Li River
4.5
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
735 reviews
Excellent
482
Very good
187
Average
44
Poor
12
Terrible
10
Emmanuelle R
2 contributions
May 2021
We spent five days in Yangshuo and wanted to explore the area. Amy was recommended to me by friends in China as a great hiking guide to tour Yangshuo, the river Li, its surrounding villages and beautiful mountains. She speaks English and is a fun and charming lady from Yangshuo. We had a great day out walking, took great pictures, and managed to avoid the crowds thanks to Amy's local knowledge. Her email is yangshuolianfengamy@aliyun.com and her wechat is linfengamy - I highly recommend a hike with Amy.
Written May 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel A
Beijing, China35,141 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
We set out on a 3–4-hour river cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo. I thought at first my children were going to spoil it and be uncomfortable sitting that long. However, the boat was very large and walking/running around was okay and so we enjoyed the trip immensely. We’ve been on many river trips before but the beauty of the landscape, scenery, backdrops etc… were too unreal. The lunch aboard the boat was decent and my kids were able to eat some of it, but the reviews I read about bringing snacks for them greatly helped. You won’t forget your trip along the Li River as it is undeniably breathtaking!
Written August 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KodoDrummer
Buenos Aires, Argentina70,548 contributions
Aug 2018 • Friends
Relax-inspiring beauty of the peaceful river water with the Crab Mountains in the background. Unbeatable scenery . . . Can it get any better?
Written January 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wolvoschnauzer
Worcester, UK101 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
We are 2 middle aged, independent Western travellers, who cruised the Li River today with a much cheaper option than the organised tours. We were quoted between 480-590 Yuan each.
This is how we did it, I hope this review helps someone else.
We got a taxi from our hotel to the pier early on this morning. Cost us 100 Yuan on the meter.
From the taxi/coach park, walk to the right past the the market stalls (follow the crowds). After the security check, go to the right of the hall to the ticket booth. YOU WILL NEED YOUR PASSPORT.
A ticket without lunch costs 270 Yuan (Y305 with lunch).
Our boat departed at 10:30am and arrived in Yangshou at 3pm.
When arriving in Yangshou, go up the steps and turn left, past all the market stalls and into to town. Pick up a taxi to the bus station when you are ready.
If you're going back to Guilin, the last bus leaves Yangshou for Guilin at 8:30pm and takes approx 1.5hours and costs Y27 per person.
In total, this cost us approx Y700 for 2 people, 1/2the cost of the tours and it was very easy to do it this way.
Do go early to the pier though, we were there around 8:15am and glad we didn't leave it any later.
This is how we did it, I hope this review helps someone else.
We got a taxi from our hotel to the pier early on this morning. Cost us 100 Yuan on the meter.
From the taxi/coach park, walk to the right past the the market stalls (follow the crowds). After the security check, go to the right of the hall to the ticket booth. YOU WILL NEED YOUR PASSPORT.
A ticket without lunch costs 270 Yuan (Y305 with lunch).
Our boat departed at 10:30am and arrived in Yangshou at 3pm.
When arriving in Yangshou, go up the steps and turn left, past all the market stalls and into to town. Pick up a taxi to the bus station when you are ready.
If you're going back to Guilin, the last bus leaves Yangshou for Guilin at 8:30pm and takes approx 1.5hours and costs Y27 per person.
In total, this cost us approx Y700 for 2 people, 1/2the cost of the tours and it was very easy to do it this way.
Do go early to the pier though, we were there around 8:15am and glad we didn't leave it any later.
Written October 22, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
blcy
Hong Kong15 contributions
INDEPENDENT TRAVELERS BEWARE! The Li River Cruise will discriminate against you if you are travelling without a guide and in a small group. My husband and I did the cruise today and had a very, very upsetting experience.
We got on the "luxury" boat 15 minutes before the departure time, and was directed by a staff to an aisle seat despite the fact that over half the seating was still empty and there was no assigned seating. We decided to move to an open seat closer to the window (because hey, we're on a river cruise for the view!). Shortly thereafter, a tour group arrived, led by a local guide. The tour guide demanded that we yield our seat to his group because they had made reservations for contiguous seating DESPITE NO SIGNAGE ANYWHERE ON MY TICKET OR ON THE BOAT OF ASSIGNED SEATING. We refused, arguing that this was first-come, first-serve.
