Yangshuo (阳朔) — The Guilin Karst Countryside: West Street, Yulong River Rafting, the 20-Yuan View at Xingping and Impression Liu Sanjie 2026

Q: How many days do you need in Yangshuo, and where should you stay?

To enjoy Yangshuo without rushing, allow two nights or more — give one day to the Yulong River (rafting and cycling), another to Xingping and Moon Hill, and close each evening with West Street or the Impression Liu Sanjie show. There are two clear styles of place to stay: West Street if you like the buzz and want to walk straight to restaurants and bars, or the Yulong River countryside if you want quiet and to wake up to hills and paddies — the side where design resorts like Alila and Banyan Tree are. Honestly, the rural scenery is the real draw of Yangshuo, while West Street is where you go to eat and drink in the evening.

The area

What Yangshuo is — and why it's the karst-scenery base for Guilin

A lot of people arrive in Guilin unsure whether to stay in the city or head out to the countryside. The answer is simple: the city is lovely around its lakes and the karst hills nearby, but almost all of the postcard scenery — the peaks and rivers you've seen in photos of Guilin — is at Yangshuo (阳朔), a rural county about 65 km south of the city. It is where the Li River cruise ends, and the place where you can actually be among the peaks and paddies rather than looking at them through a boat window.

There are just a few things you need to know in Yangshuo — West Street (西街), the 1,400-year-old stone pedestrian street in the centre of town that turns into a busy strip of bars and cafés at night; the Yulong River (遇龙河), a calm river among the paddies where you can drift a bamboo raft and cycle all day; Xingping (兴坪), an old town on the Li River with the view from the 20-yuan note; Moon Hill (月亮山), a karst hill with a moon-shaped arch through it; and the Impression Liu Sanjie (印象·刘三姐) outdoor show on the river, directed by Zhang Yimou.

Picture a place where you wake to mist on the peaks, cycle out to lunch in a village, drift a cool raft in the afternoon and come back in the evening for live music in a bar — Yangshuo does all of it. That is why we suggest giving it at least two nights, rather than just dipping in for a day and rushing back to Guilin.

Karst peaks and rice paddies of Yangshuo, the Guilin countryside — the base for rafting and cycling — Yangshuo — the karst countryside of Guilin, where you can actually be inside the postcard view rather than seeing it through a boat window

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Highlight

Yulong River rafting

Bamboo rafts + cycling among the paddies and peaks

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Location

Yangshuo (阳朔)

~65 km south of Guilin · karst countryside

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Pedestrian street

West Street (西街)

~1,400 years old · cafés, bars, souvenirs · free

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Classic view

Xingping (兴坪)

The Li River view from the 20-yuan note · quiet old town

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Outdoor show

Impression Liu Sanjie

Directed by Zhang Yimou · staged on the Li River · ~70 min

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Getting around

Bike · raft · DiDi

No metro · a bicycle is the best way to see the area

What the area feels like

The atmosphere of Yangshuo — slow countryside ringed by peaks

Yangshuo feels like the opposite of a big city — countryside with karst peaks in every direction, a quiet riverside side and a livelier West Street side, so you can pick your pace.

The appeal of Yangshuo is that it has both the quiet and the buzz in one place. By day you raft, cycle, climb to a viewpoint and walk old Xingping; after dark you come back into town for a bar or café with live music on West Street, or head to the riverside show — whatever you're in the mood for. There is no metro here and you don't need one: everything is close enough to cycle to or grab a DiDi.

1

For nature, cycling and rafting

Outdoor lovers · Yulong River · cycling · bamboo raft

This is what Yangshuo was made for — the Yulong River lets you drift a bamboo raft over its low weirs and cycle for ten-odd kilometres along the paddies and peaks, the stretch locals call the Ten-Mile Gallery. Waking to country air, heading out for the whole day and coming back to sleep beats staying in the city by a mile.
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For nightlife, cafés and a lively scene

Nightlife · cafés · bars · West Street

If you like night markets, live music and a drink on a street-side terrace, West Street is the answer. After dark the whole street lights up, lined with souvenir shops, cafés and bars — it's where travellers gather in the evening. Just know that by day it's fairly quiet; the charm is after sunset.
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For photographers and old towns

Photographers · Xingping · 20-yuan view · Moon Hill

Xingping is a dream for photographers, because the bend in the Li River with the peaks there is the view on the 20-yuan note. Old Xingping is far quieter than West Street, so you can wander all day, and adding Moon Hill and the surrounding viewpoints rounds out Guilin's prettiest angles.
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For a quiet resort among the scenery

Comfort seekers · Alila/Banyan Tree · countryside resorts

Yangshuo is home to upper-tier design resorts on the Yulong River — Alila Yangshuo, built from a 1960s sugar mill, and Banyan Tree Yangshuo, set in a ring of peaks. If you want an easy trip, waking to hills and paddies right outside, and can still slip into town to eat and drink when you feel like it, the countryside side of Yangshuo is the answer.

