The Pearl River surrounds Guangzhou like a ribbon. You can cruise the Pearl River at night and enjoy beautiful scenes along both banks. [Photo/eguangzhou.gov.cn]

The 2,129 kilometer Pearl River is the third longest river and the second largest in terms of annual flow capacity in China. Legend tells that where the Pearl River flows through Guangzhou sits a gigantic stone island. Gradually washed and eroded by the roaring water, the stone became slick, smooth and shaped like a pearl. Thus is the origin of the name "Sea Jewel".

The Pearl River consists of a variety of tributaries, the most famous of which are the East River, the West River and the North River. Converging in Guangzhou, the three tributaries give birth to a city with mind-numbing beauty. Originally, the Pearl River referred to only a section of river that stretched from Guangzhou to the estuary. Later, the name was used to reference the West River, the North River, the East River and other rivers of the Pearl River Delta. Originating from Maxiong Mountain of Zhanyi County in the northeastern part of Yunnan province, the river flows through the provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Guangdong, and through regions of Hong Kong and Macao. Merging with the North River in Sanshui of Guangdong province, the two tributaries empty into the South China Sea from the eight estuaries of the Pearl River Delta region.

The Pearl River Night Cruise is a tourism project in Guangzhou. When night falls, the city is shrouded in glaring light. It is one of the Top Eight Sceneries of Guangzhou and a glamorous calling card of the city’s tourism industry.

Luxury cruise ships depart from Xiti Pier near Remin Bridge and sail eastwards, passing through Jiefang Bridge, Haizhu Bridge, Jiangwan Bridge, Guangzhou Bridge and Hedong Bridge. During the two-hour journey, tourists are exposed to an array of natural and man-made scenic spots, including the White Swan Lake, White Swan Lake Bar Street, Western-style houses in Shamian, Shadow Tower, Aiqun Building and Er'sha Island.

The Pearl River Night Cruise has become a perfect way to display the status of Guangzhou as a "Millennium Ram City and South China Pearl", entertaining many national leaders, heads of state, officials from other provinces, as wells as foreign guests.