Yangshuo Travel Notes

📆 Itinerary:

Day 1: Guangzhou South Station—Yangshuo Station—West Street

Day 2: Jinlong Bridge Dock Bamboo Rafting—Murakami Coffee Shop—Ten Mile Gallery—West Street

Day 3: Photo spot of the 20 RMB note at Xingping—Xingping Ancient Town—Yangshuo Station

🚗🏡 Transportation & Accommodation Costs:

Hotel (mountain view + balcony): 219 RMB/night;

Guangzhou South Station—Yangshuo Station: high-speed rail 126 RMB/person;

Yangshuo Station—Yangshuo town: about 60 RMB via Amap;

Yangshuo town—Xingping: about 50 RMB via Amap;

Xingping Ancient Town—Yangshuo Station: 20 RMB;

Yangshuo town—Jinlong Bridge Dock: about 40 RMB via Didi;

Hotel—West Street: ferry 2 RMB/person;

Renting an electric scooter: 30-50 RMB/day, deposit 200 RMB;

🌈 Mood Sharing:

Day 1 ☀️: Guangzhou South Station—Yangshuo Station—West Street

Right next to the exit of Yangshuo Station is a bus station where you can buy tickets to Yangshuo town. Due to travel fatigue and heavy luggage, we chose to take an Amap ride to the hotel, about a 40-minute drive. The driver said taxis start at 7 or 8 RMB, but there aren't many taxis, so Didi or Amap are more convenient. Our hotel was across the river from the town, very close by ferry. We asked the boatman, and the last ferry back was at 9 PM.

After crossing the river, we walked a few hundred meters to West Street, a famous pedestrian street with a dazzling array of snacks, souvenirs, and unique bars.

We arrived around 7 PM, and the street was already crowded. We wandered around and found Dabin's Cabin. There weren't many people inside at that time. Two singers performed, both with great singing skills. You could request songs for free. The guy was very kind, and his smoky voice was very charming.

Day 2 ☔: Hotel—Jinlong Bridge Dock Bamboo Rafting—Murakami Coffee Shop—Ten Mile Gallery—West Street

We took a taxi from the hotel to Jinlong Bridge Dock. Originally we wanted to go to Shuiedi Dock or Luoma Dock, but those docks were too popular and fully booked by noon. I suggest booking online a day in advance, and check beforehand whether the dock offers a one-way or round-trip trip. If you rent an electric scooter, it's better to choose a round-trip dock, otherwise picking up the scooter will be inconvenient. We finally chose Jinlong Bridge Dock (Jinlong Bridge—Old County, one-way), which had good reviews. On-site tickets were 320 RMB (for two). Jinlong Bridge Dock is upstream with clearer water. The rafting took quite long, 90 minutes in total, and sitting for that long got a bit tiring. I suggest choosing a dock with a shorter time.

The scenery on the water was unique, with green mountains on both sides and clear flowing water. It truly felt like we were traveling in a painting. We boarded the bamboo raft at Jinlong Bridge and disembarked at Old County Dock. It drizzled during the trip. If you're afraid of getting wet, it's advisable to bring your own raincoat. The raincoats sold at the scenic spot are mostly flimsy and overpriced. It's recommended to wear slippers, or you can take off your shoes on the raft and dip your feet in the water for a different fun.

After leaving Old County Dock and walking about ten minutes, we arrived at the popular coffee shop Murakami. It’s a very rustic wooden cabin with strong online publicity. Many people were taking photos at the door, but few were drinking coffee inside. I ordered a cup of osmanthus American coffee for 28 RMB, which had some osmanthus syrup. It tasted similar to regular American coffee, and I thought it was a bit overpriced.

We decided to rent an electric scooter to go to Ten Mile Gallery. On the way, the light rain turned to moderate rain. Wearing raincoats, we rode slowly and unintentionally entered a scenery that looked like a manga. Ten Mile Gallery is a very long scenic corridor; we only covered a small part. Enjoying the mountains and water along the way was comfortable and pleasant, fully savoring the leisurely vibe of this small town.

There was a small incident: while taking photos on a small bridge, the electric scooter parked by the roadside was knocked over. The culprit was nowhere to be found. We compensated the rental lady 80 RMB. The rental fee was 40 RMB, so we spent 120 RMB in total, which was more expensive than taking a taxi. However, having enjoyed the vast mountain and water scenery and experienced the breeze blowing past our ears, we felt it was worth it. I remind everyone to check the rented scooter thoroughly and keep it within sight during use, as any damage might mar an otherwise perfect trip.

For dinner, we chose Master Chef Beer Fish at the entrance of West Street. We ordered a signature beer fish, stir-fried beef with pickled bamboo shoots, seasonal vegetables, and freshly squeezed passion fruit juice, totaling 276 RMB. The pickled bamboo shoots were very tender and highly recommended 😋. Their portions were generous; friends with small appetites should order less. The passion fruit juice suited my taste—sour but not too sweet.

After dinner, we bought some small souvenirs for friends and then went to Dabin's Cabin again. I think their singer-songwriters are the best among all the bars on the street. We had a couple of cocktails at 60 RMB each and a small snack for 28 RMB. The prices were reasonable and the taste was good. Highly recommended.

Day 3 ☂: Hotel—Photo spot of the 20 RMB note at Xingping—Xingping Ancient Town—Yangshuo Station

We checked the route in advance and took a taxi from the hotel to the viewing platform for the 20 RMB note. There was still a long walk from the intersection to the viewing platform, but the driver was very kind and drove us directly to the platform. Remember to bring a 20 RMB note beforehand to compare with the real scene for a great photo effect. There were photographers on site, but printing a photo cost 20 RMB each. You could add the staff's QQ to download the digital photos.

After taking photos, we walked about 200 meters back towards the intersection to the entrance of Xingping Ancient Town. We crossed an iron bridge and arrived. The ancient town is excellent for photography. It’s nice just to wander and eat. Since we were in a hurry to catch a train, we didn't explore the whole area. We tried Guilin rice noodles and Luosifen (snail rice noodles). You could add toppings according to your preference. The pickled bamboo shoots and pickled radish were good. I bought a bamboo tube ice cream on the street—it was average in taste, but the bamboo tube was unique. You could wash it and take it home to use as a plant pot 🪴

Friendly tip: the public toilets at the scenic spot are quite dirty, gender-neutral, with doors that don't lock. If you mind, go with a companion and watch the door for each other. From Xingping Ancient Town, we called the driver to take us to Yangshuo Station. We agreed on 20 RMB in advance, similar to online ride-hailing prices.

Finally, Yangshuo is a place where I felt very comfortable and relaxed. I was lucky to meet such kind and warm-hearted people. I love this small town full of mountains, water, and warmth.