Li River

Hours & Admission Price Peak Season
Apr.-Oct.
7:00-18:30
210 Low Season
Nov.-Mar.
7:00-18:30
190 Address & Phone Transportation Take a taxi from Guilin city for about CNY 70 to Li River wharf. Notes

Li River, a sparking pearl among magnificent landscape in China is not only the essence but also the soul of Guilin sceneries. As the largest limestone karst mountain area, it has enchanted numerous poets and painters for thousand years.

Li River is part of the Pearl River system and originates from “the first peaks of Southern China”, the Mao’er Mountain. The 83 kilometers waterway from Guilin to Yangshuo is known as the “Golden waterway” where gathers a collection of charming scenic spots. The Tang Dynasty poet, Han Yu, once praised the picturesque and poetic Li River by writing that “the river is like a blue silk ribbon and the hills are like green jade hairpins.”

Highlights of Li River

Pure Water

Li River surrounds the whole Guilin City. Its water quality is also better than that of most Chinese rivers that flow through major cities. The water is clear and pure which can be counted as the ecologic water,

Changeable Scenes

The Li River landscape's appearance varies at different times of the year, from different viewpoints and during different climates. On sunny days, the sky and river are a vast bright green world with no bounds between them; the thousand peaks and hills will provide a visual feast for your eyes. On foggy days, the water is weathered in mist, with the fog constantly disappearing and reappearing. On moonlight nights, the hills are clear as if they’ve been washed, while the river and its ripples are so green.

Sceneries along Li River

Featureing the green hills, clear water, fantastic caves and charming rocks, every scene of the hundred-mile Li River is a typical Chinese painting.

Cruising on the Li River

The best way to explore Li River is taking a boat. The winding 65 kilometers cruise lasts 5 hours, passing through pieces of bamboo groves, peaceful villages, steep cliffs and fisherman on rickety bamboo rafts fishing with cormorants.

All cruises begin at Millstone Hill dock where locates a hill with rocks tier up tier as if a millstone. South of the hill stands the Bat Peak with cliffs resembling bats. Further long is Dragons Playing in the Water, the rocky outcropping dive into the water, inspiring a legend that dragons were sent here by the Jade Emperor to retrieve the fragrant flowers that grew in abundance during spring.

Visiting Guide

Going ahead at the west bank of Li River stands the Wangfu Rock. Seen afar, it resembles a woman with a young child on her back looking down the river to hunt for her husband.

Following is the Crown Cave, which is located in Caoping Village, has a deep underground river and inside of the cave is stuffed with various shapes of stalactites. Known as the only tourist scenic spot along the pith part of Li River, it is rated as the “Pearl of Li River”.

Continuing on is the Yangdi Village which features natural sceneries including endless towering cliffs, winding water, bamboo groves and flying waterfalls.

Next is the Daxu Ancient Town, which features stone-paved street, ancient buildings, stone bridges and the century-old dock.

Before arriving at the Xingping Village, there is a cliff appears like a toddler kneeling in prayer, giving his respects to the Avalokitesvara (Buddhist goddess of mercy), named the Boy Worshiping Guanyin.

After the rock is the Mural Hill, standing 536.3 meters (333 miles) high, is composed of a group of cliffs with images of what appears to be nine horses in various poses. On the east bank of Li River, it is blazoned with yellow, white, black, gray and green. Corresponding with the pure water, it appears like a painting.

Downstream southward from the Mural Hill is the Yellow Cloth Shoal with the height of 500 meters. It attracts thousands of visitors because the water is clear and calm and is a natural mirror making perfect images of the peaks in this area. The Yellow Cloth Reflection is the most appealing scene which mingles the real scene with the inverted images.

After cruising down 200 meters from the Yellow Cloth Shoal, it is another shoal named Zhubi Shoal which between them is a wide river smooth like a mirror. With the addition of inverted images of odd-shaped cliffs, it endows visitors an enjoyable perfect scene.

End the cruise at Yangshuo dock, the West Street is the best option to have a stay where is crammed with shops, pubs, café and hotels on the stone-paved alleyways.

>>Hurry up to take a tour to find the charm of Li River:
2 Days Guilin, Li River & Yangshuo (A)
3 Days Guilin, Li River & Longsheng
4 Days Guilin, Li River, Yangshuo, Longsheng Holiday
More chioces, see at Guilin Tours.

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