. Have a simple dinner at the station.

At 6 pm, the travel company will send a car to the East Railway Station to pick up the cruise ship Golden No. 5. 19 day tour of the Three Gorges Dam, morning tours of Xiaosanxia and Xiaosanxia on the 20th, afternoon tour of Fengdu Ghost City on the 21st, and self guided boat tours at other times.

In addition, there are self paid points arranged for the cruise ship, and Three Gorges Family and Baidicheng did not participate.

On the 7th day (Friday, August 22nd), after breakfast at 8am, I left the ship and joined a tour group to participate in a one-day trip to Chongqing. After being picked up by a tourism company, I went to the Grand Hall, Yangtze River Cableway, Huguang Guild Hall, Zhazidong, Baigongguan, Ciqikou, and Hongyadong. I then moved into the rooftop hotel and visited the Hongyadong commercial district for dinner.

On the 8th day, I joined a VIP one-day tour in Wulong, visiting Tiankeng and Dijian scenic spots. I returned to the city at 5pm and disbanded at Jiaochangkou at 8pm. Stay overnight at the Hilton hotel.

On the 9th day, you can visit Ciqikou again at 11:00 a.m., return to the city at 3:00 p.m. to visit Monument to the people's Liberation, take Metro Line 3 to the airport, and then return to Jieyang Chaoshan Airport - Chaozhou on the evening flight.

2、 Cost: Approximately 12750 yuan per family (excluding shopping).

Two adults and one child, with a height of 125CM and under 12 years old, require a half fare for both trains and planes, free admission for scenic spots and batteries, and a full fare for cable cars.

（1） Transportation cost 9548.5 yuan

Departure: Soft sleeper train to Wuhan, adult ticket about 460 yuan, total price 1009 yuan; The train from Wuhan to Yichang costs 102 yuan for first class seats for adults and 53.5 yuan for children, with a total price of 257.5 yuan.

In the middle: Three Gorges Cruise Golden No. 5, Yichang Shangshui Chongqing Xiashui for five days and four nights, cruise includes food, accommodation, play, and free scenic spots, adult 2450 yuan, child 500 yuan, total price 5400 yuan.

Return flight: The flight from Jiangbei, Chongqing to Jieyang Chaoshan Airport is discounted by 918 yuan for adults and 810 yuan for children, with a total price of 2646 yuan.

The total cost for public transportation, subway, and taxi between Wuhan and Chongqing city is 176 yuan.

Others: ① Self paid electric scooters in scenic areas: Hankou Jiangtan, Wulong Tiankeng, and Three Gorges Dam cost a total of 90 yuan (ticket price is 15 yuan/person); ② Yangtze River Cableway: 60 yuan/3 pieces

（2） Accommodation costs 916 yuan

One night in Wuhan, the group purchase price of Home Inn is 119 yuan

Two nights in Chongqing, the rooftop hotel in Hongyadong commercial district costs 408 yuan (35 yuan cashback), and the Hilton hotel near Lianglukou costs 424 yuan.

（3） Group membership: 1453 yuan

Chongqing one-day tour: 38 yuan per person, same size and price, a total of 114 yuan (3 yuan rebate)

Wulong one-day tour: 359 yuan per person, with a refund of 95 yuan for children, totaling 982 yuan

Small Three Gorges self funded tour: 120 yuan per person, with the same price for the same size, totaling 360 yuan.

（4） Meal costs 524 yuan

Wuhan: about 286 yuan, Chongqing: about 238 yuan. The group and cruise ship offer meals included.

（5） Self purchased scenic spot tickets: Guqin Terrace 30 yuan/2, Guiyuan Temple 30 yuan/2.

（6） Donation, worship, and photography: 40+100+30 yuan.

（7） Shopping and others.

3、 Tourist attractions (in order of visit)

（1） Wuhan

1. Hubei Provincial Museum

I personally think it should be considered a relatively large museum in China, slightly behind the National Museum and Shaanxi Museum. Through the collection of cultural relics, one can learn about the ancient civilization of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in China. The highlights of the viewing are the treasures of the Four Great Temples, including the Warring States Chime Bell, the Yue State Sword, the Yuan Dynasty Blue and White Porcelain, and the fossilized skull of primitive humans. In addition, you can also listen to the performance of the ancient musical instrument - the Warring States Chime Bell, for an additional fee of 15 yuan per person.

We went to the first attraction after leaving the hotel for a trip, mainly considering the summer weather and the air conditioning inside the museum. After the tour, we could also visit the art museum and Donghu Lake together. However, it was almost 4 o'clock when we arrived and the bell chime performance had ended, which was a bit regrettable. When we were going to see the art museum, we also stopped entering. The main purpose of visiting these two places was to broaden the children's horizons. And the children in Donghu Park are not very interested, and since there are no cherry blossoms to watch now, it's nothing. After watching this, we will head straight to the Hankou River beach.

