Descripcion

Yangshuo isn't your typical Chinese town as it seems to have a lot in common with Southeast Asia. The main drag of hostels, guest houses and restaurant could be straight out of Ko Samui or Sihanoukville if dog wasn't on the menu at so many tourist restaurants. Yangshuo has a reputation as a foreigners' village in Southern China, with authentic western cuisine and a good standard of English spoken. This town feels like one of the stops on the travelers' trail, with lots of the same people you'd expect in Amsterdam, Bali or Katmandu. While this certainly isn't the whole story, the town is in some ways a break from the rest of China. Yangshuo is also a great place to base yourself for a relaxing few days of exploring the karst scenery and rivers, checking out caves, local temples, or just taking it easy in one of the many cafes and bars.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By plane

Yangshuo has no airport. The nearest airport is in Guilin. As yet, there are no direct buses from the airport to Yangshuo. There is an airport bus you can take into Guilin and then take a bus or boat to Yangshuo.
[edit] By train

Yangshuo is not served by train and the nearest railway station is Guilin. Minibuses to Yangshuo conveniently depart from the square in front of Guilin railway station. For bus connections, see below.
[edit] By bus

From Guilin: There are frequent minibuses and express buses to Yangshuo from Guilin. All buses terminate at the bus terminal in Yangshuo. Minibuses cost (RMB 10. Buy tickets on the bus) depart from the square in front of the Guilin railway station. The journey takes between one and one-and-a-half hours as buses stop along the way. Express buses (RMB 15. Buy tickets from counter inside terminal) depart every half hour from the Guilin bus terminal off Zhongshan Zhong Lu and take just an hour.

In Yangshuo, wait for minibuses at the exit of the bus terminal at Die Cui Lu; the first bus to depart will be at the head of the queue. Express buses depart half hourly from 7am from their allotted bay inside the terminal. Buy tickets from the glass counter.

Beware that on the bus from Guilin, unscrupulous hawkers frequently stop the bus before the centre of town urging you to get off while claiming this is Yangshuo and the bus will continue to another place. The reason for this is to make you have to pay for them taking you to the centre of town and to their hotel.

From Guangdong: Overnight sleeper buses run direct to Yangshuo from Shenzhen on the Hong Kong border, from Zhuhai on the Macau border, and from Guangzhou. These cost around RMB 100-250 depending on which station in Shenzhen you want to go to and how new a bus you go on. The buses to the border in Shenzhen are the dearest.

From Nanning: Two daily buses go directly to Nanning, leaving Yangshuo at 8am and 9am. They go to Guilin first where they stop for just a short time to pick up passengers. Tickets cost RMB 110. In Nanning, the 8am bus stops in the Langdong bus terminal while the 9am bus goes to the Nanjiang bus terminal.
[edit] By boat

There are also boats down the Li River, slower and more expensive (RMB 400+) but a very scenic journey. You may be able to get these for about half that price by joining a tour group.
[edit] Get around
[edit] Around town

Yangshuo is a small place - the town can easily be covered on foot. There is an electric minibus network consisting 5 routes covering most parts of town. RMB 1 per ride.

The main tourist area is laid out roughly like a ladder. The two main tourist streets run more-or-less parallel up from the river to end at one of the town's larger streets. There are assorted smaller streets (rungs) crossing between the two larger streets. The street (ladder vertical) on the left seen from the River is West Street (西街 Xijie) and is the older more established tourist street, the real center of things. The other long tourist street is Diecuilu (畳翠路).

There's a small creek that runs down the center of the "ladder"; some of the prettiest bars and restaurants in town are on balconies near it. At the "foot of the ladder" by the river is an open area with a large number of vendors hawking all sorts of tourist stuff, both from shops and from handcarts. Also a number of rather nice riverside hotels.

Across the "top of the ladder" is a major street (Pantao Lu) with many hotels. The town's main bus station is at the corner where that main street meets Die Cui Lu. The intersection has a large open area that becomes very busy at night, with dozens of restaurants and hundreds of diners. Do not expect English menus or non-Chinese dishes.

