Yangshuo Tourist Attractions

People say the Guilin landscape is the best in the world, while the Yangshuo landscape is the best in Guilin.

Yangshuo is a county that is 65 km to the southeast of Guilin city. Unlike other bustling big cities in China, Yangshuo is more like a holiday resort, with all its amazing Karst mountains, caves, rivers as well as its laid back cafes and bars. It attracts nearly 8 million tourists from both home and abroad every year.

Yangshuo has abundant tourist resources that make it stand out from anywhere else. It embraces more than 250 big and small scenic spots, of which the most renowned is its perfect display of Karst landscape that has been adored by countless painters and poets. The Li River in Yangshuo is the climax of the whole Li River cruise, for its water is more clear and transparent than that elsewhere and the stretch gathers the essence of the Karst landscape. Another beautiful river in this area is Yulong River. Sitting on a bamboo raft and passing by verdant bamboos and pretty peaks, as well as peaceful villages where farmers are busy in the field with the help of buffaloes on both sides, you may get lost in the idyllic and tranquil atmosphere of Yangshuo.

In addition to the river cruises, you can also have a good time doing all sorts of interesting outdoor activities. Bicycling through the countryside is a good choice which enables you to get a general view of different scenic spots such as the Butterfly Spring Cave, the Big Banyan Tree, the Moon Hill, etc. Bamboo rafting in the Yulong River is definitely worth a try in the hot summer for it gives you a cool and enjoyable experience in the arms of nature. What's more, exploring eerie caves, swimming in the Li River and hot air ballooning are all fun as well.

As the night comes, you may come to discover another side of Yangshuo. The West Street (Xijie) is a highly commercialized and bustling place constantly filled with foreign travelers and standing numerous bars, cafes and shops that all present the colorful cultures mixed into the Chinese. Only 1km away from the West Street is the stunning night show Impression Liu Sanjie directed by the most famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Watching fishermen using cormorants for fishing on the dark Li River is also a wonderful experience to have.

These are only a small portion of what Yangshuo has to offer. Wandering in this picturesque small county with all the wonders awaiting you to see, you may have so much fun and feel reluctant to leave.

• Air quality: ★★★★★
• Foreigner-friendly degree: ★★★★☆
• Public security degree: ★★★★☆
• Hygienic degree: ★★★★☆
• Traffic jam degree: ★★☆☆☆
• Internationalization level: ★★★☆☆
• Consumption level: ★★★☆☆

• Language: Yangshuo Pian (Gui-Liu Pian)
• Best traveling season: Mar. to Oct.
• Tourist resources: landscape
• Airport to downtown: 90 km (from Guilin Airport)
• Demographics: Han (86.76%), Zhuang (12.17%), Yao (0.88%)
• Key words: rainy, karst cave, multi-ethnic, rural scenery, balmy, rice noodle, art crafts, beer fish, fruits

Local Delicacies: Guilin Rice Noodles (Guilin Mifen 桂林米粉), Duck Soup with Gingko (Baiguo Dun Laoya 白果炖老鸭), Lipu Taro with Braised Pork (Lipuyu Kourou 荔浦芋扣肉), Yangshuo Beer Fish (Yangshuo Pijiu Yu 阳朔啤酒鱼), Yangshuo Oil-tea Camellia (Yangshuo Youcha 阳朔油茶), Groupers Hot Pot (Banyu Huoguo 斑鱼火锅), Braised Chicken with Agaric (Huangmenji 黄焖鸡), Beer Duck (Pijiu Ya 啤酒鸭), Griddle Cooked Dog Meat (Ganguo Gourou 干锅狗肉), Boiled Dog Meat (Shuizhu Gourou 水煮狗肉), Yangshuo Glutinous Rice Cake (Yangshuo Ciba 阳朔糍粑), Yangshuo Stuffed Field Snail (Yangshuo Tianluoniang 阳朔田螺酿), Toast Pizza (Kao Pizza 烤披萨).

Local Specialities: Chinese Grapefruit (Shatianyou 沙田柚), Gingko (Baiguo 白果), Lipu Taro (Lipuyu 荔浦芋), Yangshuo Painted Fan (Yangshuo Huashan 阳朔画扇), Bamboo Summer Sleeping Mat (Zhu Liangxi 竹凉席), Theatrical Mask (Xiju Lianpu 戏剧脸谱), Reproduction of Antique Pottery Ware (Fanggu Taoqi 仿古陶器), Paintings and Calligraphy Works (Shuhua Zuopin 书画作品), Potted Landscape & Bonsai (Shanshui Penjing 山水盆景), Yangshuo Characteristic T-shirt (Yangshuo Tese Wenhuashan 阳朔特色文化衫), Kumquat (Jinju 金橘), Chinese Chestnut (Banli 板栗), Dried Persimmon (Shibing 柿饼) .

Useful lines:

• 阳朔旅游投诉 Yangshuo Tourism Complaints
• 0773-8828779
• 桂林旅游信息服务中心 Guilin Tourist Information Center
• 0773-2800318