The attendant then yelled us to get off the seat (which was absolutely poor customer service). At which point, the tour guide attacked me personally with some very unsavory, improper Chinese language (We are overseas Chinese and can understand the language -- the exact translation was that I am a "local quality" person)!
The staff made no attempts to stop him or to manage the situation. We were so insulted that we left the lower deck and stood the entire 3 hours journey on the upper deck. At no point in our trip did any of the staff tried to apologize for the situation they put us in.
Why are we treated any differently from those in a tour group??? We paid the same amount of money (perhaps more, since groups can generally bargain a deal), and should enjoy the same privileges. If the company has a reservation policy (as the tour guide claimed), then it should be open and known to everyone -- not just the tour groups with the inside scoop. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE SECOND CLASS CITIZEN, THEN DO NOT TAKE THE CRUISE IF YOU ARE AN INDEPENDENT TRAVELER. There are way better options like the bamboo rafting.
We got on the "luxury" boat 15 minutes before the departure time, and was directed by a staff to an aisle seat despite the fact that over half the seating was still empty and there was no assigned seating. We decided to move to an open seat closer to the window (because hey, we're on a river cruise for the view!). Shortly thereafter, a tour group arrived, led by a local guide. The tour guide demanded that we yield our seat to his group because they had made reservations for contiguous seating DESPITE NO SIGNAGE ANYWHERE ON MY TICKET OR ON THE BOAT OF ASSIGNED SEATING. We refused, arguing that this was first-come, first-serve.
The attendant then yelled us to get off the seat (which was absolutely poor customer service). At which point, the tour guide attacked me personally with some very unsavory, improper Chinese language (We are overseas Chinese and can understand the language -- the exact translation was that I am a "local quality" person)!
The staff made no attempts to stop him or to manage the situation. We were so insulted that we left the lower deck and stood the entire 3 hours journey on the upper deck. At no point in our trip did any of the staff tried to apologize for the situation they put us in.
Why are we treated any differently from those in a tour group??? We paid the same amount of money (perhaps more, since groups can generally bargain a deal), and should enjoy the same privileges. If the company has a reservation policy (as the tour guide claimed), then it should be open and known to everyone -- not just the tour groups with the inside scoop. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE SECOND CLASS CITIZEN, THEN DO NOT TAKE THE CRUISE IF YOU ARE AN INDEPENDENT TRAVELER. There are way better options like the bamboo rafting.
Written May 30, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
adamgator
Clearwater, FL187 contributions
We visited Yangshou, China (Guangxi Province) for four nights in September 2008. We flew from LAX to Guilin via Hong Kong, then hired a car to Yangshou. The car ride itself, although frighteningly memorable, makes the Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshou reason-enough.
There are several options for Li River boat cruises. First, there are the large-boat trips (many passengers) often going from Guilin (the airport and large city a couple hours north of Yangshou by road) to Yangshou (a smaller city with many outdoor activities). We did not take this trip. I read various reviews that these boats are large, loud, and crowded. That seemed accurate as we saw several – the decks were a couple stories or more above the water, taking away from the intimacy of the experience.
Alternatively, when in Yangshou, you can take smaller boats for day, half-day or hourly cruises – ranging from a few dollars but rarely over $20. We opted to hire a car to take us to a point between Guilin and Yangshou – our hotel proprietor (see my review on the excellent Moon Resort outside of Yangshou) arranged this. This point was selected given the beauty of the river and the surroundings (the limestone karsts) – she was right! We stopped at a village just before the river trip which was quite interesting – much smaller and less developed than Yangshou. The boat we took was a bamboo raft (just our group – 5 adults – and the driver). It was powered by a motor. The cruise was very relaxing and I’d recommend it over the big boats. You can take off your shoes and put your feet in the water, you can ask your driver to stop or slow down at a point of interest or to take a photo, etc. Again, this is a much more intimate experience. The negatives are that the motor was loud, and the Li River had a lot of boat traffic. Still, do it if you have time.
