Yangshuo's Scenery Surpasses Guilin—My Practical Travel Guide to Yangshuo

As the saying goes, 'Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven,' but one must know that 'Yangshuo's scenery surpasses Guilin.' When visiting Guilin, how could one forget this pure land of Yangshuo? There are multiple ways to get from Guilin to Yangshuo: you can sail along the Li River, take the high-speed rail, or travel by road. Yangshuo county town is 65 kilometers from Guilin city, and it takes about two hours by bus. If you take a boat on the Li River from Guilin's Mopanshan Wharf, the sightseeing cruise takes about four to five hours.

Special note: If you take the high-speed train from Guilin to Yangshuo Station, you won't actually arrive at Yangshuo county town, because the Yangshuo high-speed rail station is built in Xingping Ancient Town. After leaving Yangshuo High-Speed Rail Station, it takes about another hour by taxi to reach Yangshuo county town.

When mentioning Yangshuo, one cannot ignore West Street, which is famous on major media platforms. Located in the center of Yangshuo county town, it is known as the capital of romance. However, in recent years, news of drink scams and 'badger games' has constantly surfaced, making the public more rational. There is no such thing as a free lunch. If you simply come to West Street to experience the bar atmosphere, it's still okay. Apart from the noisy bars and dance clubs, West Street also has many quiet bars and music bars, especially suitable for literary youths to check in and take photos. West Street is also called 'Foreigner Street,' but due to the pandemic this year, there are fewer foreigners. The night scene on West Street is not as bustling as imagined. The overall consumption level is similar to bar streets in ordinary cities. Besides bars and souvenir shops, West Street also has many local specialty snacks. The water of the Li River nurtures the residents of Yangshuo, and the local specialties are closely related to the river's blessings.

Mugwort rice cakes are a traditional Han snack. The fragrant mugwort has a slightly bitter taste at first, but the aftertaste reveals the rich flavor of glutinous rice. During the day, West Street appears sparsely populated, in stark contrast to its lively night. Most visitors to Yangshuo choose to stay near West Street because it is centrally located and convenient for reaching various attractions. The best way to explore Yangshuo is by bicycle or electric scooter—they are eco-friendly and convenient for getting around. Electric scooters can be rented everywhere in Yangshuo; prices are negotiable with the shop owner and are usually charged by the day. Yangshuo has good safety measures for electric scooters. The rental boss said that as long as you park the scooter properly in the designated scenic area parking, it won't be stolen even without locking it.

After arranging accommodation and meals near West Street, rent an electric scooter and start your scenery tour that surpasses Guilin. The attractions in Yangshuo are roughly distributed along two routes: one along the Yulong River and the other along the Ten-Mile Gallery. Let's first talk about the beautiful scenery along the Yulong River. Riding the rented electric scooter along National Highway 321 for about an hour will bring you to the Shangri-La Scenic Area. With such a beautiful name, I headed there with great anticipation. The Shangri-La Scenic Area is a sightseeing route mainly by boat, artificially built based on Tao Yuanming's 'Peach Blossom Spring.' 'After the forest ends, a mountain appears with a small opening, as if with light. Entering the opening, it is initially very narrow, just enough for one person. After walking dozens of steps, it suddenly opens up.' The boat ride for sightseeing takes about half an hour; then you dock near houses with ethnic minority characteristics and continue on foot. While sailing on the Peach Blossom River, the guide introduced the Camel Mountain. Besides the two in the Li River and Seven Star Scenic Area, this is the third Camel Mountain. Personally, I feel this camel is far less vivid than the one in Seven Star Scenic Area. Totem poles with strong ethnic styles stand behind endless pastoral scenery. At the end, visitors pass through Yuanming Manor, which mainly sells souvenirs besides introducing Tao Yuanming's life. The entire scenic area takes about an hour and a half to tour. Personally, I think it's mostly visited by tour groups. If your time in Yangshuo is tight, you can skip this place, as it's far from the county town and not very interesting.

Returning from Shangri-La along Highway 321, the first thing you pass is Fuli Bridge. Fuli Bridge is not far from Jinlong Bridge, the starting point of the Yulong River bamboo raft drift. It takes about five minutes by electric scooter, but there is no clear sign at the turn, so you need to check the navigation carefully. Fuli Bridge is not a scenic spot but an ancient bridge quietly guarding the fields. Because the clear Yulong River flows through it, the weathered ancient bridge has become very charming, attracting visitors to admire and take photos. The best way to deeply experience the charm of the Yulong River, and the essence of Yangshuo travel, is to go bamboo rafting on the Yulong River. Unlike the bamboo rafting on the Li River, the Yulong River rafting is manually punted. The longest route from Jinlong Bridge to Jiuxian takes about two hours. According to online rumors, tipping the boatman can make him row slower and give more explanations, but there are prominent signs along the riverbank prohibiting boatmen from accepting tips. The scenic area seems to manage this. When I took the raft, I didn't intend to tip, and the boatman was neither warm nor cold, chatting idly. Actually, I preferred to quietly enjoy the scenery without noisy interruptions.

