Chiantang River Bore

Chiantang River Bore is China's largest and grandest tidal river stretches, running from the west to Hangzhou Bay in the east. It serves as a river hinge, playing an vital role in the water-transportation between the east and the west.

It is encircled by a group of economically booming cities including Shanghai, China's leading industrial and commercial hub, Ningbo, one of China's leading port cities as well as Suzhou. The extraordinary surging tide of the Chiantang  River is a world-renowned natural wonder caused by the gravitational pull of the stars and planets. The centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the earth and by the peculiar bottleneck shape of Hangzhou Bay makes it easy for the tide to come in, but difficult for it to ebb.

The soaring tide of the Chiantang  River is such a marvelous spectacle that only the Amazon River's surging tide rivals it! Annually, millions of people from both home and abroad flock there to watch the magnificent tide on the eighteenth day of the eighth lunar month (also around the Mid-Autumn Day).

When the surging tide comes, the water can rise up to a height of 30 feet and the noise it generates sounds like thunder, or thousands of horses running. Various activities will also be held to celebrate the annual Tide - Watching Festival, according to local custom. In terms of its history, the custom of watching the bore tide has happened for more than 2000 years. It initially appeared during the first century. Then, it became popular in the Tang Dynasty (about 7th -13th century).

The best time to appreciate the Chiantang  River Bore is on the 18th day of the eighth Chinese lunar month every year. A few of best places to watch the bore are listed below:

Changshan Zha: A pavilion built on a hill near the Changshan Zha for watching the bore;

Babao Longtoujiao: it is a protuberant reef at the seawall with a small bay here. When the tidal waters run here, great waves break on the bank and the angry tide piles up to become a tremendous surge.The scene is quite heart stopping;

Lao Yancang: It is a dam that across the river. When the surge breaks on the dam, the tidewater will run onto the dam along the slope and then return to the seawall. Spray pours down like a rainstorm;

While Yangong town in Haijing 45 km (about 28 miles) from Hangzhou is the best place to watch the Chiantang  Tide.

The rushing tide can be dangerous if you are careless. So it's best to listen to the advice of the local policemen there whose job it is to ensure your safety and security.