Boat cruise along the Yulong River – tributary to the Li River: Here is the trip I recommend. In my 30+ years, this is one of the most favorite days I have experienced. Wei Wei, our hotel proprietor, arranged for bikes to be delivered (all new bikes made by Giant – what I ride in Los Angeles; under $30 for 5 of us for the day including pickup and drop off) – several singles and a tandem for my wife and I (she had no intention of peddling – much). We departed from the hotel after breakfast and road along the shoulder of the highway for a kilometer. After crossing the Yulong’s bridge, we followed the path up-stream. This was so cool – we biked for 4 hours (taking frequent breaks for water – it was hot – and photos). We passed through tiny rural villages – the path alternated from paved to dirt – but was fairly level and easy grade. No accidents! Traffic was minimal – we passed old-time fish farms with rustic irrigation, rice terraces, farms, school houses, wild flowers, fantastic butterflies, etc. Like most of tourist China, ice cream and bottled water (and beer and strange meats-on-sticks) were sold throughout the trip. The karst and river scenery were so tranquil and beautiful.
Anyway, we kept passing points where you can hop on a bamboo raft (max 2 adults per boat) + driver. Each one says they are the last stop, but that’s not true. We biked as far as a big stone bridge – but I’m sure there were more still – don’t be fooled – if you bike past them, they lose business so the boat drivers try to lure you – you can always bike back a bit.
Again, we stopped at the big stone bridge and arranged for 3 boats (5 adults) – cost under $40 for the 3 boats (plus they transport your bikes via a truck to the highway & bridge where we started!). The boat ride was long – 4-5 hours – the driver pushes you with a stick (like ponting on the Thames, but with rice fields, huge karsts, and a mirror-like river. Bring sunscreen, a good hat, and a towel in case you jump in. Also, bring a dry bag – there’s like 30+ miniwaterfalls/terraces that the driver has to push the boat down (we stayed mostly dry, but keep your mouth shut unless you want to drink the river water when you go over each terrace). The poor driver stands there pushing you for the entire time – much better than the loud smelly motor (we bought him a beer along the way). The river terraces mean no power boats at all. What’s funny is that as you head down the river, there are huts in the middle of the river on anchored rafts selling beer, water, food, etc – even digital camera stands that take your boat’s photo going over a water fall and then laminates them on the spot – for like $3. Don’t worry – there’s several of them if your picture comes out poorly. The top part of the river has less traffic (and no photo stands) making it worth the extra peddling. Our boat also let us stop for lunch – we pulled over, they drove us into a tiny village for this awesome meal at a hole-in-the-wall place – fantastic. We arrived at the end of the trip to find our bikes waiting – it was a fantastic voyage that I highly recommend if you are in Yangshou.
I suppose that if one cannot physically do the biking, road transport could be arranged (via a different route than the bike path) to still allow for the boat ride. Again, this was much better than the Li cruise (no noise, no gas fumes, fewer people, better views) – but I’m glad we saw both! Go and judge for yourselves.
There are several options for Li River boat cruises. First, there are the large-boat trips (many passengers) often going from Guilin (the airport and large city a couple hours north of Yangshou by road) to Yangshou (a smaller city with many outdoor activities). We did not take this trip. I read various reviews that these boats are large, loud, and crowded. That seemed accurate as we saw several – the decks were a couple stories or more above the water, taking away from the intimacy of the experience.
Alternatively, when in Yangshou, you can take smaller boats for day, half-day or hourly cruises – ranging from a few dollars but rarely over $20. We opted to hire a car to take us to a point between Guilin and Yangshou – our hotel proprietor (see my review on the excellent Moon Resort outside of Yangshou) arranged this. This point was selected given the beauty of the river and the surroundings (the limestone karsts) – she was right! We stopped at a village just before the river trip which was quite interesting – much smaller and less developed than Yangshou. The boat we took was a bamboo raft (just our group – 5 adults – and the driver). It was powered by a motor. The cruise was very relaxing and I’d recommend it over the big boats. You can take off your shoes and put your feet in the water, you can ask your driver to stop or slow down at a point of interest or to take a photo, etc. Again, this is a much more intimate experience. The negatives are that the motor was loud, and the Li River had a lot of boat traffic. Still, do it if you have time.
