Amazing Guilin

Guilin and the surrounding area is well worth a visit...

We went last Christmas, stretched out to a 5 day holiday by moving one Wednesday class. It's a 2 hour flight from Hangzhou. We left in the freezing cold of a Shaoxing December evening, and arrived to - the freezing cold of a Guilin December night. We had booked a hotel that offered free transport from the airport - a good thing as it is a good 30 minute drive and no bus service at the time we arrived (10pm).

The must-do activity is to take a boat trip down the Li River to the town of Yangshuo, passing the fantastic scenery that you see on all the tourist posters for China (and on the 20 Yuan note). The morning we arrived, we went straight off on this trip, collected from the hotel at 8.30am. Still bitterly cold, but the sun came through during the morning. The boat trip starts from a dock outside Guilin, and off you go in a convoy of boats down the river.

The river is extremely shallow, and the boats are more like enormous floating rafts, though with every mod. con. Lunch is provided in addition to endless photo opportunities (see above). The whole trip lasts about 4 hours. It is expensive - about 400 Yuan for the luxury trip - but worth it for a unique experience.

The boat trip finishes in the delightful town of Yangshuo, which has a rather un-Chinese and slightly hippyish feel. There are lots of cosy coffee bars, and hotels catering to all tastes. We stayed a little outside the town at the 'Dragon River Retreat' a wonderfully peaceful place on the Yulong River. From there you could cycle on bikes hired from the hotel through the paddy fields and more spectacular scenery.

Christmas day 2008 on the Yulong river - warm and sunny

However, be careful - some of the paths are narrow and you can end up flat on your face in a paddy field if you do not pay enough attention... Also you can get lost. We did but were picked up by a local who we are sure was just waiting for such an opportunity. He took us through some of the most beautiful areas, before getting back to somewhere we recognised. You can also go on proper guided tours, but this way you miss the excitement! There are maps available for cyclists, but they are completely useless.

Then there is the 'Impressions' spectacle. This is an after-dark show orchestrated by Zhang Yimou (Beijing Olympics opening ceremony and director of films such as Raise the Red Lantern and House of Flying Daggers). The extraordinary mountains and the river form the backdrop, and there is a cast of hundreds - it is really a tribute to the river people. Unmissable.

More information on Guilin and Yangshuo from Yangshuook, Yangshuo Travel Guide, and echinacities.