Beautiful Karst (limestone) mountain landscapes attract many travelers to Southern China. Most arrive in Guilin then head south to Yangshuo to be closer to the nature that has inspired Chinese artists and poets for hundreds of years. Choosing Yangshuo as a base over Guilin is understandable, however, if you only plan for a single day trip down the Li River, Guilin is an excellent place to base yourself especially if you want to also head north to the Longsheng Terraces / Dragon's Backbone. Guilin is a small city with a quiet vibe that offers a few things to do for the traveler using the city as a hub.
LI RIVER
The Li River runs for less than fifty miles between Guilin and Yangshuo - most cruises stop north of Yangshuo and a bus covers the rest of the distance - however, this stretch of water way is as beautiful as any in the world. While the traditional pole propelled form of transportation is no longer available to the casual traveler it is possible to ride in a similar style bamboo raft which feels like a more authentic experience compared to the large cruise ships that go flying past. It could be slightly difficult to reach the dock from Guilin so most travelers arrange the cruise through an agency that can also provide trip extensions in Yangshuo and a return bus trip to Guilin - the combined package costs less then doing each portion of the trip individually
I joined a tour group and took a bus to a Li River port where I boarded a “bamboo” raft for a two hour ride down the Li River. Fifteen years ago the boatmen abandoned the traditional bamboo raft in favor of a PVC Piping raft to accommodate the influx of tourists. It may not have been a traditional ride down the Li River, especially traveling in a pack of PVC rafts, but the landscapes were still beautiful and I was glad I was not in the faster moving cruise liners that seemed to speed down the river. Along the river the Karst Mountains rose steeply and jaggedly - a morning cloud cover added a mysterious feel and it was easy to understand how poets could be so inspired.
Click or tap images to enlarge.
I joined a tour group and took a bus to a Li River port where I boarded a “bamboo” raft for a two hour ride down the Li River. Fifteen years ago the boatmen abandoned the traditional bamboo raft in favor of a PVC Piping raft to accommodate the influx of tourists. It may not have been a traditional ride down the Li River, especially traveling in a pack of PVC rafts, but the landscapes were still beautiful and I was glad I was not in the faster moving cruise liners that seemed to speed down the river. Along the river the Karst Mountains rose steeply and jaggedly - a morning cloud cover added a mysterious feel and it was easy to understand how poets could be so inspired.
Click or tap images to enlarge.
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Mid-way down the river we went ashore at a photo stop and most of the Chinese in our group had their photos taken and purchased the commemorative photograph. Per the guide, the background image at this photo stop is well known because it's featured on a popular brand of cigarettes. The boat ride continued further downstream until we reached Xing Ping and took the bus to Yangshuo.
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Yangshuo has two tourists streets that run parallel to run another with a small creek in between. Restaurants catering to Westerners can be found along all the side streets - one steakhouse even has a cardboard cut-off of John Wayne in cowboy attire. I ordered the local specialty - beer fish - a dish that’s probably enough for two people but it was delicious so I ate the whole thing. I wound up being one of the best meals I had in China. I then walked through town for a little while.
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After lunch the tour group offered an extension to the Li River cruise - there’s a second cruise option in Yangshuo using the traditional bambaoo boats along the Yulong River. The tour extension also included a ride back to Guilin. I was going to spend the afternoon doing the Yulong River cruise as it was so opted to join the extension. It's a great extension. The scene below made it as a Microsoft deskop image a decade or so ago.
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The Yulong River cruise did not cover as much distance on the river but the surrounding views were just as, if not more, beautiful. The small section of river was very crowded - mostly with Chinese tourists. I was able to watch a local fisherman demonstrate Cormorant fish catching - the fisherman releases the Cormorant into the water; the Cormorant dives deep and swallows a fish; but the fish is too large for the Cormorant to swallow; the fisherman grabs the Cormorant's neck and squeezes the fish out into a bucket. It is a much quicker process than fishing. Unfortunately it takes two to three years to train the Cormorant which has left only a handful of fisherman still practicing this form of fishing and there only doing it for tourism purposes. Currently most fishermen use electricity to catch fish.
The Yulong river had two mini-waterfalls - less than a two foot drop. There was another Chinese photo opportunity. There was a conveyor belt type contraption that lifted the boat back over the waterfall and I returned to the Yulong River pier. I boarded the bus for the hour and a half back to Guilin.
The Yulong river had two mini-waterfalls - less than a two foot drop. There was another Chinese photo opportunity. There was a conveyor belt type contraption that lifted the boat back over the waterfall and I returned to the Yulong River pier. I boarded the bus for the hour and a half back to Guilin.
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GUILIN
Guilin is a city of nearly one million people and like other Chinese cities, it’s a city without suburbs. That’s not to say there’s not small villages outside the city but all buildings in the city seem three to four stories in height (typically with commercial space on the ground floor) and then, once you approach the city limits, the buildings just stop. There’s no gradual decline in building height and space between units.
I walked along the river that flows through Guilin and saw a few people playing table games and hanging out along the river before heading to a pedestrian street. The street felt slightly touristy but I looked around and saw nothing but Chinese save for a few Westerners - then I realized these were mostly Chinese tourists. At the center of the area is a few places to grab a beer and people watch. The side streets started with street food stalls but after walking a little deeper the food stalls gave way to restaurants with alleyway seating. I found a place offering skillet style meals and ordered octopus. After dinner I checked out the Sun and Moon Pagodas which are at the southern end of the pedestrian mall area.
I walked along the river that flows through Guilin and saw a few people playing table games and hanging out along the river before heading to a pedestrian street. The street felt slightly touristy but I looked around and saw nothing but Chinese save for a few Westerners - then I realized these were mostly Chinese tourists. At the center of the area is a few places to grab a beer and people watch. The side streets started with street food stalls but after walking a little deeper the food stalls gave way to restaurants with alleyway seating. I found a place offering skillet style meals and ordered octopus. After dinner I checked out the Sun and Moon Pagodas which are at the southern end of the pedestrian mall area.
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I enjoyed Guilin. This was my second China destination after spending three days in Guangzhou and I thought it was a good transition from a large city to a smaller city. A lot of travelers do not spend time in Guilin electing to use Yangshou as their "base camp" while they are in this area of China. Yanghshou may have more outdoor activities, you can bike and hike around the small hills, but I liked the pace and vibe of Guilin.
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Southern China has "Ancient Towns" scattered throughout the outlying areas of it's major cities. Daxu Ancient Town is about thirty minutes outside Guilin's city center and consists of three blocks - separate by two gates - 50 meters inland from the Li River. There’s a cobbled street lined by buildings that look hundreds of years old - but it’s difficult to tell what’s truly ancient versus what’s refurbished. Walking along the street I heard and saw televisions and a few other signs of modern life. I assume with these "ancient towns" that they can be a bit of hit or miss - that some are larger than others with more historical remnants. Daxu was a great visit but it doesn't mean another ancient town would be a similar experience.
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A few houses appeared to have newer “insides” but retained the ancient front facade. While peering into the buildings a woman offered me a tour of her house. I’d eventually hand her 20Y but compared to the normal 50Y Ancient Town entry fee and the personal view of the house this was a worthwhile payment. I spent fifteen minutes in the house but left regretting I knew no words of Cantonese. I’d love to have known a summary of this 70 year old woman’s life and what she’d experience over her lifetime.
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For additional Li River and Guilin photos see FLICKR ALBUM.