What to see

The key places in Yangshuo — from the river to the outdoor stage

🏞️ Yulong River (遇龙河) — rafting + cycling

If you only have time for one thing in Yangshuo, make it the Yulong River, a calm river among the paddies and peaks that locals call the Little Li River. The highlight is a two-person bamboo raft drifting over a series of low weirs, where the raft tips down each one for a fun little drop. A raft (for two) for a short stretch is about ¥120–230 (about ฿600–1,150), depending on the length and the entry and exit points. Just as popular is renting a bicycle or e-bike and riding along the river through the paddies, past the old Yulong Bridge — the stretch locals call the Ten-Mile Gallery, because it is beautiful the whole way. A bike runs about ¥30–60 a day. Read more: the full Yulong River guide

🏮 West Street (西街) — the 1,400-year-old pedestrian street

An old stone pedestrian street, about 1,400 years old, in the centre of Yangshuo town, roughly 800 metres long and lined with cafés, bars, souvenir shops and bike-rental shops. It is free and open all the time. By day it is fairly quiet — good for photos and for picking up a bike before you head into the countryside — but the real charm is at night, when the shops light up, there is live music and the bars get busy, making it Yangshuo's main nightlife strip. If you prefer quiet, stay out in the countryside and come into West Street only in the evening. Read more: the full West Street guide

💴 Xingping (兴坪古镇) — the view from the 20-yuan note

An old town on the Li River northeast of Yangshuo, about 40 minutes away by road. The spot people come for is the bend in the Li River with the karst peaks that appears on the 20-yuan note, which you can walk to from old Xingping, or take a short bamboo raft to capture that exact angle. Old Xingping is far quieter than West Street, so it suits anyone who wants to wander slowly and photograph Guilin's classic view. If you take the Li River cruise from Guilin, the boats usually moor here at Xingping. Read more: the Xingping old town guide · the Li River cruise

🌙 Moon Hill (月亮山) + climbing and viewpoints

Moon Hill (月亮山) is a karst hill with an arch worn right through it like a moon, south of Yangshuo town on the Ten-Mile route. Cycle or drive past and the shape of the arch shifts with the angle you stand at; some people climb the steps to the viewpoint below the arch, looking down over the paddies and ranks of peaks. Yangshuo is also a karst rock-climbing town known to climbers worldwide, with crags of several grades around the area. For the wider picture of the area, see day trips from Guilin

🌌 Impression Liu Sanjie (印象·刘三姐)

An outdoor show on the Li River co-directed by Zhang Yimou, using the real river as its stage with the karst peaks as a backdrop. Hundreds of performers and local villagers light up the water in a show telling the legend of the maiden Liu Sanjie. It runs about 70 minutes, with two evening sessions (around 19:30 and 21:05, depending on the season), and tickets are roughly ¥268–828 (about ฿1,340–4,140) by seating zone (children around ¥118). Many travellers rate it a worthwhile way to end the evening — book ahead and check the session and prices first, as the good seats fill quickly.

The bend in the Li River with karst peaks at Xingping, Yangshuo — the same view as the 20-yuan note — Xingping — the bend in the Li River with the peaks that appears on the 20-yuan note, one of Guilin's most classic views

Eat and drink

Food and cafés in Yangshuo — from beer fish to a street-side bar

Yangshuo is a fun, homely place to eat — a signature local dish in beer fish, a row of cafés and bars along West Street, and riverside restaurants out in the villages.

