Li River, Yangshuo

The Li River is the reason most travellers put Yangshuo on their China map. It runs about 83 kilometres from Guilin down to Yangshuo town, winding past hundreds of limestone karst peaks that rise straight out of the water. Chinese painters have copied this scenery for more than a thousand years, and ten minutes on the water tells you why.

Why the Li River is worth your time

The stretch between Yangdi and Xingping is the postcard everyone knows. Sheer green hills crowd both banks, water buffalo wade in the shallows, and bamboo rafts drift past fishermen who still keep cormorants. The view from Xingping made it onto the back of the 20-yuan banknote, and you can stand at the exact spot for the photo. Along the way guides point out named peaks such as Nine Horses Fresco Hill and the Yellow Cloth Shoal reflection, both of which appear in old scroll paintings.

Taking the cruise from Guilin

The classic way to arrive is the four-to-five-hour cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo. Boats leave Zhujiang or Mopan Hill wharf between roughly 9:30 and 10:00 in the morning. A standard 3-star boat costs around 215 yuan, while 4-star boats with better decks and food run 360 to 480 yuan. Lunch is usually cooked on board. When the water sits very low or very high the crew may shorten the route, so leave a little room in your plans.

Bamboo rafting from Yangshuo

If you are already based in Yangshuo, you do not need the full cruise. Head 25 minutes upriver to Xingping and take a motorised bamboo raft along the prettiest section. The ride lasts about 50 minutes and puts you right at water level under the peaks, which many people prefer to the big steel boats. Vendors paddle up to sell cold drinks and pomelo, and the rafts wait at the banknote viewpoint long enough for a photo.

When to go

Late spring and autumn give the clearest light and the greenest hills. Summer is hot and busy, but the river is full and the rafting is reliable. After heavy rain the water turns muddy, so aim for a clear day a day or two later. Early mornings bring the mist that makes the peaks look like they are floating.

How to reach the river

Yangshuo town sits at the river's lower end, so the West Street waterfront is a short walk from most guesthouses. For Xingping rafting, buses leave Yangshuo bus station every 20 minutes and take about 40 minutes; a taxi or Didi is quicker. From Guilin, most visitors book the cruise as a package that includes the road transfer back, since the boats only run downstream.

More than a single boat ride

Plenty of visitors treat the Li River as one cruise to tick off, but the water runs through almost everything you do in Yangshuo. Cyclists cross it on old stone bridges, swimmers cool off at village landings in summer, and the same peaks reappear behind the rice fields when you ride inland. Spending a little time at the river's edge in town, watching the rafts come in at dusk, costs nothing and is often more relaxing than the headline cruise itself.

What to bring

Sun protection matters more than you might expect, because the decks and rafts offer almost no shade. Bring cash for the snacks and cold drinks that vendors paddle over to sell, keep your phone on a strap or in a pocket away from the edge, and pack a light layer for the breeze on the open upper deck. In summer a small dry bag is worth carrying, since sudden afternoon showers are common and the rafts have no cover.