Yangshuo 阳朔县 Travel Guide

Not so many years back Yangshuo was a sleepy fishing village in the countryside outside of Guilin. Nowadays, although retaining much of it’s charm, it is most firmly on the top 10 list of places to visit in China. Yangshuo is usually reached by the scenically stunning cruise down the Li River. The surrounding limestone karst scenery is as breathtaking as the life along the river banks is fascinating. Yangshuo is the perfect place to take all of this in with it’s relaxed atmosphere and easy access to the surrounding countryside by foot, boat or bicycle.

Yangshuo is set in one of the most beautiful areas of China with the iconic karst limestone mountain scenery being one that has inspired many Chinese artists over the centuries. In fact the scenery is so famous that you’ll find it immortalised on the 20 RMB bank note.

The area was actually first unearthed as a tourist spot back in the eighties by western backpackers looking for idyllic spots on the river and from those small beginnings has grown into a place visited by foreigners and Chinese looking to escape the pressures of the city and unwind.

Yangshuo is not just for relaxing though and the more active will find everything from rock climbing to bamboo rafting not to mention a chance to see the cormorant fishermen in action.

The scenery itself in Yangshuo is essentially its top attraction with some absolutely stunning mountains and rivers. This is a place where you choose what the attraction is. For many a couple of days sitting in the cafes watching the world go by will be enough. For others its time to get active with hiking, rafting, climbing and cycling top of their lists.

One thing that does showcase the scenery in quite a unique fashion is the Liu Sanjie “Impressions” light show which uses the amazing scenery as its backdrop while putting on a feast for the eyes involving hundreds of dancers to depict rural life on the River Li. It’s all masterminded by mainland China’s most popular movie director Zhang Yimou. A man perhaps best known outside of China for the remarkable opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Get on your bike! Seriously though, bicycle’s are easily hired here and it’s a great place to just cycle of into the countryside away from the town and see some authentic Chinese life going on.

Book your own activities here on arrival. This is one of the few places that this is very easily done and much with Yangshuo is weather dependent so our advice is that once you are here ask your hotel or one of the many agents in town to organise your rafting, ticket to the Impressions light show or cormorant fishing.

If you want peace and quiet don’t stay in the town, it can be very noisy until the early hours of the morning. Get out to one of the beautiful guesthouses that are away from the town. You only need go a short distance away. Ask us about our recommendations.

When going to Yangshuo, you need look no further than than the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat. Great service, beautiful location and a authentic rooms overlooking a tributary of the River Li, the Yulong River, all go towards making this place one of our favourites in China – not just Yangshuo.

There are others of this ilk such as the Moondance Boutique Resort that are also worth a look in.

If you want to be in the town then somewhere like the rather oddly name C.Source West Residence is right in the middle where the action is and is easily accessed from the wharf.

Click the boxes below to explore further styles of destination in China.

By Phil Stanley & Headseast – TCTC Destination Expert.