Yangshuo: Gliding into a Chinese Landscape Painting on a Bamboo Raft
“Guilin’s scenery is the finest under heaven, and Yangshuo’s surpasses even Guilin.” This single line perfectly captures the significance of Yangshuo. Tucked away in southwest China, this small riverside town feels like a timeless ink painting, waiting for you to unfold.
Li River: The Heart of Yangshuo’s Landscape
The Li River is the undisputed star of Yangshuo’s landscape. The most scenic stretch lies between Yangdi Pier and Xingping Ancient Town, known locally as the ‘essence section.’ A ride on a motorized bamboo raft along the full stretch takes about 90 minutes. Along the way, the raftmen point out the extraordinary peaks on the shore, showing you where the Nine Horses Painting Hill and Yellow Cloth Reflection lie—these are the most stunning highlights of the Li River.
- Nine Horses Painting Hill: A naturally formed cliff rising 400 meters high and 200 meters wide. The patterns on the rock resemble nine galloping horses, which is how it got its name. How many horses can you see?
- Yellow Cloth Reflection: In the morning or evening, when the water is calm, the striking peaks along the shore are mirrored perfectly in the river, creating a symmetrical painting-like scene. If you were here in person, you would truly feel the meaning of the ancient saying: ‘The boat moves atop the green hills.
- 20 RMB Note Background: There are only six designs on the currently circulating Chinese banknotes, and on the Li River, you can see one of them in real life. Near Xingping Pier, there’s a perfect viewing platform. Holding up a 20 RMB note to match the real scene is a must-do for every visitor.
Yulong River: A More Tranquil Beauty than the Li River
The Yulong River is the most famous tributary of the Li River. Many even feel it’s more beautiful than the Li River, as here the bamboo rafts are manually propelled, which feels more poetic and allows you to fully savor the tranquility of the countryside.
On the Yulong River stands a more than 600-year-old stone arch bridge—the Yulong Bridge. In the early morning, when the water is calm, the bridge’s arch and its reflection form a perfect circle, creating a truly magical scene. On holidays or Friday and Saturday evenings, you can witness the Golden Dragon Parade on the Yulong River—hundreds of bamboo rafts linked head to tail form a dragon boat that glows like a golden dragon in the water, creating a truly spectacular sight.
Ten-Mile Gallery
The Ten-Mile Gallery is located south of Yangshuo. This stretch of road is about 5 kilometers long (roughly 10 Chinese li). Towering peaks and patchwork farmland line the way, unfolding like a traditional Chinese landscape painting—hence the name ‘Ten-Mile Gallery.’ In 1986, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter cycled through Yangshuo, sparking a craze for sightseeing by bike ever since.
As you cycle along this road, keep an eye out for the following sights:
- Moon Hill: A landmark of the Ten-Mile Gallery and an iconic example of karst topography. Its most distinctive feature is a large natural circular hole in the middle of the hill, resembling a full moon, which is how it got its name.
- The Big Banyan Tree: A living banyan over 1,400 years old, with a canopy even larger than a basketball court. If you get too close, you won’t even be able to take in its full grandeur.
Silver Cave
It’s a limestone cave filled with stalactites, maintaining a constant temperature of around 20°C inside, making it especially cool to visit in summer. It’s called Silver Cave because the stalactites sparkle like silver under the lights. Inside the cave, there’s a remarkable feature: a vast area of stalactites resembling a giant folding screen. If you tap different spots, it produces sounds of varying pitch.
Xianggong Mountain
Xianggong Mountain has a famous viewing platform from which you can see the ‘First Bend of the Li River,’ where the river makes a dramatic 180-degree turn. The river is flanked by lush green peaks on both sides, creating a truly spectacular view. If you visit on a rainy morning, you can see the entire valley shrouded in mist, looking like a fairyland.
West Street, Yangshuo
If you get tired, why not take a break at West Street? West Street is a 1,400-year-old historic street in the heart of Yangshuo County. During the day, it’s relatively quiet—you can browse handicraft stalls or enjoy a pot of tea at a riverside teahouse, watching people go by and soaking in the leisurely pace of this border town. At night, the street transforms completely, brightly lit and bustling with activity, full of lively local charm. Yet, West Street’s most unique charm lies in its fascinating blend of Eastern and Western cultures. With many foreign backpackers, it has gradually developed a ‘global village’ atmosphere, making even first-time visitors feel instantly at home.
Beer fish and Guilin rice noodles are local specialties you must try. Fish cooked with beer and authentic sour bamboo-shoot-flavored Guilin noodles are experiences you won’t find just anywhere.
Conclusion
The beauty of Yangshuo isn’t just in what you see—it’s in the gentle splash of bamboo rafts on the water and the breeze brushing your face as you cycle along the Ten-Mile Gallery. It’s never something that can be captured in a single photo or described in a sentence. Everything about it exudes the spirit of the landscape, drawing you in completely.Some places are worth visiting just once; some beauty, once seen, gets etched into your very being. Yangshuo is exactly such a place.
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