Are you bored of the hustle and bustle of city life, or want to have a breath of natural fresh air, or are you curious about diverse cultures and exotic flavors in China? Please come to Yangshuo, a small county in southern China full of what you want. In the 1980s, many foreign backpackers were drawn here by the introduction of the county in the 'Lonely Planet'. Now, the county greets its guests with more charms and attractions.
Yangshuo lies in the northeast of Guangxi Province and to the southeast of Guilin City. The special geography gives it breath-taking beauty while over 1,400 years of history bless it with a deep traditional culture. The diverse ethnic minority groups including Hui, Zhuang, Yao and others, enrich it with special folk cultures represented by their various festivals; while many foreign residents add exotic flavors to its fascination.
The famous Li River traverses the county and brings it the most beautiful scenery. Along the extremely pure river, thousands of hills stand in different poses and with different expressions, such as Moon Hill, Mural Hill and Schoolboy Hill which is the natural stage of the world famous opera 'Impression on Sanjie Liu'. Sanjie Liu is a fairy singer in the legend of the Zhuang minority group. Big Banyan, a huge tree with a history of over 1,400 years, is said to be the place where her love story happened. The 'Little Li River'- the Yulong River – is a paradise for a cruise because of its green hills, silky water and ancient bridges. You can also go to Xanadu, a primitive minority village full of folk culture and tranquil rurality.
Streets in Yangshuo are well kept in the original style, presenting the simple and primitive atmosphere of the ancient town. West Street is the most exciting one that locals call the 'Global Village'. There are not only many foreign tourists, but also quite a number of foreign residents managing cafés and restaurants. The exotic flavor, combined with the traditional culture, make the West Street world famous.
Yangshuo also attracts tourists with its delicious specialty foods, such as Beer Fish, Niang dishes and special snacks including rice noodles and various glutinous rice cakes. You can taste them in most streets of the county. The local specialties such as the Shatian Shaddocks, the kumquats and the Chinese chestnuts are worth tasting as well. If you want to buy some souvenirs, painted fans, embroidered balls, and painted shirts are all good choices. You can buy these articles both in the tourist spots and in the malls of the county.
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Travelers' Voices on Yangshuo County
1.
Nov. 12,2009 03:19 Reply
Mr.Elizabeth Marshall(New Zealand) said:
I hope to be in Yangshuo on 9th June 2010 with a group of people. How do I go about seeing the Sanjie Liu folk music show? Do we need to get tickets before we get to Yangshuo, or are we able to get them when we get there. And what is the cost? Thanks.
Elizabeth
Nov. 12,2009 21:46
Mr.Hank replied:
The theater is just 5-10 minutes from the downtown Yangshuo by bus. You could get to there easily as soon as arrive in Yangshuo County. It is suggested that you book tickets in advance since June is hot tourism season in Yangshuo. The ticket fare is CNY188/people. Currently, almost every hotel and travel agency in Guilin or Yangshuo could supply ticket booking, but you should pay them some service charge.
2.
Nov. 11,2009 06:29 Reply
Ms.Jessica(USA) said:
I expect to be in Yangshuo during the second week in December 2009. What will the weather be like here at this time?
Nov. 12,2009 03:29
Mr.Shan replied:
Usually, it is the dry and cool time in Yangshuo in Dec, when the temperature is around 15C. People should wear warm shirt or sweater a wind-proof jacket. However, the weather of this year has been cold already recently, about 10~15C. Due to the flexible weather, you'd better pay attention to the weather forecast before leaving.
3.
Oct. 16,2009 06:26 Reply
Ms.Penny(Malaysia) said:
We just back from Yangshuo 1 day ago.We stayed there for 2 nights.It was a wonderful trip.The fresh air is good and many activities available such as kayaking ,climbing and shopping.We stay at Venice Hotel.The staff are very friendly and helpful.
4.
