For centuries, Chinese artists have immortalised the Li River, one of the planet's most breathtaking natural vistas. The most experienced traveller will be astounded. From Guilin to Yangshuo, stunning karst peaks erupt abruptly from the valley floor.
A few isolated communities along the Li River, which runs between these two locations, provide a taste of river life in this part of China.
The Li River Cruises leave from Yangshuo, the region's crowning achievement, where the 83-kilometer excursion ends. The entrance to the river is in Guilin. Many people select Guilin as their home base because of its infrastructure, which includes an airport and high-speed trains.
Yangshuo, which is made up of the town of Yangshuo and the nearby villages, is well-known for its remarkable beauty and has a lot of attractions such bamboo-lined Li and Yulong Rivers and limestone mountains. Therefore, it is the ideal location to stay for a few days.
If you're in Hong Kong, you can get to Guilin and Yangshuo in a matter of days by high-speed train or airline.
1. Scheduling a trip on the Li River from Guilin.
The vast majority of visitors come here specifically to ride a boat on the Li River since it's the finest way to appreciate the amazing natural beauty of the region. Depending on the water depth and the force of the current, the voyage takes four to five hours.
Travellers can only take cruises that leave from a port located around 30 to 40 minutes outside of Guilin.
The simplest way is to book a cruise from your Guilin hotel up to the night before departure. Your tour guide will make sure you get on the right boat and secure a seat before the adventure departs from your hotel.
The port is close to a big tourist area, but because all the ships leave at once, at about 9:30 am, traffic there is, at best, hectic.
There are typically two choices: normal seats and VIP. Both options are excellent, even if VIP is on the second level and has less people than ordinary sitting, which is on the first level (water level).
On the third level open top deck, which is used as an observation area and is open to everybody, there are no chairs or shades. You can wind up spending all of your time at the top, barring the lunch that is part of the tour, due to the breathtaking views.
2. Opting to stay in Yangshuo rather than go back to Guilin
Since this is a one-way trip, guests must disembark at Yangshuo and take a bus to return home in around 1.5 hours.
The cost of the tour is the same whether you choose to stay in Yangshuo or not. The majority of tourists depart fast, but if you have the time, Yangshuo is still worthwhile visiting for a few days or longer. One of the highlights of a vacation to China, in the opinion of many, is Yangshuo.
Remember that the ferry terminal is a little chaotic if you want to get off the ship and stay in Yangshuo. 2,000 passengers disembark simultaneously as each ship docks.
If you are carrying luggage, it is a long trek up several flights of stairs and past gift stores to get to the street, so you might choose to accept the attendants' aid for a price.
You could choose to go about the city on electric buses rather than cabs. The best course of action is to arrange to be picked up by your hotel, especially if you are staying outside of the city or in one of the nearby villages.
3. Notable Highlights of the Li River Cruise
The most scenic portions of the trip are in the first two thirds, while the most astounding features are in the middle.
Staff employees will occasionally refer to certain mountains by name and make announcements over the intercom.
Nine Horse Hill is the first notable feature to look out for. This prominent mountain is clearly distinguished from the others along the river by its broad, white cliff face. If you look attentively, you might be able to spot one or two of the nine horses that are visible on the hill, imbedded in the cliff. Even tour guides rarely claim to have seen all nine.
Yellow Cloth Shoal is the next. The shoreline here changes, and depending on water levels throughout the year, the shoal can be observed to varying degrees.
The location depicted on the RMB 20 Yuan Note is the most well-known stop along the Li River Cruise. Examine your surroundings in relation to the picture if you have a 20 Y note on you. You will reach this location at around 12:30 following a 4.5-hour ride. the time, announcement will be made. Many people gaze out the ship's bow and begin taking pictures, but to see the vista as it is described on the letter, you must look out the ship's back.
Xingping Town and Xingping Fishing Village make up the final two. If you decide to visit the modern town or take a raft to the former fishing village, keep a record of these locations.
4. The Ideal Period for Li River Cruising
September or October are the ideal months to take a sail on the Li River. The boats will be busy during peak season, but the weather and surroundings should be enjoyable.
Although it typically rains from April through June, the best travel months are from April through October. It can get fairly hot in July and August. Autumn is ideal. Be ready for frigid conditions while travelling in the winter, possibly even snow.
The Top 5 Things to Do in Yangshuo
1. Bamboo boat rides
A picturesque trip on a bamboo raft is the most well-liked activity in Yangshuo and the most relaxing way to take it all in.
There are two primary bamboo rafting options: a motorised excursion on the Li River for four passengers or a boatman-driven tour for two passengers down the serene Yulong River. Despite the fact that both of these hobbies provide breathtaking views, they are very distinct from one another.
