A front-row seat to the rich tapestry of nature

River cruising offers intimate experience

- Wilma De Bruin

Ever since our first river cruise down the Volga River from St Petersburg to Moscow nearly two decades ago, I knew this was my kind of holiday. Blending relaxation and exploration, it offers you a front-row seat and an up-close experience of the rich tapestry of life and nature along the riverbanks while gliding along leisurely.

Also, unlike ocean cruises, river cruising offers a more intimate, authentic and immersive experience, including an array of interesting and informative on-board activities.

So, when the opportunity arose, I punted my long-cherished dream of a cruise downstream on the mighty Yangtze to our friends. As early as in my high school geography years, China"s "Long River" has fascinated me.

Playing a key role in the country's history, culture and economy for thousands of years, the river has been used for water, irrigation, sanitation, transport, industry, boundary-marking, war..you name it.

In early October my husband and I, along with four friends, duly embarked on a memorable 12-day trip to China, including a four-day cruise from the Chongqing through the Yangtze's three spectacular gorges - Qutang, Wu and Xiling.

Nestling on the shores of the Yangtze, the bustling city of Chongqing (China's biggest city with 32 million inhabitants) is the starting point for a classic Yangtze River cruise.

Because of the late arrival of our high-speed train, which took us from Guilin in the south to Chongqing, we made it to our cruise ship, Century Paragon, just in time before anchors aweigh.

But, while we missed the embarkation buffet dinner, the ship"s helpful guide, Summer, briefed us privately while ensuring that we had more than enough to eat and drink. We also had the opportunity to upgrade to the VIP Pavillion dining room for the rest ofthe cruise.

As early as the first cruise day, we were treated to two tasty "portions" of vibrant and colourful ancient Chinese culture.