2. Hankou River Beach

The Hankou River beach in history is a symbol of the prosperity and decline of the "Great Wuhan", with many Western style ancient buildings, the most prominent of which is the Jianghan Pass Building. On one side of the riverbank is the open riverbank park, which is about 7 kilometers long. Citizens often come here to enjoy the river breeze, play with pulleys, fly kites, etc. It is a place for leisure and cooling off.

We took the battery car for a turn. Personally, we felt that we could not compare with the Bund in Shanghai, nor the White Swan area in Guangzhou, or the small waist area in the Pearl River New City, or the Xinghai Music City area. In fact, we felt that it was not as good as our riverside promenade, but the Hankou River Beach was a bit long. However, I heard that the night view is very beautiful and there are bars where you can savor it slowly. But when we get hungry, we rush to Guanggu (there is actually Jianghan Road Pedestrian Street nearby, but when we come out, we find that we still need to walk a little to eat).

3. World City · Optics Valley Pedestrian Street

It is Optics Valley Square, similar to Tianhe City in Guangzhou, but the newly built planning and construction are somewhat westernized, including modern style streets, Spanish style streets, Italian style streets, French style streets, and Nordic style streets. Starting from the Triumphal Arch, a symbol of European culture, from east to west, it is followed by Rhine Square, Dusseldorf Square, Caesar Square in Rome, Juliet Wedding Square, MonteNapoleonic Square, Berlin Square, Picasso Square, Spain Square, Bullfighter Square, and sunken squares.

Here, you can experience the architecture and cuisine of various countries around the world, as well as the fashion and trendy elements of the city. It's a great place to stroll around at night, and children love this kind of place. We also tried Korean cuisine here.
4. Wuchang Uprising Memorial Hall, Revolution Museum, Shouyi Square

The predecessor of the Wuchang Uprising Memorial Hall was the Hubei Consultative Bureau in the late Qing Dynasty. It is located in Yuemachang, Wuchang District, adjacent to the Yellow Crane Tower to the west and the Snake Mountain to the north. It was first built in 1909 and its main site is a small building with red walls and tiles, known as the Red Chamber in Wuhan. It is a two-story brick and wood Western style building, with an architectural style completely based on modern Western countries' parliamentary buildings. On October 10, 1911, the first shot of the Xinhai Revolution was fired in Wuchang, marking the overthrow of a feudal dynasty that had lasted for over two thousand years. After the success of the Wuchang Uprising, the revolutionary party established a military government here, namely the Hubei Military Governor's Office, which temporarily acted as the "Central Government of the Republic of China".

The Shouyi Square is a square commemorating the Wuchang Uprising, and the Xinhai Revolution Museum was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Wuchang Shouyi Uprising. It is worth visiting the Memorial Hall, which is an official historical relic. The above three places are all together, and they are also near where we live. We walked around these places after the rain in the morning, and then took a photo under the Yellow Crane Tower but didn't go up. The main building is still under maintenance, and the admission fee is 80 yuan per person, which is even more attractive than our Xiangzi Bridge. However, the Yellow Crane Tower is a landmark attraction in Wuhan. Because we had already seen it before the New Year, we didn't want to get closer, and the children weren't very interested. So we took the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge and crossed the other end. Across the bridge is Guishan Park and the TV observation tower, which looks very beautiful. But we didn't go down and went to the Guqin Terrace instead.

5. Guqin Platform

Also known as Yu Boya Terrace, it is located on the east bank of Moon Lake at the western foot of Guishan Mountain in Hanyang. It was built during the Northern Song Dynasty to commemorate the story of Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi's encounter with a kindred spirit on high mountains and flowing water.

According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn Period, the qin player Yu Boya of the State of Chu played the qin here to express his feelings. The woodcutter Zhong Ziqi on the mountain could recognize its rhythm and knew that its aspirations were in high mountains and flowing waters. Boya regarded Ziqi as a confidant. A few years later, Boya passed by Guishan again and learned that Ziqi had passed away. Overwhelmed with grief, he broke the strings of his qin and never played again. Later generations felt his deep friendship and built a platform here to commemorate him.

In the qin stage, there is a rich cultural connotation and an artistic atmosphere. Listening quietly to the sound of traditional Chinese music such as the qin and guzheng is very charming. If you could come and make Gongfu tea again, it would be even more comfortable. But the place is not big, and there is still time to visit after visiting this place. So, we followed the introduction of a local person we met and went to another nearby scenic spot to play.

6. Guiyuan Temple

Located in Hanyang District, founded in the 15th year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1658), it is one of the most important temples in Wuhan. However, it is no different from other temples in China. The purpose of going to this place is to seek peace and a pleasant journey outside. Secondly, it is near the Guqin Terrace and not far from Hankou Station.

