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Yangshuo and Guilin

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Yangshuo and Guilin are the main tourist attractions in south east China (maybe with the exception of Hong Kong). The limestone karst mountains is Yangshuo's main attraction. The spectacular rock formations offer you an option to ride a bicycle, go climbing, visit caves or simply enjoy a good meal in one of the many restaurants in town.

The first time I was in Yangshuo was somewhere in the mid 90's. Even though traveling in China became rapidly easier, Yangshuo was still mellow. With a few hotels and western styled restaurants, it didn't show much of what would come in the next few years. Nowadays Yangshuo is a busy tourist destination for foreigners and local Chinese alike.

It is impossible to give you all the Yangshuo information on one page. Therefore I will give you only a rough idea what to expect in Yangshuo. Here's an short overview what you can do but if Yangshuo is on the to be visited list, check our Yangshuo Travel Guide.com website.

Bicycling in and around Yangshuo

The very first visitors in Yangshuo understood the riding a bicycle in the vicinity of Yangshuo would be the best way to explore Yangshuo. It is still the best way to find out the secrets of the town and county.

There are many paths and roads to explore around Yangshuo. I have created several pages about (unusual) bike trails around Yangshuo, click here to read more.

A seldom visited place ... directly behind Moonhill

Get a local guide, I recommend Jessie Lu who is not only my favorite guide but to many people also one of the best and most knowledgeable guides in Yangshuo. Here's more about Jessie Lu and her tours in Yangshuo

The most spectacular areas are the Yulong river with Moonhill nearby, Xingping, 25 km north of Yangshuo on the other side of the river. And then there is the area east of the Snow Lion Resort, a dirt road that leads to Liugong and Puyi.

Hiking up to the TV Tower shows this view

Other activities

The amazing thing about Yangshuo is that you never get bored. There's always more to do, even if you don't want to.

• Rafting
• Liu Sanjie Impressions
• Moonhill
• Cycling
• Caves
• Cormorant fishing
• Ballooning
• Kayaking from Fuli to Liugong or to Puyi
• Yulong river swimming
• Li river swimming
• Longer bike rides
• Xingping
• Rock Climbing
• Walks

The list is almost endless.

Accommodation in Yangshuo

The amount of hotels in Yangshuo is nowadays mindboggling. You can find a hotel in any price range. From dirt cheap budget accommodation (like the 7th Heaven) to top end (Green Lotus Hotel), and everything in between.

My favorite for the budget hotels is still the 7th Heaven Cafe and Hostel and for staying outside the town center, the best in my humble opinion ... the Snow Lion Riverside Resort Yangshuo.

There plenty of other hotels, guesthouses and hostels in Yangshuo.

• Mid range and up-market hotels
• Low budget guesthouses and hostels

Getting there and away

Yangshuo is remarkable easy to travel to. Take a bus from Hong Kong or Guangzhou is one way. Guilin, 65 km north has plenty of flights, buses and trains to different destinations in China.

For cyclist Yangshuo is also easy to reach and many roads are worth to cycle:

• The road from Kunming to Guilin via north Guizhou
• The road from Kunming to Guilin via south Guizhou
• The road from Baisha to Hechi, Liuzhou and Guilin
• The road from Nanning to Yangshuo
• The road from Guilin to Longsheng, Sanjiang and Zhaoxing
• The road from Hong Kong to Yangshuo
• A more general overview of cycling in Guangxi

There are several loops to make with Yangshuo as a base. A very nice loop would be:

=> Guilin - Longsheng - Sanjiang - Zhaoxing - Congjiang - Ronjiang - Sandhu - Libo - Hechi - Yizhou - Rongshui - Guilin.

On the road from Rong 'an/Rongshui to Guilin

The loop alone will keep you busy for about 2 to 3 weeks and offer a really good insight of the spectacular culture of the Dong, Miao and other minorities, beautiful mountain ranges, rice terrace building and remote areas seldom visited by any travelers.

It is this loop that I would recommend to any cyclist who wants to spend time in this part of China.

Xingping

North of Yangshuo lies the little town Xingping. It's a relatively unspoiled town although it is quickly changing. Still, I think it's absolutely worth a visit. You can use your bicycle to cycle to Xingping. There are three options:

1. The main road from Yangshuo via Fuli
2. The back road to Xingping
3. The back road from Xingping to Guilin

Sunset in Xingping

Check also the Yangshuo maps and an extensive county map

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