It is delightful and almost strange to glide down this tranquil section of river because power boats are not permitted on the Yulong River. These rafts must navigate a few foot-deep chasms as they travel through a number of small dams, which makes the voyage a little more exciting.
On the Li River, however, because to the river's vastness and congestion, you can find yourself floating next to a flotilla of cruise ships or other motor boats despite the lovely surroundings.
If you arrived in Yangshuo by automobile, it is definitely recommended to take a raft ride along the Li River; however, if you have already taken the cruise along the Li River, you may prefer the Yulong River experience.
2. For the best views in Yangshuo, hike Moon Hill
From Moon Hill, Yangshuo offers the best peak vista.
You may reach the hill's famed arch after ascending 800 stairs, and the journey there is enjoyable. There is an observation platform with an endless view of karst peaks covered in forests at the top of the stairs, immediately beneath the crescent-shaped crater in the mountainside.
On the opposite side of the mountain, which also looks out onto these stunning rocks, continue through the arch for additional vistas.
Moon Hill is situated in a picturesque region with a few outstanding hotel options, just south of Yangshuo Town. The charming small riverfront Moondance Boutique Resort, which features a pool and delicious dining, is one of the nicest discoveries. From this guesthouse, one can ride a bicycle to Moon Hill, the Yulong River cycling trail, and the region known as Camel Crossing the River.
3. Cycle throughout the country
For many tourists visiting Yangshuo, riding down the Yulong River is a must-do activity if you want to get some exercise or some action. The employees at most hotels may point you in the direction of the complimentary single-speed pedal bicycles that are available to them for their visitors.
The easiest way to get a general sense of how the area is laid out is to get the official Yangshuo tourist map. The best and busiest bicycling route is along a paved road south of the city, along Shili Scenery Gallery View Road, from Yangshuo's core business centre to the purportedly "scenic bridge" that spans the Yulong River.
This picturesque road meanders past farmer's fields as it follows the river, where bamboo rafts lazily float by and karst peaks rise above. It is notably quieter than the Li River since motorboats are not allowed here.
Along this trail, you may find some of Yangshuo's top five-star accommodations, such as the Yangshuo Tea Cosy, Yangshuo Mountain Nest, Yangshuo Mountain Retreat, and Yangshuo Resort. These fantastic hotel choices all provide breathtaking views and simple access to the riverfront trail. They can also serve as a fantastic lunch stop.
Each direction of this trip takes about an hour. The advantage of this is that there are no motorcyclists on this trail, despite the fact that there are a few short sets of steps that you must carry your bike over. You must also take a diversion to the road in a few places, but this is not a congested stretch of road.
At Camel Crossing the River, cycling and exploring are both highly recommended activities. This is depicted on Yangshuo's primary tourist map. The path starts close to the lovely bridge's southern end and follows a lightly travelled paved road. It turns around and retreats behind some abandoned building sites, revealing a peek of a big peak with two humps and a camel-like shape.
Contrary to some of the other strangely named mountains, it's easy to imagine a camel standing atop this peak. The simple, level route passes a few residences before turning into a paddy track.
4. Light Display
One of Yangshuo's most well-liked tourist attractions, the Liu San Jie Impression Light Show, is a good way to spend the evening. Zhang Yimou, who previously directed and choreographed the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, created the show's choreography.
The spectacle, which takes place on the Li River with the karst mountains as a backdrop, includes 600 performers, a few water buffalo, and a dozen or more cormorants.
The performance spends a significant amount of time on the water, complete with rafts and spectacular views that must be experienced to properly appreciate.
Up to 7,000 spectators attend each night's performance, which use only local actors and can run up to four times. The majority of visitors choose to see either the first or second presentation, both of which last roughly 70 minutes.
Through your hotel, you may easily obtain tickets and control the crowd at the theatre. Typically, you get transportation, admission, and a guide to help you pass through the entry gates.
5: Cormorant fishing
Despite the fact that it's less frequent now, cormorant fishing has a long history in the area. Even if this is only a performance for guests, the tour is a fantastic way to witness the complete process.
This trip is worthwhile even if you are not interested in fishing because it gives you the chance to see the Li River at night, when it is silent and the mountains' hazy silhouettes reflect in the still, dark waters.
A fisherman leading his sparse flock of fishing cormorants from an even smaller raft is followed by small groups of two to eight individuals that are transported out to sea on a bamboo raft.
The front of the fishing raft is lit from the outside, lighting the river bottom, the darting fish, and the gliding birds. The cormorants capture fish and surface to eat them while you watch the entire spectacle unfold in the still water.
Before being pulled onto the raft by the fisherman and recovered by the cormorant, numerous fish are successfully caught and swallowed by it. The fish is then spit into a pail after being driven back up the cormorant's throat.
Throughout the voyage, the cormorants will board your boat to rest or dry off. On the water, the excursion lasts around 30 minutes.
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