China · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS
This is the shortlist to send a friend: 15 cruises & boat tours worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
7-hour Lantau Island tour with an exclusive dolphin-watching cruise, Big Buddha, Tai O village, snacks, and optional cable car views.
“Grace was so friendly and she made the tour amusing and interesting. Really useful when new to hong kong. would recommend to anyone who wants to have overview of lantsu island.”
A private half-day Shanghai tour to Zhujiajiao Water Town with hotel pickup, guided market and bridge stroll, and a canal boat ride.
“Snow provided a comprehensive tour of Zhujiajiao. She was punctual and accommodating and friendly to my family. Appreciative!”
Huangpu night cruise with 360-degree views of the Bund and Lujiazui, holiday lights, three decks, and optional upgrades.
“It was an amazing experience from start to end. Really enjoyed the beautiful buildings on both sides of Huangpu River at night. Just a smooth ride.”
A 5-hour private Zhujiajiao tour from Shanghai with a canal boat ride and Kezhi Garden visit, plus an English-speaking guide.
“Our tour with Clair was fantastic. The transportation to the water village was smooth and very comfortable. We walked through the various shops, toured the private garden, and took a boat ride. Clair shared so much information with us about history and culture, she was an excellent guide.”
Private Zhujiajiao tour from Shanghai with an English guide, Ming-Qing bridges, street snacks, and a canal boat ride plus hotel transfers.
“Beata our Guide was absolute fabulous. The agency offered us a German speaking guide, cause he saw that we were from Germany and Switzerland, although we had booked an English tour. Very nice from them. We highly recommend this tour to everybody.”
Cruise Shanghai’s Huangpu River at night with skip-the-line tickets, then enjoy a Xinjiang halal dinner in Pudong with menu help.
“Our experience in Shanghai was absolutely incredible, thanks to our fantastic guide, Queena. From the moment we met, she was friendly, organized, and full of fascinating knowledge about the city’s history, culture, and hidden gems. We went to the River Cruise and to a very nice and delicious dinner. She introduced us to delicious local food we never would’ve found on our own. I would recommend this guide if you want a truly memorable and personalized experience in Shanghai!”
Sail the 70-year Dukling junk boat on a 45-minute Victoria Harbour cruise with skyline views, commentary, and a free drink, timed for the light show.
“Was nervous about meeting spot but it’s clear when the bait arrived Also the light show was amazing I didn’t realize it was an actual show till it was a few minutes in. When the music starts get the camera out!”
3-hour Huangpu River night cruise with private pickup and English guide, then Xinjiang halal dinner in Pudong.
“The experience was fabulous and there isn’t anything that I would say could be better. Caroline our guide was so friendly and welcoming with extensive knowledge of the area and tour. She also has a fantastic sense of humour. Shen our driver was extremely polite and drove very well. We felt safe for the entire trip. We highly recommend this experience especially if you like a more personal service like we do.”
A short Aberdeen Fishing Village boat ride plus admissions to the Aberdeen Houseboat museum and Pier 6 floating museum.
“We enjoyed it every much. The price is right. Beautiful night light. We loved the small group. Highly recommended.”
Private Zhujiajiao half-day from Shanghai with hotel pickup, garden and temple entry, and a canal boat ride.
“This tour was very well organised and Jun was an excellent tour guide. She was very knowledgeable and friendly and made our tour experience very enjoyable.”
45-minute Aqua Luna cruise on Victoria Harbour with a complimentary drink and Hong Kong Island skyline lights from the water.
“A unique way to blend Hong Kong's vibrant history with the present day. The cruise taken at 6.45 coincided with sunset meaning we got the beautiful Hong Kong sunset from the sea in the beautifully restored and maintained traditional Chinese junk.”
Aqua Luna Symphony of Lights cruise in Hong Kong, 45 minutes on the water from Tsim Sha Tsui, music-synced lights and one drink.
“We really enjoyed our tour. The tour itself was really great. However, we found that the pick up and drop off points of the tour were hard to understand when booking. You could book 1930pm pick up from Tsim Shar Tsui OR 1945pm from Central Pier 9. We thought they were the same boat, but there were 2 boats and even though one did pick up at both locations the drop off point was unclear with both services. There were quite a few of us. Some got picked up at Tsim Sha Tsui and others from Central Pier 9. When the boat arrived at Central Pier 9, some people got…”
Private Li River cruise Guilin to Yangshuo with English guide, onboard Chinese lunch, countryside tour, and West Street time.
“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”
Private half-day Zhujiajiao Water Town tour from Shanghai with a canal boat ride, garden and bridge stops, plus door-to-door pickup.
“1- Hidden cost , I paid the driver 350 for the airport pick up, this wasn't mentioned during my booking even though I have selected the airport as the pick up point. 2- The airport offers a similar trip free of charge for long flight connections. 3- FRead more”
Private Shanghai evening street food walk plus a Huangpu River cruise. Dinner-level tastings with a guide, ending near the Bund.
“What a great tour to do. Our guide Annie met us at the meeting point and we walked around the city and tried many different local food/snacks. Annie was knowledgeable and fun as our guide. Annie told us the histories of some of the restaurants we went to and the people behind it as well. And there were so many stops to eat and we were so full by the end of it… I am also so glad we did the cruise as it was so beautiful and stunning to see the lights of the building along the other side of the Bund, especially seeing the beautiful butterfly lights. Love,…”
Pick a landmark, a landscape or a meal, and start the trip there.
