Spring Flower Viewing and Outing in Yangshuo: Restarting the Missed Spring Festival Trip

Because of this epidemic, the things we have suppressed in our hearts have long become a long wish list: For example, take off the mask and breathe deeply in the sun, go to Yangshuo to eat an authentic Li River Beer Fish hotpot, and take a spontaneous trip... While the spring scenery hasn't faded, LeWanJun took advantage of the weekend to drive with his kid 500 kilometers to Yangshuo, staying in a parent-child guesthouse by the Yulong River, getting close to nature, experiencing the locals' slow life, and leaving different memories of the Yangshuo parent-child trip. Keywords: seeing the world with family, traveling close to nature, spring outing and flower viewing, tongue-traveling.

Spring travel is essential: flower viewing and outing, hiking and mountain climbing, and food tasting are all indispensable. Let's talk about each section one by one, starting with the hotel. Because the epidemic had just passed, most hotels in Yangshuo were not yet open. LeWanJun's stay at the Backyard Inn Yulong River branch had just restarted, and it is currently the only boutique river-view resort hotel with an art gallery in Yangshuo, so we decided to stay here.

The natural environment of this guesthouse is excellent. Push open the window and you see the scenery. It is right on the Yulong River, directly opposite the famous Yangshuo landmark "Big Banyan Tree." Turn left out the door and you'll find Liu Sanjie's former residence, a prime location.

The room hardware is well-equipped, with ink paintings on the wall, a clever Southeast Asian decoration style, low-key yet refined.

Each room has its own small river-view balcony, with transparent floor-to-ceiling glass railings. Looking out, you get a full view of greenery and the Yulong River scenery.

The room is on the fourth floor, with an excellent view from the balcony overlooking the infinity pool of the hotel.

The pool has a different charm during the day and at night.

The Yangshuo Backyard Inn is surrounded by dense woods, with a quiet environment and great views. Even without going out, you can enjoy a wonderful vacation. In the early morning, the chirping of birds is endless, the river and wind play a cheerful tune, waking me up. My son lies on the oversized sand bed on the terrace, holding a textbook and reading in the morning. The verdant green behind him gives a feeling of instantly blending into nature.

Taking a short break, we walked along the Yulong River. It had just rained, so the river water looked somewhat muddy, but the air was fresher after the rain. Under the distant peaks, misty rain created a beautiful scene.

Crossing the splashing small weir, we arrived at Gongnong Bridge, the end point of the Yulong River rafting, where all bamboo rafts come ashore. Now the bamboo rafting is suspended, and the usually lively dock is empty and particularly quiet.

As the sun set in the west, the evening glow tinted the sky a rosy hue, and a few white clouds reflected on the calm river, picturesque and stunning.

After being stuck at home for over two months, we could finally go out to give our eyes a bath. After a nutritious breakfast, Xuanxuan and his friends went to the garden to find the most beautiful spring colors.

On the table were freshly picked hydrangea flowers, their white petals looking exceptionally delicate.

A whole garden of spring scenery cannot be contained; a branch of red apricot blossoms reaches out over the wall. The garden was full of flowers blooming in competition, very beautiful.

The spring flowers, colorful and competing to bloom, made the children extremely happy.

Every spring is worth recording; the purple and red, the intoxicating spring scenery.

Every spot of flower viewing and spring outing amazed us. Leaving the courtyard, we walked upstream along the Yulong River to capture the scenery on both sides. Rows of rising peaks complemented the yellow rapeseed flowers beautifully, the water and yellow blending together endlessly, full of the poetic charm of Guilin landscape.

"Good rain knows its season; when spring comes, it falls." During these four days in Yangshuo, it rained every day, the drizzling rain deepened the spring mood. Walking in the countryside, flowers blooming everywhere, birdsong and fragrance. It also reminded me of an ancient poem: "Mountain colors connect to the azure sky, forest flowers brighten toward the sun." Isn't it very fitting for the current mood?

Approaching a rapeseed field, colorful butterflies danced, and my son chased them with a net pole, enjoying himself. Traveling with family is always warm and loving, full of memories and deep affection. Bringing parents and kids makes this trip less monotonous.

In spring, Yangshuo is full of orioles singing and grass growing, flowers in full bloom, everywhere intoxicating spring colors.

"No winter is insurmountable, no spring fails to come." My son recorded the most beautiful spring colors of nature with his camera.

