The Grand Canal, China’s legendary man-made waterway, runs from Beijing in north to Hangzhou in south stretching 1,747 kilometers long. It is 10 times the length of the Suez Canal and 20 times of the Panama Canal. It’s another wonder made by ancient Chinese.

Interconnecting five rivers, the Haihe, Yellow River, Huaihe River, Yangtze River and the Qaintang River, the canal served as a significant mean of transportation over centuries. It offered much facility to transport food and goods from the south to north and boosted commercial development in the country. The section of Suzhou to Hangzhou now is still in operation. Vendors row their boats directly to households, shops in local townships.

Boat trip along the canal often offers tourists a nice view of China’s typical water villages, arched stone bridges, riverside ancient buildings as well as country side.