Lazying around Yangshou

Quote: The real highlight of Yangshuo is the scenery. All in and around town are the most beautiful karst rock formations (look at the photos to see what I mean) often reflected in glistening rivers. You most definitely have to climb a few to catch some of the even better views. Aside from the scenery, West Street, the main drag, is the place to go if you need a little break from China! Where else could you find a fajita or be able chomp down a Sheppard’s pie! However, don’t fear, China is never far away, as around the town there are still some great markets and restaurants serving authentic food as these are the places where the locals hang out.

Quick Tips:

Hire a bicycle! This is absolutely the best way to explore the area around Yangshuo. It's very fun and gives you total freedom to go where you want. The terrain is never particularly steep, so don't worry if you’re not too fit like me! Also, don’t forget to check out the Chinese areas around town, it would be all too easy to sit in West Street watching DVDs and eating Western food. Another thing to consider when you visit is the time of year, I went in early March, and even then it was bustling with tourists, so I can’t imagine how packed it would be in peak season. Thus I would recommend going out of the summer months, so as to see the town at its best and also because hotel rooms will be at their most reasonable prices (don’t forget to bargain!). When looking for a hotel, your best bet is to simply wander down West Street, the mecca of hotels, and just pop inside as many as you fancy till you find one you like at a decent price.

Best Way To Get Around:

The town itself is pretty small, so walking is definitely your best bet. To get out of town, as I mentioned above, the easiest means is to hire a bicycle. This should cost around Y10 or less in off season, at which time it's also possible to bargain. You can also hire a guide if you feel the need (although I found it easy without). There are also motorbike taxis very willing to take you anywhere, or be hired for the day if you're feeling lazy.

Quote: The wonderful CoCo Hotel was one of the best places I stayed at throughout China. The rooms have comfortable beds (which make a change) with clean wooden floors and even a very decent bathroom. The view from my room was crap, but it was quiet and at least there was not only a window, but air-con and satellite TV! The staff were very friendly (including CoCo herself) and happy to help with any questions, if not least in an attempt to book you on one of their trips. My room was a bargain in March, although it did take some negotiation to achieve the price, less than £8 if I remember. However I think in peak season you would be hard pushed to achieve this price. If you’ve been staying in less than adequate accommodation in China, then the standard of rooms in Yangshuo will probably surprise you, but real bargains are only likely to be had out of the summer months.

Quote: The White Lion Hotel is on West Street. This is where most of the hotels are, so it's easy to stroll down the road and check out a few to find the best. The White Lion was a great hotel. The rooms were comfortable and clean, with air-con and satellite TV, and a pleasant bathroom. Although my room was slightly small, it was perfectly nice, but if did face directly onto West Street so this could be a little noisy for some. If that’s the case, just ask for one at the back. The staff were very friendly (even offering my some of their tropical fruit to try!) and will help you out with anything. I paid less than £8 in March with a little bit of bargaining, but as I have already mentioned such prices are probably only likely off season.

For more info visit their website: www.whitelionhotelchina.com

Quote: A short(ish) bicycle ride from Yangshuo is the small town of Fuli. To get here hire a bike and turn left out of West Street and follow the road towards the bridge over the Li Jiang and across it, cycle along this road for just under an hour (or less if you’re fit) and you will hit Fuli.

At first glance it doesn’t appear to be a particularly attractive town, however this is soon dispelled as all you have to do is turn right off the main road down one of the side streets and you hit old time China. This part of town is dominated by traditional wooden houses selling predominantly fans and slippers to tourists, great for a wonder. However, this is no Yangshuo and has a lot less tourists, but they do arrive sporadically by boat (mostly Chinese) and spread out into the town. Go relatively early to avoid them.

If you head down to the Li Jiang you will find a small restaurant in which you can get a drink or meal. Near the restaurant there are some fields that make for a very pleasant walk. I almost felt like I had entered the Garden of Eden while wandering around them, it was just all so green and with the surrounding river and karst peaks towering above it was beautiful.

Fuli also holds a market every three days (the 2nd, 5th 8th and so forth of each month), which is not at all for tourists making it all the more interesting. Here you can gawp at the produce or pick up some cheap and delicious noodles from one of the stalls. I highly recommend a trip to Fuli, it allows you to imagine what Yangshuo used to be like and ponder what Fuli could become in a few years.

Quote: Moon Hill a short cycle ride from Yangshuo makes for a pleasant ride. The hill itself has a hole in it that look like a moon, thus its name (you will come to notice in China that the Chinese love naming pieces of the landscape after objects or even obscure scenes, for example a rock could be called ‘a lion eating a ram’ or something like that).

The hill isn’t really that impressive itself, but the steep climb to the top offers some great views of the surrounding area. Be aware though of the hawkers that will try and sell you drinks, great if you’re thirsty but they can be very persistent, and don’t think climbing to the top will stop them! Much to my surprise after an exhausting climb I turned around to see the same women I tried to escape at the bottom offering me a Coke, which at this point was much appreciated.

Quote: A very worthwhile trip from Yangshuo is the Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces. These are easily reached by a long daytrip, best organized via one of the numerous travel agencies on West Street. The drive takes about two and a half hours in a fairly comfortable mini bus, but is very much worth it for some of the most spectacular views of rice terraces you are ever likely to see. If you have the time though, I felt it would have been best to spend at least a night there so as not to have to rush, although the trip does give you enough time for a walk around the terraces and to be pestered by the locals who want to show you their hair (this isn’t as strange as it sounds!). The village of Ping’an where you end up is right on the terraces, and seems to be going though a bit a construction boom to accommodate the ever increasing tourist numbers, but at the moment it’s not too busy and the construction blends in nicely. From the village there are a couple of easy walks along the terraces to do, which offer stunning views. If you are staying longer from what I understand there’s plenty of other walks to keep you occupied. Apart from the terraces the local ethnic group called the Yao are interesting, and you’re sure to meet them as they attempt to sell you their trinkets. This trip is defiantly worth it to see another side of China, especially in such a stunning location.