China · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS

The 15 Best Boat Trips in China

112 tours  ·  from $15

From a twenty-minute punt through a canal town to four hours down the Li and a night cruise on the Huangpu. The 15 below are priced and clear about how long you are actually on the water.

Hong Kong: Dolphin Cruise, Big Buddha & Lantau Island Tour - Starting with trains, buses, and clear directions
Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Hong Kong Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Hong Kong: Dolphin Cruise, Big Buddha & Lantau Island Tour

1.Dolphin Cruise, Big Buddha & Lantau Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,512 reviews · 7 hours · from $35Our pick

Spend seven hours exploring Lantau Island with a licensed English speaking guide such as Grace, Lok Lok, Eva, or Becky. Cruise for pink dolphins, visit Tai O’s stilt houses and floating market, climb to the Big Buddha, and choose the cable car for wide island views.

“Grace was amazing! The tour was fun, well-paced and we learned a lot from Grace. The tour of the fishing village was fun and the Big Buddha was amazing! Definitely worth the 268 stair climb.”

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Shanghai Private Tour: Zhujiajiao Water Town and Boat Ride - The Canal Boat Ride
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Shanghai Private Tour: Zhujiajiao Water Town and Boat Ride

2.Shanghai Private Tour: Zhujiajiao Water Town and Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 661 reviews · from $148Top rated

Travel by private air-conditioned vehicle from your Shanghai hotel to Zhujiajiao, a 1,700-year-old water town. Your guide leads you through old streets, markets, gardens, bridges, and canals, with entrance fees and a boat ride included. Lunch or dinner is available as an upgrade.

“We had a very pleasant half-day trip with an excellent guide, a cozy boat ride and a delicious local lunch. Highly recommended to everyone, thank you Xin!”

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Huangpu Night Cruise: Cozy Vibe & Modern Shanghai Glow - Following the route from Shiliupu Pier
Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Huangpu River Cruises, Shanghai Tours, Tour Reviews

Huangpu Night Cruise: Cozy Vibe & Modern Shanghai Glow

3.Huangpu Night Cruise: Cozy Vibe & Modern Shanghai Glow

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 520 reviews · 1 day · from $21Best value

Spend about 45 minutes on the Huangpu River, passing the Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, and Shanghai World Financial Center. Choose a daytime or evening sailing, then use the indoor, semi-open, or open-air decks. Ticket collection is in person, and the correct code comes by email or chat.

“The cruise was quite nice but there are not a lot of places to sit and you have to pay extra to get a good seat”

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Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Private Tour w/ Boat Ride & Garden - The private drive from Shanghai
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Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Private Tour w/ Boat Ride & Garden

4.Zhujiajiao Private Tour w/ Boat Ride & Garden

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 460 reviews · 5 hours · from $139

Travel from your Shanghai hotel in a private air-conditioned car with an English-speaking guide such as Michael, Cassie, Annie, or Robert. Walk Zhujiajiao’s old markets, visit Kezhi Garden, taste local snacks, and cruise the canals by private boat during this flexible five-hour tour.

“We enjoyed so much and Michael was a wonderful guide!”

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From Shanghai: Private Zhujiajiao Tour with Boat Ride - A private ride from your Shanghai hotel
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From Shanghai: Private Zhujiajiao Tour with Boat Ride

5.Private Zhujiajiao Tour with Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 334 reviews · 5 hours · from $171

Leave your Shanghai hotel for a five-hour private visit to Zhujiajiao. Walk the old street and market, see Ming and Qing bridges, sample local food, and ride the canals with an English-speaking guide such as Snow, Kalvin, or Caroline. A private car, driver, entrance fee, and boat ticket are included.

“Timing was punctual. Jenny is very friendly and communicate very well. Helped us negotiate prices for our shopping. Gave us extra curriculum to try ear 👂 cleaning. Overall the tour was excellent, and I very much recommend.”

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Shanghai Night River Cruise Tour with Xinjiang Style Dining Experience - Hotel pickup and the ride to the river
Cruises & Boat Tours, Dining Experiences, Dinner Experiences, Evening Experiences, Shanghai Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Shanghai Night River Cruise Tour with Xinjiang Style Dining Experience

6.Shanghai Night River Cruise Tour with Xinjiang Style Dining Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 324 reviews · from $155

Spend about three hours seeing Shanghai by night, with hotel pickup, a one-hour Huangpu River cruise, and a halal Xinjiang dinner in Pudong. Guides such as Caroline, Queena, Kalvin, and Xin provide local context, menu help, and photo assistance. VIP boat seating may be available, but is not guaranteed.

“This was a wonderful experience, and Caroline was a great guide. We appreciated her helpfulness and kindness.”

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Hong Kong: Dukling , Antique Boat Tour in Victoria Harbour - Boarding at Tsim Sha Tsui East requires extra attention
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Hong Kong: Dukling , Antique Boat Tour in Victoria Harbour

7.Dukling , Antique Boat Tour in Victoria Harbour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 233 reviews · from $30

Board the 70-year-old Dukling at Tsim Sha Tsui East for a 45-minute Victoria Harbour cruise. Expect a small traditional junk, harbor views, one complimentary drink, onboard artifacts, and weekend commentary or a weekday audio guide. Sunset and evening departures can include views of the Symphony of Lights.

“Overall a very good harbour tour, the lights are fabulous. The boarding and disembarking area is very crowded with other boats trying to use the one stairway, which led to delays in getting on and off. I had presumed that the boat would have red sails, but is has blue ones. This wasn’t clear from the advert. However, the red boats passed us several times so I got plenty of photos. Would recommend the sunset tour, best time to see the harbour lights coming on.”

