Yangshuo Tours

Yangshuo is an ancient city with a 2000 year history. It is a small town in the Guilin region of Gaungxi Province and was established as a county during the Jin Dynasty about 1500 years ago. Surrounded by amazing karst formations and bordered on one side by the Li River it is easily accessible by bus or boat from nearby Guilin.

Over the years Yangshuo has developed into a bustling tourist destination with a relaxed friendly atmosphere similar to the towns found in South East Asia. However, the beauty about Yangshuo is that within a few minutes you can find yourself in a rural village watching water buffalo take a midday bath and farmers drying their produce on the ground without a single tourist in sight.

At the hotel we can organize a tour guide to take you round and see the sights of Yangshuo or you can explore by yourself. The following paragraphs discuss some of the great sights to see whilst in Yangshuo.

Li River
The Li River originates in the Mao'er Mountains in north Guangxi and flows through Yangshuo down into the Xi Jiang, the western tributary of the Pearl River in Wuzhou.

It is one of China's most famous scenic areas and is famously thought of throughout China as being the most beautiful place in the world. A stretch of the river actually appears on the back of the 20 RMB notes.

The river runs straight through Yangshuo offering ideal places to picnic and swim in the warm shallow water. It is also well stocked with carp which is the famous fish used in the popular Yangshuo beer fish dish.

Karst Peaks
The gradual retreat of inland seas left thousands of exotic caves and bizarre limestone structures known as karst formations. There are over 70,000 peaks in total covering an area that stretches up to Guizhou and down to Nanning. Yangshuo is surrounded by peaks which make great viewing platforms of the town and Li River.

Green Lotus Peak is one of the more famous karst formations and is located on the banks of the Li River. It get its name simply because it is said that it looks like a giant lotus rising out of the river. It takes approximately 30 minutes to climb and the views are spectacular.

Yangshuo Markets
Daytime Market
The food markets in Yangshuo are a less well known feature of the town but are great to see nevertheless. The daytime market is near the bus station on the road out to Guilin selling everything from mountains of fresh vegetables to buckets of frogs and tasty morsels of dog meat. This is perhaps not a place for the squeamish but a great way to see an authentic market in Yangshuo.

Night Food Market
The location of the nighttime market seems to change every now and then so please ask at the hotel to check location. The market is a great mix of sounds and smells where you can walk among the stalls watch the food being cooked and pick what you want to eat from the many varieties they have on offer including fresh local vegetables and snake meat.
Qing man yong!

Shopping
For a spot of shopping West Street (Chinese: Xijie) is the place to head. Walk along the cobbled street and you'll find many things to buy. You can watch silk being woven or silver being hammered into shape. Just remember to bargain hard and you'll have a great time!

Eating
Yangshuo has a huge number of restaurants and cafes to eat in all over the town.
Among them are Japanese, Thai, Western, French and of course countless traditional Chinese restaurants ranging from hotpot, to dumpling houses to choose from. If it's a local fresh Chinese dish or a taste of something familiar you are after then Yangshuo will not disappoint.

Entertainment
Over the years the nightlife in Yangshuo has also blossomed into a thriving scene. KTV clubs, western style bars and laid back cafes fill the night air with a lively, relaxed atmosphere. Taxis are available around the clock so it's easy to get back to the Retreat whenever you feel like calling it a night!

For more great pictures of Yangshuo go to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yangshuomountainretreat/sets/72157603685359150/