From LongJi Rice Terrace to Yangshuo
After LongJi Rice Terrace (located North of GuiLin City) our next destination was Yangshuo which was located to thesouth of GuiLin City. We were sure that a cab ride would cost double the amount we paid three days ago when we got from Guilin City to LongJi Rice Terrace (¥400 inclusive of road toll).
Our host advised us to take the Passenger Bus (long distance) from Jinkeng Red Yao Rice Terrace-Daizhai Carpark to a Bus Terminal in YangShuo Town. The one way ticket costed ¥90 per person which was a steal!
After breakfast at our stay our host “ferried” us and our bags to “Jinkeng Red Yao Rice Terrace-DaZhai Carpark” where we boarded a clean yellow passenger bus. Our bus departure time was 8.30am. Every passenger had a seat and we started our 2.5 hour journey to YangShuo.
It was an aircon bus which made the long journey comfortable. Once we reached Yangshuo Town-Bus Terminal we alighted with our bags and e-hailed a cab to our stay about 4km away. We had booked a hotel sited in the midst of three major highlights that we planned to visit in the two days we were in YangShuo.
Checking into our Stay in Yangshou
Our stay in Yangshuo was Yishan Yunshui Hotel (Yulonghe Store, Shili Gallery, Yangshuo County) 依山云水酒店(阳朔县十里画廊遇龙河店) , we had selected it specially for its view and big lovely room. We reached our hotel at about noon. It was a rather new hotel located in an outskirt area. There were not many other building/store/restaurants around. Getting around would always need a “cab”.
Our room costed SGD$140 (¥750) for two nights and it was booked on Trip.com. The location did not live up to our expectation (it was too outskirt) but the room, the view from our room were “way above” our expectation. Our room had two large full height windows and the view was absolutely beautiful.
Our room was so huge, it was a “guestroom – 1-Room, with View (Bathtub, 1 living room)”. The room came with a private sitting lounge, a tea table at the balcony and a huge TV. We had a washing machine in the unit too. The wc room, the shower room and the wash basin areas were separate. The bathtub by the window was definitely for show and we did not use it at all during our stay.
Now that we had a washing machine it was just about time to do some laundry.
Our stay came with breakfast the next morning at no extra charge. Breakfast was very simple. There was noodle (in soup), orange (green color), plain buns, sweet potato and a hard boiled egg.
Yangshuo Town
We went into YangShuo Town by cab, the town was just 4km from our stay. We arrived in town to pick up our online prebooked tickets for “Impression Liu SanJie” performance and to have dinner. The town was a vibrant place with many shops and vehicle. We alighted from our taxis at the entrance of LiuSanJie Theatre which was still closed.
By the side of the closed entrance were ticketing counters, we were directed to one where we collected our physical tickets. Our tickets came with a drink each and we could collect them from a shop across the road.
We went across the road infront of the theatre entrance and went into a restaurant for dinner. The sign board of the restaurant stated “Amazing taste” (妙味) and “local dishes” (农家土菜) which sounded great.
We ordered bamboo cooked rice, string bean and yam&stew pork and the entire bill including drink came up to ¥132. It was a favourful and “filling” dinner. We certainly enjoyed the meal.
Liu Shan Jie Performance
We bought our “Impression Sanjie Liu (Evening Showtime) B2 old VIP seats” about two weeks ago for SGD$134.36 for two persons online on Trip.com. To ensure good seating we did not want to buy the tickets on site so we bought them two weeks ahead and got the seat a the central seating area at B2.
At about half an hour before the start of the “Impression LiuSanJie Performance”, the theatre entrance opened. It was a 500 meters walk to our seating stage. Along the way there was various interesting lighting and displays.
“Impression Sanjie Liu” was choreographed by Zhang Yimou, one of the most notable Chinese film directors, who had also directed the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. It was performed by more than 600 participants using the Li River as its stage and the twelve mist-enveloped hills as its backdrop.
Apparently this was a must-see night show for visitors to YangShuo. The performance was said to be spectacular, combining music, light, ethnic songs and dances. We were comfortably seated and waited eagerly for the performance to start.
The performance started on time, there was much technique colors, beautiful props and singing. But midway into the 70 minutes, we were both falling asleep. The performance lacked the “Omh!” we experienced in other performance. It lacked the excitment, it was getting mundane. At one stage there was a snaking long line of performers in light-emitting diodes costumes, one by one they swayed down the line, repeating and repeating ….
