Bamboo Rafting on the Dragon River and
the Li River Cruise
Bamboo rafting
Taking a bamboo raft ride is a relaxing way to enjoy amazing
views of the Yu Long (Dragon) and Li River. You can start at
different places along both rivers and the rides range from
½ hour to five hours. This is not the same as whitewater
rafting, as the current in both rivers is very gentle, so in
fact you're just floating down river with a gondolier who steers
you over the breakwaters. Both rivers have their advantages;
if a quiet ride is what you're after, try the Yulong River for
a lazy afternoon. For a more varied landscape with karst mountains
towering hundreds of meters up from the river, we recommend
a motorized bamboo raft along the Li River. Generally the rafts
have enough room for 2 bikes so you can always combine it with
a biking
tour.
Yu Long River Rafting
 Tour
#1: Jiu Xian Village to Yangshuo Mountain Retreat
Duration of rafting: 2 hrs
Take a twenty minute taxi ride or walk upstream to Jiu Xian
Village and then gently drift down the river from Xian Gui Bridge
to the Mountain Retreat where there are cold refreshments and
delicious food . Always negotiate the prices in advance, particularly
in high season when they are likely to be higher.
Tour #2: Yu Long Bridge to Moon Hill Bridge
Duration of raft trip: 4 hrs
Take a taxi (45min), bike
(1.5 hours) or walk
(3.5 hours) up to the Yu Long Bridge. Here you can float back
down river with a cold beverage or two and see the Yu Long River
valley from a unique perspective. If you have bikes, you can
put them on the back of the raft.
Li River Rafting
Tour #3: From Xingping to Lengshui/Yangdi
Duration of raft trip: 45 min/ 2.5 hrs
Take a local bus from Yangshuo to Xingping (50 min) and walk
to the town docks. Here you can find many bamboo rafts which
can take you upstream either to Lengshui or even further to
Yangdi. If you want to walk back to Xingping make sure you have
enough daylight left or arrange pick up in either Lengshui or
Yangdi.
 Tour
#4: From Lengshui to Xingping
Duration: whole day
This Yangshuo tour combines both walking and a bamboo rafting
trip on the Li River. Catch a local bus to Yangdi which takes
about 1 hr 15min. From there you can walk for about 3.5 hours
along the banks of the Li River to Lengshui which is about
three quarters of the way between Yangdi and Xingping. In
Lengshui, enjoy a 40 min bamboo raft trip downstream. Note
that gondoliers may want to drop you off outside of Xingping
as the bamboo taxis try to avoid paying the mooring fee at
the jetty. This is not a problem as many electric carts run
from the drop off point taking you directly to the Xingping
bus station where you can catch a local bus which leave regularly
for Yangshuo.
Boat Trips and Cruises
on the Li River
Guilin to Yangshuo Cruise
Duration: 5-6 hours
Starting all the way up in Guilin, Li River cruises on large
tour boats are the most popular way to see the river. The downside
is that dozens of tour boats operate on the river causing a
large amount of traffic and noise. Nevertheless, it is still
a great alternative to taking a car or bus from Guilin to Yangshuo.
The price for the cruise is relatively high but includes lunch
(average Chinese dishes) and you can bring your luggage onboard.
Yangshuo to Xingping
Duration: 4 hours
This particular section of the river is known as the Golden
Waterways and includes the most famous local peak, Nine Horse
Mountain. The small family boats which can take you on this
trip are mostly unlicensed which means they're not supposed
to take tourists. However, if you set off early in the morning
or late afternoon you should be able to get one.
Xingping to Yangdi return
Duration: 3 hours
Take a local bus from Yangshuo to Xingping and walk to the boat
landing. Here there are many locals offering boat trips upstream.
You can ask to be taken to Yangdi and back but prices vary so
remember to bargain hard (start at 30% less) in advance. The
trip takes over an hour one way and is arguably is the most
scenic part of the Li River, with giant limestone peaks, sub
tropical forest shading the banks and long white pebble beaches.
Xingping to Yucun (Fishing Village)
Duration: 6 hours
Catch the local bus from Yangshuo to Xingping. From here take
a small farmers boat at the Xingping landing, downriver about
30 minutes to the Fishing Village. The boat tour takes 40 minutes
coming back, but allow for around four hours round trip to have
enough time to visit the Fishing Village. Apart from the well
preserved Ming Dynasty architecture and wood carvings dating
back more than five hundred years, the Fishing Village is worth
seeing for its natural Feng Shui alone. Encircled by seven forested
peaks and two stone guardians at the village entrance, the modern
world has largely bypassed this highly spiritual place.
For more great Yu Long and Li River
pictures go to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yangshuomountainretreat/sets/72157603685449054/
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