I’d always pictured myself touring the Li River at sunrise. In my head was a photo of me, rafting with the mist that hugged the cliffs that increased from the banks while a cold, purplish blue light covered the scene. That picture, for the longest time, had been framed and nailed to the walls of my mind. If I would ever discover myself in Guilin, that scene would have to happen. River. Cliffs. Dawn. Perfection. It had to happen.

But I am not a morning person. absolutely not a morning person.

So when I was asked what time I wished to see the river, I foolishly and nonchalantly chosen a twisted number that rhymes with hate. “Eight o’clock, it is,” stated the confused hotel receptionist, who looked at me judgingly. “I believed you stated the earlier the better?”

I did state that. however that was before I had tried getting swallowed by their beds. After nearly a full day of being on my feet on the train to Guilin from Zhangjiajie, I wished to marry the very first mattress I’d see and spend the rest of my life in its soft, comfortable embrace. I was intent on making sure that the aching temple of my spirit would have the rest it deserved.

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

Yangdi Village
Li River
Xingping Village
Yangshuo

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Yangdi Village

So there I was, basking in the severe mid-morning sun in the quaint village of Yangdi. a long time during the 90-minute bus ride, our guide explained what to expect from the tour. He spoke English however I still might not comprehend anything, partly since I was on the far end of the bus and partly since the guide was just challenging to understand. The only bit of info I was able to pick up was that one of the views that awaited us was depicted on the 20-yuan note.

When we reached the village, we were greeted by a soft strike of a crisp, awesome wind, as if ushering us to the river. We walked down a concrete, waterward street that ended at a wharf where lots of motorized bamboo rafts were docked. The rafts complied with the conventional design, with its front end somewhat skewed upward. When I hopped onto one, I understood immediately that they were not truly made from bamboo however most likely painted PVC pipes. Each might fit as much as six passengers (not including the boatman), however there were only four of us at the time. I sat in the rear row, put on a life vest, and heard the roar of the engine drown the gentle splashes of the river, signaling the begin of our journey.

The day might not get any clearer: no mist to block the view and no clouds to block the sun. The raft had a roof, however the sides and the front were broad open for a full, unobstructed vista. That is, up until a cruise ship overtook, building a fantastic wall between us and the cliffs.

The wharf at Yangdi village marks the begin of the bamboo raft trail.

Li River

Seeing the famed Li River can be performed in three ways: on a raft, on a cruise, or on foot. Hiking is a fantastic choice for the fit, adventurous traveler. The trip from Yangdi to Xingping, about 22 kilometers, takes four to five hours. The path is quite simple and never strays as well far from the river. It’s totally free and you have full manage of everything.

You also have great manage of your time when rafting. You can ask the boatman to stop at any point along the way, something that I did when I found tents lined up on a flat area of the river and other tourists roaming about. I hopped off of the raft to discover nothing really, just a few vendors and a guy with a cormorant bird enticing people to have pictures taken with him. Upon dawning on me that we stopped for nothing, I did a 180 and was amazed by an assemblage of peaks that towered before me, begging for an unlimited succession of snaps. This is most likely one of the sites that I needed to view out for. They most likely developed an picture that was worth noting. however without any guide or regional in tow and bereft of imagination, I most likely missed out on something fantastic there.

The river cruise begins at Zhujiang Pier
A quick stopover.
Forgive me for a short moment of vanity.
Which is most likely why the river cruiser makes sense to some people. Not only are they comfortable, they are also the only appropriate choice during summertime and winter season as they safeguard tourists from heavy downpours and biting cold. and they have restrooms, which is an important for a four- to five-hour trip.

Xingping Village

Traffic soon developed up, and much more and much more rafts came into view. I looked back and my eyes satisfied a trio of peaks standing close to every other. together they type an picture that ended up being familiar to any individual costs time in China: the scene on the 20-yuan bill. I fished one from my purse and, as though paying tribute to the place, increased it to match the actual mountains.

Li River on the 20-yuan note
The 20-yuan-bill scene in genuine life.
When we disembarked, everybody on our trip gathered near an prolonged platform, a much much better vantage point for the 20-yuan expense scene. From here, we went directly to the bus, which will take us to Yangshuo, a little town that has ended up being synonymous with tourism in this part of the world. As we searched for our ride, I had a great look of the surroundings. While numerous reject Xingping as the James Marsden of Chinese traveler stops — you know, a implies to an end — it actually has its own appeal if you pay interest (yeah, like James Marsden). the most cinematic parts of Li River’s karst landscape are actually right here in Xingping, and its streets are flanked by historic buildings.

Yangshuo

If the trip were an intercourse, Xingping would be the orgasm and Yangshuo the aftersex cuddle. (Yes, I stated it.) Yangshuo is where people doing the Li River trip are many likely to end up in, regardless of where and exactly how they started. Those who took the river cruise from Zhujiang will discover themselves sharing the space with those who hiked and rafted from Yangdi, many likely in one of the town’s numerous restaurants, fastfoods, bars or cafes.

Yangshuo
You’ll discover all kinds of cuisines in Yangshuo
While some would state that the town’s authenticity has been lost on its method to ending up being what it is — an (over)developed traveler town — there is still something so lovely about it. The town center is hypercommercialized, however the countryside is still deserving of a visit. rock climbing is a prominent activity among travelers, and if your timing is right, you might raft again peacefully, this time around along Yulong River. numerous hotels and hostels offer a broad range of accommodations, motivating a much longer stay.

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