Oct. 14,2009 01:56 Reply
Mr.ABC said:
Latest News:
As is revealed by the government of Yangshuo County of Guangxi Province that at around 08:30 Beijing time of Oct 14, a fire balloon for tourists lost control after blastoff in Yangshuo and blew up in the air of neighboring Lipu County, leading to the death of four overseas visitors. Witness claimed that there were 5 people in the fire ballon and they are Netherlander from their initial judgement. At present, the government officials and public security staff are into related matters.
5.
Oct. 7,2009 00:07 Reply
Ms.Gracie(China ) said:
I went to Yangshuo over 7 times and it's a wonderful place!
6.
Sep. 11,2009 02:57 Reply
Mr.M ANAP(Malaysia) said:
WE WILL BE TAKING GUILIN/YANGSHUO TOUR THIS COMING DEC 2009. MY CHILDREN ARE EXCITED OVER MERRY LAND THEME PARK. PLEASE KINDLY advise Theme Park website. Thank you.
Sep. 13,2009 23:17
Mr.John replied:
Here it is:
http://www.merry-land.com.cn/en/index.htm
7.
Aug. 28,2009 09:16 Reply
Mrs.CKB(Australia) said:
Sounds as if things haven't changed in Yangshuo; went there for a week in June 1999 and again in Oct 2003. Great place to go after a month or more travelling around China. Go without booking so you can see for yourself what the hotel is like and where it is near. If it isn't any good after one night just walk down the street and get another hotel - we did that the first time after going to one booked by a Shanghai travel agent. Having scrambled eggs for breakfast was one of the best things other than the scenery and the great goods for sale which are far cheaper than elsehwere. Be careful of being ripped off but don't get angry, just laugh. go for a cycle through the fields and walk up Moon Mountain, or as I did as an older woman, crawl up it!
8.
Aug. 23,2009 17:53 Reply
Mr.Jim labick(USA ) said:
I plan to be in Yangshuo from September 22 to September 27, 2009 and would like to know what weather to expect at this time: number of rainy days; average high / low temperature; etc. I plan to bike; hike; take a river cruise, etc. and weather would make a difference
Aug. 24,2009 01:08
Mr.tell(cn) replied:
About 20 centigrade. I am sorry that the weather is so changable in China, it can not be estimated that how many rainny days will be.
9.
Aug. 20,2009 22:25 Reply
Mr.Marcus(England) said:
I stayed in the River View Hotel for a week and didnt want to leave.
The staff are all very friendly and helpful. The manager Rocky is a fastastic guy, a wealth of information and extremely kind and likeable.
The hotel is set in a great location and I really enjoyed the view from my balcony.
The room rates are realy reasonable which makes the hotel and excellent place to stay.
I will certainly stay here when I next come to Yangshuo and would surely recommend this hotel to anyone.
10.
Jul. 7,2009 15:19 Reply
Ms.Sandi(Canada) said:
We are staying at the Dragon River Retreat Hotel in Yangshuo in mid-September. We heard you can go for a hot-air balloon ride over the town. How can I book it for the next day after we arrive in Yangshuo? What is the company name and is there a website for this or a telephone number and prices? Also, what is the average temperature for mid-September in Yangshuo and will we need a lot of mosquito repellant? Xie Xie! :)
Jul. 7,2009 21:41
Mr.Shan replied:
Hi, the city is in fall during Sep, when the temperature is about 20C on average. Summer clothes are okay but a little cold at early morning and night. Yes, please take mosquito repellant with you~
As for the hot-air ballonn, you could contact with the Flying Hot Air Balloon Club, located at 126, Kangzhan Rd, Yangshuo. The telephone is 0773-8828444, 8828555
Jul. 8,2009 15:07
Ms.Sandi(Canada) replied:
Thank you, Mr Shan! I have looked at that website and noticed they charge $290 USD for a one hour flight. The hotel I am booking at (Dragon River Retreat) sent an email offering flights for 650 RMB (about $120 USD). They have not responded to my request for more detail however (spam filter?). Which other company offers these flights for only 650 RMB? I'm sure I read the email correctly.
Jul. 10,2009 02:18
Mr.Shan replied:
Sorry, just seem your message. Please don't worry, you hotel may enjoy discount from the balloon company. Usually, travel agencies and hotels could enjoys promotion discounts.