Near the top of West Street are three banks with ATMs — Bank of China, Agricultural Bank and ICBC — and there is a China Construction Bank on Die Cui Lu. Service in the Bank of China can be awful, but it has the only ATM that accepts foreign cards.

The post office is on Pantao Lu, opposite the top end of West Street. It's open from 8am until 9pm.
[edit] Into the countryside

If you're planning on walking around the many streets and caves around Yangshuo, a map is recommended. Artistic tourist maps are available for sale for around RMB 5-10 at tourist shops all over town, but the free maps are better for finding your way.

For those who want to wander a little further afield, or to check the attractions in the area, there are several options.

* The most popular is bike rental - there are several places around the main street catering for short-term rentals charging from RMB 5 upwards.
* There are boat tours up or down the river.
* Local buses serve some locations. From Yangshuo's bus terminal, minibuses (xiao mian bao or "little bread loaves") go to Gaotian (for Yueliang Shan/Moon Hill), Jinbao via Baisha (for Yulong Qiao/Dragon Bridge), Shazhi (for Fuli village), Xingping (for the Xingping-Yangdi scenic area) and further afield.
* It is possible to hire private cars for others.

You can mix these modes of travel, for example taking a boat out of town and biking back or taking a bus upriver a ways to catch a boat tour.

Most hostels or hotels can arrange transport and a guide if you want one. Alternately, you can choose your own tourist guide; just work out a deal with one of the ones who will accost you on the street. A guide may be very helpful for things like cycling tours.
[edit] See
View of Yulong River valley from Yulong Qiao (Yulong Bridge)
View of Yulong River valley from Yulong Qiao (Yulong Bridge)
[edit] Karst landscape

The area around Yangshuo is renowned throughout China, and probably the world, for its Karst landscape where there are hundreds of limestone hills dotting the countryside. The beautiful scenery here is a common subject of Chinese paintings as well as the inspiration for poetry. There are several popular areas for Karst landscape sight-seeing which can be covered by river cruises, bamboo-raft cruises, cycling, trekking and combinations of the various modes.

* Yangdi-Xingping scenic area:

This stretch along the Li River is probably the most renowned and popular. There are river cruises available and in fact, the Guilin-Yangshuo boat ride passes through this area. There is also a 24km (5 to 6 hours) track for easy hiking along the Li river. The walk is a far more peaceful way to enjoy the Li river and mountain scenery than the loud noisy boat down the river. It takes you along the pebbly shores of the river, through many small villages, fields and bamboo forests. If you get tired, you can always rent a bamboo raft to float down the river. Getting there: There are various ways of reaching this stretch of the Li River. You can of course catch a direct river cruise from Yangshuo town. You can also get to Xingping by minibus (called xiao mian bao or "little bread loaves") from Yangshuo bus terminal, or cycle out there and then take boats or bamboo rafts to reach the scenic area. Again, combinations of the various modes are possible.

* Yulong River valley:

The pretty Yulong River valley is said to rival the Yangdi-Xingping stretch in terms of beauty. Besides rafting down the river on bamboo rafts, another popular way of seeing the valley is by cycling along riverside tracks. The journey will bring you through many farming villages and past several stone bridges across the river such as the Yulong Qiao and Fuli Qiao. Getting there: From Yangshuo town, you can access the Yulong River valley by turning west into a small road from the main Yangshuo bypass road just south of the Sinopec petrol station at the junction of Pantao Lu (there are road signs in Chinese). You can also access it by using the road to Jinbao from Baisha town 9km north of Yangshuo on the main road to Guilin. Minibuses from Yangshuo bus terminal to Jinbao go near Yulong village.

