Fifteen years ago, Yangshuo was a sleepy small town lying on the River Li (Lijiang). Then it was discovered by the backpacker brigade. Today the town is a hive of cafés, bars, guesthouses, gift shops etc. Not really China at all, many people see this as some sort of haven from the relentless Chinese-ness of China. 

However, the town is becoming more and more commercialised with every year, prices are rising as are the new hotels. If it hasn't happened already, very soon all the charm of the place will be gone. 

Yangshuo was badly hit by the decline in tourism during and following the SARS epidemic in early 2003, and has not fully recovered. The number of foreigners visiting is a fraction of what it was before, and the locals are increasingly promoting the place as a destination for domestic tourists.

It can be a good place to buy souvenirs, but bargain hard and remember if you are going to be in China for any length of time, most of the stuff sold here is not local and can be bought in other places of China at a fraction of the price.

The thing to do here is get out into the countryside around the town. The scenery is wonderful and remains largely intact.

Personally, I can't stand the place! However, if it's your cup of tea, there is a lot of information on this website.

There are two possible routes to Yangshuo from Liuzhou. First is to go to Guilin by bus, then find the train station. There are frequent buses from here to Yangshuo all day. Secondly it is possible to go directly by bus from Liuzhou via Lipu. This is a more attractive route. The timings are about the same.

Home to the Dong minority, this is a favourite. Again, get out of the town and head for Chengyang Bridge . Here you will find, on the far side of the Wind and Rain Bridge, the Chengyang Bridge National Hostel. This is an wooden hotel built in the Dong style. The Wu family who run it are friendly and the place is very cheap if a bit primitive. 

This is a place for just relaxing with a beer by the side of the river which runs past the hostel, or walking in the countryside. Don't miss the Dong village behind the bridge.

This is another place which is in danger of being over-commercialised (more guest houses appear every time I go), so get there soon.

Buses from Liuzhou arrive in Sanjiang town, from where you can take a small bus to the bridge. (Mr. Wu's son often hangs round the bus station and can help you. Alternatively, you can take the train to Sanjiang County station. Minibuses can take you from there to Chengyang.

Throughout the year, the Dong people of this area have a number of traditional festivals in the villages around Sanjiang. 

Fancy getting away from the city, but not in the Yangshuo mood? An alternative is to head to Yizhou to the west of Liuzhou. This is a small town of not much interest, but again the countryside around the town is beautiful. Reminiscent of Yangshuo, but without the masses of tourists and the pestering guides. 

Try to take a river trip to one of the minority villages, but beware - the first one I went to had been built as a movie set. Not exactly authentic. Still, it was fun to go though a mock wedding ceremony.

Regular buses from Liuzhou.

Sea and sand! Beihai lies at Guangxi's southern tip, on the sea coast. A great place to swim, eat seafood, watch the Chinese notion of a beach holiday and generally relax. 

Silver Beach lies to the south of Beihai, stretches 24 kilometres west and varies in width from 30 to 300 metres. The beach gets its name from its soft and silvery quartz sand. It has a reputation as one of the best in China. The beach has an average seawater temperature of 23°C.

Check out Weizhou Island off the town. It is a favourite.

There are regular buses to Beihai from Liuzhou Bus Station. The trip takes around six hours.

Further afield, Baise (Bosë on some maps)  is in the far west of Guangxi near the Yunnan border. The scenery here is very different from around Guilin or Liuzhou.

Baise is well known in China as it was here that Deng Xiao Ping led what is known as the Baise Uprising, one of the first communist uprisings leading to the Long March and the revolution. There is a museum in the town commemorating this event. Fascinating if you are fascinated by Chinese revolutionary history!

Nearby is the You River Minorities Museum which displays artifacts of the Zhuang people of this area. This is a much more interesting place.

If you go at the right time of year, be sure to buy some mangoes. This is the major mango producing area of China and they are cheap and delicious!

Final note: Be careful searching for "Baise" on Google etc. "Baise" has a quite different meaning in French and leads to a load of French porn sites!

Liuzhou People

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