Visiting the Three Gorges Dam, China

The largest hydro-electric power station in the world, its scale is mind blowing.  It includes three areas: the dam itself, a hydroelectric and the ship locks. It is about 2,300 meters long and about 115 meters wide. There is a viewing area 185 meters above it which offers incredible views of the whole area. Here there is also an exhibition hall with some shops and a scaled model of the project. 

Most people travel to see this famous Three Gorges Dam by going on the Yangtze River cruise which starts or ends here at the dam. 

Arial view of the Dam from the viewing platform
Arial view of the Dam from the viewing platform

The “dragon mist” is ever so present wherever you visit in China and here was no exeption, For those of you who have not yet heard this expression, the “dragon mist” is my way of describing the  pollution in China. It makes it difficult to take good photos amongst other things. 

The water level behind the dam is up 113 meters high, higher than the downstream river.  The dam is controlled by the army so there were lots of security checks and security presence around the site. 

This is the viewing platform which is 185 meters above the dam. It offered a good view of the dam.  There was a strict order of ascent and descent – only one way in and one way out. This was a way of controlling the sheer number of visitors to the site. 

I was fascinated by this huge book so were hundreds of   school children whom I guessed were on school trips. It is written in both English and Chinese on either side.  It is referred to as the Tanziling Ridge, and tells the story of the Dam. 

Model scale of the Three Gorges Dam Project

China is indeed a country of contrasts, there is so much to see and do that even a 28 day tour is not enough to cover this huge country. If you are thinking about visiting China, my advice will be to go for it. You will find it a great adventure – an unforgettable experience. 

Seeing Xi'an'sTerracotta Army

2 Replies to “Visiting the Three Gorges Dam, China”

Comments are closed for this post.