A Cruise with a difference - seeing China from the Yangtze

For those used to enjoying trips away on their cruise travel insurance, it may seem as if one cruise is much like any other. However, for an altogether different experience, a trip along the Yangtze river by boat is a holiday that is certain to please both those travelling on their over 65 travel insurance and those cruising for the very first time.

From the majestic glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau the Yangtze, also known as the Yangzi, flows from Quinghai through China drawing a line between the north and south before emptying into the East China Sea when it reaches Shanghai.

The River is one of the busiest waterways in the world, with its channels being used for commercial transportation as well as river cruises. However, the Yangtze is known for its stunning scenery, particularly in the Three Gorges region and river cruises lasting several days are growing in popularity.

Unlike the typical western cruises, those used to travelling on their cruise travel insurance will immediately notice a difference in the ambience, with a trip down the Yangtze retaining a very authentic, Chinese feel. As well as the almost-compulsory evening cabarets acts, many of the riverboats operating down the Yangtze offer guests the opportunity to attend lectures and learn more about China's diverse history, giving context to the sights passing by.

With poverty rife across rural China, those travelling on their over 65 travel insurance with a guilty conscience about enjoying such luxury, while passing through some of the poorest places, may be somewhat eased by the fact that some of the riverboat companies use some of their profits to sponsor local schools, giving children a chance they would not otherwise have.

A trip down the Yangtze offers a unique mix of old and new China with the opportunity to fit in many sights and sounds, while enjoying traditional Chinese hospitality, albeit aboard a riverboat.