Boat cruise along the Yulong River – tributary to the Li River: Here is the trip I recommend. In my 30+ years, this is one of the most favorite days I have experienced. Wei Wei, our hotel proprietor, arranged for bikes to be delivered (all new bikes made by Giant – what I ride in Los Angeles; under $30 for 5 of us for the day including pickup and drop off) – several singles and a tandem for my wife and I (she had no intention of peddling – much). We departed from the hotel after breakfast and road along the shoulder of the highway for a kilometer. After crossing the Yulong’s bridge, we followed the path up-stream. This was so cool – we biked for 4 hours (taking frequent breaks for water – it was hot – and photos). We passed through tiny rural villages – the path alternated from paved to dirt – but was fairly level and easy grade. No accidents! Traffic was minimal – we passed old-time fish farms with rustic irrigation, rice terraces, farms, school houses, wild flowers, fantastic butterflies, etc. Like most of tourist China, ice cream and bottled water (and beer and strange meats-on-sticks) were sold throughout the trip. The karst and river scenery were so tranquil and beautiful.
Anyway, we kept passing points where you can hop on a bamboo raft (max 2 adults per boat) + driver. Each one says they are the last stop, but that’s not true. We biked as far as a big stone bridge – but I’m sure there were more still – don’t be fooled – if you bike past them, they lose business so the boat drivers try to lure you – you can always bike back a bit.
Again, we stopped at the big stone bridge and arranged for 3 boats (5 adults) – cost under $40 for the 3 boats (plus they transport your bikes via a truck to the highway & bridge where we started!). The boat ride was long – 4-5 hours – the driver pushes you with a stick (like ponting on the Thames, but with rice fields, huge karsts, and a mirror-like river. Bring sunscreen, a good hat, and a towel in case you jump in. Also, bring a dry bag – there’s like 30+ miniwaterfalls/terraces that the driver has to push the boat down (we stayed mostly dry, but keep your mouth shut unless you want to drink the river water when you go over each terrace). The poor driver stands there pushing you for the entire time – much better than the loud smelly motor (we bought him a beer along the way). The river terraces mean no power boats at all. What’s funny is that as you head down the river, there are huts in the middle of the river on anchored rafts selling beer, water, food, etc – even digital camera stands that take your boat’s photo going over a water fall and then laminates them on the spot – for like $3. Don’t worry – there’s several of them if your picture comes out poorly. The top part of the river has less traffic (and no photo stands) making it worth the extra peddling. Our boat also let us stop for lunch – we pulled over, they drove us into a tiny village for this awesome meal at a hole-in-the-wall place – fantastic. We arrived at the end of the trip to find our bikes waiting – it was a fantastic voyage that I highly recommend if you are in Yangshou.
I suppose that if one cannot physically do the biking, road transport could be arranged (via a different route than the bike path) to still allow for the boat ride. Again, this was much better than the Li cruise (no noise, no gas fumes, fewer people, better views) – but I’m glad we saw both! Go and judge for yourselves.
Written April 1, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
parisfoodie1
San Jose, CA26 contributions
Sep 2016 • Solo
This is a review on the scenic attraction of the river itself, and includes some generic observations about cruises in general.
From what we could tell, the river cruise vessels are all pretty much the same. Our criticisms of this method of travel would probably have existed regardless of which cruise company we were on.
My husband says he took nearly 3,000 photos during the cruise itself. Each bend of the river offered breathtakingly beautiful scenery -- one after another for virtually the entire four hours. It's hard to know which views we liked best. It had rained earlier that morning so the air was clean and clear; fog rose between the peaks. It was picture perfect weather.
Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of the cruise:
pay more for a ticket to get a seat on the upper deck cabin. The class of service is higher (fewer people) and the view is better. They offered tea and snacks. I don't know if you had to pay separately or if it was included in the price of the ticket. We arranged this through a travel company. Lots of people brought their own snacks and meals -- this appeared to be perfectly ok. Other beverages, including sodas, bottled water and alcohol were available for purchase.
There are indoor and outdoor areas. The outdoor areas include some smallish decks in the fore and aft, but the largest is a shared deck on top of the ship. Everyone can access these outdoor decks.
The PA is in Chinese. They warn you when something of scenic significance is approaching so the cabins empty out and everyone crowds up on to the top deck.
The usual silly antics go on -- posing for selfies, spontaneous performances, children running around unsupervised, etc. Alcoholic beverages are served and some think of their journey as a party. We could see corporate team building groups, groups of friends and family out for the day, etc. This can be a boisterous occasion. We saw some couples on what they hoped would be a romantic outing -- which might have been partially fulfilled. But there are no opportunities for privacy.
On our vessel, there was a private room that was walled off in glass with its own entrance and its own deck at the front of the ship. It fit about 20 persons. So if you are travelling in a group, you may want to consider getting into one of those bespoke areas where you don't have to negotiate crowds.