The Yulong River is 43.5 kilometers long, and there are many rafting sections with different distances and prices—some one-way, some round-trip. Personally, I recommend the longest and most essential section from Jinlong Bridge to Jiuxian. This section uses a two-seat raft; if you travel alone, you either share with someone else or pay the full 255 yuan for two people, as the fee is per raft. The Jinlong Bridge to Jiuxian section is one-way, so if you rode an electric scooter to Jinlong Bridge Pier, you need to find a local to ride your scooter to Jiuxian Pier. It costs about 30 yuan per scooter; you can bargain. If you need to charge the battery, discuss whether there is an extra charge in advance.

Letting a local ride your rented scooter to Jiuxian requires no paperwork; they just ask you to take a photo of the key. Don't worry too much about the scooter's safety—in Yangshuo, there seems to be an unwritten rule that no one messes with rented scooters. This virtuous cycle indeed helps Yangshuo's tourism development. Enjoy the comfort on the Yulong River—truly experiencing 'the boat sails on green water, and people travel in a painting.' It's a completely different feeling from rafting on the Li River. When you disembark at Jiuxian Pier, there's no public transport. As usual, many electric scooters are available for rent near the pier, so you don't need to worry about continuing your trip.

After finishing the Yulong River rafting, ride along the rural roads to feel the embrace of Yangshuo's mountains in another way. The approximate navigation route can be: Jiuxian Pier → Zhaoyang Pier → Jima Pier → Gongnong Bridge Pier. This cycling route will keep you immersed in the beautiful landscape. At Jima Pier, there is a small train穿梭在 rice fields; friends with children should not miss it. The golden rice fields, if combined with blue sky, can be described as magnificent. Seeing rice fields for the first time, I was attracted by the scenery, but the weather made the photos look misty, quite different from reality.

Continue riding for 20 minutes from Jima Pier to Gongnong Bridge Pier. At this point, the Yulong River trip can end. Gongnong Bridge is a link connecting the Yulong River and the Ten-Mile Gallery. If it's still early when you reach the bridge, you can continue to the attractions along the Ten-Mile Gallery. The photo below shows Gongnong Bridge. Watching sunrise and sunset from the bridge is an excellent spot, so nearby accommodation is slightly more expensive. Less than a kilometer from Gongnong Bridge is the Big Banyan Tree Scenic Area, a famous but often criticized spot in the Ten-Mile Gallery.

Do you remember the big banyan tree from primary school Chinese textbooks? I think most people my age want to see the childhood memory in person; I recall that lesson required memorization. The Big Banyan Tree Scenic Area and Moon Hill Scenic Area are managed by the same tourism development company, and a joint ticket is available. The entire scenic area can be visited in less than half an hour. There are already many complaints online, so I won't elaborate. In fact, every city has places where 'you regret not going, but regret even more after going'—perhaps the Big Banyan Tree is one such place. For 15 yuan, you just come in to see an ancient banyan tree. This tree is over 1,400 years old, and legend says it was where the Guangxi Zhuang singing fairy Liu Sanjie and her lover A Niu pledged their love. Across the river stands Chuanshan Mountain, with a duet stage at its foot. The scenic area has fixed-time performances of folk songs. To reach the mountain opposite, you need to pay an additional bamboo raft fee.

Leaving the Big Banyan Tree, ride for another 5 minutes on the electric scooter to Julongtan Scenic Area. Julongtan seems to be visited mostly by tour groups. When you reach the square shown below, that's the ticket checkpoint. After checking tickets, a guide leads a group of about 10-20 people. First, you take a boat for two minutes into the cave, then the guide takes you through the entire cave while mixing in sales pitches.

Julongtan is the only cave in Yangshuo that can be visited both by water and on foot. It's about one kilometer long and takes about an hour to visit. There are many cave scenic areas in Guilin and Yangshuo. If you already have Yinzijiang (Silver Cave) and Ludiyan (Reed Flute Cave) in your itinerary, you can skip Julongtan—it can't compare to the other two. If you've never seen a cave wonder, Julongtan might still impress, but if you've been to Yinzijiang or Ludiyan, this one seems minor.

