Are you sure you don't want to visit Xingping Ancient Town in Yangshuo? (With travel tips)
I did a lot of research and found that a trip around the town is a great experience, so here are some tips.
Transportation: Take a high-speed train from Guilin to Yangshuo Station. After exiting Yangshuo Station, turn left and take a bus to West Street or Xingping Ancient Town. The bus fare is CNY 5 and it takes 15 minutes to get to Xingping Ancient Town Bus Station.
Turn right after exiting the bus station and you will see the old street of the ancient town. The street runs from east to west. You can take photos during the day or at night.
The highlight of Xingping is not the ancient town, but the landscape of the Li River. Here is a detailed description.
There are two docks in Xingping. One is at the entrance of the ancient town, where the legendary CNY 85 tourist boat is located. The other is Chaobanshan Dock, which is outside the ancient town, across the iron bridge, and further south along the river. This dock is for CNY 140 electric bamboo rafts.
Special reminder: The CNY 85 boat goes downstream on the Li River, so you can't see the view on the CNY 20 banknote. The CNY 140 bamboo raft is the right choice to see the view on the CNY 20 banknote and the Nine Horses Fresco Hill.
Tickets are sold separately at the two docks. The bamboo raft ride takes 50 to 70 minutes. It is recommended to go early, as each raft can carry four people and will only depart when full, unless you charter a boat for CNY 140 per person.
Special note on the CNY 20 banknote photo spot: You can take photos on the bamboo raft, on the roadside, or on the riverbed. Navigate to "CNY 20 Viewing Platform" on the roadside. There are many steps leading down to the riverbed along the road, which are easy to find.
After the bamboo raft ride, you can rent an electric bike for CNY 20 and ride from the ancient town along the main road to the Nine Horses Fresco Hill. This is the best way to enjoy Xingping Ancient Town.
In addition, the sunset over the Li River is also beautiful at night in Xingping Ancient Town. You can stay overnight, as it is very quiet.
Remember to bring a drone, as the view is stunning.