The river is just so stunning -- it's a shame that people don't want to stay quiet and enjoy nature's wonders.
At the beginning of the cruise, we thought we'd alternate sitting indoors (there were intermittent showers) with going to the top deck for highlights. But we realised very quickly that when there are popular attractions ahead, everyone crowds upstairs and jostles for a good spot for photography at the front of the deck and/ or against the rail. No one is willing to take turns. They just stick to their spot and hold it. So we learned early on to not surrender our preferred viewing and photography station.
That meant we stood for virtually the entire time. There is absolutely no seating on any of the top decks -- but it was well worth it.
One other tip -- go early in the day. There are so many vessels on the water and you are most definitely never alone. You will share the smells and the sounds from the other vessels. Furthermore, you will never get any photographs of the river itself. The frame will always have a string of boats in it.
We did not opt for the meal. We were told that although it would be plentiful, it wouldn't be very good. This worked out just fine for us. We didn't have any interruptions to our viewing pleasure! We also had the opportunity to watch other ships preparing their food at the back of the ship. Outdoors. It didn't look very hygienic.
To recap: get a seat on an upper deck, in a private area if at all possible. Stake your place for good photography and stay there -- unless you are willing to take your chances later on. Decide you are going to stand for most of the journey. It's hard to have quite the same experience indoors through glass windows. This won't be private or quiet. You'll be on a ship with maybe 100 other people.
We saw much smaller, raft-like vessels with guests -- but our guide told us that it can be somewhat dangerous as they are dwarfed by and at the mercy of the bigger vessels.
We were able to take a bamboo raft journey of a couple of hours down a tributary of the Dragon River. Although the views were not the same, it offered a private, romantic, quiet and relaxing experience we were hoping for. We got lucky that day because it had been chucking down rain, so it cleared all but the most determined off the water! Our entire two hour journey saw maybe at most three other rafts. If you can, do both!
From what we could tell, the river cruise vessels are all pretty much the same. Our criticisms of this method of travel would probably have existed regardless of which cruise company we were on.
My husband says he took nearly 3,000 photos during the cruise itself. Each bend of the river offered breathtakingly beautiful scenery -- one after another for virtually the entire four hours. It's hard to know which views we liked best. It had rained earlier that morning so the air was clean and clear; fog rose between the peaks. It was picture perfect weather.
Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of the cruise:
pay more for a ticket to get a seat on the upper deck cabin. The class of service is higher (fewer people) and the view is better. They offered tea and snacks. I don't know if you had to pay separately or if it was included in the price of the ticket. We arranged this through a travel company. Lots of people brought their own snacks and meals -- this appeared to be perfectly ok. Other beverages, including sodas, bottled water and alcohol were available for purchase.
There are indoor and outdoor areas. The outdoor areas include some smallish decks in the fore and aft, but the largest is a shared deck on top of the ship. Everyone can access these outdoor decks.
The PA is in Chinese. They warn you when something of scenic significance is approaching so the cabins empty out and everyone crowds up on to the top deck.
The usual silly antics go on -- posing for selfies, spontaneous performances, children running around unsupervised, etc. Alcoholic beverages are served and some think of their journey as a party. We could see corporate team building groups, groups of friends and family out for the day, etc. This can be a boisterous occasion. We saw some couples on what they hoped would be a romantic outing -- which might have been partially fulfilled. But there are no opportunities for privacy.
On our vessel, there was a private room that was walled off in glass with its own entrance and its own deck at the front of the ship. It fit about 20 persons. So if you are travelling in a group, you may want to consider getting into one of those bespoke areas where you don't have to negotiate crowds.
The river is just so stunning -- it's a shame that people don't want to stay quiet and enjoy nature's wonders.
At the beginning of the cruise, we thought we'd alternate sitting indoors (there were intermittent showers) with going to the top deck for highlights. But we realised very quickly that when there are popular attractions ahead, everyone crowds upstairs and jostles for a good spot for photography at the front of the deck and/ or against the rail. No one is willing to take turns. They just stick to their spot and hold it. So we learned early on to not surrender our preferred viewing and photography station.
That meant we stood for virtually the entire time. There is absolutely no seating on any of the top decks -- but it was well worth it.
