Yangshuo & Guilin: Your Ultimate Guide
Updated: Sep 20, 2023
The best things to do and see between the massive granite peaks and rice terraces of Yangshuo and Guilin!
Yangshuo is known for its stunning natural beauty, with huge granite karst mountains, and meandering rivers. Just outside the main town are lovely and peaceful places to stay looking over the Li River, while the town is a combination of chilled cafes and a very, very touristy street running through the center.
To take in the lovely terrain, take a cycle around the area, grab a bamboo raft along one of the winding rivers, and head to Xianggong Mountain to get a stunning panoramic view for miles.
The expansive Longji rice terraces are about a 3-hour drive from Yangshuo, and although I haven’t actually been there, they are one of the only places left on my list of places to go in China.
Why should I visit Yangshuo and Guilin?
How many days?
I recommend about 2.5 to 3 days.
So, why visit?
Stunning views of the granite karst mountains
Cycling and bamboo-rafting through nature
Expansive rice terraces
Best things to do
Take a bamboo raft to enjoy the views
Grab a bamboo raft from Jima Warf Ticket office, and spend some time relaxing and winding down the river.
The views are really lovely, and if you pick your day correctly, there may be relatively few people around! Depending on the weather, it can get very hot and bright, so make sure to take a hat and sunglasses!
Spend time cycling around the area
Grab a bike and spend some time exploring the area and get out into nature. Your accommodation may give you bikes to use, or you can hire one from the town (or you can hire a motorbike if you’re up for it!).
I recommend heading down out of town, along Tianyuan Road, and then taking 085 Country Road along the Lijiang River, to get some stunning views and experience some county life.
Heading along Guangcheng Line road also provides some really lovely views, and will take you to the bamboo rafts.
See the views from Xianggong Mountain
I haven't actually been, but I have heard it's absolutely lovely, so consider adding it to your itinerary.
You can get to the mountain by:
Driving: Get a driver to take you to the mountain (it’s 28km from Yangshuo and is about RMB300 for a round trip).
Hiking: If hiking is your thing, get a bus from Yangshuo Bus Station to Xingping Town (40 mins), and then walk to the Xingping dock to get a bamboo raft upstream to Lengshui Ferry. From there, hike through the countryside to the Xianggong Mountain entrance.
Visit the rice terraces
The Longji Rice Terraces are a 3-hour drive from Yangshuo. Although I haven’t been, I have heard that it's lovely to spend a night in the terraces so you can really enjoy the peace and nature, and walk around the terraces.
If you aren’t keen on spending the night, I recommend setting aside some time to explore the area and grab some lunch, and then you can head to Guilin airport (about 2 hour’s drive) to leave.
Best areas to stay
For beautiful views and some peace and quiet, I suggest staying along the Li River. Stay in an area closer to the town if you’d like to be in close vicinity of restaurants, bars, cafés, etc. Just do note that the town can be very noisy, with lots of bright lights, so the closer you stay to the town, the noisier it will be and the less peace and quiet you are likely to get!
Getting around
It might be worth your time to get a driver to take you to Xianggong Mountain and the Longji Rice Terraces – the best way to do this is to chat with your accommodation to help you find someone. Alternatively, I have been very impressed by the DiDi network, and just how far you can get in a DiDi (I’m not proud to admit it, but I have done a 530km trip in a DiDi). So, consider checking the price for a trip on DiDi too.
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