Karst peaks
On both banks.
xiquinhosilva — CC BY 2.0 · Renek78 — CC0 · landagent — CC BY-SA 3.0 · luchangjiang~鲁昌江 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Caitriana Nicholson from 北京 ~ Beijing, 中国 ~ China — CC BY-SA 2.0 · luchangjiang~鲁昌江 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Unknown — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mgmoscatello — CC BY-SA 3.0
China's most famous river trip, sailing for about four hours down the Li River from piers south of Guilin to the town of Yangshuo, between hundreds of green karst peaks rising on both banks, a scene painted and praised by Chinese artists and poets for centuries. The Li River runs about 164 km through northeastern Guangxi, and its finest stretch lies between Guilin and Yangshuo, where the cruise passes peaks with poetic names such as Nine Horses Fresco Hill, whose cliff shows the shapes of horses, along with villages, rice fields and water buffalo grazing on the banks. Near Xingping the boat passes the scene printed on the back of China's 20-yuan note, and passengers may spot fishermen on bamboo rafts, while the views change with the seasons between spring mist, summer green and clear autumn days. Three-star boats from Mopanshan Pier cost about CNY 215, with lunch about 30 extra, and four-star boats from Zhujiang Pier about CNY 360 with lunch, per visitor guides; the lunch on board is mostly not halal. The trip ends in Yangshuo, so plan your return in advance; sailings can stop during floods or very low water.
On both banks.
Shapes in the rock.
Near Xingping.
Mopanshan Pier, southeast of Guilin
About four hours, with tickets from about CNY 215 on three-star boats to about 360 on four-star boats with lunch, per visitor guides.