One other tip -- go early in the day. There are so many vessels on the water and you are most definitely never alone. You will share the smells and the sounds from the other vessels. Furthermore, you will never get any photographs of the river itself. The frame will always have a string of boats in it.
We did not opt for the meal. We were told that although it would be plentiful, it wouldn't be very good. This worked out just fine for us. We didn't have any interruptions to our viewing pleasure! We also had the opportunity to watch other ships preparing their food at the back of the ship. Outdoors. It didn't look very hygienic.
To recap: get a seat on an upper deck, in a private area if at all possible. Stake your place for good photography and stay there -- unless you are willing to take your chances later on. Decide you are going to stand for most of the journey. It's hard to have quite the same experience indoors through glass windows. This won't be private or quiet. You'll be on a ship with maybe 100 other people.
We saw much smaller, raft-like vessels with guests -- but our guide told us that it can be somewhat dangerous as they are dwarfed by and at the mercy of the bigger vessels.
We were able to take a bamboo raft journey of a couple of hours down a tributary of the Dragon River. Although the views were not the same, it offered a private, romantic, quiet and relaxing experience we were hoping for. We got lucky that day because it had been chucking down rain, so it cleared all but the most determined off the water! Our entire two hour journey saw maybe at most three other rafts. If you can, do both!
Written January 5, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Expedition22445
Western Michigan1 contribution
The 4 hour cruise on Li River down from Guilin to Yangshuo is great though prices are high by local standard - USD55 per head for luxury boat (recommended) and USD35 for regular. Boats are neat and clean. Lunch is provided and it is OK by western standard. The scenery is fantastic. Can't miss!
Alternatively, one may try the Chinese godola (bamboo raft) cruise on YuLong River in Yangshuo. The feeling is different on the bamboo raft and our family including 2 pre-teens like it very much as well. We felt close to the nature and enjoyed very much the serenity. Four hour trip down from YuLong Bridge cost USD8 per person -- a bargain. Remember to wear your swimming suit as you may want to have a dip or water fight on the way down. Have fun!
Alternatively, one may try the Chinese godola (bamboo raft) cruise on YuLong River in Yangshuo. The feeling is different on the bamboo raft and our family including 2 pre-teens like it very much as well. We felt close to the nature and enjoyed very much the serenity. Four hour trip down from YuLong Bridge cost USD8 per person -- a bargain. Remember to wear your swimming suit as you may want to have a dip or water fight on the way down. Have fun!
Written September 19, 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Giantpandalover
Tokyo, Japan162 contributions
The Li river tour boat is very comfortable and in its 2 1/2 hour trip to downstream town, you will see various wonderful landscapes. The design of Chinese 20 yuan is from one of the landscapes of the Li river. The tour starts around 10:00 and lunch is served on board. But real feast is without doubt the awsome mountains you will not forget.
Written June 2, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DrDeniii
Melbourne, Australia13 contributions
Oct 2017 • Friends
I just came back from one week in Guilin /Yangshuo, and hope to share some information that I would have wanted to see before I went there.
First of all, the place is indeed very beautiful. Secondly, the terrible running of the whole tourism industry there has significantly reduced the joy I experience from the nature...
nevertheless, if you're already in Guilin, you should absolutely go to the Li River cruise.
Note that I went on a "Guilin to Yangshuo Luxury Li River Cruise", which is in no way luxurious, and is way over charging people. I bought the cruise tickets online prior to landing in China, but it turned out that you could easily book the trip the night before (though this was in mid-Oct 2017, which is the low season), for a much cheaper price, for the exact same experience (I know, because that's what some people from my hotel did).
There is nothing luxurious about it, and there's no buffet lunch. many many cruises do the exact same round every day, and they're all practically the same: same route, same fit-out, same frozen meal lunch boxes.
the actual cost of this boat is just 300 RMB (about 45 USD at the moment?), which can be bought locally, easy (it's a standard official tour, therefore the tickets can be bought from many official ticket offices, and from travel agencies with added margin). All boats depart at the exactly same place, same time - which is 9:30 am. All that extra you're getting from paying a agency, is just to have people picking you up from the hotel, together with a bus load of other people around the city waiting to be picked up. you could easily get a taxi yourself, which would be cheaper and faster (than paying the extra to agencies).
all boats come with English speaking guides, which is part of the 300 RMB ticket you're paying. so, seriously, I don't think you're getting anything additional from the travel agencies at all...