The most distinctive feature of Guiyuan Temple is the 500 golden Arhat in the Arhat Hall. Before the taxi driver arrived, he introduced us to count the Arhat. When he stopped counting inadvertently, he looked at the Arhat. He remembered the name and number of the Arhat and asked for a visa at the exit. Someone would untie the visa for you (extra charge is required for untiring the visa), but we did not understand.

Travel advice: The most famous attraction in Wuhan is the Yellow Crane Tower, along with other attractions such as Donghu Lake and Hubu Lane. However, I have been there before and have not visited again. Suggestions for accommodation: Firstly, there are many attractions near Yuemachang, including Shouyi Square, Yellow Crane Tower, and Wuchang Railway Station; How about near the Provincial Museum, where there are art museums and attractions such as Donghu Lake; Or the Guanggu or Jianghan Road Pedestrian Street along Metro Line 2, which has subway connections to Hankou Station and Wuchang Station.

（2） Three Gorges of the Yangtze River

7. Three Gorges Dam

It is currently the largest water conservancy project and the largest hydropower station in the world. The dam includes three scenic spots: Tanziling, 185 platform (viewing point), and the diversion memorial park. We only visited the first two, and as for the scene of dam crest flood discharge, we usually cannot see it.

I went to visit at 2 pm that day, and the sun was shining brightly. Fortunately, there was an escalator that went straight to Tanziling, and there was also a way down to Platform 185. However, in hot weather, I had to switch to an electric scooter. The feeling after visiting is that the country is too powerful. The Three Gorges Project is indeed spectacular and has benefited millions of people in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, no longer worrying about floods every year.

At Tanziling, you can also see the bi-directional five level ship lock known as the "Fourth Gorge of the Yangtze River". Ships on the Yangtze River use this lock to travel between the upstream and downstream of the dam. And we will pass by the cruise ship tonight, right after dinner. It will take about two hours to pass through these five levels, and many people are watching from the deck.

8. Wushan Xiaosanxia and Xiaosanxia

Xiaosanxia is the general term for Longmen Gorge, Bawu Gorge, and Dicui Gorge located in Wushan County, downstream of the Daning River, a tributary of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. In the canyon, there are peculiar peaks and steep mountains, clear springs and waterfalls, as well as historical relics such as Ba people's hanging coffins, boat coffins, and ancient villages that have been preserved for thousands of years. However, we only see one hanging coffin from a distance.

The Little Three Gorges of the Madu River is located on a tributary of the Dicui Gorge of the Daning River, consisting of the Three Supports Gorge, the Qin King Gorge, and the Changtan Gorge. Compared to the Xiaosanxia of the Daning River, the mountains here are higher, the gorge is narrower, and the water is smaller. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the boat with a smaller one. As the boat travels, the sound of playing the flute or the local Ba people singing mountain songs can be heard from both sides. In addition, the boatman on the small boat will explain and sing folk songs to the tourists. During the trip, we also donated 20 yuan in exchange for two keychains.

9. Fengdu Ghost City

Fengdu Famous Mountain is located in Fengdu County on the north bank of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in Chongqing, and has a unique cultural connotation of gods and ghosts. Mingshan is known as the Ghost Kingdom, which refers to the place where people come after death to listen to the judgment of the King of Hell and then decide on the fate of their souls. The buildings here are mainly blue in color, with temples and statues of gods, pavilions and towers standing on the mountain, and according to the setting of the Ghost Kingdom, there are Naihe Bridge, Guimen Pass, Wangxiangtai, Jade Emperor Hall, and eighteen levels of hell.

We have passed the first three levels, and the tour guide said that the absence of blushing and rapid heartbeat during these three levels proves that we have not done anything wrong. There are also two little ghosts holding axes to guard the crossing of the Naihe Bridge. The Wa boy Hei Buluo Jiu, who was invited from Yunnan, is indeed like a demon. As a couple, we have to hold hands and look at each other to cross the bridge, saying that we will only be together again in the next life.

Travel advice: The Three Gorges refers to the section of the Yangtze River from Xiling Gorge in Yichang to Wu Gorge in Wushan and Qutang Gorge in front of Baidi City. There are many historical sites in this area, and cruise tours are easy. If you want to explore in depth, you may have to take another land tour along both sides of the Yangtze River in N years, such as Qu Yuan's hometown and Zhaojun's hometown in Hubei, Yunyang Zhangfei Temple in Chongqing, Three Gorges Ticheng, Shennv Peak, Shennong River, Shibao Village, underwater museum, etc. Visiting the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River in November every year and seeing the red leaves on both sides of the mountains will give a different feeling, but taking a cruise may be a bit cold. Additionally, it is recommended to hire local speedboats from Wushan for a more enjoyable trip to Xiaosanxia and Xiaosanxia, as the three hour round trip and changing boats without taking any route may seem boring.