* Moon Hill:

Another popular scenic spot south of town. The main attraction is a hill with a huge hole in the shape of a moon. The hills here can be climbed for spectacular vistas from the top. Getting there: Take a Gaotian minibus Yangshuo bus terminal. If you plan to cycle, Moon Hill is located about 8km south of Yangshuo on the road to Wuzhou.
[edit] Yangshuo town

Many people come to Yangshuo are so preoccupied with the surrounding karst landscape that they do not spend much time in Yangshuo town itself.

[edit] Shows

Impression Liu Sanjie runs nightly during the high season. Set to the music from the movie of the same name (which in turn was based on an old Chinese story), it features a cast of 500 wearing traditional Zhuang, Miao and Yao dress, and a highly impressive light show. By far the best view is from the official seating area. Tickets are available from most travel agents or hotels in town for around 150 RMB. Expensive by Yangshuo standards, but well worth it. You can see it more cheaply from a boat on the river, or even from across the river, but the view is not as good.
[edit] Do

There are so many things to do here:

* Bike riding: Wandering through the countryside on a bike and getting lost is one of the best things about Yangshuo. The villages often have dramatic mountain backdrops, and the people are generally friendly. Another popular trip is to take a boat ride with a bike, then bicycle back to town. Bike hire starts at RMB 5 per day, and tandems are a bit more. The bikes tend to be poorly maintained, so be sure to check brakes and gears before you set out. For travellers craving reliability, Bike Asia [1] (on Guihua Rd) has well-maintained Specialized mountain bikes for RMB 30. Bike Asia also has free bike maps of the area, and can advise on where to cycle. Find an older farmer woman for RMB 100 per day to give you a guided tour of the local pathes.

* Rock climbing: Yangshuo has over 250 climbing routes ranging in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.13. There is a lively climbing scene in town, so experienced climbers will have no problem finding a partner, just ask in the climbing places and they should know other climbing travellers you can hook up with. For beginners and climbers travelling without their own equipment several climbing companies (Xclimber, Karst Cafe/Climber, China Climb, Spiderman, etc.) offer equipment rental and one/muli-day trips. A guidebook showing route topos, grades, etc. can be purchased from any of the climbing companies.
o There are three climbing shops on Xianqian Road, the first cross street off West Street as you come up from the river. The other two places are across the street.
o Two more climbing shops are on Guihua Road, Xclimber and blackrock (a right turn then a left turn before the start of West Street).
* Exploring caves, of which there are an abundance in the limestone hills
o guided tours for the general tourist
o serious spelunkers should talk to the climbing shops about possible cave climbs

* Swimming During the summer the water and air temperature are good for swimming. Locals swim from the docks on the Lijiang a short way upstream of the town centre. The Lijiang water quality is generally good but tour boats coming from Guilin are a hazard. The Yulong River is also good for swimming although parts are crowded with bamboo rafts.

* Bamboo rafting Rafting along the Yulong river is particularly popular in summer, but travellers should take care not to go rafting if the water is brown and turbulent. In 2005 there was a fatality during high floods.

* Hot air ballooning Pricey by Chinese standards, hot air balooning in Yangshuo is still a bargain compared to the west.

* Volunteering The Volunteer English Teachers [2] program visits local schools to teach poor children English.

* Martial arts Classes in Taichi, Qigong, Kungfu, Taiquando, and other martial arts are available at the Budizhen school at the top of West Street for 80Y a day. LongTouShan Taichi school [3]offers also Taichi classes in a beautiful spot located in the country side, half an hour walk from West street.

* Chinese cooking Single and multi-day classes in traditional Chinese cooking are offered in the beautiful traditional farmhouse at Yangshuo Cooking School [4], and at Cloud 9. Typical dishes include beer fish and stuffed pumpkin flowers. Yangshuo Cooking School teaches egg-wrapped dumplings, a delicious local treat.

* Cormorant fishing

* Hiking

* River cruises Take a boat down to Liugong village then cycle back, much cheaper than the boat from Guilin.

