Q: How clean are the public toilets during the Yangtze River shore excursions?

A:

Public toilet cleanliness on shore excursions varies significantly. Facilities at well-funded attractions are often acceptable, while those in remote villages or older sites can be very basic. You will frequently encounter squat toilets, and toilet paper in the stall is never guaranteed.

The primary issue is infrastructure. Many public facilities use simple gravity-flush or pit systems with low water pressure and volume. Combined with high tourist traffic, this makes maintaining Western-style cleanliness nearly impossible. You're dealing with aged plumbing and drainage that clogs easily.

Carry your own pack of tissues and a small bottle of hand sanitizer. Use facilities on the cruise ship immediately before disembarking. For longer tours, identify and use the toilets at major, newer shopping stops or hotel lobbies, as these are typically the best maintained.