
阳朔
Yangshuo
Yangshuo is located in the core of Guilin's karst landscape, with limestone peaks rising from the Li River, the Yulong River Valley and farmland villages. The whole county is not a compact scenic spot. Xingping, Yulong River Corridor, different river sections and mountain viewing spots need to be arranged separately for transportation and weather judgment. Slowing down the pace of cycling and walking can help you understand the landscape better than a day full of commercial projects.
At a glance
- Stay
- 3–4 days
- Best seasons
- Apr–May, Sep–Nov
- Airports
- Rail or road access
- Region
- South China
Last updated: 9/29/2026
First visit
Arrive and settle in Yangshuo
Start with arrival and where to stay, then choose your sights. Recheck transport and accommodation details before booking.
Getting there+
Yangshuo station is in Xingping, 40 minutes north-east of town by bus; trains from Guilin take 25 minutes and from Guangzhou about two and a half hours. Buses from Guilin's stations to Yangshuo take about 90 minutes. Most people fly to Guilin (KWL) , an hour and a half away by shuttle or car.
Rail tip. Your passport is your ticket. Book on 12306 or Trip.com, then go straight to the gate. See Getting around. The Trip.com link earns us a small commission at no cost to you (how that works).
Stay online. Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked on Chinese networks; a travel eSIM that roams gets around it. Install one before you fly — Saily takes US$5 off a first plan with the code CHINA. See Staying online. The code earns us the same amount in Saily credits, at no cost to you (how that works).
Where to stay+
Yulong River villages
遇龙河
Guesthouses among the peaks along the river. Cycle everywhere. The reason to come.
Jiuxian, Chaolong, Jima and the guesthouses along the river road. Ten to twenty minutes from town by scooter or a rented bike; ask your guesthouse to fetch you from the bus.
first visitscenerycyclingquiet
Xingping
兴坪
An old river town on the finest stretch of the Li, with the train station close by.
Small guesthouses in the old street. Quiet after the last raft; a good first or last night since the station is here.
river viewsraftingtransit
Yangshuo town
阳朔县城
West Street, bars, buses. Convenient and loud.
Hotels of every kind. Stay north of West Street if you want to sleep.
nightlifeconvenience
Booking. Compare hotels in Yangshuo on Trip.com, filtered to its China travel essentials list: English-speaking staff, foreign cards, guest rating 8 or higher. See Where to stay. Booking through this link earns us a small commission at no cost to you (how that works).
Overview+
HUNANHAINANGUIZHOUHONG KONGMACAUYangshuo
The peaks here are the ones on the twenty-yuan note and the ones in every ink painting, and they are close enough to touch. Rent a bike or an electric scooter and ride: to Moon Hill, along the Yulong River, through villages of mud-brick and stone where water buffalo block the road.
Yangshuo town has West Street, a bar strip that has been backpacker central since the 1980s, and a lot of tour buses. The point is to sleep outside it. Guesthouses in Jiuxian, Chaolong and the Yulong valley have peaks outside the window and nothing to do after dark.
It is also the rock-climbing capital of the country, with hundreds of bolted routes and schools for beginners. Summer is hot and green; winter is grey and quiet; spring and autumn are best.
Where next?
Save places you like, then use your saved list to build a trip.
Practical travel guides
Places to explore in Yangshuo

Rock climbing
攀岩
Yangshuo Rock Climbing Yangshuo is a well-known rock climbing resort in China. There are various karst rock walls, caves and pastoral rock walls. The difficulty ranges from zero to advanced. It is suitable for novices and advanced climbers. Transportation: Most of the rock sites are around the county, and you can rent an electric car to get there; the Swiss Cheese Rock Site is very accessible and can be reached directly by bicycle, and the Egg Mountain Rock Site is almost accessible from the roadside. Be sure to purchase insurance that covers outdoor extreme sports 1-2 days in advance; the rock walls will be slippery after rain, so try to avoid climbing in rainy days; some rock sites will charge a small sanitation fee.

Moon Hill
月亮山
Moon Mountain Moon Mountain is a natural round hole on the top of a karst peak. From a distance, it looks like a moon hanging on the top of the mountain. It is the iconic landscape of Shili Gallery. Transportation: It is located at the southern end of the Shili Gallery cycling line. You can rent an electric car and ride along the Shili Gallery to reach it. Navigate to "Li Cun" or Moon Viewing Road to view it from a distance.

Xingping and the twenty-yuan view
兴坪·二十元人民币背景
The background of Xingping·Twenty Yuan RMB is a local travel entry. For specific visit information, please refer to official channels.

Impression Sanjie Liu
印象·刘三姐
Impression·Liu Sanjie This is the first real-life landscape performance in China directed by Zhang Yimou. It uses the Li River as the stage and the twelve peaks as the background. It uses folk songs, fishing fires, and ethnic group dances to show Zhuang culture. It is divided into chapters such as red folk songs, golden fishing fires, and silver festivals. The theater is located at the intersection of the Li River and the Yulong River. The river is wide and the reflection when the lights are on is stunning. Weather: If it rains, the performance will usually be normal and raincoats will be distributed. If it rains heavily, it may be canceled. Please check the weather before traveling.

