| Guilin and Yangshuo |
After lunch on the boat and arrived in Yangshuo in the early afternoon. As with the case
with Kunming, we were surprised at how much it had developed since we were there about
six years earlier. What was a quiet small relaxing river town had become a bustling
tourist-oriented town with many souvenir stands, fast-food restaurants, heavy traffic,
and large modern hotels.
Yangshuo is a very popular holiday destination for visitors (especially backpackers)
interested in mountain climbing, bicycling, water sports, visiting nearby traditional
villages, and enjoying the scenery. The many bars, restaurants, and inexpensive
guesthouses in Yangshuo also have their appeal.
After a couple of hours in Yangshuo we took a bus for the one-hour ride back to Kunming.
Next morning we flew from Guilin to Shanghai for our train trip to Nanjing.
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with Kunming, we were surprised at how much it had developed since we were there about
six years earlier. What was a quiet small relaxing river town had become a bustling
tourist-oriented town with many souvenir stands, fast-food restaurants, heavy traffic,
and large modern hotels.
Yangshuo is a very popular holiday destination for visitors (especially backpackers)
interested in mountain climbing, bicycling, water sports, visiting nearby traditional
villages, and enjoying the scenery. The many bars, restaurants, and inexpensive
guesthouses in Yangshuo also have their appeal.
After a couple of hours in Yangshuo we took a bus for the one-hour ride back to Kunming.
Next morning we flew from Guilin to Shanghai for our train trip to Nanjing.
Click here for the next page, "Nanjing".
Click here to return to the "China Trip Menu"
Click here to return to "Our Travel Journals Main Menu"
15 to 18 October: We arrived in Guilin in the evening of 15 October and found that our
first two hotel choices in Guilin had no vacancies, something which has happened to us very
seldom in East Asia (we usually avoid such problems by getting to a new town around noon
or earlier). We then had our taxi driver take us to his suggested hotel, for which he no
doubt received a commission. The hotel was acceptable and located on one of Guilin's main
avenues, with tall modern buildings, brightly lit shops, several nearby restaurants.
first two hotel choices in Guilin had no vacancies, something which has happened to us very
seldom in East Asia (we usually avoid such problems by getting to a new town around noon
or earlier). We then had our taxi driver take us to his suggested hotel, for which he no
doubt received a commission. The hotel was acceptable and located on one of Guilin's main
avenues, with tall modern buildings, brightly lit shops, several nearby restaurants.
View from our Guilin hotel room window.
Pagodas in a Guilin park.
Reed Flute Park, Guilin.
Next day we took several walks in Guilin, visited some of the sights, and were surprised at
how much the city had developed since we were last there, in 1997. Guilin is an attractive
city with many beautiful well-maintained parks and scenic walks along the Li River.
However, motor traffic was much heavier than during our earlier trips. We also bought
tickets for the following day's excursion/cruise to Yangshuo.
how much the city had developed since we were last there, in 1997. Guilin is an attractive
city with many beautiful well-maintained parks and scenic walks along the Li River.
However, motor traffic was much heavier than during our earlier trips. We also bought
tickets for the following day's excursion/cruise to Yangshuo.
The Li River was too low for the riverboats to leave from Guilin, so we were taken by bus
several miles down the river to board the boat to Yangshuo. The scenery on the river was
beautiful, with many small mountains projecting from the riverside and plains, just like
traditional Chinese paintings.
several miles down the river to board the boat to Yangshuo. The scenery on the river was
beautiful, with many small mountains projecting from the riverside and plains, just like
traditional Chinese paintings.
Li River cruise boats departing for Yangshuo.
The Li River between Guilin and Yangshuo.
Li River near Yangshuo.