Yangshuo is a must visit on your China trip, it totally stole our hearts and we will definitely head back here as soon as we can. This is what we did in 3 days in Yangshuo which is also the second stop on our 2 week China Itinerary.
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Is Yangshuo worth visiting?
Absolutely! We fell in love with this place! The city is quite large but the countryside feels smaller and very quaint. Yangshuo is located in Yangshuo County within the administrative area of Guilin City in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of southern China. It is THE place to come to see the most beautiful karst mountains and river experience.
How long should I spend in Yangshuo?
At least 3 nights for Yangshuo, but we could have stayed 4 or even 5! I would spend a night in Yangshuo town to experience the buzzing city at night and then find your perfect hotel room view and spend the rest out in the countryside. We visited Yangshuo on our 4 week China trip but we have condensed this to make the perfect 2 week China itinerary as well!
Can you do a day trip to Yangshuo from Guilin?
Yes! If you are on limited time then a day trip from Guilin is perfect! Be careful which you book as many of the boat trips leave you in Yangshuo and don’t return to Guilin. Check out this one which is a ‘Highlights from Guilin to Yangshuo Full Day Private Tour’ and returns to Guilin in the evening. It is also customiseable so you can change some of the stops if you wish.
Where to stay in Yangshuo?
In the town we stayed at Xitang River View Holiday Hotel which was really nicely located a short walk into West Street the main hub). Our Guestroom(18㎡)- River-View Room was lovely with a little view over the river. Breakfast was great and the staff were lovely. Another very popular one with a location right on the river is the aptly named Riverview Hotel, it’s full of the Chinese charm has a popular restaurant below and is perfectly central.
In the countryside we stayed at Dreamland Inn for one night in the rooftop room with spectacular uninterrupted views over the mountains! It was really beautiful and the perfect way to experience them! The included breakfast was great and the staff were so sweet!
Our second night we moved just down the road to Here Hotel. It was just as good and our Standard Room – Mountain-View was comfortable, clean and again with mountain views, our breakfast was heartily and filling, perfect for the chilly Autumn day ahead. Our hosts at both hotels spoke great English which really helped us.
The location of these hotels was excellent, perfectly positioned and easy walk to the river and the little nearby town for meals.
There are tons of hotels here to choose from though, some quite luxuriously beautiful ones that I would definitely look at if we wanted a bigger splurge next trip, this pink one is one of the most popular on social media. You can check them out on Trip which is the only place to book anything in China! We used it for all attractions, tours, hotels, plane and train tickets.
How to get around Yangshuo
More than likely you’ll arrive in one of two ways, by boat or train.
We arrived by train which is actually just outside of XingPing and after staying there a night (check out our XingPing blog for details) we got a Didi direct to our hotel in Yangshuo. Didi is the Chinese Uber, but make sure to download Didi China app! (Check out our China Travel trip here)
If you arrive by boat from Guilin you’ll be in the main part of town, you’ll walk up a small hill with your luggage and to your hotel.
Once you’re in Yangshuo town if you have chosen a central hotel you can walk anywhere. Otherwise use Didi to get around.
In the countryside you have to hire a scooter (or electrical bike as they called them) to ride around the river area! It’s a lot of fun and you don’t need a licence.
We hired ours from Dreamland Inn for 30CNY/24 hours. Make sure you take the charger so you can get charge while you’re out and about if needed. They have about 40-60km range but keep an eye on the bars as it does depend on the amount of use the bike has had. There are places you can charge pretty much everywhere or you can offer to pay a shop owner to charge up from their sockets.
What to do in Yangshuo
Yangshuo town
From the town you can walk to the river, enjoy the many photo shoots or take part in one yourself! There’s so many locations here to take beautiful pictures.
You can take in West Street during the day but make sure to come back at night when it comes alive with a buzzing crowd and lots of lights and activity. This is the place to grab a meal, a drink and soak up the energy.
Take a boat trip
You can take a boat trip along the river, there’s bamboo or big boats to relax on, check out the options for the boat trips here, pre booking makes it much simpler to organise.
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 they are really incredible and worth booking, this is the Trip booking direct link, they are the best booking plaftorm for China or you can also book with this link on Get Your Guide.
Romance Park
Grab a Didi to the Romance park, you’ll see cultural information and performances. Book tickets on Trip here, opening hours are 2pm-9pm..
Yangshuo countryside
This is where we spent most of our time and I still didn’t want to leave.
As soon as I saw the big mountains and lush green surrounds I was hooked. Make sure you get a room with a view as it will make your experience so much better! The Yulong River is the focal point of the area and you’ll find yourself amongst loads of happy local tourists having a ball! They’re all so lovely calling out hello and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I felt like we stumbled on the heart of China here and I just loved it!
Hire a scooter
Riding around on a scooter is a must do! There’s a path running along the river and you are allowed to use your scooter here (some even have sidecars!) to explore. We hired ours from Dreamland and it was great!
Do a photoshoot on the river, these are super popular! You will see hundreds of people doing it and it looks like so much fun, not to mention the photos are stunning. They will provide a costume and set up the shoots, you just have to follow their directions! Check them out here.
Take a bamboo raft
This is the highlight of your time in Yangshuo, rafting on the Yulong river is a don’t miss experience! Imagine floating down a peaceful stretch of river with the majestic hardy mountains and lush green bamboo around you, straight out of the jungle book! You can pre book this here which we really recommend so you can just show your passport for ticket. The image below shows the routes you can book on the trip link above.