West Street
西街
West Street West Street is an old commercial street in the center of Yangshuo County. It is surrounded by mountains and faces the Li River at the end of the street. It is the most concentrated area for food, accommodation and entertainment in Yangshuo. It is the busiest for shopping during the day and bars and stalls at night. Transportation: Located in the center of the county, it is accessible by taxi or walk from Fengming Distribution Center. The surrounding area is suitable for walking. Tips: It’s free and open, and it’s most atmospheric when you go shopping at night; the main street is heavily commercialized and crowded. If you want to find local snacks, you can go to Orchid Road (near the Experimental Primary School), about 1.4 kilometers away from West Street. It is frequented by locals and the prices are more affordable; self-driving parking spaces are tight and expensive, so it is recommended to book a hotel with free parking spaces.

Yulong River rafting
遇龙河漂流
Bamboo rafting on the Yulong River The Yulong River is a tributary of the Li River. It is artificially supported and has no motor noise. The rice fields on both sides of the bank are set against the peaks and forests. It is called the "Little Li River" and is one of the most healing experiences in Yangshuo. If necessary, I can help you arrange these points into a specific 2-3 day itinerary.

Yulong River Scenic Corridor
遇龙河
The Yulong River is a quieter tributary landscape, with limestone peaks, rice fields, bamboo forests, villages and ancient stone bridges spread out along the river. The long-distance corridor can be walked, cycled or choose a compliant human-powered bamboo raft river section, but these are different routes and are not interchangeable tickets; the real value lies in the relationship between cultivated valleys, water systems and karst, not just the reflection of a certain bridge.

Xingping Ancient Town
兴坪古镇
Xingping is a historic settlement on the Li River, with streets, markets and ferry memories squeezed into the narrow strip between the peaks and the river. The neighborhood is popular because of the association with the 20-yuan image, but the ancient town is more suitable as a node for understanding river transportation and village geography. Commercial storefronts coexist with residential spaces, and not every alley is a tourist attraction.

Li River at Xingping
漓江兴坪段
The Xingping section of the Li River passes through the Guilin karst landscape, with tower-shaped and cone-shaped peaks covered with vegetation rising directly from the alluvial valley. Boats, villages and farmland provide scale to a landscape shaped by long-term limestone dissolution and river erosion. The famous composition is a real landscape rather than a fixed studio, and its appearance changes significantly with water levels, light, clouds and seasons.

Xianggong Mountain Viewpoint
相公山
Located above the great bend of the Li River, Xianggong Mountain is a steep karst viewing point where you can see how river channels, alluvial flats and clusters of limestone peaks interlock. Views depend on the weather and sunrise is not guaranteed; clouds may obscure distant mountains, and mist may enhance the terrain. The climbing distance is not long and the view reward is high, but the space at the top of the mountain is limited.

Ten-Mile Gallery
十里画廊
Shili Gallery is not a single enclosed park, but a tourist corridor that passes through farmland, villages and named peaks. Cycling allows you to observe the changing relationship between roads, fields and limestone peaks, while caves and projects along the route operate independently. This understanding can avoid buying every roadside project or mistakenly thinking that one entrance contains the entire landscape.
Local snacks
What to eat in Yangshuo
These cards describe dishes, not restaurants.

Salty, sour, rich spices, optional spiciness
Yangshuo Beer Fish
阳朔啤酒鱼
Freshwater fish is first fried and then stewed with beer, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and spices. It is the most representative shared dish in Yangshuo's tourist food image.
Confirm fish species, weight or fixed price before ordering, and watch out for fish bones. There may still be trace amounts of alcohol after cooking, and portions are usually suitable for sharing.

Vanilla, salty, chewy and juicy
Stuffed River Snails
田螺酿
The snail meat is minced and mixed with minced pork and herbs, stuffed back into the clean snail shell, and then simmered in a fragrant soup.
Only eat snails, including molluscs and pork, that have been thoroughly heated by a reputable kitchen; be careful not to swallow broken shells when picking out the meat with a skewer.

Rich and glutinous, salty and slightly sweet
Lipu Taro with Pork Belly
荔浦芋扣肉
The pork belly and firm Lipu taro slices are stacked alternately, and seasonings such as fermented bean curd are added and steamed until soft, allowing the taro to fully absorb the meat juice.
It is a heavy sharing dish, not a light meal; it contains pork and fermented soybeans, and the taro must be fully cooked.

Osmanthus fragrant, soft and slightly sweet
Osmanthus Rice Cake
桂花糕
Rice flour or glutinous rice flour is steamed into soft pastries, flavored with sweet-scented osmanthus, sometimes filled with bean paste or topped with sweet syrup.
Ask if wheat flour, nuts or bean paste is added. Fresh pastries tend to dry out easily, so buy them in small quantities and eat them on the same day.