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Shanghai: Night River Cruise Tour with Xinjiang Style Dining - The evening begins with a private pickup
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Shanghai: Night River Cruise Tour with Xinjiang Style Dining

8.Night River Cruise Tour with Xinjiang Style Dining

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 210 reviews · 3 hours · from $153

Spend three evening hours with a private English-speaking guide and driver, cruising the Huangpu River past the Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and World Financial Center. Then sit down to Xinjiang halal specialties such as big plate chicken, lamb kebabs, naan, and yogurt.

“We had the most wonderful boat ride tour and dinner experience in Shanghai! Our tour guide was incredibly informative and shared so much history and insight about the city that we never would have known on our own. Even though our flight was delayed and we were running late, she graciously accommodated us and adjusted everything so we didn’t miss a single highlight, which we truly appreciated after a long travel day. She also knew all the best photo spots along the river and made sure we had time to capture the skyline at its most stunning moments. The dinner was delicious, it was a great evening!”

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Hong Kong Fisherman’s Wharf: Aberdeen Fishing Village Boat Tour - Inside the Aberdeen Houseboat floating museum
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Hong Kong Fisherman’s Wharf: Aberdeen Fishing Village Boat Tour

9.Hong Kong Fisherman’s Wharf: Aberdeen Fishing Village Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 202 reviews · from $30

Meet at Aberdeen Fisherman’s Wharf Pier 6 for a Chinese-style teak boat ride, recorded commentary, and a visit to the Aberdeen Houseboat floating museum. The experience also includes snacks, drinks, and sachima, with optional fish-based boat noodles or a seafood meal. Return to Pier 6.

“We enjoyed it every much. The price is right. Beautiful night light. We loved the small group. Highly recommended.”

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From Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Private Tour with Boat Ride - A smooth start from downtown Shanghai
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From Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Private Tour with Boat Ride

10.Zhujiajiao Water Town Private Tour with Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 173 reviews · from $139

Take a private half-day trip from downtown Shanghai to Zhujiajiao with an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle, garden and temple entry, and a traditional boat ride. Guides such as Lucy, Robert, Jun, Shirley, and Michael tailor the walk to your interests.

“Michael our guide was very personable and informative. A cold but enjoyable day overall. We would certainly recommend the tour.”

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Aqua Luna: Evening Cruise at Victoria Harbour Hong Kong - Why Hong Kong Looks Better From Victoria Harbour
Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Hong Kong Tours, Tour Reviews

Aqua Luna: Evening Cruise at Victoria Harbour Hong Kong

11.Aqua Luna: Evening Cruise at Victoria Harbour Hong Kong

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 160 reviews · from $30

Sail Victoria Harbour aboard Aqua Luna, a beautifully restored Chinese junk, for about 45 minutes. Choose an early sunset departure or a later nighttime cruise, enjoy one complimentary drink, and watch Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui light up from the cabin or open decks.

“Boat ride was comfortable and the night view from the harbour is amazing. Recommend this 45-minute experience for first timers.”

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Aqua Luna: Symphony of Lights Cruise in Hong Kong - What happens at 8 p.m.
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Aqua Luna: Symphony of Lights Cruise in Hong Kong

12.Aqua Luna: Symphony of Lights Cruise in Hong Kong

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 155 reviews · from $42

Spend about 45 minutes on Aqua Luna, Hong Kong’s traditional-style wooden junk, as the Symphony of Lights begins at 8 p.m. from Victoria Harbour. Depart from Tsim Sha Tsui Pier No. 1, enjoy skyline views from the water, listen to the synchronized music, and receive one complimentary drink.

“Poor communication. We were receiving notifications about our upcoming trip up to and AFTER our boat never showed up. We had made our way over to the dock and stood there with about 10 other people and NO BOAT EVER CAME. There was no sign, no email, no Read more”

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Private Evening Tour: VIP Huangpu River Cruise and Shanghai Lights - The VIP cruise, step by step
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Private Evening Tour: VIP Huangpu River Cruise and Shanghai Lights

13.Private Evening Tour: VIP Huangpu River Cruise and Shanghai Lights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 150 reviews · from $128

Spend an evening with a private guide such as Tom, Mary, Autumn, or Linda, pairing a VIP Huangpu River cruise with Yuyuan Old Street, Pudong, and Xintiandi. Your private vehicle handles hotel pickup and drop-off, while flexible guides can help with photos, short stops, and evening plans.

“Tom was a great tour guide with vast knowledge of Shanghai history and provided a meaningful tour. We both enjoyed this cruise and private tour and recommend it to anyone wanting to see Shanghai!”

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1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver - What the four-hour cruise is really like
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1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver

14.1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 148 reviews · from $209

You’ll cruise four hours from Guilin to Yangshuo, passing the Li River’s famous limestone peaks with an English-speaking guide nearby. A Chinese buffet lunch is served on board, followed by a guided countryside tour and free time on West Street. Private transfers make this a practical full-day choice.

“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”

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Half-Day Private Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour with Boat Ride from Shanghai - Kezhi Garden, a quieter change of pace
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Half-Day Private Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour with Boat Ride from Shanghai

15.Half-Day Private Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour with Boat Ride from Shanghai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 144 reviews · from $160

Travel from Shanghai with a private guide and driver to Zhujiajiao, a 600-year-old canal town. Walk its lanes, ride a small wooden boat, visit Kezhi Garden, Fangsheng Bridge, and the old post office. Guides such as Tom, David, and Vicky have earned praise for clear English and flexible local advice.

“Bit of a drive but good thing to do and see something than just Shanghai proper”

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