（3） Chongqing
10. Yangtze River Cableway

It is a cableway across the river from the city center. It is said that there is only one cableway across the Yangtze River in China. Later, it was discovered that tourists also like to take the cableway to enjoy the scenery on both sides of the river. This is mainly because many movies, including "Crazy Stone," have shown Guo Tao taking this cableway across the river, which has gradually become a scenic spot. Local residents hold a bus card for 3 yuan per trip, while ordinary tourists charge 10 yuan per trip. If they don't come back, they will have to pay 20 yuan.

It is recommended not to participate in this point, but the tour guide will advise. Each cableway cabin is like a bus cabin, with a capacity of 20 people at a time, and during peak tourist seasons when there are too many people and it's too crowded, it's even more inconvenient for those with children.

11. People's Great Hall

This tourist group is only for the appearance, and you have to buy a ticket for 10 yuan to visit. However, there is also a display of Chongqing's intangible cultural heritage nearby, so it is also good to go in and learn about the characteristic industries and products of various parts of Chongqing. In fact, at the end of the day, it's just a shopping spot for tourism, but the products sold are unique. In addition, specialty foods are cheaper than any other point or supermarket in the city, which makes us want to buy but not many. We are afraid of bringing too much, which is inconvenient. Later, the vegetarian meat we wanted to eat became expensive at the airport.
12. Huguang Guild Hall

Also known as the Yuwang Temple, it is a collective term for the ancient architectural complex of the early Qing Dynasty, including the Guangdong Public Office, Qi'an Public Office, and Yuwang Palace. It is currently the largest ancient guild hall complex in the central urban areas of China.

The guild hall was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and was expanded by Daoguang. It was a gathering place for Hubei and Hunan merchants in Chongqing. In history, Chongqing had a prosperous economy and developed trade, attracting a large number of merchants from other places to enter. Merchants from various regions opened guilds in Chongqing. At that time, the larger ones were the Huguang Guild Hall, Jiangxi Guild Hall, Guangdong Guild Hall, Shaanxi Guild Hall, Fujian Guild Hall, Yungui Guild Hall, Shanxi Guild Hall, and Tongqing Guild Hall, which were the famous Eight Provinces Guild Hall in Chongqing. The architectural complex where these guilds are concentrated is now collectively known as the Huguang Guild Hall.
In fact, during the Qing Dynasty, there was a history of Hubei and Guangxi filling Sichuan, which resulted in many guilds there. In fact, there were descendants of Guangdong people or our Chaozhou people in the Sichuan Sichuan region.

13. Zhou Junji Hot Pot Industrial Park

It is an industrial tourist attraction, which is the production base of Zhou Junji hotpot ingredients and related products. A one-day tour in Chongqing usually invites tourists to dine there, with a self-service hotpot priced at 68 yuan and a shopping supermarket inside.

It can be considered a unique experience of Chongqing tourism, but the factory is not very good and we are not sure if it has any benefits. However, tourists can earn a lot from their meals every day. Since it is an industrial tourist destination, we need to keep it tidy and tidy, which feels much worse than visiting our ceramic factory.

14. Zhazidong and Baigongguan

Zhazidong is located at the foot of Geleshan Mountain in the suburbs of Chongqing. It was originally a small coal mine for manual coal mining and was named after its large amount of slag and small amount of coal. In 1938, it was transformed into a secret prison by the Nationalist secret service to detain and persecute revolutionaries.

The Bai Mansion was originally the villa of Sichuan warlord Bai Ju, and began to be used as a secret prison for political prisoners by the Nationalist secret service in 1938. After the establishment of the Sino US Special Technical Cooperation Institute in 1943, the Bai Mansion was converted into a guesthouse, and its detainees were relocated to the nearby Zhazidong. The famous novel 'Red Rock' comes from here, telling the child that Little Radish Head is imprisoned here, but she hasn't read the book yet. In fact, patriotic generals such as Huang Xiansheng, Tongji University President Zhou Junshi, patriotic figure Liao Chengzhi, Communist Party member Song Qiyun, and Xu Linxia (the parents of Little Radish Head) have all been imprisoned here.

These two points are located at both ends of Geleshan, with nearby Hongyan Square and Martyrs Cemetery, forming a red tourism route. Southwest University of Political Science and Law is also located there.

15. Touching mouth

Ciqikou Ancient Town is located in Shapingba District, west of the main urban area, and is named after its production of porcelain. The ancient town faces the Jialing River in the east. It was a very busy land and water wharf at that time. It was called the place where the old lady with two guns landed. Mao Xuewang, a thousand pieces of stewed soft soup, and Fried Dough Twists with pepper and salt were the three treasures. Later, with the development of roads, the wharf gradually failed. Today's Ciqikou has become an ancient style of Ming and Qing dynasties. It sells special small commodities. Usually, tourists are very crowded. In particular, there are many shops selling Chen Fried Dough Twists. It seems that people are queuing up to buy the most authentic ones, but I don't think so.