🐟 Yangshuo beer fish (啤酒鱼) — the dish to try

If you eat one thing in Yangshuo, make it beer fish (啤酒鱼), the local signature: fish from the Li River fried and then braised with local beer, tomato, chilli and spices for a tangy, mildly spicy, well-rounded sauce that's lovely with rice. You'll find it all over Yangshuo, especially around West Street. A dish (good for 2–3 people) is about ¥80–160 (about ฿400–800), depending on the size of the fish. Read more: the Yangshuo beer fish guide

🍺 Cafés and bars on West Street

West Street in the evening is Yangshuo's main place to eat and drink, with cafés, Western and Chinese restaurants, and bars with live music. Sip a coffee in the afternoon or have a beer and listen to a band at night — it's a lively traveller strip after sunset. A coffee is around ¥25–45 (about ฿125–225) a cup, dinner around ¥60–150 a head depending on the place — good for a relaxed night after a day out. For more cafés and food across Guilin, see the Guilin food guide

🍚 Riverside and village food

Out of town on the Yulong River side, there are local restaurants in the villages and by the river to stop at while you cycle. Country dishes like fresh greens, free-range chicken, river fish and rice cooked in a bamboo tube cost less than in town and make for an easy lunch among the hills, around ¥40–120 (about ฿200–600) a head. For more ideas on local dishes, browse the Guilin food guide as you plan your meals.

West Street, Yangshuo, at night — the old stone pedestrian street full of cafés, bars and souvenir shops — West Street at night — Yangshuo's main nightlife strip, gathering cafés, bars, live music and beer-fish restaurants

Where to stay

Which side of Yangshuo to stay on — lively West Street or the quiet countryside

Yangshuo has two clear styles of place to stay — the West Street area for convenience and nightlife, and the Yulong River countryside for quiet and a view to wake up to.

Choosing where to stay in Yangshuo comes down to your kind of trip — if you like walking straight to restaurants, bars and bike-rental shops, stay in or near West Street, with everything from cheap hostels to boutique hotels; the trade-off is that it can be noisy at night. If you'd rather wake up to hills and paddies, somewhere quiet, choose the Yulong River countryside, which is where the upper-tier design resorts are; the trade-off there is calling a ride into town when you want to eat or drink. Still deciding between staying in Guilin city and basing yourself in Yangshuo? Read the Guilin where-to-stay guide and Guilin vs Yangshuo: city or countryside first.

The icons of the countryside side are the design resorts on the Yulong River — Alila Yangshuo, built from a 1960s sugar mill and home to the most famous pool in Yangshuo, and Banyan Tree Yangshuo, set in a ring of peaks by the river. Both suit a trip where you want to stay in comfort surrounded by scenery; and if your budget is gentler, there are hotels of several grades in both Yangshuo and Guilin to compare.

Alila Yangshuo (阳朔糖舍)

A design resort in a 1960s sugar mill on the Li River · the most famous pool in Yangshuo

Read the review →

Banyan Tree Yangshuo (悦榕庄)

A luxury resort ringed by peaks on the Yulong River · quiet, with full mountain views

Read the review →

Top 10 hotels in Guilin & Yangshuo

Every grade and area, ranked by real review scores — compare before you decide

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Luxury resort vs budget boutique

Five-star Alila/Banyan Tree vs in-town boutiques — which suits your trip

How to reach and get around Yangshuo

Yangshuo has no metro — you get there from Guilin by bus or bullet train, and then move around the area mainly by bicycle, bamboo raft, local bus and DiDi.

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Bus from Guilin

~1.5 hr · ~¥30

From Guilin bus station straight into Yangshuo town, near West Street

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High-speed train

Guilin North → Yangshuo 24 min

~¥30 · the station sits ~30 km out of town, then transfer in

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Station → town

DiDi/taxi ~30–50 min

Yangshuo Station isn't in town · allow time for the transfer to West Street

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Bicycle / e-bike

~¥30–60 a day

The best way to see the Yulong River side · rent near West Street

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Bamboo raft

~¥120–230 per raft (2 people)

Yulong River / Xingping · check the price and section on the spot

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DiDi / taxi in the area

Cheap · book in the app

To Xingping, Moon Hill, the raft put-ins · use Amap to drop a pin

Tip: if you take the bullet train, allow time for the transfer from Yangshuo Station into town, as the station sits well outside it; some travellers prefer the direct bus from Guilin because it drops you in the centre. You can pay for transport, shops and bike rentals by scanning Alipay or WeChat almost everywhere — see how to set it up in the Alipay/WeChat payment guide. Book train tickets ahead via the China high-speed rail guide.

Plan your visit

A route through Yangshuo — one day or two

⏱️ The one-day version (highlights from Guilin)

Morning — Leave Guilin by bus, or take the Li River cruise and disembark at Xingping for the 20-yuan view and a walk through the old town.
Midday — Head into Yangshuo town and have beer fish around West Street.
Afternoon — Rent a bike and ride along the Yulong River through the paddies, or take a short bamboo raft, passing Moon Hill.
Evening — Walk West Street as it lights up with live music, or catch the Impression Liu Sanjie show on the river to end the day.

