How do I get from Guilin to Yangshuo?

By bus: 1 hour, ¥20-30, every 20 minutes from Guilin South Bus Station. By HSR: 30 min to Yangshuo Station, ¥40-60 (but station is 7 km outside town, taxi +¥30-50). By Li River cruise: 4-5 hours, ¥215-450, the most scenic option. Most foreign travelers take the bus one way and the Li River cruise the other.

Is Yangshuo worth a 2-day stop on a Guilin trip?

Yes, even 1 night is worth it. The Li River cruise is best done as a slow boat from Guilin to Yangshuo, not a round-trip. Most travelers do 2 nights: Day 1 West Street + bike ride in the countryside, Day 2 morning Yulong River bamboo raft + afternoon Li River cruise back to Guilin. 3 nights lets you add a cooking class or a Xingping countryside walk.

Do I need a visa for Guilin or Yangshuo?

Same as mainland China. The 240-hour visa-free transit applies to Guilin via Nanning or Beijing. Yangshuo is not on a 240-hour transit route directly — you'll need either a regular Chinese visa or to enter via another city first.

TravelHubChina

阳朔 · Travel Guide

Yangshuo for foreigners

Li River, Xingping's 20-RMB mountain, West Street, and the karst peaks of southern China.

See top things to do Plan your trip

Yangshuo is a small county town 65 km south of Guilin, population 300,000, set in the heart of the karst landscape that draws 20+ million visitors a year. The Li River (漓江) and Yulong River (遇龙河) wind between nearly 100 cone-shaped limestone peaks, the UNESCO-listed South China Karst. Most foreign travelers do Yangshuo as a 2-3 day stop on a longer Guilin trip, with one day for the Li River cruise or Yulong River bamboo rafting and one day for the West Street + Xingping countryside. The town is set up for tourism: English menus, bike rentals, and the famous beer fish (啤酒鱼) on every restaurant menu.

Bamboo rafts with colorful umbrellas floating on the Li River in Yangshuo, Guilin — dozens of traditional bamboo rafts clustered along the green riverbank, some already out on the calm jade-green water with bright red, blue, and yellow umbrellas shielding the raft operators, framed by dramatic cone-shaped karst limestone peaks rising under a partly cloudy blue sky. — Bamboo rafts on the Li River in Yangshuo — the classic karst-peak cruise.

Top things to do in Yangshuo

The must-see places locals will tell you are unmissable, with photos and a direct link to the in-depth guide for each.

Li River cruise (漓江) — China's most iconic river cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, passing the 20-RMB-back-view karst peak and the 100-peak karst landscape (UNESCO South China Karst).

Li River cruise to Yangshuo (漓江)

A 4-5 hour boat cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo along the Li River, passing the Elephant Trunk Hill, Crown Cave, and the 20-RMB-back-view karst peak. The most iconic Chinese river cruise, ¥215-450 per person.

Read full guide →

Yulong River bamboo rafting (遇龙河)

A 1.5-2 hour bamboo raft ride down the Yulong River with 8 small weirs and a karst-peak backdrop. ¥160-260 per raft. Quieter and more intimate than the Li River cruise.

Read full guide →

Xingping Ancient Town (兴坪) — a 1,700-year-old Li River fishing town with the karst peak featured on the back of the ¥20 banknote, the most-photographed karst view in China.

Xingping Ancient Town + 20 RMB mountain (兴坪)

A 1,700-year-old fishing town on the Li River, with the karst peak featured on the back of the ¥20 banknote. Free to walk. The most-photographed karst view in China.

Read full guide →

West Street (西街)

Yangshuo's 1,400-year-old pedestrian street, 800m long, with traditional stone paving, food stalls, and English-friendly cafes and bars. The nightlife and food center of the town.

Read full guide →

Moon Hill (月亮山)

A 380m karst peak with a natural full-circle arch, 8 km south of town. The arch is visible from afar; the climb up is 20 minutes via 800 steps. ¥15 entry.

Read full guide →

A misty view of the karst peaks of Yangshuo, Guilin — sharp cone-shaped limestone mountains rising dramatically from a green valley floor, partially shrouded in low-lying cloud and mist under an overcast grey sky, with grass and trees in the foreground. — The misty karst peaks of Yangshuo — the most-photographed landscape in southern China.

Where to stay in Yangshuo

We only list hotels that accept foreign guests and accept international credit cards.

Hotels in Yangshuo on Trip.com

From $25/night family-run inns near West Street to $300+/night luxury at the Yangshuo Banyan Tree and Alila Yangshuo — plus 600+ more across West Street, Xingping, and the Yulong River. Filter by district and tier on Trip.com.

$25 – $300+/night

See live prices & deals →

West Street (Xijie) in Yangshuo, Guilin — a 1,400-year-old pedestrian street paved with grey stone slabs, lined with traditional whitewashed shop-houses hung with lanterns and signs, blue Pepsi-branded umbrellas over vendor stalls selling souvenirs, and Chinese and foreign tourists walking and browsing in the late afternoon sun. — West Street — Yangshuo's 1,400-year-old pedestrian street and nightlife center.

Book your Yangshuo trip

Plan your Yangshuo trip on Trip.com — the only platform we've verified for mainland China. Prices update in real time; no hidden fees.

Trip.com — Recommended

Hotels, trains, flights & experiences

Yangshuo on Trip.com — 1.4M mainland-China hotels (¥35/night and up), real-time English HSR booking, plus skip-the-line tickets and guided tours in one cart. Accepts foreign Visa/Mastercard. Filter by tier on Trip.com once you land.

Hotels from $35/night · HSR from $7 · Tours from $5

Search Yangshuo on Trip.com →

When to visit Yangshuo

April-May and September-October for warm weather and clear karst views. June-August is hot and humid (30-35°C). Winter (December-February) is grey and damp (5-12°C) but the fewest crowds. **Avoid Chinese New Year (late Jan / mid Feb)** when Yangshuo is overrun.

FAQ

How do I get from Guilin to Yangshuo?

By bus: 1 hour, ¥20-30, every 20 minutes from Guilin South Bus Station. By HSR: 30 min to Yangshuo Station, ¥40-60 (but station is 7 km outside town, taxi +¥30-50). By Li River cruise: 4-5 hours, ¥215-450, the most scenic option. Most foreign travelers take the bus one way and the Li River cruise the other.
Is Yangshuo worth a 2-day stop on a Guilin trip?

Yes, even 1 night is worth it. The Li River cruise is best done as a slow boat from Guilin to Yangshuo, not a round-trip. Most travelers do 2 nights: Day 1 West Street + bike ride in the countryside, Day 2 morning Yulong River bamboo raft + afternoon Li River cruise back to Guilin. 3 nights lets you add a cooking class or a Xingping countryside walk.
Do I need a visa for Guilin or Yangshuo?

Same as mainland China. The 240-hour visa-free transit applies to Guilin via Nanning or Beijing. Yangshuo is not on a 240-hour transit route directly — you'll need either a regular Chinese visa or to enter via another city first.

Need help in China?

Bilingual phrase cards for the situations that actually come up. Show the Chinese to locals, read the language you know to understand.

See all the cards →

Get our Yangshuo itinerary

A day-by-day plan, the metro lines you need, and the one restaurant locals love.