One of the most popular activities in the Guilin/Yangshuo area is a cruise down the Li River. Although many people take the long cruise, upwards of four hours one way, from Guilin to Yangshuo, we took ours in a small raft from Xingping to Yangdi village and back. Your choices here in Xingping are still many, and range from a narrow bamboo raft to what I would describe as a river boat.

Preferences really vary. If you take the small raft it's going to be close, personal and splashy; if you get the largest boat you have a full platform on top to walk around and get an unimpeded view all around. We took what was maybe a six-seater about ten bamboos-wide, steered from the back by an outboard motor like all the little ones are. Our hostel managed to hook it up for us within fifteen minutes, and charged 90 RMB per head.

Your view going down the river is like a tunnel: a path of glistening water, enclosed by the sky which appears nearly overhead, and walls of limestone towers ranging from bold to graceful to grotesque. Every shape that a rock can form into is arising on either side. Our driver pointed out several of the famous peaks during the trip, usually named after what they resemble, such as Nine-Horse Mountain, Frog Hill, Fishtail and Pen Holder Mountain, the latter of which is a breathtaking and sky-scraping pillar. Nine-Horse Mountain is so-named for its large cliff, which stained with white veins seems to have many equine shapes in it. The veins of white in the top sections do look somewhat like horses, with the maned head area strikingly real. However, other than those top few it's going to be up to your imagination.

Other views you will pass along the Li are narrow strips of islands with low greenery, often inhabited by birds or bathers. You will pass the cormorant island, where you should see the large black fishing birds. In many spots where the shoreline is open, villagers bring their water buffalo to huff about neck-deep in the shallows. Old villages and small waterfalls dot the shore. Little streams feed inward. Unfortunately, not everyone throws away their trash, so some of the nearby brush has a frightful number of plastic bags and other items in them. Perhaps they all get washed there at once during the floods.

Although we had wanted to spend some time in Yangdi village, our boatman only gave us ten minutes there. It's a smaller village than Xingping but still has a main street. The dock in front is very wet, so bring sandals or you'll have to take off your shoes to go inland. If you make your way through a couple of small farm houses, you'll get to main street just in and to your right. There may be salespeople there to greet you.

Altogether our trip to Yangdi and back clocked in at nearly three hours, although we had been told it would be about two. The boatman was very good and helpful. Nevertheless, when you hit the little wakes from other boats you want to watch your bags and cameras because they will get wet.

One final note: You may want to get an experienced boatman. This can be important. For example, we were less than halfway down to Yangdi, when we started to pass another bamboo raft close by to our left. I noticed several girls on the boat lowering something into the water and then lifting it out. I looked, and I though to myself – ‘wait a minute...now that looks like a water gun.’

Sadly, I was correct. Despite our requests to stay dry, the girls mercilessly showered us with water as we slowly passed by. But the story doesn't end there. Just as we had nearly gotten around them, our boatman immediately dropped the tiller, took out a little orange bucket, and dipped it in the river. He then proceeded to drench our two aggressors with river water, getting more than thorough and joyful revenge. You see, if you don't get an experienced boatman, he might not be prepared for such a thing.

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Related Links

From Yangdi to Xingping (Yang Di Dao Xing Ping) 
Travel Guide - Guilin City Guide--Your Guide to Guilin Travel
Climbing Moon Hill

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