For spring travel to Yangshuo, I recommend a "flower viewing guide." In the Yulong River scenic area, there are rapeseed flowers, small wild chrysanthemums, cosmos, rhododendrons, mimosa, oleander, poinsettia, calla lilies, etc. Besides rapeseed flowers, when in full bloom, they are very photogenic and all free, no tickets needed. Shili Gallery and Yulong River scenic area were previously closed to cars; you had to take a shuttle. But now that it's just reopened and tourism is recovering, self-driving cars can enter freely. Fewer people and cars make for a very good travel experience. Flower viewing tips: look but don't touch; beware of poisonous plants; mainly observe, don't pick flowers. Common rhododendron, mimosa, oleander, poinsettia, calla lily, etc., contain toxic substances; eating them can cause poisoning. Avoid mosquito bites among flowers. If bitten by an insect during the spring outing, apply essential balm or dermatitis cream immediately; treat stings from pine caterpillars, spiders, bees, scorpions, etc., with cold compresses. During spring outings, don't forget fire safety. Spring is dry and windy, the season for many fire accidents. When going out for spring outings, don't discard cigarette butts carelessly.

ATV, full name All Terrain Vehicle, meaning "a vehicle suitable for all terrains." In China, it's officially called a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle; we usually call it an all-terrain vehicle or beach buggy. For this parent-child experience at Sanmu Off-Road, one activity was driving off-road vehicles by the Li River. At Sanmu Off-Road Base, there are three vehicle options: beach buggy, kart buggy, and Jeep off-roader. Each off-road vehicle can carry two people, taking turns driving, galloping on flat riverbanks or bumpy country roads. All kinds of thrilling excitement make it irresistible.

ATV is a handlebar-style four-wheel motorcycle, very easy to operate. The coach gave us a brief explanation, and most people quickly mastered the technique, then we drove into the mountains.

The experience was fantastic. With the ear-splitting engine roar, driving through all kinds of rough terrain was really fun. Because ATVs have wide tires that increase contact area with the ground, creating more friction and reducing pressure on the ground, any riverbank or mountain is no obstacle; they pass effortlessly, very domineering.

Due to days of heavy rain causing the Li River to swell, the planned crossing of the Li River riverbank was canceled and replaced with a drive along the Li River riverside. But it was equally thrilling and diverse, a rare experience in Yangshuo. Attached is a video of the ATV experience; you can appreciate it slowly.

Yangshuo Sanmu Off-Road Base ATV tips: Jeep SUV 268 yuan/hour; Kart buggy 248 yuan/hour; Beach buggy 208 yuan/hour.

Every child is naturally curious about nature, but most families live in the concrete jungles of cities, and real nature is usually only seen in TV and movies. The meaning of parent-child travel is to take children out to broaden their horizons, letting them understand nature through edutainment! It also enhances parent-child relationships, promoting two-way emotional bonding between parents and children, and children learn to communicate through interaction.

This time, led by Boss Cai, we found a farm that is super suitable for parent-child activities. It is quite a niche attraction because regular travel agencies don't come here, so most tourists haven't been here.

Qingjiangdu Ecological Agriculture Manor is located in Baima Village on the outskirts of Yangshuo. It is built in several small mountain hollows, with a lake, chicken farm, vegetable fields, barbecue area, children's playground, and other parent-child facilities.

Before entering the farm, you pass a very steep gravel mountain road. Just before the farm gate, looking down at the village below and the undulating karst peaks in the distance, dotted with greenery and mountain flowers, it presents a vibrant scene. Qingjiangdu Ecological Farm focuses on returning to primitive mountain forest wildness, preserving many original features not seen in cities or mature scenic areas. This wildness is reflected in the free-range chickens and ducks in the mountains, drinking mountain spring water and eating insects and corn. Since they have no fixed dwellings, hens can lay eggs anywhere in the mountains. "Finding eggs" has become a popular parent-child activity here.

All the vegetables and rice in Qingjiangdu Ecological Farm are self-grown. They offer a green, original ecological rural life experience, with a parent-child self-service kitchen where you can catch chickens and pick vegetables in the forest, then cook a delicious meal with mom and dad. This time we experienced baking clay oven chicken with our child.

To bake clay oven chicken, use a shovel to clear a space in the red-hot charcoal pile, place the chicken wrapped in aluminum foil in the center, add cassava, sweet potatoes, corn, etc., around it, then seal the clay oven with bricks. After about an hour, you can take it out and eat.

I think things like wood-fired rice, which is disappearing even in rural areas amid rapid social development, can help our children experience the childhood life of their parents' generation. Think about it: the best gift for children is not various toys but time, companionship—companionship is the best education. Secondly, children playing freely in the wild broadens their horizons, fosters love for nature, and cultivates environmental awareness. Through close contact with nature, they feel joy and develop a sense of caring for the environment and protecting nature.

