Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River Yangtze River tour and 530 kilometres from Chongqing, Badong County is one of the oldest counties in the area whose history may date back to the Warring States Period (BC 403-221). The Shennong River is famous there.

Originating in the Shennongjia Primitive Forest Zone of western Hubei Province, the 60-kilometre Shennong River is a quiet brook meandering through Badong County and joining the Yangtze River at western Badong.

The unique service there is to travel along the river by a tiny arched boat, called wandoujiao by local people.

The brook is just 30 to 80 centimetres in depth. So the clanking between the bottom of the boats and stone is often heard.

In some places, the boatmen even had to jump out of the boat and move some stones in the brook so the boat could move ahead.

When even this failed, the boatmen would take off their clothes last minute China travel deals, become totally naked, and become boat trackers. It was an old local tradition and a rare scene that could be only seen in summer, a local man told me.

When the boat stopped, I took off my shoes and trousers to have a walk along brook. It was not as interesting as I imagined. The stones rubbed against my feet and were too slippery to be walked upon.

It was the straw sandals that saved me. Wearing them, walking on the stones in the brook became much easier and it was just like walking on the common road China travel service.

From the distance, the songs by the boatmen hovered over the cliffs, I kept on walking in the cold clear water, totally intoxicated with the fascinating surroundings.


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