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Published: June 17th 2009
This weekend, I flew with my parents down to the city of Guilin, which is in the southwest province of Guangxi. The main attractions here are the giant limestone formations, known as karst peaks, that rise up all around the city. Formed naturally by many years of acidic rainwater erosion, most of the steep rock formations are now layered with abundant vegetation. We arrived Friday afternoon in Guilin, and our first visit was the appropriately named Elephant Trunk Hill on the Li River. We hiked up the steps of the steep embankment to the top, where we got a spectacular view of bamboo canoes and boats passing by on the Li River below. The city expands westward away from the river, and karst peaks were visible in every direction. After spending most of the afternoon exploring the hill, we got dinner in the extensive street shopping center nearby our hotel. The evening was spent walking around the Rong and Shan Lakes centered in the heart of the city. Two twinkling pagodas overlooking the water provided a nice spectacle for our nighttime stroll.
On Saturday morning, we set out for Yangshuo, a four hour boat ride away from Guilin. The Li
River, which connects the two cities, is well-known for its scenic landscape that includes sheer cliffs and uniquely shaped karst peaks. The natural surroundings definitely did not disappoint, and small isolated harbors and villages could be spotted at some points along the way. The river bustled with 50-person ferries as well as small bamboo rafts and canoes. Some of the smaller boats paddled over and docked with our ferry so they could try to sell us jade sculptures made in their villages.
Once we landed at Yangshuo, I went with a tour group to the outskirts of the city to observe how rural farming families live. Our first stop was an old isolated village about ten minutes by bus outside of central Yangshuo. Here, we saw local residents carrying on their necessary daily chores, such as fishing, weaving baskets, and repairing rafts. Next, we were taken to see the rice patties where the farmers cultivate their crops. To get there, we rode an old-fashioned bamboo raft down a canal about half a mile. We took turns propelling the raft by using a long pole to push off the bottom of the river. Once reaching shore, we walked out onto
a thin stretch of flat grassy land nestled between rice patties and nearby karst peaks. Here, I got a close up look at the water buffalo that are common to this area of China. The farmers even gave us some type of plant to feed the animals. This adventure concluded our tour, and we were dropped off back at our hotel in late afternoon. For dinner, my parents and I walked through the popular shopping and restaurant district of Yangshuo. This area offers fast-food eateries and sit-down cafés, as well as bars and clubs to attract lots of vacationers. Many tourists, both Chinese and Western, come here to enjoy the unique atmosphere of open-air shops mixed with beautiful natural surroundings.
On Sunday morning, I climbed to a pagoda that had been built at the top of a karst peak right in the middle of Yangshuo. The ascent up the steep staircase was treacherous, but the view at the top was definitely worth the effort. It was clear from this elevated view that the layout of the city had been dictated by the arrangement of the abrupt peaks. After spending a few more hours walking around Yangshuo, we left for
Li River
On Our Ferry from Guilin to Yangshuothe Guilin airport in a chartered car. It would have been nice to have an extra day or two in Yangshuo to rent bikes or explore the switchback trails that wind up and down some of the foothills. There is so much to do and see in this area of China and I would definitely consider coming back sometime in the future. What Guilin and Yangshuo lack in sophistication from the bigger cities, they more than make up for in natural beauty.
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