3 Days in Yangshuo County (Guilin)

We were privileged to spend some time in Yangshuo County, with its rolling karst mountains rounded out by years of limestone shimmying itself off in the cold, removing all its rough edges. As tourism in this area becomes more popular, Udai and I wanted to share what we did there and what we'd do differently in the future. 

We spent four days in the area, which was relaxing but we think to experience it properly, two or three days would be more than sufficient to take in the scenery and sights. (Note that I was not hiking on this trip due to an injury - maybe more time would make sense if hiking is in the mix!)

For a 2-3-day visit to Yangshuo, we'd suggest:

  1. Visit and explore the attractions at Ruyi Peak
  2. Soak in vibes at Darongshu Scenic Area
  3. Spend a half day in XingPing Ancient Town
  4. Experience the Li River by boat

Each of these experiences can be done in half a day at leisure, including (we think!) with kids.

Ruyi Peak

The Ruyi Peak complex includes three mountains you can take a cable car between for beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding terrain. The government has built extensive glass bridges across two areas of the valley, which are absolutely breathtaking but not for the faint of heart! I discovered a new fear of heights I didn't know I had. You'll be asked to wear felt stockings (they provide) over your shoes to prevent dirtying the class. Nifty!


The fee for the full experience is 220 RMB a person, which includes the formidable cable cars and access to the glass bridges. The bridges are connected by stairways cut in the side of the mountains, that are breezy on the way down but not to be underestimated on the way back up! Snacks like ice cream and instant noodles are available at rest stops around the complex along with some basic souvenirs like hats and magnets.

Darongshu Scenic Area / 10-mile Gallery

We had seen and read lots about the 10-mile gallery constructed by the government to allow visitors to enjoy a range of sights along its path. We found that the majority of attractions were closed, and the area is inaccessible by walking: it's actually a 10-mile stretch of road made connecting some different sights, which would be worth a drive through if you're visiting with a car. Otherwise, we suggest spending some time at Darongshu Scenic Area: it's the point where a bunch of Yulong River cruises end, so it's nice to sit out for a while and watch the bamboo rafts go by.

The most notable of the attractions along the 10-mile gallery is Moon Hill, which we caught a glimpse of even though the area to access it has been closed and under construction since October 2024.

XingPing Ancient Town

This old town is worth a visit! Get there in the morning because it becomes MAD crowded after 1pm! We read a blog post that advised us to do this, but since the 10-mile gallery had been totally uncrowded the day before, we paid no heed. We took a Didi to the Li River Scenic Area ticket center, and from there strolled around amidst souvenirs like teas, beaded jewelry, small ceramics, and local-inspired clothing.

Li River Cruise

Spending some time on the Li River is a great way to fully appreciate the karst mountain scenery in continuity, and is a must-do! We went on a short river cruise organized by our hotel, but these also leave from XingPing. Some cruises come with lunch and last longer. We opted for a motorized bamboo raft that took us out for about an hour to appreciate this truly unique terrain.


Yangshuo is a beautiful destination for solo travel, a couples trip, or traveling with family. The main activity to do is spending time in nature with limited organized ways of doing so. I've done my best to outline the more "structured" activities to access to do so, and hope this is helpful!

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