* Drinking

* Chilling out

Take a hotair balloon trip
[edit] Buy

There is a huge amount of touristy stuff on offer:

* Pashmina scarves, Cashmere by a different name
* silk products: ties, kimonos, scarves, dresses
* pottery, bronze, stone carvings, bracelets, knickknacks of all sorts
* scroll paintings, fans and embroidered cloths

Much of this stuff is lovely, really very tempting. However, quite a bit of it is fake and nearly all of it is available all over China and cheaper outside of Yangshuo.

Asking prices for such stuff in Yangshuo are horribly inflated. Here is a table showing one traveller's experience:
Item asking price Price paid
elsewhere Yangshuo Yangshuo
silk ties 18-20 75-120 50 RMB for 3
small silk scarves unknown 80-100 20
large scarf/wrap 80 120-200 50
old silver dollars, mostly counterfeit 20 80-150 10

Getting the prices in the right hand column took hard bargaining, based on knowledge of prices elsewhere. Of course, even those may not be the best possible prices.

Some tourists, having no idea of the real Chinese price, might be grossly overcharged. After all, even 120 RMB ($15 US) would be a great price for a nice pure silk tie back home. Advice for tourists who have no idea what the Chinese price should be:

* assume nothing on offer here is worth more than a third of the asking price, and most things quite a bit less
* if you are prepared to haggle, offer about 10% of the asking price and go from there
* if not, offer 20% to 30% and stick to it. Walk away if the vendor will not meet your price.

Also consider the classic mother-to-daughter advice "Men are like buses. You don't chase them because you know there will always be another one along." This applies very much to vendors of tourist goods in Yangshuo; if one is too expensive, or even if you are not sure the price is fair, try another.

See also How to haggle.
[edit] Local goods

There are also a few things not usually available elsewhere:

* Postcards and picture books of the area, in stores or hawked by older women on the street
* Chinese paintings of the local Karst scenery
* T-shirts with Chinese characters with different slogans, such as "I have no money" or "Foreigner coming, Foreigner going"
o Hard Rock Cafe T-shirts are common, but there is no Hard Rock in Yangshuo
o Some places with great names — Red Capitalism Cafe, Outside Inn, Fawlty Towers — do not have T-shirts, unfortunately
* Silver and embroidery pieces by local minorities.
o Prices for large pieces are high, but some pieces may be worth them.
o Small pieces, such as embroided Zhuang minority love balls, are also available

You should also bargain on these, of course.
[edit] Other interesting things

On Die Cui Lu about half a block from the river is Nature House selling various rocks. Some are interesting geological specimens; others are carved and/or painted. Fascinating.

There is a used bookstore and reading room — with a large selection in English and some books in several other European languages — at Cafe Too, formerly on West Street, now in larger space at 7 Cheng Zhong Road. Prices are higher than at used bookstores in Western countries, but cheaper than new books. You can buy coffee and read them free. For people living in China and missing Western books, they have a web site [5] and mail-order service. Owner is Johnny Lu, email johnnylu668@yahoo.com, mobile 13237831208.

CDs and DVDs are available at several stores on West Street or nearby. Nearly all such products in China are unauthorised copies, but many in Yangshuo look real. General quality, especially the packaging, is far better than the usual. Many come with booklets of lyrics or artist biography. Some have full-colour advertising printouts for the label's other offerings; I cannot imagine a "pirate" duplicating that. Selection is also good; the English music is not all Backstreet Boys and the Carpenters. Prices are also higher, 15-25 RMB versus 6 or 8 for the cheap copies all over China.
[edit] Eat

Yangshuo is a great place to eat. There are dishes from all over the world and just about any region in China. You can eat cheaply in the markets with the locals or you can try comfort food in one of the many cafes in town