Of course, it's also great to have time to soak in tea houses here, listen to Sichuan opera, eat local snacks, and experience the customs and traditions of 'Old Chongqing'. There is also a thousand year old temple near the ancient town - Baolun Temple, where incense is offered and blessings are prayed for. It is said that Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty once lived in seclusion here.

We spent forty minutes on a day trip here, and when we were about to return, we saw someone tying braids for a girl on the street, which made us addicted. As a result, on our last day, we took the subway to stroll around. The ancient town offers free admission, which is much more generous compared to many ancient villages in China that often charge 80 yuan for admission.

16. Hongya Cave

It is located in the riverside area where Monument to the people's Liberation Cangbai Road, the Yangtze River and Jialing River meet in the core business circle of Chongqing. With the style of "stilted building" that has the most traditional architectural characteristics of Bayu as the main body, it is built along the river and along the mountain. It has a tourist attraction, commercial leisure and urban culture in one. In this 13 story stilted house complex, Ba Shu folk customs are ubiquitous and distinctive, making it worth a visit for tourists from other places, especially the beautiful night view. The four parts of Zhiyan River Bar Street, Tiancheng Lane Ba Yu Style Street, Feast Food Street, and Exotic City Balcony blend all the fashionable elements of Hongya Cave.

The one-day tour usually ends here and allows tourists to freely go shopping. The hotel we booked happened to be at the disbandment point by the river, and after settling in, we went to stroll and eat just right. Half of the 13 story stilted houses are Hongyadong Hotel, which is also a good place to stay.
17. Wulong Tiankeng and Dijian
Tiankeng, also known as Tiansheng Sanqiao, is located near Walnut Township in Wulong County and belongs to a typical karst landform. The Tiansheng Three Bridges consist of three natural stone arch bridges: Tianlong Bridge, Qinglong Bridge, and Heilong Bridge. The three bridges are arranged longitudinally and cross the Yangshui River Canyon in parallel. The span and distance of the stone bridges from the bottom of the canyon are both over 100 meters, making it the largest natural bridge group in Asia. Three stone bridges connect the mountains on both sides of the canyon, forming a landscape of "three bridges sandwiching two pits". The highlight of the sinkhole is the outdoor location in director Zhang Yimou's "Curse of the Golden Flower" and also the filming location for the American blockbuster "Transformers".

Longshui Gorge is located in Xiannvshan Town, Wulong County. The canyon is 5 kilometers long and 200-500 meters deep, with a grand scale, majestic atmosphere, and features of grandeur, danger, steepness, and beauty. The scenic area consists of three sections: the entrance fissure, the middle hole, and the exit isthmus.

Two scenic spots and Xiannv Mountain form the core scenic area of Wulong, and tickets need to be purchased separately. Generally, tickets are purchased at the tourist center in Xiannv Town, and there is a bus transfer to each scenic spot. We signed up for a one-day tour, which is more convenient and much more affordable than before. It is recommended to join a group tour to visit this place, as it is the same for all. The travel agency bought a 40% discount ticket, which costs about 300 yuan for two points. VIP groups charge 359 yuan, including 25 yuan for meals, while regular groups only cost 309 yuan per person. The special line ticket from the city to Wulong costs 60 yuan per person, which is not worth it in the past.

Travel advice: Wulong is worth visiting, as the sinkholes and fissures are stunning. However, it is far from the city center, and it takes at least three hours to drive from Yuzhong District in Chongqing to Wulong County to the mountain attractions. If you have time, it is recommended to sign up for a two-day tour. There are many hotels and villas on the mountain, and you can also watch the Wulong landscape performance. If you change the tourist attractions to Xiannv Mountain Grassland, sinkholes, and Furong Cave, you can avoid many similar attractions in China. In addition, those who like historical sites can go to see Dazu Rock Carvings when they have time, which is also quite famous, and it is said that it is also beautiful.

4、 Travel experience

This is a route that is more suitable for family and parent-child travel, as well as for taking parents and elderly people on trips. The itinerary is relatively relaxed and comfortable, and the entire journey is semi independent, often allowing people to sleep until they wake up naturally. Wuhan is a day of independent travel, while Chongqing is a day of pure shopping. Except for Wulong, which requires getting up early, the rest of the time is relatively free and relaxed. The whole trip is not too rushed or tiring, and the fun is also enjoyable.

I did my homework before this trip, the itinerary was well-designed, the expenses were kept simple, and the travel process went smoothly without any delays. I even took a flight ten minutes early. During the journey, I experienced various modes of transportation such as train sleeper, high-speed trains, airplanes, cruise ships, boats, and canopies, as well as the city's buses, subways, and more.

