A rectangular cabin window frames the unfolding panorama of the Yangtze River. Mist creeps across a green expanse of water in the diffuse dawn light, as a small fishing boat bobs in our wake. Ragged cliffs thrust upward, farmhouses and the occasional temple dot rice terraces on the lower banks.

Iconic images are one of the rewards of a slow boat down the Yangtze, an epic journey that is even more interesting now that it comes with a happy ending at the humungous Three Gorges Dam.

There's a proverb that says, "You haven't been anywhere until you've traveled the Yangtze." The longest river in Asia has its source in the frozen heights of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and flows for 6,300 km through some of China’s most spectacular scenic spots, the world's biggest metropolis and eventually exits in the East China Sea near Shanghai.

Known in Chinese as "Long River" (Chang Jiang) it was mistakenly dubbed the Yangtze by early foreign travelers, after the place where they caught a ferry. The river spawned China’s earliest civilizations and a good portion of its history has been written trying to harness its elemental forces, up to the present time.

The river's largest port, in Chongqing, is the departure point for our trip. Much of the municipality of 31.4 million souls is a building site as it struggles to absorb thousands of new residents, some of them displaced because of the dam. According to a Guardian report, each day there are 568 deaths, 813 births and 1,370 new arrivals. It’s not pretty, but it is impressive.

We take a boat for domestic tourists rather than one of the swanky crafts favored by most foreigners. These include the recently launched MS Yangzi Explorer, which has all the facilities of a five-star hotel, including movie theater, espresso bar and fitness center. We reason this is a holiday away from the treadmill and there will be more local color on the good ship Hainei Guanguang 10. We are not disappointed.

After a bit of haggling near the city port, where the Jialing River flows into the Yangtze, we pay 580 yuan ($85) each for a two days-and-nights cruise. This compares with $3,900 for the Explorer. The boat is set to sail at 10:15 pm and the agency boss arrives at our hotel with a "bang-bang man" to carry our luggage. These migrant workers earn a living by transporting heavy goods with just a bamboo pole.

Our porter is gaunt and short but carries our luggage at a clip and arrives by the quayside before we do. Guilt makes us generous and we pay him 50 yuan ($7). Not bad for 15 minutes of work.