Yangshuo Travel Tips
Best Travel Time Yangshuo
Yangshuo, around 1 hour’s driving from Guilin city, shares the same subtropical monsoon climate. Whatever climate you like, spring and autumn are the best times of the year to visit Yangshuo, since you will have mostly dry or warm weather; while summer is hot and humid and winter is very cold.
Yangshuo Safety Tips
Yangshuo a well developed tourist destinations and some travelers has reported like overcharging, persistent touts, tour pimps, illegal occupancy or of a route to extort money from tourists.
The prices for clothing and souvenirs on West Street are priced high than other places;
Look out your belongings if take the bus between Yangshuo and Guilin since regular pick pocketing has been reported recently.
Traffic regulations, if any, are also practiced half-heartedly or not at all as in most mainland China. You should not expect that relentless flow of aggressive and reckless Chinese drivers will avoid you. You should avoid them.
Yangshuo Shopping Tips
There are huge amounts of touristy stuff available on West Street of Yangshuo, like Pashmina scarves, silk products, pottery, bronze, stone carvings, bracelets, paintings, fans and embroidered clothes. Most of this stuff is cute and tempting, but most of them are fake and available all over china sometimes cheaper outside Yangshuo.
Before making a buying decision, you should try to compare prices at other stalls or shops, then try to bargain; if the vendor not meet your price just walk away then a better price would offered. But don’t be rude when saying your price, just smile and tell.
Eating at Yangshuo
Local food or specialties in Yangshuo:
Beer Fish, a dish prepared with fish as well as bear as its name implied and most Chinese tourists will try this at Yangshuo; The local cuisine is spicy but if you request for non-spicy dishes, that’s possible.
Grapefruit or Pomeloes are locally produced fruit and they are very sweet and juicy and cost not over 1 dollar.
Where to eat in Yangshuo? See Yangshuo’s local restaurants
Nightlife & Entertainment in Yangshuo
Yangshuo offers more night activities than that of Guilin. There are many restaurants, cafes, bars; clubs and discos lined on the west street and some would open till the early morning of next day.Watching the cormorant catching fish, enjoying the fantastic Impression Sister Liu, strolling along the night market, having fun at local pubs…all are on the west street of Yangshuo.
Yangshuo Festivals & Events
Yangshuo hosts several minorities’ festival as well as tourist events:
May 8th Festivals in Fuli Town
Held around May 8th in lunar calendar, residents on Fuli town would assemble and worship the Godfather and Godmother, then parade along the streets with drums beating, dancing. It is a one week long events and there are many entertainments of activities at day and night.
Jun 23rd Festival in Baisha Town
It is said that June 23rd is the birthday of famed hero Guanyu, a wise and beloved people in three kingdoms period. On that date, people in Baisha would make offerings to him and parade in the street with some ethnic dances as well as horse riding. Local family lighting the fireworks to pray for wealth, health and good luck
Folk Song Singing Festival
On the 15th August of Lunar calendar (also the Mid-autumn festival), young men and women of Zhuang minority groups would gather near the Moon Hill and sing dulcet folk songs to echo expressions of love to each other.
Temple Fair in Xingping Town
On September 19th of lunar calendar, Xingping people hold sacrificial rites to the Goddess of Mercy, who is believed to be able to relieve people from their sufferings. On that day, people gather in the center of town to parade in the streets, stage dramatic performances and conduct many kinds of sports activities. And the temple fair on this day is fantastic with much cute local stuff.
Other festivals are October Sweetness in Puyi Town (October 10th), Li River Fishing Lights Festival and bear festival.