The Poetic Li River Cruise in China

September 10, 2020

The Poetic Li River Cruise in China

The Li River Cruise, Guangxi, China. A 83 kilometers (52 miles) section stretches from Guilin to Yangshuo and is famous for the beautiful scenery that can be best approached by taking a boat tour. This is the most popular attraction in Guangxi region and one of the top attractions in China.

The tour guides introduce tourists to a variety of sections: each one of them has a compelling story about its origin. Elephant Trunk Hill looks like an elephant sucking water from the river. Pagoda Hill has a pagoda from Ming Dynasty. It looks especially precious in autumn, when the small hill is covered in red leaves. Daxu Town is an old Ming Dynasty town, which extends 2 km along the river. Market, shops and old town are visited during the tour.

A 12 km Crown Cave is another impressive site, as well as more karstic peaks and villages. The tourists get to see an authentic fishing practice here: the local fishermen use cormorants, that dive into water and catch a fish. The fishermen then take it out of the cormorants mouth. Xingping provides a breathtaking poetic scenery, which is often depicted in the Chinese paintings.

The cruise takes about 4 to 5 hours. Guilin itself is an impressive town with the stunning terraced gardens. After the tour the tourists can explore Yangshou and stay at the luxurious Li River Retreat hotel.

Lead photo by Eaton Zhou