10 things to see in Xingping, China

We spent one day in Xingping. It was our first stop after arriving in China, this is what we did in 24 hours in Xingping.

How to get to Xingping

We arrived by train from Guangzhou. It was a 3 hour train and incredibly easy and comfortable. We purchased second class tickets on Trip and our seat was fine, a good recline made it better as did the stunning views.

How long to stay in Xingping

One day in Xingping was perfect for us, we enjoyed our time here. If you are looking to do the big hikes then you could spend 2 days here to fit it in. Xingping was the first stop on our 4 week China Itinerary and can be visited from Yangshuo as well.

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Where to stay in Xingping

We stayed in a really good budget room on the edge of the old village. It was easy to access all areas by foot. Our room was only 18AUD for the night and the hosts were so lovely.

We also highly recommend the Mercure Guilin Yangshuo Xingping which is in the absolute best location for see everything and it very affordable at 60 AUD per night. If I went back this is where I would stay.

Is Xingping worth visiting?

Yes! It’s a smaller town with day trippers but once they leave you’ll experience a sweet little town with heart.

Is Xingping the same as Yangshaou?

It’s definitely similar, they are both on the river and have ancient towns. But Xingping is much smaller and more quaint. The ancient town is but a few streets and the river is lovely, the vibe is more local and calm.

What to do in Xingping

The beauty of Xingping is that there is not too much to do so you can slow down. The start of this list is what we did and the last 5 are what you can do!

1. Ancient town

The ancient town in Xingping is small, its lovely old buildings are charming and filled with a mix of coffee shops, souvenirs and foods. Wandering these streets during late afternoon is lovely as the lights begin turning on in the evening.

2. The 20 yuan bank note spot

This spot is right in town and you can easily walk here from the ancient village.

It’s a view point which is the actual scenery used on the 20cny bank note! Stopping here for a picture is a must and if you don’t have a note you can ask someone to borrow one. There are passion fruit drink sellers, fishermen to take photos with and a whole lot of activity here. There are spots where you can pay to have your photo taken with the view point, and if you walk around the corner you’ll come to another viewing area with either free or paid spots.

3. Take a bamboo raft on the Li river

Jump aboard one of the many bamboo rafts on the Li Rover for a relaxing boat ride. There are tons of sellers and if you pre book it makes it easier to know what you are doing as opposed to asking various people for prices and information. These are the motorised rafts and they are best for groups or families as there is a proper place to sit.

4. Jump on the ferry and cross the river.

We paid these lovely old men 5cny each to cross the ferry, it was a cute little boat and took no time at all. If you aren’t doing a boat trip this will give you a taste of it. The ferry ran until late and you pay another 5 cny to get back.

5. Visit the cormorant fishing village

Once you are across the river turn left and wander up the path to see the cormorant fishing village. You’ll find lots of boats and birds waiting to fish. If you continue along the path you’ll see a big viewpoint where lots of bamboo rafts are lined up. The sunset here is nice.

This is also where you can come to watch a fisherman on his boat. You can book this fisherman photo shoot which is with a great fisherman, including a net throwing, pipe smoking and lots of other poses.

Cormorant fishing does seem unpleasant for the birds it is a 1000 year old tradition and one of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. While I do always feel a little conflicted by these type of activities there is no doubting the long history in the area.

6. Second cormorant spot

If you don’t get to cross lot the ferry as above you can walk to this spot near the Hilton Garden Inn Guilin Yangshuo (another perfect stay) and see the boats all lined up, assuming it was summer and they would all be out there too.

7. Morning markets

Head out early to the streets surrounding the ancient village and you’ll come across the morning markets. The produce is fresh and its friendly and buzzing vibe is great.

Things to do in Xingping we didn’t get a chance to do…yet!

8. Take in the Impression of Lijiang show

We had other plans and couldn’t see this show but have heard it’s spectacular. Apparently it’s organised by the choreographer of the Beijing Olympics. We saw another show and the are really incredible and worth booking.

9. Hike sunrise at Xianggong Mountain

Be up early to get picked up around 5:30am and head over the river and hike up a hill to see the best sunrise in Xingping. Capture the best view of morning light over the mountains! This is the easiest way to do it!

10. Hike Laozhai Mountain for sunset views

Take in the last of the days light from the peak of Laozhai Mountain. This is a little bit of a tricky but not too long hike! The view does look incredible though.

How to get from Xing Ping to Yangshaou

Take a Didi! It’s the Chinese form of uber and so cheap and handy. You can use our code to get a discount on your first ride.

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