There were seven acts in the 70 minutes show. Somehow the performance lacked the “power” and even the singing sounded distance. We could not figure out the “plot” as one act passed over another.
The backdrop of the performance were Li River and the misty mountains unfortunately though it was a clear night the mountain scenery was all darkened.
By the time the performance was over we were glad to leave. We felt disappointed as we had such high expection of Zhang Yimou’s creation. Three and a half month ago we were in Xi’An and we watched the “Song of Everlasting Sorrow” which was definitely a much better “show”!
Ruyi Peak
After breakfast on our 2nd day in YangShuo, we “DiDi” (e-hailed) a cab to pick us from our hotel and send us to RuYi Peak (如意峰) Scenic Area. The distance was about 20 minutes over 12 km and costed only ¥32.
We had already bought our RuYi Peak Scenic Area entrance ticket (included two-way cable ride and glassbridge walk) on Trip.com. The cost was SGD$76 for two persons. The ticketing counter where we collected our physical tickets was in this row of three storey houses and the entrance to the cable car was housed in a “black glass” building in the middle of the three storey row.
The ropeway was 1,728 meters long with an altitude of 241 meters. It was a 15 minutes ride. On the way up we could see several peaks. The ropeway went over a few peaks.
After we exited the upper station of the ropeway/cable car we took a path that brought us to a rope bridge. It was a suspended, slightly shaky, red, long rope bridge over two peaks. This bridge was 142 meters long and 2 meters wide and very high up from the bottom of the valley! They were many red ribbons tied on both sides ofthe bridge, these ribbons were best wishes left by visitors to their families and friends.
There was another huge curvy steel bridge with some sections where the bridge floor was “glass panelLed”. From afar the steel bridge looked like a dragon “zooming” among the peaks. It was a fun/exciting to walk on the bridge moving from one peak to the next without having to hike down the valley before going up to the next mountain.
Another interesting bridge was the glass bridge built hugging the steep wall of the mountain. The glass bridge was not too long and there was not many people here probably beause the direction to this bridge was a bit confusing and we nearly missed it totally.
Besides bridges there were several viewpoints to hike up for great views. There were also several cafeterisa to stop for cool break.
The view of the karst landscape of YangShuo was very stunning. The karst landforms were a result of millions of years of geological processes where rainwater and ground water slowly eroded soluble limestone. This area was recognized by UNESCO as part of the South China Karst for its geological significance and natural beauty.
Boat cruise down Yulong River
Yulong River was one of the two prominent rivers in YangShuo. We read online that taking a cruise down Yulong River or Li River would be a great experience. Rather than to decided on which river we should visit we decided to visit both rivers. Yulong River was nearer to YangShuo town, so our first river visit would be on YuLong River.
From RuYi Peak Scenic Area we e-hailed (DiDi) a cab to send us to JiMa Jetty which was one of the several jetties along Yulong River. The distance was about 15 km and the ride was about 25 minutes.
There was a bit of confusion, as we were told by the “staff” near the entrance that there was no more bamboo raft ride for the day and yet at the ticketing section we managed to secure a ride for two of us. The cost was ¥320 for two for a bamboo boat. The “staff” might not be staff after all, they might be private “boat owners” trying to make a quick “buck” by telling us that tickets were “out” so that we would take a raft ride with them.
We queued at the jetty and there were many people in front of us. We waited for about 30 minutes before getting onto our “bamboo raft”!
Our bamboo raft ride was a one way trip from JiMa Jetty (骥马码头) to ZhongHe Jetty (综合码头) which was near our stay. We boarded long bamboo raft which had a high chair for two in the middle of its length. Our “raft rower” stood somewhere behind us paddling the raft with a long bamboo pole. It was a 6km downstream ride through scenic landscape.
The bamboo raft “cruise” was absolutely “lovely”. It was a slow cruise, the scenery was nice and we there were many interesting river side activities. Along the river there were several “steps” as the river flow “downward”. At each “step” the raft “seesaw” with a dip and water flooded onto the raft, we quickly lifted our legs to get out of the way.
The 6 km “cruise” took about 1 hour. The trip felt so “gratifying”, we had always want to do a bamboo raft ride and this “ride” certainly lived up to expectation.
Other Accommodation in Yangshuo
