The Yangtze runs straight through the middle of Wuhan, separating Wuchang from Hankou, and there is no real way of understanding the city without spending time on or beside it. The river is wide and tea-coloured here, busy with barges, ferries, and tourist boats; the air smells of diesel and silt and water.
A short Yangtze River ferry crossing between Wuchang and Hankou is the easiest way to be on the water — fares are a few RMB and the boats run all day. Evening cruises operate from the Hankou waterfront and run upstream for an hour or so before turning back; the views of the lit-up bridges and the skyline make it worthwhile. Wuhan is also the traditional starting point for longer Yangtze cruises through the Three Gorges to Chongqing.