Although it was summer, the weather we encountered during our journey was also very good. The original furnace city Wuhan is not hot anymore, mainly because there has been a lot of rainfall there this year. The temperature on the cruise ship is generally within 30 degrees Celsius for a few days, and the interior is fully air-conditioned. The top deck on the ship is also relatively cool in the morning and evening; There are two scenic spots, the Three Gorges Dam and Fengdu Ghost City. It's a bit sunny to travel after lunch, especially when the temperature on the dam is 30 degrees Celsius, which is a bit high. However, it's not difficult to climb up with an escalator, but there aren't many bare trees on it, which feels very sunny. During the three days in Chongqing, the temperature was basically within 25 degrees Celsius. Wearing short sleeves and shorts was just right, and the temperature dropped a few more degrees on Wulong Mountain. However, because I had been walking for a long time, I didn't feel cold. After walking for two scenic spots and four hours on the mountain road, I didn't sweat and felt very cool.

The route is not hard to walk. The scenic spots of the cruise ship are all the essence of the scenic spot, with the nature of enjoyment. The distance to walk is not long. In other times, you can play tai chi, bask in the sun, watch the scenery on the top deck of the ship, or chat, play cards, drink coffee (tea) in the Sunshine Cafe for free. My daughter also swam in the small swimming pool twice on the cruise ship, watched Frozen and Transformers 4 in the cinema, and met a little girl from Beijing who was the same age on the cruise ship. Later, the two of them had a great time playing together. Drinking beer and watching performances in the cruise bar at night can be said to be a relatively relaxed and comfortable life on a cruise ship. In addition, due to its large size of around 17500 tons, the cruise ship travels smoothly and without any disturbance, and one may not even know that the ship is in motion when sleeping.

The one-day tour of Chongqing city in the later stage was a bit superficial, but it was not difficult. The advantage was that the city's attractions were basically swept away; The one-day tour organized by Wulong takes four and a half hours to play at two different points. The sinkholes and crevices are located in the scenic area, and one can take the elevator straight down for about 200 meters. Then, walking down the mountain and flat roads for about two kilometers without any uphill steps is not tiring at all.

Wuhan and Chongqing are two cities with low consumption, even in high-end commercial pedestrian streets, they are similar to Guangzhou Beijing Road and our new bridge east, far less than Guangzhou Tianhe City, Zhengjia, Taikoo Hui or Shenzhen Wanda Plaza, Yitian Square, etc. Both cities are building subways, and they are in a mess. They don't feel like a metropolis. In particular, Chongqing's dark places are very dirty and bad. The roads are not wide and there are often traffic jams. Personally, Wuhan is 10 years behind Guangzhou in urban construction, and Chongqing is 12 years behind. However, Monument to the people's Liberation Crossroads in Chongqing are more like a metropolis. I heard that Nan'an New Area is also very beautiful. Chongqing's Sichuan hotpot is very famous, with spicy and hot pot flavors everywhere; But Wuhan is full of duck necks. Zhouhei duck and Jingwu Duck Head are very famous.

The Three Gorges of the Yangtze River are no longer as magnificent as imagined. Due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam and Gezhou Dam, the high gorge has become a flat lake, causing the water level to rise. It is said that the highest point has risen by about 175 meters, turning the original boats at the bottom of the mountain into walking halfway up the mountain, making the mountain peaks look very common. In addition, many of the original historical sites have been submerged underwater and cannot be seen. There are also no visible boatmen pulling fibers or hearing the chirping of apes on both sides now, which seems to be much inferior. Unfortunately, I have not been there before the river closure in 2003. However, the rise in water level has also created the popularity of the Little Three Gorges and Little Three Gorges. For example, the Little Three Gorges used to be a constantly flowing stream, but now it has become a rapids; Another thing is that after the diversion, the small county towns in the Three Gorges area have set off a new chapter of construction. Now, new cities have been built on the mountainside or mountaintop, each built as beautiful as Little Hong Kong, such as Wu County, Fengjie County, Fengdu County, Fuling District, etc. It feels more beautiful than many big cities now.

5、 Travel experience.

1. Advance booking, advance departure.

This trip is a chain reaction, so we cannot delay it, otherwise it will affect the next node of travel, and the plan will be chaotic. Travel early so that time is not too rushed. In addition, arrive at the station or airport early and have time to browse the shops or have a meal there. Time can easily pass, especially for larger train stations or airports where procedures such as security checks or ticket collection take some time. In addition, if we arrive early, there are free photo opportunities at Hankou Railway Station and Jiangbei Airport in Chongqing. It is also enjoyable to take a family photo when we have time.