Cars can only be parked outside the farm gate. To enter the farm, you pass through a long corridor with colorful windmills on both sides. The air on the road is mixed with the smell of grass, refreshing the mind.

Yangshuo: experiencing rural wildness with children at Qingjiangdu.

▲ Part 2: Food ▲ 📒 Fresh Spring Flavors

Playing to the fullest and eating to the fullest is the correct way to embrace spring. Food is a gift from nature, made according to time and place, using seasonal ingredients to create the freshest dishes.

The first recommendation is thunder fungus (Nostoc commune), which grows briefly during the thunderous rainy spring. This time in Yangshuo we happened to catch it. Stir-fried thunder fungus with homemade pickled beans—the seasonal thunder fungus pairs perfectly with the pickled beans, a great side dish for rice.

Cute toon shoots, thunder fungus, spring bamboo shoots, Pasqueflower (wild greens), spider flower (wild greens)—these seemingly ordinary and unpretentious wild vegetables have a spring flavor more enticing than fish. The picture above shows the seasonal "toon sprout scrambled with local eggs," garnished with a few red petals for better presentation.

Spring bamboo shoots, as the "king of vegetables" in spring, have many cooking methods, suitable for both meat and vegetable combinations. One of the most classic Yangshuo practices is [stir-fried bamboo shoot tips with pork]. The freshness of bamboo shoots complements the fragrance of meat perfectly, with an enticing aroma.

Spring brings everything to life; there are many wild vegetables in Guilin. Stir-fried wild scallion with local eggs is also a seasonal dish worth trying.

And corn grown with mountain spring water. After roasting, it is crisp and sweet.

At Qingjiangdu, you must eat the free-range spring chicken. Authentic mountain chickens, after plucking and cutting into pieces, are directly served on the table, cooked and eaten on the spot. The chickens raised in the mountains fly around, with developed muscles, tight skin and tender meat, rich in chicken flavor.

Most of the food in the farm is sourced locally; vegetables come from the adjacent vegetable fields. Recommended two local unique vegetables: Pasqueflower (wild greens) and spider flower (wild greens). Remember to order them next time. For hotpot, there are also homemade tofu and sun-dried fried tofu skins, which are rare perfect matches.

Wood-fired braised local duck, cooked with some dried shiitake mushrooms, not greasy and delicious.

Clay pot fish head, fragrant with fish, slightly spicy, tender, smooth, and sweet, with great texture.

Wood-fired tripod rice cooked in an iron pot. The rice must be cooked in an iron pot that has been seasoned for over half a year, with skillful cooking techniques, plus self-grown rice irrigated with mountain spring water, making the seemingly ordinary rice full of aroma in every bite.

The bottom of the tripod pot is pointed, isn't that special?

Finally, the fruit wood clay oven chicken came out. The moment the aluminum foil was peeled off, the aroma made my mouth water uncontrollably. The fragrance filled the air, whetting the appetite. The chicken skin was roasted crispy, oily but not greasy, with a slight fruit wood fragrance. The chicken meat was tender and smooth. This traditional method of roasting chicken is a long-lost temptation for city dwellers, indescribably wonderful.

The restaurant's private rooms are quite special, scattered as wooden cabins on the hillside. Through the windows, you can gaze into the distance and enjoy the fresh and beautiful lake and mountain scenery.

For entertainment, you can rock climb, fish, or kayak. Next to the lakeside restaurant is a children's playground.

Parent-child activities include grass sliding, a cutting-edge sport that, like skiing, brings thrill and excitement. It is more entertaining than skiing and better allows experiencing harmony with nature. Grass sliding is done on a rainbow slide track, which kids find quite interesting.

Lakeside parent-child activities also include slides, swings, and seesaws. Enjoy the scenery while playing games.

Tips: Yangshuo Qingjiangdu Ecological Agriculture address: Baima Village, Fuli Town, Yangshuo County, Guilin.

Transportation: Suitable for self-driving; enter the farm name and follow the navigation directly. You can take the bus from Yangshuo county to Xingping Ancient Town, get off at Baima Village entrance, then call the farm to arrange pick-up.

Guilin Yangshuo, surrounded by mountains, with a humid and cool climate, different products and climate give Guilin people unique eating habits. When visiting Yangshuo, besides enjoying the picturesque landscape, you must not miss the delicious food here.

