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 a
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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.
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