Li River - 漓江 - Li Jiang
Last Updated
7th Apr, 2009
The section of the Li River that winds its way down from Guilin to Yangshuo is perhaps one of the most famous waterways in China. This fame comes not from size or function - just from the gorgeous scenery to both sides that has long been recognised as both calming and inspirational.
For many tourists, the classic Li River Cruise from Guilin is the highlight of a trip to this area. The cruise boats have open viewing decks such that everyone can get great views, and photographs, of the landscapes and of the river life. Details of the Li River Cruises can be found elsewhere on this site.
Other trips on the Li River are possible, including short excursions on Bamboo Rafts or, under your own steam, by kayak. You should be prepared for the prevailing conditions. Since that usually means sunny and hot then take water, a hat and suncream. For longer trips consider taking something to cover your arms and legs.
Don't forget - it is also possible to hike along sections of the Li River. An ideal activity to really get you close to the river people and their lifestyles. It is usually best to arrange a drop off, by car or boat, such that you need not return by the same route, though there are options to make a circular excursion.
Whatever mode you take, make sure you allow plenty of time. You may be tempted to jump in for a swim, or to stop off and just watch life go by.
The tributary that joins the Li River at the entrance to the Liu San Jie Light Show site is the Yulong River. This is the same river crossed on the way to Moon Hill. The Yulong River is a favourite for bamboo rafting.
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How to get here
Come on a bike
Several bike routes follow the Li River in parts
North of Yangshuo towards the Li River Retreat and beyond to our `secret beaches` which are great for a swim in the summer
Towards Fuli and Liugong. These towns are both downstream from Yangshuo and are not overrun with visitors. These bike rides allows you to see more of the countryside without the crowds whilst still seeing beautiful scenery
North towards Xingping. This is for the more adventurous bike rider as you would need to carry your bike at times but you will definitely be hard pushed to find another tourist on this ride
Come on a hike
The most famous and popular hike is the one between Yangdi and Xingping. This hike follows the Li River during the section which is regarded as the most spectacular part of the Li River. You can easily do this trip on your own. Just take a local bus from Yangshuo's bus station to Yangdi. On arrival at Yangdi, you will be sold a ticket for the hike. The price is 16 Yuan and includes the 3 ferry crossings which you need to take when the path on one side of the river ends and continues on the other side
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Yangdi-Xingping
Definitly my favourite trip ......but I have done this trip on a local raft....about 2hrs.
On a lovely sunny Autumn day you could not get it any better. The rafts stop off for photo shots at the 9 horses mountain.
There is a commercial photographer there who will develop & laminate your photo for 10Y. The river "mafia" collect 4y per person somewhere along the trip, but to stop arguments with foreigners the raft driver now pays them.
We were dropped off along the river from Xingping which allows for a pleasant wander back into town up through the old street...( which keeps evolving very quickly) to the bus station. At Yangdi there is a very good restaurant ...the last building before the river. Very good food at a resonable cost. On both my trips we had lunch there before taking the raft. To get to Yangdi catch a local bus at the bus station.
Highly recommended trip.
Li River Cruises
There are many different types of cruises that you can do on the Li River, and I have done most of them
Guilin only cruises
These have to be the worst of the lot. Guilin city itself has very few Karst peaks of any real height. You get to cruise within the city and observe 3 or 4 peaks. The rest of the time, you get to glimpse hotels, traffic and shops, ouch!!!
Guilin to Yangshuo cruises
These are by far the most popular cruises in terms of numbers. Every major tour company and some smaller ones will put their groups on these boats. The boats are big enough to hold anything from 60 to 120 people. They usually have a viewing deck at the top which is shared by everyone on the cruise. I have had to use my elbows to get to the railings so that I could see the view.
Departure time for these cruises is between 9am and 11am. There are no flights that arrive early enough to meet a cruise on the same day. You can easily arrange a cruise the night before from any hotel in Guiin
These cruises leave from a wharf on the outskirts of Guilin and the transfer from Guilin is included in the ticket price.
Lunch is also something to talk about on these boats. It is included in the cost of the ticket. You get a set meal to share with the people at your table. The meal is very Chinese with rice, stir fried vegetables and some meat dishes. Included drinks are a small bottle of water per person and some bottles of beer. The staff on the boat also try to up sell expensive dishes and drinks such as fried shrimps and `snake wine`. You also get to have this lunch during some of the best scenery on the Li River
Many of the people who do these cruises get dropped off in Yangshuo and have a short time to explore West Street for shopping and then return back to Guilin the same day
Yangdi to Xingping cruises
The Yangdi to Xingping section of the Li River is by far the most spectacular part of the Li River. It is possible to arrange a cruise for just this section of the Li River. However, you need to know that the only boats that can take tourists on the Li River are the big boats from Guilin as they are the only officially licensed boats.
The boats that do the Yangdi to Xingping section are the small `farmer's boats`. These boats can hold about 12 people on them and have an open area at the front of the boat where you can sit down and put your feet in the river
Now, as these boats are not licensed, they can only operate when the Li River is not being monitored by the local authorities which is early in the morning or late in the afternoon which is the best time anyway for these cruises as the river has none of the large boats and is very peaceful. This has always been my favourite cruise on the Li River
Cruises from Xingping
There are many `farmer's boats` in Xingping as the monitoring of licensed boats is a bit more lax in Xingping. You can turn up at just about any time of the day to Xingping and have one of these boats take you on the Li River.
The cruise can take you up river towards Yangdi, but not all the way to Yangdi as there are regular inspections near Yangdi. How close does the boat get to Yangdi? Sometimes almost all the way and sometimes about half way. You can never tell as you would know what Yangdi looks like
The cruises out of Xingping can also go towards Yangshuo with a stop at the `fishing village`. This cruise is not as scenic with very few tall peaks along this section of the river. I find this cruise a bit on the boring side
Yangshuo to Fuli and Liugong cruise
This cruise is downstream of Yangshuo and misses all the big boats coming from Guilin. I like this cruise too as it is very relaxing due to the low traffic on the Li River. The cruise is also done on the `farmer's boats`. Both the old towns of Fuli and Liugong are worth a visit on their own
Kayaking Vs. River Cruise
After coming to Yangshuo on Li river cruise and seeing the magical landscape I thought it couldn't get much better but the experience of being in your own kayak going at your own speed and than stopping for nice picnic lunch, this is by far a more of an experience than the cruise