* Yangshuo produces very sweet and juicy grapefruit or pomelos (sha tian you), which can be bought everywhere for Y1-2. Ask the vendor to choose one with a small top and cut it up for you.
* Beer fish is a local specialty, something most Chinese tourists try
* Cloud Nine is a popular Chinese place on West Street.
* 7th Heaven Restaurant offers great outdoor seating and views and is located just off West Street on Chenzhong Rd. Western menu.
* 干锅鱼 （Ganguoyu) is a "dry pot" fish restaurant very popular with the locals. It is located beside the pond on Jiefang Lu (between the petrol station and the tunnel).
* 阳朔人 （Yangshuo ren) is a Chinese restaurant very popular with the locals. It specializes in beer fish and other hot pots. It is located on the market street between Sunshine 100 and the 99 supermarket.
* 北方饺子馆 (Beifang Jiaozi Guan) This "northern dumplings" restaurant on Xianqian Jie near the intersection with Die Cui Lu has fantastic North-East Chinese cuisine.
* The night market near the bus station has quite a variety of food, much of it at low prices (although still more expensive than elsewhere in China). They even serve dog, rat, oysters, mussels, rabbit, duck, shrimp, frog, the local mudsnails and a variety of other surprising dishes! Make sure to haggle. WARNING: Take very good care of your belongings - there are some very accomplished sneak thieves and pickpockets specialising in wallets, phones and passports.

[edit] Vegetarian

* Pure Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant 暗香疏影 素菜馆 http://www.yangshuoren.com/purelotus.htm, down near the river end of Die Cie Lu.

[edit] Western food

It seems almost every restaurant in Yangshuo offers burgers, shepherd's pie and a Western breakfast. Many of the staff in these places have reasonable English, a few excellent. Most of the food is quite good. However, there is much menu copying and some places serve rather bizarre impressions of Western dishes as prepared by Chinese chefs without the original recipe.

Among the possibilities:

* Karst cafe, 42 Xianqian Jie (off West Street near the river), climber hangout with the best pizza in town, comfortable sofas, and wireless internet.
* Bar 98, arguably the best location in town, just off West Street, down Guihua Lu (alleyway opposite Marco Polo hotel) overlooking Guihua Well. Wireless internet and a pool table. Run by two Australians, has Aussie meat pies and good burritos.
* Drifters, middle of West Street. Great apple crumble.
* Buffalo Bar, Xianqian Jie, Aussie run, with meat pies and quiz night on Thursdays. Wireless internet and also has a pool table
* Cafe China, on the corner of West Street and Xianqian Jie, great coffee, best cheesecake in town, packed out most nights, wireless internet.
* MC Blues, opposite Karst, great cocktails.
* Green Lotus, 100 West Street, next to Youth Hostel, open 24 hours, friendly staff, good 20 RMB breakfast.
* Cafe del Moon, near center of West Street, 32 RMB all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet; ghastly croissants but the rest is OK.
* Red Star Express, in a big new location a bit off West Street. Turnoffs from both West Street and Xianqian Jie are marked with a flag showing a Red Star. Excellent burritos and enchiladas.
* Cafe Too, 7 Cheng Zhong Road, has English books to read
* Kelly's Cafe, just off the main strip has great service and food, cheap beer. Foreigners living in Yangshuo often hang out here.
* Kaya is a reggae bar, often has good live music (with open mic) and very laidback atmosphere. On Guihua Lu, north of Kelly's and 98.

Several of these offer free Internet access, but generally only have one machine so you may have to wait a bit.
[edit] Drink

Considering its size, Yangshuo has a pretty boisterous nightlife. Most restaurants along the main street stay open late and serve alcohol. Several have live music.

* Cafe le Votre, set back from the street with a courtyard in front, is a brew pub with its own beer. They have two brews, a wheat beer and a dark beer; both are rare finds in China. They also have French and Chinese food. Their courtyard is a great place for people-watching, but unfortunately it is also convenient for touts to find you.

* Monkey Jane's Rooftop Bar offers panaramic views of Yangshuo, and is pefect for meeting other backpackers. It is set back from West Street up an alley near the river end, but is sign-posted.

