Yangshou: Living The Experience Of Traditional China

     Located in the province of Guangxi, about 65km from Guilin lies the small town of Yangshuo. For the past few years, Yangshuo is slowly starting to get noticed by a lot of travelers and ex-pats alike, mostly due to its beautiful, scenic landscapes consisting of mountain peaks and countrysides, as well as its distinct and well-preserved cultural traditions and practices.

     These highlights bring Yangshuo into the spotlights of every traveler as well as on their lenses and social media feeds. One look at those breath-taking and surreal photos. Would make any wanderlust want to grab their camera and book the nearest flight to China.

     The well-preserved way of life of most of Yangshuo’s ethnic group is also a major attraction particularly those who wanted to experience a unique way of living, which includes some ancient practices. Seeing and experiencing these cultures also give slight on how different these ethnic groups are compared to how we generally view or see or expect or know about China.

Attractions

      The major natural material that can be found in Yangshuo is the limestone, in which most of its infrastructures are made of. The mountains in Yangshuo are rich in Limestones, forming most of its surreal landscapes from these natural minerals.

     Yangshuo is also the cradle of two of the famous rivers in China, the Li River, and the Yulong River. Since ancient times, these rivers serve as the lifestream of the locals living in Yangshuo, being the major line of transportation and business engagements, as well as a source of food and living. Nowadays, these rivers also serve as a tourist destination to a lot of visitors, therefore giving the locals another form of business in the form of river cruises.

     Another one of the famous attraction in Yangshuo is Chuanshan Park, that is considered as one of the most beautiful sceneries in Li River. Some of the must-visit sites in Chuanshan park is the Pagoda hill where tourist can see the seven-story Longevity pagoda; the Cockfighting Hill that looks like two fighting cocks ready to battle; and the famous Two Moons of Li river: the Moon cave that looks like the moon floating in the sky and the Water-Moon cave of Elephant Hill that looks like the moon floating in water.

     Another must-visit place in Yangshuo is the ancient town of Daxu. It is a place that seems like it came right out of history books, showcasing the lives during the Ming Dynasty. The well-preserved houses and workshops, as well as traditional skills of bamboo weaving and shoemaking,  are one of the major attractions in Daxu.

Best time to visit:

     Since river cruises and hiking are the major activities in Yangshuo, tourist is often advised to plan their visits during days that have warm and good weather, since river cruises are forbidden during heavy rains for safety reasons. Aside from rainy weather, it is also not advisable to go on a boat ride during the wintertime due to the cold winds that might cause freezing.

     The best time to visit Yangshuo is during the season of Spring or Autumn, as the temperature is very favorable and mild, as well as comfortable for such a long boat ride and hiking. The days between May to October are considered the best time to do a photography shoot since the daytimes are longer and the temperatures are warmer as well. Waking up early in the morning is also a great time to capture the famous Yangshuo sunrise, as well as capturing the warm sunset in the late afternoon.