Best Bamboo Rafting Routes
Pre booking your ticket makes it much easier to decide on the route you want to take. Just head to this link on Trip, then go through to the Bamboo Rafting section, click book and choose your date, number of people and which route you want. These are our top picks of the rafting routes-
Jima Wharf to Gongnog Bridge – known to be the most complete section, you’ll cover the popular but shorter section of Sheuidie as well It takes 90min and costs 320CNY
Jinlong bridge to Jiuxian – A thrilling ride with 9 of the steepest weirs, and some of the most iconic and beautiful mountain views. Takes 60 min and costs 320CNY
Fuli bridge to Niujingling Round Trip- This is a pretty spot and we think it would be very magical place to take a raft from.
Sheuidie route- The route most take, it’s only 60 mins and covers most of the semicircle spots. It’s the most popular route.
Bamboo rafting limit
The only caveat to this is that there is a weight limit and if you’re combined weight with 2 passengers and your day packs is over 160kg then you can’t go, which is sadly what happened to us! Trust me there is nowhere and no-one that will let you on a bamboo raft if the combined weight is over 160kg. We asked everyone and even saw a local couple turned away for being 1.5kg over! Sadly we had already bought a ticket and got weighed when we were about to board. They refunded the ticket but we were so disappointed! If this weight limit applies to you then do a bamboo raft on the Li river from Yangshaou town or XingPing that is motorised and has a bigger weight rating.
There is a bamboo rafting experience at —— which has a 320kg weight limit can take 4 people and is a return trip taking 30minutes and costs 200CNY.
Coffee shops
As you ride along the Yulong river you’ll see a ton of little coffee shop vans and carts. Find your favourite and stop off for a hot or cold drink. They cost around 30CNY for a latte and have lots of different flavours such as matcha, osmanthus and taro!
They also sell treats such as cakes, sweet soups and roasted potato and corn! We grabbed some corn which was traditionally cooked in a smoking machine and sat out to eat amongst the mountains. They all have cute set ups with props or photos and flowers too. In the town area check out Gucang Coffee which is also very cute and has a great brew.
Fuli Bridge
This spot is a must see! Ride your scooter up to Fuli Bridge to take in this pretty 600 year old curved bridge. Wander across the top and check it out from all angles. I loved this spot! TIP- the scooter parking bay has charging sockets here for you to top up if you need it.
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Yulong Ancient village
I hadn’t heard anyone mention this village but it’s so worth a drive through. It’s cute and old without the presence of anything really touristic which we loved. While we were taking some pictures we were invited to tour a hotel (maybe the only hotel) here. It’s called the Music Village Hotel and it’s gorgeous! Rooms are finished to such a high quality and comfort level. The restaurant has an excellent chef from Hong Kong and the shared areas are tranquil and beautiful. We would love to stay here on our next visit!
Yulong Bridge
On your way back from the Fuli brightly stop in at the Yulong Bridge, it’s another curved bridge with town attached. Here we met a local who told us about the show that’s on here each weekend! We were so excited to come back in the evening and catch it.
Yulong Bridge Dragon Show (Northland)
This Dragon show is a must see if you’re lucky enough to be here on a Saturday. We came back up to the bridge just in time, arriving at 6pm for the 6:10pm start! The tickets to stand on the bridge (the best viewpoint) are expensive and book out months in advance but you can stand on the side of the river for free. We joined the crowd and watched as a lantern dragon boat lead loads of bamboo rafts full of people snaking their way along the river and under the bridge. As the y came toward the bridge hundreds of fireworks exploded above us adding to the spectacle.
We raced to the other side of the bridge to see them pass through and they were followed by a phoenix lantern boat with coronial fisherman following it. A story was told in both Chinese and English about the dragon and phoenix as well as the fisherman.
(It was also here we saw a drone crash into a tree and hit a lady on the head so keep your wits about you!) There were drummers welcoming the boats to shore when they docked and overall it was a spectacular and exciting event! So worth going to if in the area.
Day Trip to Mountain Viewpoint and rafting
There are a couple of mountain viewpoints and they can be a little confusing to find and hike. Sometimes having a tour booked is a great option and in China it really pays off. This tour will take you on a Yangshuo Day Trip: Yulong River Bamboo Rafting + Xiangong Mountain Viewpoint + Ten-Mile Gallery which is a nice way to see it all!
Ruyi Peak Cableway Scenic Area
Ruyi Peak Cableway Scenic Area is a really cool experience similar to that at Zhangjiajie and Tianmen Mountain. There is a glass bridge, mountain peaks, cable cars etc. You can purchase tickets here to make sure you get your preferred day. It is also generally quieter than Zhangjiajie so a different experience.
Cormorant Fisherman Photos
Down by the river you will find cormorant fisherman who will let you hold their fishing pole and birds, Mike got involved being a keen fisherman!
Hotel room views
I’ve said it before but your hotel here is important. Having sweeping mountain views with full glass windows or a balcony is what you came for. We spent late afternoon to evening enjoying our views with a couple of drinks bought at our guesthouse and a packet of chips. It’s just a must do.
Plan your trip:
👉 Read next: Furong Town is a magical destination in China
👉 Plan your trip: 2-Week China Itinerary
👉 Don’t miss: The Ultimate Shanghai Itinerary
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We hope this guide helped you plan an unforgettable trip.