There are also several clubs located near the bus terminal, which sometimes stay open until 5 or 6 A.M. and other nights are shut by midnight. There doesn't seem to be a method to their hours, save going down and seeing if they're open. There should be no cover, and frequently there's an opportunity to see young PLA soliders from the nearby base in a decidely un-military context.

As with Guilin, the local drink is Guilin Three-flower Wine, although most residents seem to prefer a glass of Tsingtao or Baijiu.
[edit] Learn

* Cooking school Learn to make several typical local dishes at the Yangshuo Cooking School. Classes involve a trip to a local market to buy ingredients, individual woks as you go step-by-step through preparation of the various dishes, and a meal at the end, all in a rustic setting at the Outside Inn. Classes must be booked a day in advance.
* Kungfu, offerred at the Green Lotus on West Street
* Tai Chi
* Calligraphy
* Chinese

[edit] Sleep

There are many places to stay - from Y20/night for a dorm room, through to US$100/night for a luxury bungalow. Hotel touts are to be found around the main bus station.
[edit] Budget

* Youth Hostel next to Green Lotus, 102 West Street, phone +86-773-8820933, email hostel-ys@163.com
* Backpackers' Hostel, just off West Street
* Moon Resort [6] in MoonHill village in front of the mountain, phone +86-773-8777688, email moon.resort@gmail.com
* Xi Jie House Inn behind the Industrial and Commercial Bank on PanTao road is to be avoided

[edit] Mid range

* Fawlty Towers [7], on the main street opposite the bus station, 50 RMB/night for private room with shower in off season. Decent rooms, helpful staff.
* Blue Lotus, near middle of West Street, 60 RMB/night for single with shower, TV, western toilet
* Friend Hotel No. 2 Chenzhong Lu, just off West Street (coming down West Street from Pantao Lu, turn left into Chenzhong Lu and cross the bridge over the creek. The hotel is the second establishment on the right). Tel: +86-773-8828696, +86-13807735906. Clean and just far away from West Street to be quiet. Staff are friendly. Twin/Double cost RMB 80-120/night off season. Rooms with western toilet and hot water shower.
* Karst Hotel [8]
* Li River View
* MorningSun Hotel [9] No. 4, Chenzhong Lu (next to Friend Hotel. For directions, see above). Tel: +86-773-8813899.
* Outside Inn [10], restored farmhouse 5 km from town, 80-120 RMB/night
* Sihai Hotel [11], 73 West Street
* Water Buffalo Guesthouse [12]
* White Lion, on West Street
* Yangshuo Culture House [13], a little outside of town, offers three meals cooked a day, classes and a homestay experience for 60 RMB a night, shared room with double beds.

[edit] Splurge

* Yangshuo Mountain Retreat, a hidden gem just outside of town. China expat favorite, incredible views[14]
* Magnolia Hotel, 7 Die Cui Lu (a block from the river and west street), [15], very clean with nice big rooms, tastfully decorated.
* Regency Holiday Hotel, at the inland end of West Street, phone 86-773-8817200. Satellite TV and air conditioning.
* Li River Retreat, Best views of any hotel in Yangshuo and with great rooms[16]
* Hotel of Modern Art, Approximately 30 minutes drive from Yangshuo this hotel is set inside Yuzi Paradise, a park full of stunning modern art in a remote rural location. [17]

[edit] Get out

Because Yangshuo is so dependent on backpacking tourists, you'll find a range of services and agencies not commonly found in China. There are ample places that sell plane tickets to all other provincal capitals and some international destinations. There are also bus and sleeper bus services available towards Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Kunming. Train tickets -- which will depart from Guilin -- are also available. There are tickets available all the way to Hanoi in Vietnam. These aren't easily available elsewhere, and can save quite a bit of hassle at the China/Vietnam border. Vietnamese visas, however, take several days to obtain in Yangshuo and are necessary, so be careful before you buy.

written by  garisti on May 1, 2008 from Yangshuo, China
from the travel blog: Viaje por Asia
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