"Beer Fish" is the landmark dish of Guilin, a must-try every time I come to Yangshuo.

Walking around the streets of Yangshuo, most restaurants were not yet reopened. Beer fish is a must-eat when visiting Yangshuo. Fortunately, we saw that Sister Liu's Beer Fish (Ding'e branch) was already open, so we were overjoyed and immediately went in to order. This beer fish was different from what I had before: they kill the live fish and bring it to the table, then cook it on the spot. After ordering, the waiter brought the prepared sword-bone fish, already sliced into pieces. Then, a special sauce packet was poured in on site, beer was added, the lid was put on, and an hourglass was placed. When the sand in the hourglass ran out, the fish was cooked. The whole process took about 8 minutes. Sister Liu's Beer Fish sauce is said to originate from Guangxi intangible cultural heritage. It was indeed delicious, mainly because this method makes the fish meat spicy and tender, without any fishy smell at all.

While making beer fish, the ingredients include sword-bone fish, hairy-bone fish, and carp. The best texture comes from the sword-bone fish that eats moss in the Li River. Unlike other fish, the longer sword-bone fish is cooked, the tenderer and more delicious the meat remains.

Handmade bamboo knot stuffed: specially selected fresh bamboo knots, cut into 10 cm lengths, filled with glutinous rice and cured meat, giving a light bamboo fragrance, and the plating is very appealing.

Zhuang-style bamboo tube chicken: made in bamboo tubes. During the process, the chicken absorbs the fresh bamboo fragrance, making the meat tender and flavorful with a bamboo aroma. Bamboo tube chicken has both the sweetness of chicken and the fragrance of green bamboo. The soup is clear, and the chicken is tender and soft, with a rich aroma.

Honey pepper pork ribs: deep-fried ribs, drizzled with sesame, served on banana leaves. The plating and color are superb! Crispy outside and tender inside! Excellent in both appearance and taste.

The Li River is clear, and Li River shrimp are tender and crispy. This plate of Li River shrimp is white with a hint of red, and the tea leaves give a lingering aftertaste. Good for drinking with alcohol.

Guilin's landscape, Lipu's taro. In Guangxi, the only thing as famous as Guilin's landscape is Lipu's taro. As early as the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, it was listed as the top tribute from Guangxi, presented to the imperial court annually. This pressure-cooker braised taro is the most authentic I have ever tasted; its unique flavor is unforgettable.

Stir-fried bamboo shoot tips with pork. Bamboo shoots are a renowned ingredient in Yangshuo, especially in spring, a must-try.

The restaurant's decoration is classical with a touch of freshness. Tips: Sister Liu's Beer Fish, I went to the Ding'e 3 branch. They have many branches in Yangshuo, perhaps around 11.

After finishing ATV off-roading by the Li River, a friend took us to a dinner at a restaurant favored by locals. This restaurant is right by the Li River, known for its ingredients and authentic cooking methods.

Termite mushroom and local chicken soup. Wild termite mushrooms look slightly dark but taste fragrant and smooth. The local chicken soup is full of essence; I drank three bowls in one go. They use free-range chickens raised in the mountains, very delicious.

Blanched Li River shrimp: The shrimp meat is tender and pure, original flavor, bright red like gems. The texture is crispy and tender, fragrant but not strong, with the purity and sweetness of Li River water.

Steamed Li River wild fish: a mix of various small fish caught that day, ordinary in appearance but delicious and tempting.

Stuffed field snails are a unique dish in Yangshuo. A farmhouse dish, ordinary in appearance, but once you taste it, you fall in love. The snail meat has the refreshing fragrance of mint, delicious.

Spring seasonal wild vegetables, great for hotpot.

Stir-fried dried fish: "Local Cuisine Home" mainly serves local farmhouse dishes, popular among Yangshuo locals, with few tourists. LeWanJun only got to taste this restaurant thanks to a friend, but it was indeed delicious and worth a try! Tips:

Local Cuisine Home address: No. 1 Shuangtan Village, Yangshuo County.

Li River wild black snakehead fish has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, promoting diuresis, and reducing swelling. It is nutritious, high in protein, delicious and nourishing. Black fish hotpot is one of the local specialties in Yangshuo. When served, the wild black snakehead fish has been sliced thin by the chef. Pick up a slice, blanch it for a few seconds, it becomes tender and smooth, with a sweet taste, leaving an endless aftertaste!

After eating the black fish, put local chicken into the pot. The chicken in Yangshuo is free-range, raised for a full 90 days, with a particularly strong chicken flavor.

