Yichang Travel Guide

Written by Sally Guo Updated Oct. 13, 2021

Yichang, known in ancient times as Yiling, is a modern city on the banks of the Yangtze River in Hubei Province.

It lies at the eastern end of Xiling Gorge, one of the three gorges Dam areas, and because of Yichang's central role in the construction and maintenance of the Three Gorges Dam, the city sports an impressive transportation infrastructure: National Highway 318 and the Yihuang Expressway – or the highway that is a part of the TGP itself – both service Yichang, as do Jiaoliu Railway and Three Gorges Airport.

Yichang was thrust into the limelight with the commencement of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. The dam itself as well as the service and administration facilities are about a 45-minute drive from Yichang. In addition to being rich in water resources, thanks to the nearby Yangtze, Yichang is also rich in minerals and has an extensive forestry industry.

Other local Yichang produce includes tea, sweet oranges, Chinese chestnuts, fungus, as well as tobacco. Besides being the Hydropower Capital of the World, Yichang is also the Tea and Orange Captial of Hubei Province.

Yichang belongs to the humid, monsoon climate of the subtropics, with abundant rainfall throughout the year. Although it is less hot than Wuhan (Wuhan is renowned as one of China's "oven cities"), it is still very hot and humid during summer. In winter, Yichang is damp and freezing cold. Therefore, the best time to visit Yichang is spring and autumn.

Nestled among the trees that line both sides of the river along this particular stretch of the Yangtze, Yichang has a freshness and tidiness about it that belies its more serious role as the hub of the Three Gorges Dam. Indeed, this lively, verdant city is the terminus for the Yangtze River Cruise which originates in Chongqing.

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