🌇 The two-day version (stay over, take it slow)

Day one — Focus on the Yulong River: in the morning cycle or e-bike along the river through the paddies, in the afternoon drift a bamboo raft past the Yulong Bridge and Moon Hill, then back into town for beer fish and an evening on West Street.
Day two — Morning at Xingping for the 20-yuan view and the old town; afternoon relaxing at a riverside resort or climbing a viewpoint; evening finishing with the Impression Liu Sanjie show.

For a fuller multi-day Guilin and Yangshuo plan, see the 2-day Guilin itinerary and the 3-day Guilin itinerary. For more sights around the city, see day trips from Guilin.

Frequently asked

FAQ · Yangshuo (阳朔)

Where is Yangshuo (阳朔), and how do you get there from Guilin?

Yangshuo is a rural county set among karst hills, about 65 km south of Guilin city. There are two main ways to reach it: take a bus from the Guilin bus station straight to Yangshuo, roughly 1.5 hours (about ¥30, around ฿150), arriving at the Yangshuo bus station within walking distance of West Street; or take the faster bullet train from Guilin North Station (桂林北站) to Yangshuo Station (阳朔站), just 24 minutes (eight or more trains a day, around ¥30) — but the railway station sits about 30 km outside Yangshuo town, so you then need a taxi or DiDi into town, roughly 30–50 minutes. Many resorts offer a paid pickup. There is no metro here: you get around by bus, taxi, bicycle and bamboo raft. See the overview at day trips from Guilin

What is West Street (西街), and should you go by day or night?

West Street (阳朔西街) is an old stone pedestrian street, about 1,400 years old, in the centre of Yangshuo town, roughly 800 metres long and lined with cafés, bars, souvenir shops and bike-rental shops. It is free and open all the time. By day it is fairly quiet — good for photos and for picking up a bike before you head into the countryside — but its real charm is at night, when the shops light up, there is live music and the bars get busy, making it Yangshuo's main nightlife strip. If you prefer somewhere quiet, stay out in the Yulong River countryside and come into West Street only in the evening. Read more: the full West Street guide

What is bamboo-raft drifting on the Yulong River (遇龙河) like, and how much is it?

The Yulong River (遇龙河) is a calm river among the rice paddies and karst peaks, often called the Little Li River. The highlight is riding a two-person bamboo raft over a series of low weirs, where the raft tips down each one for a fun little drop. A raft (for two) for a short stretch costs about ¥120–230 (around ฿600–1,150), depending on the length and the entry and exit points. Just as popular is renting a bicycle or e-bike and riding along the river through the paddies, past the old Yulong Bridge — locals call this the Ten-Mile Gallery because it is beautiful the whole way. A bike runs about ¥30–60 a day. Check the prices and the raft sections on the spot, as there are several and the rates shift with the season. Read more: the Yulong River guide

Is the 20-yuan view at Xingping (兴坪) far, and how do you get there?

Xingping (兴坪古镇) is an old town on the Li River northeast of Yangshuo, about 40 minutes away by road. The spot people come for is the bend in the Li River with the karst peaks that appears on the 20-yuan note, which you can walk to from old Xingping town, or take a short bamboo raft to capture that exact angle. Old Xingping is much quieter than West Street, so it suits anyone who wants to wander slowly and photograph Guilin's classic view. The easiest way there is a bus from the Yangshuo bus station to Xingping, or a round-trip DiDi or taxi. Read more: the Xingping old town guide · the Li River cruise

How many days do you need in Yangshuo, and where should you stay?

To enjoy Yangshuo without rushing, allow two nights or more — give one day to the Yulong River (rafting and cycling), another to Xingping and Moon Hill, and close each evening with West Street or the Impression Liu Sanjie show. There are two clear styles of place to stay: West Street if you like the buzz and want to walk straight to restaurants and bars, or the Yulong River countryside if you want quiet and to wake up to hills and paddies — the side where design resorts like Alila and Banyan Tree are. Honestly, the rural scenery is the real draw of Yangshuo, while West Street is where you go to eat and drink in the evening.

The full Guilin guide

Where to stay, what to see, getting around — everything before you go to Guilin and Yangshuo

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Yulong River guide

Bamboo-raft drifting and cycling among the paddies — the best of Yangshuo

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Yangshuo beer fish

The local signature dish — Li River fish braised with beer, with real restaurants

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