Ordinary rented electric scooters can generally reach at most Moon Hill Scenic Area along the Ten-Mile Gallery. Moon Hill is a classic spot not to be missed in the Ten-Mile Gallery. If you don't want to climb the hill or buy a ticket, there's a village along the road where you can view it from a distance for photos, though it's best to have a guide to that village.

Moon Hill is a wonder in Yangshuo, over 380 meters high. There's a贯穿 hole at the top that resembles a bright moon, so it's called Mingyue Peak, commonly known as Moon Hill. Tickets are cheap. After buying a ticket, you can climb an 800-step trail to the moon cave. The cave is incredibly large, 50 meters high and wide, with walls only a few meters thick. Climbing Moon Hill takes about 40 minutes, and from the top you have a panoramic view of Yangshuo's landscape and villages. This was a place visited by US President Nixon and his wife.

If your rented scooter's battery is low, you'll need to take a taxi to go further from Moon Hill. Ruyi Peak is a new attraction developed by Shaanxi Tourism Group in recent years, about a 10-minute taxi ride from Moon Hill. From Yangshuo county town, there are day-trip tour groups that provide transportation.

Ruyi Peak is a newly emerging tourist destination in Yangshuo in recent years. Besides tour groups, many independent visitors come. It features a cable car that saves a lot of effort, allowing you to easily overlook Yangshuo and have fun at height. However, tickets are not cheap, around 100 yuan.

After getting off the cable car, follow the crowd. In the distance, you can see the mountain peak at the other end of the suspension bridge. During peak times, the route is one-way, and you cannot return the same way. So at every fork with security guards, be sure to ask in advance.

Climbing to the highest circular observation platform on Ruyi Peak, you can take in all the surrounding beauty. The road below looks like a giant python plunging into the embrace of Yangshuo's mountains.

The downhill path from the highest circular observation platform is longer and more difficult than the uphill. But to manage visitor flow and avoid congestion, security do not allow backtracking. Halfway down, there is a slide under construction and a glass walkway already built. The glass walkway is at a fork different from the exit and requires an additional fee. I've been to many glass walkways, so I wasn't particularly interested and skipped it. Even with the cable car, the entire Ruyi Peak scenic area takes about two to three hours.

Eight kilometers from Ruyi Peak, still about ten minutes by car, is Yinzijiang (Silver Cave). Yinzijiang is at the border between Yangshuo and Lipu, actually in the Lipu area. This was the farthest scenic spot I took a taxi to from Yangshuo county town. It seems inaccessible by rented electric scooter.

Yinzijiang passes through 12 peaks, with a developed tour route of 2,000 meters. It is divided into three parts: lower cave, hall, and upper cave, containing 28 colorful and beautiful scenic spots, with natural wonders that seem crafted by nature. The scenic area uses the homophone 'silver' to promote the slogan 'Come to Silver Cave, never lack money.'

The huge cave takes more than two hours to tour. At the ticket checkpoint, you can rent an audio guide. I thought caves would be cool in winter and warm in summer, but even in November, the cave was still hot. Fortunately, the scenic area is considerate, placing many large fans along the way to alleviate the heat. Yinzijiang resembles a huge natural bonsai, surrounded by hills. It has the largest red cliff climbing base in Guilin, a restaurant, and is suitable not only for sightseeing but also for vacations and company team-building. The scale, facilities, service, and particularly the cave's exquisite craftsmanship are very satisfying, comparable to Ludiyan (Reed Flute Cave) in Guilin city.

These are basically the two classic Yangshuo tour routes. Of course, I missed some small spots like Totem Ancient Road and Butterfly Spring. According to locals, those small attractions are mostly visited by tour groups, so I can't comment much—it's a matter of opinion.

The Ten-Mile Gallery originally prohibited motor vehicles, but this year due to the pandemic, enforcement has been lax. If the entire Ten-Mile Gallery was only bicycles and electric scooters, without the roar of motor vehicles, the experience would be even better.

Besides rich natural scenery, Yangshuo is also home to the famous 'Impression Liu Sanjie' large-scale outdoor landscape performance directed by Zhang Yimou. There are two to three shows each evening, with ticket prices varying by seat; the cheapest is nearly 200 yuan. After the show, electric scooters go directly to West Street for 10 yuan per person. If you drive, be prepared for traffic jams.

The best seats in the theater are slightly behind the middle, as the angle allows full appreciation of lighting and stage effects. If not in peak season, you can find empty seats after the show starts. I sat in the first row, but the effect wasn't great; the huge speakers blocked part of the view.