Yangshuo is surprisingly agreeable. I spent 3 nights there, and regret not having planned more time for it. shopping on West Street is also of surprisingly high quality, sometimes with better price and better quality than Guilin city. I still regret some of the stuff I didn't buy there (which are not readily available elsewhere)...
First of all, the place is indeed very beautiful. Secondly, the terrible running of the whole tourism industry there has significantly reduced the joy I experience from the nature...
nevertheless, if you're already in Guilin, you should absolutely go to the Li River cruise.
Note that I went on a "Guilin to Yangshuo Luxury Li River Cruise", which is in no way luxurious, and is way over charging people. I bought the cruise tickets online prior to landing in China, but it turned out that you could easily book the trip the night before (though this was in mid-Oct 2017, which is the low season), for a much cheaper price, for the exact same experience (I know, because that's what some people from my hotel did).
There is nothing luxurious about it, and there's no buffet lunch. many many cruises do the exact same round every day, and they're all practically the same: same route, same fit-out, same frozen meal lunch boxes.
the actual cost of this boat is just 300 RMB (about 45 USD at the moment?), which can be bought locally, easy (it's a standard official tour, therefore the tickets can be bought from many official ticket offices, and from travel agencies with added margin). All boats depart at the exactly same place, same time - which is 9:30 am. All that extra you're getting from paying a agency, is just to have people picking you up from the hotel, together with a bus load of other people around the city waiting to be picked up. you could easily get a taxi yourself, which would be cheaper and faster (than paying the extra to agencies).
all boats come with English speaking guides, which is part of the 300 RMB ticket you're paying. so, seriously, I don't think you're getting anything additional from the travel agencies at all...
Yangshuo is surprisingly agreeable. I spent 3 nights there, and regret not having planned more time for it. shopping on West Street is also of surprisingly high quality, sometimes with better price and better quality than Guilin city. I still regret some of the stuff I didn't buy there (which are not readily available elsewhere)...
Written October 28, 2017
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God_of_Small_Things7
United States1,513 contributions
Is it possible to take a bamboo raft from Xingping till 9 Horse Mountain upstream, then come back down to Xingping. Is this route feasible (I know the typical route is in the opposite direction). Where can I find this raft, and how much should I expect to pay for 1 hour of rafting maybe?
Fandy A
Jakarta, Indonesia62 contributions
There are various agents selling tickets for Li River cruises at various prices. The hotel guys tend to quote a considerable mark ups. What is the price being paid for a 4 star boat based on travellers' experience, including transport from Guilin downtown to the pier? Thanks a lot
Kim B
Newnan, GA1,005 contributions
I was on a tour, but I can tell you all the ships were the same and they all left at the same time. Ours included a decent lunch - but not great. I am not sure how much a ride to and from the ports would be. The actual cruises - there should be none or little different in prices. I think it would be a good idea to book the to and from with the same company that you pay for the cruise. I was with China spree - perhaps they could advise you.
Mia M
Rome, Italy48 contributions
I saw you mentioned that you took a driver, does it mean you drove by? because we don't know we can make it to the 9 am cruise, are there other time options or is it srictly just in the morning?
Karen D
Portmellon, UK12 contributions
Does this trip operate in the opposite direction too, from Yangshuo to Guilin? We will not arrive in Guilin in time to catch it from Guilin but hoped we could do the return trip instead.
Ivi Angioni
United Kingdom26 contributions
Hello, unfortunately normally the trip is operated just towards Yangshuo, for depth reasons. There are little boats that provide shorter portions of the trip in both directions, but, in such cases you should reach the villages where to pick the boats/rafts up. But of course the whole cruise itself, is worth, and is normally much appreciated from most of the visitors, for the calm of the trip, no matter how busy it can be, for the beauty of the scenery and water buffalos along some traits of the Li River and for the experience of seeing all the activieties of the local fishermen and vendors along the trip.
ashley1734
Long Beach, CA261 contributions
Do you know how you booked this cruise with Frank?
Lesley L
George Town, Malaysia97 contributions
I went through China Highlights Tours. They are very professional. Hope this helps? Enjoy China!
leslie f
New York City, NY307 contributions
May 10: we arrive at airport 21:50 so we won't have time to enjoy any hotel.
