Yangshuo, Guangxi Zhuang, China
November 26, 2013
It’s been an absolutely beautiful day in a beautiful place, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
It was an early start again, to get sorted and out of the hostel by 8am to head off to the jetty in Guilin for the boat down to Yangshuo about 80km away down the river. The boat left about 9:30am and although there were a lot of tourist boats all docked up it’s low season so the the slow meandering trip down the river was nice and peaceful and quiet.
The views down the river were stunning, like something out of Jurassic Park, I kept expecting a Pterodactyl to fly past over head! I did spot a few eagles soaring above though which was pretty cool. The trip was pretty slow as they haven’t had rain here for a good few weeks so with the water level being lower the boat had to take it’s time and pick it’s route carefully. I didn’t arrive in Yangshuo until about half 2 but it didn’t matter as it was so relaxed and the views were stunning along the way.
Once at the hostel it took all of 5 minutes to throw my bags in, grab a map and head round the corner to hire a mountain bike to head out for the day and go exploring. The route I picked was a really good one. I followed the Li river for the first hour on little rural roads. Passing small villages and folk working in the fields. It felt great, so free and the backdrop of the tree covered limestone mounds and hills was brilliant. Passing the villages was great as the really young children come rushing out to see you and all say hello and give you a smile and a wave as you pass by. After about an hour I turned off down a little track to go and explore a very old tiny village by the river and parked up to grab a beer and sit for half an hour.
It was really beautiful, no other travelers there at all, the river so quiet and serene, idyllic really. From there I looped back round following my map and was hoping I would get back by the time it got dark as it was starting to cloud over. I had toyed with going back the way I had came and I wish I had as the route I took ended up being a main road that stretched all the way back to Yangshuo. The rural route would have been much nicer and it gets a bit hairy at times riding down bigger roads in China as it’s pretty much a free for all with the scooters, cars and big trucks all jostling for space.
Once back I grabbed some food round the corner at a cheap noodle spot then grabbed a few beers and another bottle of rice wine. Gary and Bhavik turned up after a while which was cool to catch up with them and sort out our plans for Hong Kong. Bhavik flies back home from Hong Kong but Gary has decided to come and meet up with me in Kuala Lumpa after he has been to Singapore for a few days which will be good.
Yangshuo is really beautiful and I’ll definitely come back to this area of China again as there is so much to explore and see. I think I’ll do it next year after I’ve worked my way up to the North of Vietnam and cross the border there and see more of Southern China as the place is so beautiful.
