Yulong River

Yulong River, also called Little Li River, rises in Lingui County inYangshuo. The river is about 43 kilometers (26 miles) long, with a drainage area of approximately 158 square kilometers (39,043 acres). The part of the river that stretches from Yulong Bridge in Baisha Town, to Gongnong Bridge near Big Banyan, is known as the Yulong River Scenic Area, and includes some spectacular scenic views along each river bank.

The Chinese word 'Yulong' refers to 'meeting a dragon'. Local legend has it that a dragon from the East Sea strolled across the Yulong River and, being deeply impressed by the attractive landscape, decided to stay there forever. The villagers living on the river bank saw the dragon several times, and hence named it the Yulong River.

The Yulong River Scenic Area has many tourist attractions interspersed with cultural and historical ones. The languid river is surrounded by a primitive, but pure, natural landscape, combined with green bamboo forests and rolling hills. Visitors to the area will delight in the picturesque scenes of simple rural life: bamboo waterwheels irrigating the paddy fields; village girls hand washing clothes outside of their cottages with smoke curling upward from the chimneys; old men fishing in the river; flocks of ducks swimming in the pond. Idyllic scenes such as these will allow tourists to forget their problems and experience a sense of calm relaxation. Other natural spots along the river that should not be missed are Big Banyan, Moon Hill, Five-Finger Hill, Lion Hill, Dragon Pool, Butterfly Spring, Tianping Greenland, the Eight Immortals Caves, Rhinoceros Pool and Chaoyang Village.

Historical attractions include the three most famed ancient bridges in Yangshuo:Yulong Bridge; Fuli Bridge; Xiangui Bridge (the oldest single arch bridge in Guangxi). The Han Dynasty (206BC-220) Tombs, Guiyi County Site, Jianshan Temple (the biggest one in Guangxi) and Pan Manor are also worth visiting. For an appreciation of simplicity and elegance, tourists should pay a visit to the local dwelling houses built in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) style located in Jiuxian County.

Two ways to appreciate the scenery

The first is by river, with the renting of a bamboo raft. The route starts at Fuli Bridge and ends at Gongnong Bridge and takes about 6 hours. Please do not rent those rafts without first ensuring a life preserver is present. The second is to appreciate the beauty of the natural and rural scenery along the river on foot. This option takes about 4.5 hours.

Getting there

1. Take the bus (Yangshuo - Guilin) from Yangshuo, getting off at Baisha Town, and then take tricycle taxi to Yulong Bridge.

2. Rent a bicycle at the West Street in Yangshuo and ride along the Yulong River bank upstream to Yulong Bridge. It takes about 20-30 minutes.