May 11: cruise starts at 9:30 at Zhujiang pier therefore we would like a clean hotel with private bathroom (we're age 76 & 80) NEAR THE PIER.
I've found hotels but they are 1 hour from the pier. We will be exhausted and like to sleep until 8am, leave hotel at 9am and get to pier by 9:30. What hotels or guest houses can you recommend? (FYI: we did the cruise in 2011 and because the scenery is so gorgeous we want to repeat it.)
Leslie in NYC
leslie f
New York City, NY307 contributions
Somewhat urgent. Please help.
We're scheduled to cruise on Li River starting at Zhujiang pier (address is East of 091 county road, Lingchuan, Guilin) per our travel agent.
We've been warned food isn't good and it wasnt 10 years ago either (same agent) although the fresh fish they caught and offered us was wonderful and fun to watch but who cares because the scenery is splendid and we stayed up on deck the entire trip.
Questions:
1. Is Zhujiang pier just fine to start the cruise? If not which pier is better? Which boat line?
2. We arrive at airport only at 9:50pm on May 10, so I would like to stay in a hotel near the pier. That way we don't have to get up before 7am on May 11, to make it to the 9:30am cruise. What hotel(s) can you recommend near the Zhujiang pier? Right now we are booked at Aroma Tea House and Shangri-La Hotel only because we couldn't get the visa without confirmations and I couldn't get an electronic confirmation immediately from Aroma. I'll cancel one or both if we can get a hotel closer to the Zhujiang pier.
Thanks so much for any advice you can offer. We leave soon (May 8) and I have many details to finish.
Leslie in NYC
Hi Nicole, we are about to go to China and one of our thing to do is Li River cruise or rafting. I would like to ask you how did you get there (taxi?) and if you bought the ticket in advance (or there is possibility to buy it there). Thanks.
KiwiStevefromSW15
London, UK116 contributions
The Li River is not to be missed. It’s a massive operation. Stay in Guilin as you like. They run a series of Bus pickups from your hotel to the Pier (so no stress there) you’ll get a ticket for the cruise... and stand outside with market stalls etc for any food and drink requirements.
Then you so through a mini customs of scanners. No real problems with drinks n bits. Then it’s outside to a few more market stalls and wait for your boat.. the ticket tells you the exact pier and boat number... there are literally 100 big boats ( 300-500 seaters cruising the river) food onboard was ok I think ours was 4*, but the scenery was out of this world.
It’s a one way trip. So we chilled in the town for a stroll and dinner and then took a couple of cabs back to Gilin.
I’m sure you could buy tickets at the Pier it’s a massive operation.
Madhumitha Latha Sivaraman
7 contributions
Hello can someone tell me what is the price of a 4 star cruise? I am getting different rates from various hotels and agencies? How much is the actual cost?
Lesley L
George Town, Malaysia97 contributions
My trip was part of a bigger 2 day package, so I cannot give an exact price. I would recommend booking through China Highlights.
MikeLinda23
Llandudno, UK426 contributions
Thanks for the review, very helpful, as we intend to go on the cruise in late March. Some questions please...
which pier/wharf did you catch the boat from?
how far in advance did you buy your cruise tickets? did you get the idea that everybody can just turn up and buy, rather than do it all in advance?
was there an English speaking guide available on the boat?
could you buy alcohol on board(just beer!)
In Yangshao, is West St /rest of town a short walk from the landing spot?
how much was the taxi from town to the bus station?
any other tips? any problem for none Mandarin speakers? Many thanks Mike
michaelfitzg
Toronto201 contributions
If you want to be ensured of a particular day, then purchase your tickets online. Don't buy them at the rail or bus station as they will cost more, get them at your hotel. Don't worry about the pier as you will get picked up at your hotel and then driven to the piers as they are a bit of a hike outside the town. The only thing that we saw was beer but you could probably get bijou ( a chinese wine that is closer to liquor) on the boats. Yanghsuo is a pretty small town right beside the piers and it is easy to walk around. Taxis are pretty cheap in China and start at 10 RMB for the ride and getting anywhere in Guilin or Yangshou should not cost anymore than 40-50 RMB. Make sure that you get the driver to use the meter or you could get ripped off. English is limited to non existent so get a chinese translator like Pleco and practise your pantomime skill. I've lived in China for three years and my Chinese skills are virtually non existant and I rely on translation programs. Have a good trip!!
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