'Impression Liu Sanjie' is sung entirely in minority languages. The performers sing and dance in a grand scale, but due to the language barrier, I couldn't understand the lyrics and could only feel the legend of Liu Sanjie from their intonations.

This performance debuted in 2005. I remember often seeing its promotional videos on TV back then. Suddenly, 15 years have passed. Although the show is still impressive, the blade of time has left its mark. The lighting and sound effects that were once cutting-edge now seem mediocre, especially since Yangshuo introduced another performance venue. In comparison, 'Impression Liu Sanjie' isn't as well-regarded as before.

The competitor that overshadowed it is 'Eternal Love of Guilin.' It is a performance tourism brand created by Songcheng Performing Arts Company. In many cities across China, combining local folklore, history, and culture with modern stage technology, they have built a cultural amusement park integrating performances, interactive entertainment, dining, and accommodation.

'Eternal Love of Guilin' tickets are not cheap either, but compared to 'Impression Liu Sanjie,' the value for money is higher. Eighty percent of the ticket value is realized in the 'Eternal Love of Guilin Grand Theater' shown below. The show also has different prices for different seats. During the performance, latecomers are escorted in by staff who patiently guide them to maintain order, minimizing disruption. From my experience, even if there are empty seats, staff management likely prevents free seating after the show starts.

The performance of 'Eternal Love of Guilin' is divided into several segments, including ethnic dances showcasing Guangxi minority culture, and touching scenes of Qin soldiers building the Lingqu Canal. Each segment draws applause, gasps, and screams from the audience.

When splendidly costumed performers glide past the audience, visitors quickly pull out their phones to capture the beautiful moment.

The elegant dance moves of the performers are moving. Jokingly, after watching the dancers, I somewhat understood why ancient emperors were so delighted by dancing women.

According to the park's schedule, there is also a show in the big theater where audience members are invited on stage to interact, themed around the Wenchuan earthquake. Participants volunteer by raising their hands, playing minor roles, which enhances visitor engagement and experience. After the performance, each participant receives a photo taken by the theater staff.

After the unforgettable show, the park also hosts flash mobs, puppet shows, and other performances at set times, great for families with children. The park has convenient dining and accommodation, so if you have time, you can spend half a day or even a full day there. However, if you're only interested in the 'Eternal Love' performance, you can skip other shows. Personally, I recommend spending more time in the park. At night, the park looks even more magnificent under gorgeous lights. If you drive, you can stay longer; it's not far from Yangshuo county town—about 10 to 20 minutes by car.

The two famous performances in Yangshuo are 'Impression Liu Sanjie' and 'Eternal Love of Guilin.' Both are pricey. If you can only choose one, I personally recommend 'Eternal Love of Guilin.'

Since I was staying in Yangshuo county town, in the half-day before leaving, I chose to visit the Yangshuo Landscape Garden, a five-minute walk from West Street. Originally renovated from the Bincheng Park, it has a history of over 1,400 years. Currently, Mount Bilian in the park is closed for renovation and cannot be climbed.

Yangshuo Landscape Garden is a park with rich cultural heritage. The two-story Yingjiang Pavilion offers beautiful scenery from every angle, each different. Premier Zhou Enlai once took a photo here, so I specifically asked my father to imitate Premier Zhou's pose and take a photo at the same spot.

From the garden, overlooking the Li River brings less noise and more tranquility. There are many historical stone carvings along the mountain path. The most interesting is the 'Dai' character carving below, on a platform near the exit.

If you don't climb Mount Bilian, the garden can be toured in less than an hour. Remember to enter from the West Street gate and return the same way, as the other gate is a bit far from West Street. Exiting that gate to the Li River, you can see stone carvings of 'Yangshuo' that many celebrities have photographed. Near West Street, there are also free attractions like Xu Beihong's former residence and Sun Yat-sen's speech site. Although not worth a special trip, if you, like me, have little time left before leaving Yangshuo, you might as well visit and feel Yangshuo's cultural history.

Xu Beihong's former residence is small—a few rooms and an ancient tree in the courtyard. It's a place of outstanding people. If you want to visit, note the opening hours: like all museums, it's closed on Mondays.

Sun Yat-sen's speech site is now the Yangshuo Anti-Drug Education Base.

The soul of Guilin's landscape lies in Yangshuo. This small county lacks the concrete atmosphere of cities and still retains its world-class charm. The mountains here may not be the most beautiful, and the water may not be the most beautiful, but when mountains and water combine into one picture, Yangshuo is truly unsurpassed under heaven!

When coming to Guangxi, you can skip Guilin city and even Xingping Ancient Town, but you must visit Yangshuo. The scenery changes with every season, and the mountains and water are beautiful morning and night!