5
Outdoor Adventures Around Guilin, China
By: Mark Wiens
Hiking Near Yangshuo, China
Guilin city is an extremely
beautiful town located in the northern part of Guangxi Province, China.
After arriving, I asked a local
about the population of Guilin. “It’s very small, about 6 million,” she
replied. I guess by Chinese standards that is rather small.
Anyways, don’t let the mid-sized
city population of Guilin throw you off, there are plenty of cool outdoor
adventures in and around the area.
1.
Go Hiking
Though there are many hiking
destinations around Guilin, one place famous for its scenic views is the hike
from Yangdi to Xingping.
It’s a long hike, about 25
kilometers, but the views of the Li River and the incredible karst mountains
were absolutely breathtaking. The hike took us about 5 hours to complete but it
was worth every step.
The actual small town of Yangshuo, situated about 1.5 hours from Guilin is also surrounded by
mountains and offers a wide selection of different hikes. Try hiking up TV
Tower or hike to the top of Moonhill.
Go Bike Riding
2.
Bike Riding
A different way to see the scenery
around Guilin is to rent a bicycle and take a cruise. Within the city of Guilin
there are plenty of parks and outdoor public areas that make great areas to
bike around.
Outside of Guilin, again in the town
of Yangshuo, there are lots of bicycle route options. Many bike rides are
accessible by provided roads that have very little motor traffic, however if
you enjoy off-road biking you can easisly pedal down one of the countless rice
farming trails.
One of the great things about
Yangshuo is that even though there are plenty of tourists, it is still easy to
escape the crowds when you are on a bike.
You can either choose a real
mountain bike or a Chinese style one speed bike. Mountain bikes go for around
$5 – $10 per day while one speed bikes (like the one above) can be rented for
just $1 or less per day.
Rock Climbing in Guilin
3.
Rock Climbing
All the karst cliffs and mountains
make the area of Guilin one of the most well-known spots in China for rock
climbing enthusiasts.
From organized rock climbing tours
put together by official companies to just getting out there and tackling the
adventure on your own, if you like rock climbing you will have a blast in
Guilin and Yangshuo.
There are possibilities to go rock
climbing if you are a highly experienced climber or even if you are just a
beginner.
Bamboo Rafting in Yangshuo
4.
Bamboo Rafting
China is probably the most famous
country in the world for bamboo. Bamboo is a wonder plant that produces
perfectly round poles that have been used for countless purposes throughout
China’s lengthy history.
One of those ancient uses was to
construct floating river boats. While there are quite a few fake bamboo rafts
made from plastic tubes these days, there are also plenty of real bamboo rafts.
The slow-moving Yulong River near Yangshuo is one of best places to rent an authentic bamboo raft and
enjoy a lazy floating time down the river.
5.
Caving
Due to the natural landscapes and
abundance of mountainous rock formations, Guilin is home to some amazing
scenery below its surface too.
One of the most popular and closest
caves to visit in Guilin is the Reed Flute Cave. As proven by ancient Tang
Dynasty rock carvings and etching, the Reed Flute Cave has been enjoyed by
Chinese visitors starting over 1200 years ago.
Closer to Yangshuo are even more
caves including the Silver Cave, Dragon Water Cave, and the Seven Star Cave.
The Crown Cave even includes tours by railroad car and underground river boat
tours.
Getting Married on a Bamboo Raft
If you are really looking for an
outdoor adventure near Guilin, China, you may want to consider getting married
on an authentic bamboo raft…lots of Chinese do!
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