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The Li River is the most important tourist attraction of Guilin due to its picturesque scenery. The clear Li River is like a jade belt. Along the River scattered many different shaped hills. Taking boat to cruise on the Li River is one must when visiting Gulin.
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Hills
Reflecting in the Li River |
The
Dock on The Li River |
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Rice
Paddy Fields Beside the Li River |
The Winding Li River |
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Wateweel |
Hill
of Folded Brocade |
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Fisherman
with Cormorant on the Li River |
Buffalo
Swiming in the Li River |
Li River is like an unfolded Chine scroll presenting in front of you. Gorgeous Karst peaks and the blue sky are mirrored in the limpid river. Water buffalos are working in the farms. Farmers are harvesting rice. Fishermen are floating on bamboo rafts. The natural rural scenery along the Li River will let you forget clamor in the city. The river trip is around 83 kilometers long. That will take several hours. The eye-feasting landscape and country scenery will please your eyes all the time.
Usually the first section is downtown Guilin where you board the cruiser to Ox Valley. After boating out of Guilin City, comes the Elephant Trunk Hill and Pagoda Hill. Downstream a while, two hills named "Chuanshan", on the east bank and, Gamecock Hill across the river with a moon-shaped cave, resembles a pair of fighting roosters, hence the name "Rooster Fighting Hill". Southward, Jingping Hill (Clear Vase Hill) jumps into your eyes, elegant and simple, like a vase.
Rafting downstream from Jingping Hill, on the banks near Daxu Town, a range of hump-like peaks rises steeply- famed as "Forest of Odd Shaped Peaks". It is a typical Karst land formation in Guilin.
At the spot where the Li River meets Liangfeng River stands Father and Son Hill. The name comes from the two human-like stones on the hill, which according to legend is a man that refused to build boats for a landlord and instead sheltered himself in a cave with his son.
South of Father and Son Hill is Millstone Hill where a dock situates 28km from Guilin and where 3,000,000 people pass through annually.
Boating south from this dock, and passing Nine Dragons Playing the Water, the ship enters the Ox Gorge, where the next highpoint of the trip arrives.
Upon reaching Ox valley the cruise enters upon the second section. This part is the very essence of Li River. The gorgeous mountains and the crystal water together with the romantic legends are certain to impress you. After passing the Ox Gorge, the water becomes calm and wide. Wangfu Rock, a human-shaped rock, stands on the west bank of Li River as the first scenic spot in this section. Boating south, about 29km from Guilin, is Caoping Village where the famous Crown Cave locates. Continue south for about 10km is "Half-side Ferry". Different from other ferries, the ferries of these two villages are in the same side instead of two sides. Boating south one would see a group of peaks in various shapes rising out of the river.
About 61km from Guilin and on the east bank of Li River lies Mural Hill. It was said that nine horses were contained in this huge painting, and anyone who can tell all of them would be the Number One Scholar.
Going downstream and turning right is Yellow Cloth Shoal, where is the best place to view the reflections in the water. Xingping town is the place where the second section basically comes to end.
Shuiluo Village marks the beginning of the third and final section that ends at Yangshuo. Along this stretch of the river you pass through pastoral scenes unchanged for generations as the banks are lined with fishing villages, farmland and bamboo groves. Here you will see water buffalos, ducks swimming in line and the small boats used by fishermen when they ply the river with cormorants to catch fish from its abundant stocks. This quiet rural beauty, a stunning contrast to the hustle and bustle of the modern city streets, is a joy to behold.
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Yangshuo |
Yangshuo |
Elephant Trunk Hill is located on the western bank of the Li River. The shape of the hill is just like a huge elephant drinking water from the river with its trunk, so it got its name. It is the symbol of Guilin.
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Elephant
Trunk Hill |
Stalactites |
Water Moon Cave is between the trunk and
the legs, which is a semi-round cave water flowing through. The cave with
its image mirrored in water form a full moon. This view is unique and
many laudatory inscriptions were found on the cave. Visitors can boat
through the cave to the river. On the top of the hill is a two-storey
pagoda built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) surrounded by green trees.
The pagoda looks like a precious vase on the back of the elephant seen
from distance.
Hill of Folded Brocade is situated in the northeast of Guilin by the Li
River, is one of the most popular attractions in Guilin, a place known
for its amazing scenery and stone carvings. Rocks are mysteriously piled
up layer upon layer, which is like folded brocade. A visual feast of magnificent
scenes such as Diecai Pavilion, Wind Cave and Cloud-Catching Pavilion,
along with countless stones with inscriptions created by famous Chinese
calligraphers will please your eyes.
With its location five kilometers northwest of the downtown
of Guilin, the Reed Flute Cave is a brilliant cave marked on almost all
travel itineraries. The cave got its name from the verdant reeds growing
outside it, with which people make flutes. Inside this water-eroded cave
is a spectacular world of various stalactites, stone pillars and rock
formations crestic spectacle is found in many variations along this 240-meter-long
cave. Walking through the serried stone pillars, tourists feast their
eyes on changing spots, feeling they are in a paradise wherated by carbonate
deposition. Illuminated by colored lighting, the fantae the Gods live.
The Local snacks are Rice Noodles, Nun Noodles and Rice
Steamed in Bamboo. The local keepsakes are Guilin Stone, Embroidered Ball,
Reed Flute, and Wood Carvings.
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