Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, consists of Wuchang, Hankou and Hangyang. It is the essential traffic cross road. The striking beauty of East Lake with the area of 87sq.km lies in the eastern suburb of Wuchang. Yellow Crane Tower, one of the 3 remarkable towers, is situated at the head of Sheshan Mountain in Wuchang. The 5-storey tower is 51 meters high with an aciform top. Standing on the tower you will be amazed at its grandeur and spectacular. Many historic allusions and poems about Yellow Crane Tower have been widely read; you will dock in colonial Hankow. Wuhan was a trading entry port for European powers. The Provincial Museum is home to a treasure trove of ancient instruments.

Composed of 3 cities: Hangyang (historical), Wuchang (ancient), Hankou(colonial Hankow) seperated by the Yangtze and the Han rivers. A city of ancient magnificance, historical significance and is colonial picturesque, connected by the first bridge across the Yangtze (built with Soviet aid) in 1957. Everything moved across the Long River-Great by ferry, even whole trains, especially as Wuhan is the center of China transportation axile. It is in the middle of the navigable Yangtze and the crossroad of the Peking, Canton, Hongkong axis. In the middle reaches it was the port were one transfered from up river (Upper Reaches). River boats from Chongqing to downriver (Lower Reaches) passenger ships from Nanjing and Shanghai. It is an overnight train ride between Wuhan and Beijing or Guangzhou or Shanghai.

First settled almost 2,000 years ago in the Three Kingdom era as part of the Kingdom of Wu. Wuchang is the oldest of the three cities. One of the most magificant ancient relics is at the provincial musuem in Wuchang. It is a treasure trove of ancient musical instruments from the tomb of a maquis, over 2,000 years old. There are a vast array of wind, string and percussion instruments including the awesome chime bells played only at historic events such as (British) Hong Kong and (Portuguese) Macau unification with China. You can here the original songs played on a full size replica of the giant bells and gongs. Truly, a most from music lovers and not to be missed by anyone visiting China! The orchestra is the virtually one of the wonders of the world. For modern historians there is Maos villa, with all the orginal trappings of his inner world. Also there is the first arsenal in China, the sites of the start of the 1911 Revolution, the site of the first industrial strike and it was also the wartime capital of China for one year. Not too mention the famous East Lake and the Yellow Grane Tower on the bank of the Yangtze; a marvel in daytime and a golden beacon at night.

Hanyang has a temple and the old city gate right on the water front. Also there is the zoo and gates of the old arsenal complex.

Hankous mini bund has the historical Customs House Clock Tower in dominance and is lined by bank buildings reminiscent of pre-skyscraper N.Y.C. CCOTC dock is conviently situated right across from the clock tower (an easy to find landmark). The Jianghan road start of the coffee shop lined pedestrian way and bund.

Wuhan is the ideal place to start or end your Yangtze cruise, with so many unique attractions, inexpensive shopping and convenient transportation by air (to all over China, Korea and Hong Kong), train (to Beijing, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Chongqing, Shanghai, Changsha etc.) and bus to Nanjing, Henan etc. and not to forget the near by Wudang Shan, the Taoist Moutain of Kung Fu fame and World Heritage Site.