Yangshuo Travel Guide, China

Yangshuo Travel Guide, China

 

Facts

Yangshuo County (阳朔县) locates 65 kilometers to the southeast of the famous city of Guilin and situates on the west bank of

Lijiang River

 , in northern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is administrated by Guilin. Established over 1,400 years ago, today

Yangshuo

  is 1,428 square kilometers and having 300 thousand people, there are 13 ethnicities in the county including Han, Zhuang, Yao and Hui.

"Guilin's natural scenery is the best in the world and Yangshuo's landscape the best of Guilin" is the simple but proper description to Yangshuo's natural beauty. Mountain greenery, crystal-clear water, odd peaks and strange caves are the consummate things to see in the county. Yangshuo's rich tourism resources are known to have hundreds miles area of mountain and river, as well as humanistic scenery.

The topography in Yangshuo is higher altitudes in northeast and southwest. It is a hilly region. The wide stripe of land stretching from northwest to southeast is a plain area, this is the famous karst physiognomy. The central area is hilly with peaks height 100 to 500 above sea level. The highest peak here is 1,700 meters.

Yangshuo's natural resources are also very rich with about 20,000 hectares of agricultural land, more than 53,000 hectares of forest field and 17 rivers. Main crop for staple food in the area is rice, and ramie, pomelo, orange, chestnut, and persimmon are products for export. Vast mineral resources are found underground, too. Yangshuo is in the central subtropical monsoon area. It has abundant sunshine and adequate rainfall. Influenced by the maritime airstreams almost all year round, the weather is quite moderate, the annual mean temperature is 19 degrees Celsius, yearly precipitation 1640.2 millimeters and the average relative humidity about 80 per cent.

The ice-free waterways in Yangshuo can take you to Wuzhou (梧州) and Guangzhou, the No. 321 National Expressway is passing through the county and linked with Guilin-Yangshuo Highway. You can drive directly to Guangzhou. Train and air are very convenient that travelers can go to cities in China and in foreign countries.

Tourist Attractions

Lijiang River

 (漓江) Scenic Area is a 48-kilometer land stripe of scenic beauty located along Lijiang River. It is a must-go in Guilin or

Yangshuo tour

 . Look to the bottom of the river because the water is always clear and the majestic mountains reflected on, like a natural gallery.

Yulong River (遇龙河) is the second biggest river in Yangshuo length about 42 kilometers. It links to Lijiang River at Shutong Mountain (书童山). Like Lijiang River, it has mountains, peaks and greenery. Additionally, Xi'niutang (Rhinoceros Pool), Five-finger Mountain, Chaoyang Village, Yulong Bridge, ancient city relic, Han Dynasty Tombs and Eight Fairies Cross the Sea are magnificent.

If someone says Yangshuo is a giant bonsai, the Grand Banyan Scenic Area is the best part. It looks like a naturally drawn Chinese ink painting. It is said that a 1,400-year-old banyan tree had been in the place that the legendary singer

Liu Sanjie (Third Sister Liu)

  fell in love with A Niu Ge (阿牛哥). The scene of a memorable love song sung in the Chinese film Liu Sanjie (1961) was taken here.

Dayuan River (大源河) also called Xingping River (兴坪河), originates in Xingping near Guilin. It flows into Lijiang River in the north of Xingping town. The abundant water resources and the fluctuating altitude provide good environment to local residents to build tens of small hydropower stations. The karst land in Xingping town is like a classical garden from Nature.

The 6-square-kilometer Ancient Stone Village displays excavated large pieces of stone bas-reliefs. The actual date of construction and built by who are still unknown. In recent year, the village attracts relic lovers at home and abroad to visit and explore.

Old Farm Houses and Fishing Village from the Ming Dynasty are along the Lijiang River in Xingping Town. The people living here during the Qing Dynasty are quite rich, so the houses are equipped thief prevention facilities, but we can still appreciate the artistry of Chinese ancient architecture.

The eco tourism is popular now. You will experience a boat trip from the upstream of Lijiang River to the downstream, or have an exciting drift on Yulong River. Mud bath in Yangshuo, praised "natural baptism" by Americans and "embraced in the Orient" by the British, is really taken you returning to the nature.

Camping on the meadow, burning bonfire at night and playing game are quite relaxing for urban people. Cliff climbing is very challenging and China's largest climbing base is in Yangshuo, your safety is guaranteed under the direction of professional instructors. It is also good to ride a bicycle to travel across the country, see the greenery and breathe the fresh air.

The famous West Street has always been Westerners' favorite. You can find a lot of goodies, such as shops, bars and restaurants. Remember to bring your camera to take good pictures of the beautiful scenery and adequate memory card space to store the great images during your Yangshuo tour!