Chongqing is the most obvious departure point for the three-day Yangzi river cruises downstream through the Three Gorges to Yichang and Wuhan, but you might find that organizing a berth is the most frustrating part of your time here. The official ticket office is at the dock-end of Shaanxi Lu, though long before you get there you'll have been grabbed and harassed beyond endurance by freelance touts; see Chongqing "Listings" for ticket agents.

It's best to arrange things in advance, but outside the autumn tourist season you'll be able to find tickets for next-day travel. Several ferries leave daily, and Chongqing has vague docking arangements, so establish the boat name and dock number when buying tickets, and try to locate them during daylight. You also need to check the ferry departure time - dawn used to be the norm, but an increasing number now leave in the evening to hit the Three Little Gorges early on the third day. If you do have a dawn departure, you may be able to sleep on board the night before; go down with your luggage after 8pm and pay the purser. Note that the charge for this is set by your ticket class, but at less than ¥50 it's cheaper than a night in Chongqing.

Competition between agents, along with surcharges and the fact that foreigners are charged between thirty and fifty percent more than the posted fares, means that the following per-person prices for travel from Chongqing should be used as a guide only.

Yichang 2-berth cabin ¥928; 3/4-berth ¥464; 8-berth ¥218; 16-berth ¥155.

Wuhan 2-berth cabin ¥1368; 3/4-berth ¥684; 8-berth ¥370; 16-berth ¥229.

It's possible to book fares all the way through to Shanghai , too, but this usually involves a change of vessel at Wuhan: 2-berth cabin ¥1800; 3/4-berth ¥900; 16-berth ¥420; 24-berth ¥275.

Luxury cruises to Wuhan start at around ¥1724. There's also a daily hydrofoil from Chaotianmen to Wanxian at 10am (¥196; 7hr), and, after the summer rains deepen the flow, a daily ferry upstream to Leshan .