Cityboat emerges as new leisure trend across China

A new form of urban leisure, known as Cityboat, is gaining popularity in China, with more and more people taking to rivers, lakes and canals by kayak, paddleboard and water bus to take in cityscapes from a new vantage point — the water.

In the country's capital city Beijing, visitors paddle along the Liangma River against the backdrop of dazzling evening lights. In Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, water buses take passengers along the famous Grand Canal, while in Wanning, south China's Hainan Province, paddleboarders navigate a river through tropical rainforest scenery.

Young night school students and athletes paddleboard together on Cihu Lake, Jiangbei district of Ningbo city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Yongtao)

The trend appeals to people seeking more relaxed and immersive leisure experiences. Unlike traditional sightseeing cruises, which generally follow fixed routes, kayaking and paddle-boarding offer greater freedom and combine recreation with exercise and social interaction.

"When I visited Hangzhou before, I only went to the West Lake and Lingyin Temple. But after taking a water bus, I realized that its waterways extend far beyond West Lake," said a tourist surnamed Ye.

Compared with traditional sightseeing cruises, water buses cover a wider area and are more affordable. For just 3 yuan ($0.45), passengers can reach different parts of Hangzhou and experience the city's everyday way of life from the water.

"While paddling through the tropical rainforest, with no electronic devices to distract me, I could focus entirely on nature and completely unwind," said a paddleboarding enthusiast in Wanning.

He recently enjoyed a leisure trip through a rainforest organized by a local paddleboarding club. "The water was crystal clear, and I even saw wild water lilies," he recalled.

Jiang Duo, an associate professor at Communication University of China, said Cityboat activities cater to growing demand for lightweight, immersive, and short getaways.

"Cityboat makes use of urban waterways and waterfront greenways and can incorporate activities such as sports and camping. With both fitness and social benefits, it offers greater freedom and engagement, making it well suited to the fragmented leisure needs of residents and tourists," Jiang said.

The popularity of water-based recreation is also boosting consumption around urban waterways. Since improvement efforts began on Beijing's Liangma River in 2019, commercial activity in surrounding business districts has increased by more than 32 percent, while sales have risen by more than 40 percent, according to data.

Improved water environments have provided an important foundation for this trend. Ecological improvement efforts across China have made more waterways suitable for recreational use, with some localities turning riverbanks into public leisure spaces.