Advance booking can save a lot of costs For example, although air tickets are during the peak season of summer, you can book them at a 40% discount, and during the off-season they are basically 50% off, which is very cost-effective. There are three flights a day from Chongqing to Jieyang, with two of them stopping in Changsha or Guilin in between. We have booked a direct two-hour flight Train tickets can only be booked in advance for soft sleeper or first-class seats on high-speed trains. For example, at a small train station in Chaozhou, the soft sleeper on a train usually only has four seats in one carriage, and cannot be booked without more than half a month in advance The same goes for cruise ships. Booking in advance can generally be 50 to 100 yuan cheaper. For some, like the Century Cruise series, booking each ticket more than 20 days in advance can be 300 yuan cheaper Booking a hotel in advance allows you to find a suitable one, and booking in advance is also cheap. For example, if you book a room at home for a group purchase of 119 yuan per room, the price in front of your door is nearly 200 yuan; Chongqing Rooftop Hotel, book in advance for a balcony room with river views; Hilton offers discounts of over a hundred yuan per room for those that cannot be cancelled if booked more than two days in advance In addition, VIP groups also need to be booked at least two days in advance. For general city tours, booking one day in advance is sufficient. For example, we booked one person online for 38 yuan, while booking through the travel agency by phone is 88 yuan per person. For those recruited by the side of the tour wheel or booked at the front desk of the travel agency, the price is 128 yuan per person (including meals for 15 yuan), so the price also varies greatly.

Once the itinerary is designed, we can book what needs to be booked. For example, before we travel, we have already paid more than 10000 yuan to book tickets, ships, plane tickets, and group bookings, and then travel according to the plan. This way, we don't have to bring too much cash when traveling. Of course, if you have made a reservation, don't change the date. Changing the date will incur a lot of additional costs. For example, changing a cruise ticket costs 500 yuan, which is quite a lot for a family.

Booking for this trip: Train tickets can be booked through 12306 on your mobile phone, and flight tickets and hotels can be booked through Ctrip on your mobile phone. After booking, you can swipe your ticket at the station. The cruise ship is booked through the online Tmall Sichuan Tour Travel Agency. Chongqing Tour and Wulong Tour are booked from Chongqing Hanglv Travel Agency. After booking, the seller will send a text message to inform and arrange for pick-up and drop off one day in advance before the official trip.

2. Cruise guide.

The Three Gorges section of the Yangtze River is the only inland cruise route in China, with five days and four nights of sailing upstream from Yichang to Chongqing and four days and three nights of sailing downstream from Chongqing to Yichang. All ships have the same water and upstream prices, including three meals and three free scenic spots. The free scenic spots of each cruise ship are slightly different.

It is said that the best cruise ships on the Yangtze River are the Discovery (price unknown) and Century series (3000-3100 yuan), followed by the Golden (2450-2500 yuan), the President (2150 yuan), then the Victoria and Kai brands (both 1750 yuan), as well as the Oriental Emperor, Yangtze River, and ordinary ships. The fee is calculated on a per person basis. A good ticket costs several thousand yuan, but a suitable one seems to be around 400 yuan. Depending on the peak and off peak seasons, high-end cruise ships will be 300 yuan cheaper if they arrive more than 20 days in advance. For example, a ticket for the Century in September during the off-season can be as low as 2050 yuan, which is much cheaper than the 2450 yuan for the Golden Ship and slightly better in class. (The above prices are all summer prices, with slight differences in prices at different times)

We are on the Golden 5, a so-called five-star cruise ship. Personally, I think the cruise hall has five stars, the rooms look like four stars, and the restaurant only has three stars. The meals in the restaurant are all buffet style, full and the dishes are ordinary, and the dishes are not refined enough. The last night is a side meal, and the dishes are fine, but there are too many. There are more than twenty dishes on one table, which feels a bit wasteful. The supporting facilities of cruise ships, such as cinemas, bars and sunny cafes, pedestrian streets, gyms, etc., are all good. It is best to have a caf é because it is completely free and comfortable to sit in. The swimming pool and surfing pool are a bit small and only suitable for children to play.

Many expenses on the cruise ship are too high-end. Popcorn in the bar costs 30 yuan, the sesame room costs 80 yuan per hour, and a movie ticket costs 35 yuan. The drinks in the bar are reasonable, such as the family happy package we booked in advance, which includes 15 servings of beer and juice for 300 yuan, as well as 5 movie tickets. We also reserve a table for watching the performances of the cruise ship employees every day. Without a reserved table, some people cannot sit. Cruise check-in procedures can upgrade rooms, with one room upgraded to one floor for 300 yuan. Dining in VIP rooms with scenic views will be charged 300 yuan per person. In addition, wireless signals are not provided on the cruise ship, and if you want to use them, you have to pay a fee and it is very expensive. Fortunately, we bring our own wireless devices.

