Bamboo rafts
Poled by hand.
HALUK COMERTEL — CC BY 3.0 · Immanuel Giel — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Immanuel Giel — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Immanuel Giel — CC BY-SA 4.0 · HALUK COMERTEL — CC BY 3.0 · Qeqertaq — CC BY 3.0 · aisccd — CC BY 3.0 · Jack Hynes — CC BY-SA 2.0
A small tributary of the Li River that runs more than 35 km through a rural valley west of Yangshuo, between green karst peaks, rice fields and quiet villages; it's one of the loveliest landscapes in southern China. No motorboats use it, so only bamboo rafts glide along, poled by local raftsmen, slipping over small stone weirs in fun little drops, in a calm broken only by the sound of the water. Many trips start near the old stone Yulong Bridge, more than 400 years old, and visitors also love cycling the country roads along the river between villages and farms. Rafts are priced per raft, not per person, each taking two, at about CNY 180–320 depending on the pier and the length of the trip, per visitor guides. Trips last one to four hours; keep your phone dry, and sailings can stop after heavy rain.
Poled by hand.
Over 400 years old.
Country roads.
Yulong valley, west of Yangshuo town
About CNY 180–320 per raft for two, depending on the pier and the length of the trip, per visitor guides.