Three Gorges Dam Project, Hubei, China

4don d 5:00 PM Jul 21, 2013

Directions to Three Gorges Dam
Ok. I'm going to actually put up solid directions on how to get there, as I am fresh from my very own trip. 1. Flight or take train into Yichang (YIG). From Shanghai there are only 2 flights + trains a day so the ticket prices are a bit expensive. From the airport, you MUST take a taxi to downtown Yichang, which is about 30min away. There was no bus to take, and as SOON as you exit the airport there will be taxi drivers stalking you so please be aware. I took an illegal taxi and I paid 70rmb to get to my hotel. I paid 70 because I read somewere that it is usually about 60rmb by taxi to downtown. 2. Hotel. I stayed at the Orangeinns Tophams Hotel. Very good and affordable hotel. It is 5min walking distance from a mall, bars, and other stores you may shop around. Some of the receptionist speak English and may help you on your journey. I strongly recommend this hotel! You can make a reservation for it on Ctrip.com. Make sure the taxi takes you to the correct one, as there are 2 or more in the city. Also, taxi's are very cheap in Yichang and start at 6rmb. 3. To Three Gorges - I strongly suggest you do as I did, that is, take a taxi to Liuzhashou Tourist Reception Center (六闸首游客接待中心). There is a Wal-Mart across from here. If you get lost, just ask a taxi drivrer to take you to Wal-Mart and the station is directly across. Here, there are agencies that let you take the Yangtze River cruise and it cost 288rmb, but you have to leave at designated times. I did not take it, but after visiting the damn and seeing the beauty around it, I semi-regret not taking the cruise. Or they say you can take their bus, which cost 150rmb. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT take the 150rmb bus, as you can go and take the 30rmb round-trip bus the station provides. Make sure you keep your bus ticket, as you will need it to take the return trip and not pay extra money. From there it takes about 1hr to reach the dam. Before you get off the bus to enter the dam, make sure you know what time the last bus heads back and where it will pick you up, which will probably be at 17:00, and at the very END of the dam tourist area. At the Dam - The entrance fee is 105rmb. Be prepared to do alot of walking and it will be extrememly hot. It is very pleasant to see in person. The detail and grand scale of concrete is amazing. There are about 3 parts. First you see the 360 viewing point at the very top, then you walk down a small road to get closer to view the back of the dam. Then, from there you take a Dam bus that takes you across a bridge to see the front of the dam, and from there, the end, you take buses to go back to the Liuzhashou Tourist Reception Center. Be careful not to miss the last bus! If you find anyone Chinese that are touring the dam and speak English, my suggestion is to stick with them and tour together, as I did! Safe travels.

5alliharper 5:00 PM Nov 14, 2014

Largest in the world
The Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant built at an estimated cost of 27 billion American dollars. It was constructed primarily for flood control, but with the expectation that it would supply 20% of China’s electrical needs. However, with modernization and industrialization the dam produces less than 2% of China’s energy. Also, because you can now go from Shanghai to Chungking without having to get off the river at Wuhan as used to be necessary, the dam provides the ability to transfer manufacturing from east China where labor costs are increasing to the west where land and labor are cheaper. Thus China can continue as a low cost producer. As is widely known, much good land and many villages around the Yangtze River were flooded forever to make way for this dam. At one point we could see the top of a bell tower, the only part of a school still visible. Whole new villages have been constructed to house those whose houses are now under water. Also flooded were ancient sites on which archeologists worked feverishly until the last moment. When we were there in November 2012, they were still working on a ship elevator that will actually lift smaller ships up the needed height so they need not go through the locks. Going through the locks or elevator is free since ships have no other choice. It would be hard to exaggerate how impressive this dam is. We had to take four long escalators to get to the top of the mountain in order to view the dam. Many ships go through at the same time, bow to stern. My husband and I strongly recommend seeing this site.