Things to Do in Yangshuo

One of the most popular attractions in Yangshuo, Moon Hill (Yueliang Shan) is easily recognizable by its crescent-moon-shaped natural arch, the remnants of what was once a limestone cave (Moon Palace). Rising 750 feet (230 meters), Moon Hill offers stunning panoramic views of the countryside, which is dotted with unique karst formations.

 

Visitors will need to climb over 800 marble steps to reach the 164-feet-high (50-meter-high) Moon Palace. In addition to superb views of the photogenic countryside, there are a number of interesting stalactites in Moon Palace. Those who wish to summit Moon Hill can hike farther along a natural—and sometimes very steep—path to the top of the arch.

 

Moon Hill is easy to locate and enjoy independently. Or, visit as part of a bike tour from Yangshuo, which will also include other scenic stops along the countryside, such as Yulong River, Dashi Village, and Aishan Village. Many rafting tours also include a stop at Moon Hill; nearby Gongnong Bridge is a common endpoint along the Yulong River.

 

 Moon Hill is located 5 miles (8 kilometers) south of Yangshuo within the newly created Yulong River Park. If you arrive by bus or taxi, you’ll need to enter the park and pay a small shuttle-bus fee from there. You can still enter without a fee on foot, by bike, or by boat.

 

Moon Hill is very popular with both Chinese and foreign tourists. To avoid crowds, visit early in the morning or late afternoon, when there will also be fewer hawkers trying to sell you drinks and trinkets.

 

Moon Hill is the end of the “Ten Mile Gallery,” a picturesque road from Yangshuo across the scenic countryside that features a number of tourist attractions, including Totem Ancient Path, Butterfly Spring Park, Big Banyan Tree, and Assembling Dragon Cave.

Fuli Ancient Town is a historic village made of stone slabs and cobblestone roads. The village is small and all the old houses are still intact and humming with life. While everything, from local produce to goods, wares and livestock can be bought at the regularly held and popular market, Fuli is especially famous for the handmade fans. This intricate trade, in which the majority of people living here are somehow involved, has earned the village the reputation of being the artistic town in the area. 

Fan craftsmanship has a long tradition in China, and the exquisite structures made of bamboo, as well as painted and folded papers, are used for more than just to keep cool. Over the years they evolved to be used in theatre or dance, as gifts, status symbols, or as simple pieces of art. The handmade fans created in Fuli Ancient Town range from small handheld fans intended for everyday use to huge pieces of art, which when hung up, will cover a whole wall. Consequently, prices vary according to the size and level of detail incorporated in the fans. But while they range from cheap travel fans to exquisite pieces of art worth hundreds of dollars, they all show intricately painted flowers, the karst landscape of Yangshuo, birds, insects and Chinese girls in traditional outfits. 

The 600-year-old Yulong Bridge, also known as the Dragon Bridge, is located in the north of Yangshuo in an area surrounded by the hundreds of tall karst peaks, rural mudbrick villages, rice paddies and grazing water buffalos. It is a 60-meter-long single-arched bridge—the biggest of its kind in Guangxi Province—and is shaped like a rainbow bending its way over the languidly moving water. The steps are an uneven jumble and because of its old age, the sides of the bridge are sloping inward. Beneath the bridge, women from the nearby Baisha village wash their clothes and children play in the shallow water. In fact, the area around the Yulong Bridge is perfect for swimming, as the water moves slow, is much cleaner than the Li River and there are many natural pools. Bamboo raft rides are sold directly beneath the bridge, with many locals more than willing to take visitors for a float down the river

It’s really no wonder that this romantic landscape and the charming, antique bridge have quite some folklore attached to it. According to one legend, a student heading to an important exam came upon the river but could not cross it due to a monster living in it and creating huge waves. With the help of the dragon king and his daughter, however, the monster was defeated, so the student went on to take his exam and several years later, returned to build a bridge in thanks. Another legend says that a dragon was so mesmerized by the beautiful scenery that he decided to stay there forever. The locals kept seeing the dragon and decided to name their bridge after him—Yulong literally means “meet the dragon.”

The Yulong River, also known as the Little Li River, is the largest tributary of the Li River, and it runs 26 miles (43 kilometers) across Yangshuo county. The river flows past limestone karsts, bamboo forests, rice paddies, ancient villages, and stone bridges. Floating down the river, or hiking or biking next to it, provides up-close views.

 

Cruising down the Yulong River in a bamboo raft with poles offers an experience that’s serene when compared to the motorized rafts and boats used on the Li River, but you also bump over weirs, or small dams. Historical points of interest include the villages of Xiatang and Jiuxian villages, and Yulong, Fuli, and Xiangui stone bridges.

 

While cruising on a bamboo raft is one of the most popular ways to enjoy the Yulong River, many enjoy hiking or biking along the river. Try all three over a course of a half-day or longer guided tour and enjoy the river and countryside without worrying about navigating. For multi-day tours, additional activities such as rock climbing or a cooking school can be added.

 

 

The Yulong River connects to Li River just south of Yangshuo and is easily visited from Yangshuo. Most of the Yulong River is within the newly created Yulong River Park, which restricts motorized traffic. Those entering other than on foot or bike will have to exit their transport and purchase tickets for a shuttle bus that runs within the park.

 

The Yulong River can be visited year-round, but it’s most popular April through October due to the sunny, warmer weather. Some people may find the heat uncomfortable for hiking or biking at the height of summer (June through August). Rafting runs year-round.

The three most popular rafting routes along the Yulong River are from Jinlong Bridge to Jiuxian Village (about 2.5 hours), Chaoyang Wharf to Gongnong Bridge (about two hours), and from Chaoyang Wharf to Shui edi Dock (about one hour). Most bike tours along Li River take between two and four hours. The most popular section for hiking is between Yulong Bridge and Gongnong Bridge, and takes about two hours.

Impression Sanjie Liu is a unique outdoor night show directed by the renowned director, Zhang Yimou and staged at the Li River in Yangshuo. This is the world’s largest natural theater, using the setting of the Li River as its stage and the mist-shrouded karst hills as its backdrop – along with whatever weather the evening may bring. 

For this open-aired spectacle, which is performed twice every evening in the summer, the audience watch from designated terraces while hundreds of performers appear to float on the water before them. Most of these performers are fishermen from the villages along the river, and the show itself depicts the story of the history and culture of the local Yangshuo people.

Throughout the performance, impressive lighting, sound, and special smoke effects blend in harmoniously with the natural landscape of the river and its surroundings, creating a truly mesmerizing experience.