Li River field snails: native snails from the Li River, with angular shells. This was my first time eating them. They come in spicy and non-spicy; I think spicy is better. Dining location: Yangshuo Backyard Inn. Art Gallery Chinese Restaurant.

▲ Part 3: Accommodation ▲ About Staying

LeWanJun stayed at Yangshuo Backyard Inn for 3 days. Name: Backyard Inn. Address: No. 27-1, Chuanyan Village, Gaotian Town, Yangshuo County, Guilin (behind the Big Banyan Tree Scenic Area). The hotel has many recreational facilities, including hiking trails, water park, separate outdoor pool, and riverside garden.

The outdoor pool afternoon tea attracted me quite a bit. Quite an exquisite life.

Sitting by the pool, reading magazines, tasting seasonal fruits and delicate pastries, another happy day passed.

In the evening, you can catch fireflies with the kids and hold a bonfire party under the bamboo forest.

There are also various barbecues to taste. My favorite food is still garlic roasted oysters.

Back in the guesthouse lobby, there is a parent-child concert.

The children listened with great interest, clapping happily.

Backyard Inn has an art gallery that regularly hosts oil painting exhibitions of various themes.

Painting and sketching have become a new way for parents to spend vacation with their children. Kids can appreciate and learn about oil painting here.

Cultivate children's hands-on ability, learning oil painting creation and drawing with the teacher.

Guilin landscape provides unique creative material for outdoor painting; children can freely create their own works.

The teacher teaches according to the children's abilities. Going on vacation can also yield some knowledge.

"Sing folk songs, here the songs and there the chorus..." The song "Folk Songs Like Spring River" is known to most Chinese, originating from the ballad singer Liu Sanjie. However, few people know where Liu Sanjie's former residence is.

From our Backyard Inn, walk along the river for 2 minutes to reach Liu Sanjie's former residence. There are two peacocks at the entrance. In the 1960s, the influential Chinese movie "Liu Sanjie" was filmed here as an outdoor location.

The song-dueling platform in the movie "Liu Sanjie" was filmed here.

"Banyan Shade Ancient Ferry" on the Jinbao River was a filming location for "Liu Sanjie," where Liu Sanjie and A Niu professed their love and pledged to be together.

A small rocky hill rises abruptly from the ground. A hole passes through the middle, like a giant stone gate, colorful, called Chuanyan (Through Rock).

Beside the ancient banyan tree is a small river called Jinbao River. From the "Banyan Shade Ancient Ferry," cross the river by bamboo raft to reach the Big Banyan Tree. The scene in the movie "Liu Sanjie" where Liu Sanjie and A Niu throw a silk ball and get married under the big banyan tree was filmed here.

Drone shots make the orientation clearer. Opposite, the rocky hill has a cave in the middle, called "Chuanyan." Behind the cave lies a village, the famous "Chuanyan Village." Beside Chuanyan, the Big Banyan Tree climbing area has one of the most difficult natural rock face routes in China.

Itinerary:

3.26 Day1: Guangzhou self-driving to Yangshuo ~ lunch at service area ~ arrive at hotel ~ walk along Yulong River ~ stroll in Chuanyan Village ~ hotel dinner.

3.27 Day2: After breakfast, depart ~ Shuiedi Pier for rapeseed flowers ~ Sister Liu's Beer Fish lunch ~ Sanmu Off-Road ~ Local Cuisine Home dinner

3.28 Day3: Hotel breakfast ~ Qingjiangdu lunch ~ hotel cozy afternoon tea ~ BBQ

3.29 Day4: Morning parent-child painting class; after lunch, self-drive from Yangshuo back to Guangzhou

Self-driving Tips: Guangzhou to Yangshuo is 410 km one way. Highway tolls are currently free, and fuel prices are at their lowest.

Temperature Tips: Yangshuo has large temperature differences between day and night; bring warm clothing for adults and children. Umbrellas are essential in the rainy season.

Fruit Tips: Current oranges and tangerines are very sweet and juicy.

Souvenir Tips: Sister Liu's Beer Fish sauce packets can make you a chef instantly; bringing Yangshuo beer fish home is simple! Qingjiangdu's local specialties are also worth taking; absolutely wild and cheap!

Summary: Now travel has few people and beautiful scenery, misty rain, and various special deals. Bring your kids to Yangshuo to listen to the crickets and birds in nature, enjoy fresh and free air, delicious food, all kinds of happy things, meet interesting people, and help Yangshuo's tourism industry recover. Hurry up and plan!