The Li River

When I heard that there was a different way to see the fantastic scenery on the Li River I was excited. I knew that I had some very old friends visiting in the near future and as the Li River cruise is a must for people coming to Guilin, I have to say I was not looking forward to another trip down the river on a cruiser.

We were picked up from our friend's hotel by a guide and driven about an hour to Yangdi, which is a village with good access to the Li River (about 1 hour from Guilin). Dozens of rafts have their slightly-turned-up noses butted on to the concrete wall which forms the river bank.

The rafts are built in the traditional design which has plied the river for centuries and is still used by fisherman and farmers. Bamboo was originally used in construction, however these days the hull consists of 10 large plastic pipes fastened together to form the hull. It is very stable. The rafts are open at the front, rear and sides but are covered to protect passengers from the sun. Needless to say rafting would not be an option when them the weather is bad or in the depths of winter.

We sat on comfortable bamboo armchairs. The rafts hold 4–6 people not including the boatman and are powered by a long-tail outboard motor, which does a make the trip noisier than the river cruises, but is not excessive and we were able to talk during the trip quite easily.

The trip to Xingping takes under 2 hours and includes the most renowned parts of the river — Nine Horse Mural Mountain and the mountains which appear on the CNY20 bank note close to Xingping.

The boatman can stop anywhere on the river to take photos and it is possible to stop during the trip for a simple lunch at local restaurants on the river bank. No refreshments are available on the raft. It is easy to buy drinks or snacks before leaving Yangdi. There is no restroom on the raft. Xingping has lots of restaurants if you did not eat on the cruise or choose not to wait until arriving in Yangshuo (with far more to choose from: see Top 10 Restaurants in Yangshuo).

After arriving in Xingping we explored this ancient village for a short time before making the 45-minute drive to Yangshuo. The drive to Yangshuo is a pleasant trip through the countryside, although the road is currently being upgraded and rough in some places.