Some fees are a bit tricky, like adding attractions for sightseeing. The price for the Three Gorges family is 280 yuan, the price for Baidicheng is 280 yuan, and the price for Xiaoxia Three Gorges is 120 yuan. Moreover, children under 120 cm in height are only half the price. For example, my child is 124 cm tall. Normally, we didn't need to buy a ticket to bring in most scenic spots, including when we signed up for the Wulong tour. We agreed not to buy a ticket, but if it was necessary, we would pay for it ourselves. But it's not possible on a cruise ship, it has to be calculated as an adult price, so adding a scenic spot is not worth it. Adding a scenic spot for a family costs 840 yuan. There are also additional scenic spots that can be visited for about two hours at a time. After visiting the essence part of the tour, no one else has taken it there. For example, the Three Gorges People's Scenic Area has a package to take the cableway to the people on the mountain, to visit the people at the foot of the mountain, and then to the people in the mountain. But the cruise ship only went to the most unattractive mountain people's stilted building upstream of the river, and charged 280 yuan per person. However, in Yichang's local travel agency, it costs 190 yuan per person to take you from the urban area to the scenic spot an hour's drive away. All three parts of the tour can take a day to go back and forth, and the ticket price of the scenic spot is 220 yuan. Fortunately, we had been there before, so we didn't participate in the additional tour. Later, we added the Little Three Gorges, and the ticket to Baidicheng was 120 yuan, Ctrip booked it in advance for 105 yuan, and the cruise ship was charged 280 yuan.

3. The place of failure

One reason is that the reservation for the Home Inn was unsuccessful. The group purchase price of 119 yuan was very cheap, but there were no good products due to the lack of money, which misled the reviews on Ctrip. The hotel is about 800 meters away from the bus station and also a certain distance away from the subway station. If it is inconvenient to travel, one always has to take a taxi. Additionally, the nearby subway is under construction, which is even more inconvenient. Moreover, the hotel is located on an inner road, and many taxi drivers do not know where to go, always circling around nearby.

The second reason is that the one-day tour in Chongqing is a regular group tour, with a tight schedule and many crowded participants. The bus conditions are poor, making the trip uncomfortable. It is recommended that those who pursue tourism quality should sign up for VIP groups, but it seems that there are no VIP group recommendations for one-day tours in Chongqing.

5、 Travel Attention

① It is recommended to bring your own wireless signal device. Wireless signals are not provided on cruise ships, and Hilton hotels charge 120 yuan per day for use; It is recommended to bring a night vision telescope, which can be used for sightseeing on a cruise ship or for watching immersive mountain and water performances; Children who want to swim need to wear swimsuits and goggles.

② When waiting in line for a taxi at Wuchang Station, those who are called to take the taxi outside will be charged an additional 20 yuan, while others will be charged according to the meter. Some people who do not want to queue will be deceived. It turns out that I took you to the outside road to call a taxi for you, and I tricked you for 20 yuan without any negotiation. We fell for it. It seems that every train station in a city is a place of deceit and fraud. This statement is true.

③ When I was visiting the Little Three Gorges, I took a boat ride back for too long and bought two packs of Tujia chicken cubes from the local tour guide for 100 yuan each. Later, when I arrived in Chongqing, the tour guide also recommended it. It was produced by the same factory and only sold for 50 yuan per pack, so I bought two more packs.

6、 Based on it

① The above itinerary is for reference only. Travel photos can be found on QQ space 55525105, all taken on mobile phones.

② For those who pursue high-quality tourism, it is recommended to book the Century Cruise at least 20 days in advance. The Wulong Tour offers a two-day group stay in the mountains, and the return to the city is before 4 o'clock. You can take the evening flight back to Jieyang.

③ Shopping: Each has their own preferences. Chongqing's vegetarian meat, also known as tofu jerky, is delicious in small packages with various flavors and can be torn by hand. Especially the beef flavor tastes very similar to steak in Western restaurants, and Tujia ecological chicken is also popular among children. Both of these have a spicy flavor. The stones in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River are also very beautiful, with various colors. Jewelry made of stones that you like can be bought without being expensive.

④ If you don't want to take the train to Wuhan for 18 hours, you can change to a plane, with two flights a day and affordable ticket prices. Book in advance for about 600 yuan; There are also direct flights to Yichang Three Gorges Airport, but they have to go from Xiamen. We consider that the plane will arrive at night. Wuhan Tianhe Airport is several tens of kilometers away from the city center and there is no subway. It is a bit troublesome to transfer to hotels in the city. If we take the train, we can go for sightseeing at noon the next day. In addition, if there are many people taking the train, choosing a soft sleeper private room is actually very comfortable.

⑤ For those who are accustomed to taking trains, there are now direct flights from Chaozhou to Chongqing North, with hard seats costing around 290 yuan. If you want to save money, you can consider it. And the soft sleeper costs 863 yuan, which is about the same as a plane ticket.