Skip Guilin….Why You Should Visit Yangshuo

Before my flight to Guilin from Shanghai, I spent hours going back and forth wondering how much time I should spend in Guilin and the neighboring cities. My friends told me to skip Guilin, and it didn’t take long for me to realize why that was worth doing. To be honest, there isn’t much in Guilin. It’s simply your launching pad into the other cities in Guangxi Province. Sure, you have the Li River, but you can see that from other cities with a better view. My advice: Skip Guilin and go straight to Yangshuo.

Why You Should Visit Yangshuo

Located just an hour and a half away by bus from Guilin, Yangshuo is one of the premier tourist destinations in China. Surrounded by beautiful karsts, rivers, and scenic views, this city is a MUST see. Yangshuo has a real classic “backpacker” feel to it: cheap, easy to navigate, motorbike rentals, hiking trails, you name it. A solid two days is enough to soak in the city, but I could see how one would want to spend more time here.

When Should You Visit Yangshuo

I visited in January (the cold and rainy season), which has its pros and cons. On one hand, the weather is cold and it often rains, which means the rice terraces in the neighboring city will be pointless to see. For me, this wasn’t a problem since I’ve seen some of Asia’s best rice fields in Sapa and Banaue. Another downside is that with the weather, the river cruise will be uncomfortable. After all, it is cold and often wet. On the other hand, visiting in January means no tourists. My hotel was so empty that the receptionist automatically upgraded us to the suite room. Also, in January the rain gives off an incredible fog/mist that makes the mountains look INCREDIBLE. As a guy that loves to take photographs, I actually preferred to visit in January to capture the mountains at their best.

What To See in Yangshuo

1) Xianggong Mountain

For just 50 RMB, you can witness the BEST view in all of Guangxi Province. The “hike” (really walk) up is relatively painless, just 10 minutes or so. To get here, you’ll need to take a taxi, which is a bit far (1 hour) from the city center in Yangshuo. Do not miss this! This was hands down of one my favorite places in China. The benefit of visiting in January is that you get the entire place to yourself!

2) West Street (Xi Jie)

West Street is the oldest street in the city and the heart of this town. This is the touristy part of the city with the KFC’s, McDonald’s, and pizza, mixed in with Chinese restaurants. I usually avoid places like this, but I really liked West Street, especially at night. Great vibe and full of energy. I recommend you grab dinner here or just take a night stroll. Don’t get too caught up in the “It’s too touristy thing”, it’s not as bad as you think.

3) Xingping

Technically, this isn’t Yangshuo, but rather an entire new city located about 27km (40 minutes) away. But…it’s close enough, so I’ll include it here. Most visitors will do a day trip here and head back to Yangshuo in the evening. I love this city! It has an ancient feel to it and it’s home to the photo on the back of the 20 RMB note.

4) Laozhai Mountain

This is also located in Xingping. Unlike Xianggong, this climb up actually requires some effort and takes about a solid 30 or so minutes to reach the peak. The view is beautiful, not as good as Xianggong, but definitely worth seeing.

In the spring and summer time, I’d also recommend seeing the rice terraces and just riding off into the countryside with a bicycle or scooter. Also…try beer fish. It’s a local specialty that you can find everywhere. Just be careful with the small bones!