Lijiang River
From ChinaTravelGuide
Lijiang River (漓江) | |
| Address: | Mao’er Mountaiin, Xing’an County, northwest of Guilin City., Guilin, Guangxi |
| Phone: | 0773-2827643 |
| Web site: | http://www.liriver.org |
| Price Range: | There are three types of excurse ticket; Type A (Super Luxurious Air-Con Boat), Type B (Luxurious Air-Con Boat), and Type C (Normal Air-Con Boat)Low season: Type A individual: ￥380 per person, group ￥350 per person; Type B individual ￥ 240 per person, group 210 per person; type C individual ￥190 per person, group 180 per person. ~ Rush season (April to November and spring festival holiday). Type A individual: ￥450 per person, group ￥400 per person; Type B individual ￥ 270 per person, group 240 per person; type C individual ￥210 per person, group 200 per person. |
| Hours: | 7:00-18:30 |
| Level: | AAAAA |
| Tourist Rating: |  |
| Short Description: | The mountains on the band of Li River are very high and various in shape, there are some bushes and flowers grown on the mountain which looks like the clothes of the beauty. On the dam of the rivers grows fernleaf hedge bamboos which look like the skirt of young girls swinging with the wind. The most cute image is the reflection of the mountain half clear and half blurred. Several boats and sailboats move on the reflections of the mountain. Every scenic spots of Li River is a typical traditional Chinese Painting. The river valley near Guilin is open and gentle, Fubo Mountain, Diecai Mountain, Elephant Mountain, Chuan Mountain, Ta Mountain are all very high and grand. The beautiful mountains form a direct contrast to the clear wanter. Karst peak lies between Guilin and Yangshuo. Valleys are formed as well as the attractive scenery, especially Caoping, Yangdi and Xingping with mural hills, half-side ferry and so on. Reflection is a wonder of Li River.Tourists have different views on different times and weathers. On sunny day, it is very bright and clear. On rainy day the view is vaguely outlined. At night with bright moon, the mountains and river are very clear, the tourists feel as if they were in fairytale. Li River makes your mind clear and your heart pure.Li River is a endowment of the nature, a pearl |
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[edit] Description
Lijiang River (漓江) is one of China's most famous scenic areas. The poetic and picturesque Lijiang River winds and meanders its way for 170 kilometers before joining the western tributary of the Pearl River. The rolling peaks, steep cliffs, green hills and clear water along the river create a fascinating hundred-mile pictures gallery. A true fairy land with hills beyond hills with their reflections in the crystal water! You will see the lush green bamboos greeting you along the way; the water buffaloes casually patrolling the fields; the ducks swimming along the river; the fisherman catnapping on the bamboo. It's a God dotted landscape!
The Lijiang River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo should be the highlights of any trip to northeastern part of Guangxi Province. The trip begins at the dock just south of the Liberation Bridge in Guilin's downtown area. Another option is to ride the bus for about one hour to catch the cruise at another dock further down the stream.
The eighty kilometers (52 miles)-long cruise trip, divided into several sections, takes about seven to eight hours to finish. There are numerous peaks along the river, and each peak has an poetic name. Most of them take much of your imagination to see what it is like. Listening to tour guide's mystical fairy-tales and love stories behind these peaks is definitely a delightful experience. You will never be disappointed with the eye-catching landscape and countryside scenery.
Elephant Trunk Hill
Situated majestically on the western bank of Li River, the hill resembles an elephant sucking water from the river with its long trunk. It is supposed to be the landmark of Guilin landscape, which you can find on travel brochures or books. The most impressive is said to be the water reflection of a moon-like cave when the moonlight sprinkles over the river, hence the name 'Moon over the Water'.
Pagoda Hill
A few minutes down from the Elephant Hill on the west bank is a small hill topped with a pagoda. The hexagonal pagoda is called Longevity Buddha Pagoda (Shoufo Ta) dating from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is said the second floor has stone Buddha figurines on display and the hill is compassed in Chuanshan Park. In autumn, the hill illuminated with red maples is very charming.
Daxu Town
Perching on the northern bank of Li River, the ancient town keeps in its antique style from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). A flagging street, lined with old residences, shops and stalls, runs two kilometers along the river bank through the town. Some well-preserved residences hidden behind the street door may give you surprises you when you occasionally explore further into a shop. These are quarters for businessmen in the past times. Have a try on various dumping snacks on the stalls or peddle cars along the street. Some will surprise you with both its taste and cheap price. People in the town are very kind to tourists. Further to south, there is a single-arched bridge in the town named Longevity Bridge.
The town is really a sight off-the-beaten track. Opposite the town on the other side of the river, a millstone-like rock with the running waters creates the scene of Grinding Grain. Crown Cave (Guanyan)
A crown-like crag earns the hill its name. What makes the hill a worthy stop for both river cruise tourists and those arrive from Guilin City by bus tour is its twelve kilometer long water-eroded cave. It is a wonderland of various stalactite, stone pillars and rock formations in the cave. Since it is open to tourists in 1995, illuminating lights, sound control tour guide system and escalators are equipped in the scenic area and sightseeing cars and boats enable visitors to tour inside the cave. The government plan to build this site as an all-round tourist area including cave visiting, country sightseeing and ethnic minority exploration. It is estimated to become an important excursion site along the Li River. Tourists can stay in the hotels and villas in the scenic area.
Half-Side Ferry (Ban Bian Du)
Not very far from the Crown Cave on the western bank, a huge rock descends into the river and cuts off a footpath by the water edge. Villagers have to take a ferry to reach the other side and continue the way. So, this spot gets its name Half-Side Ferry (for usually ferry means to transport people by boat across a body of water and reach the opposite bank)
From Yangdi to xingping
Down stream from Yangdi to xingping, the river passes an endless procession of distinct peaks and bamboo groves and the stunning landscape. This part is the highlight of the cruise. Pinnacled peaks pop up and surprise visitors at each bend of the river. Water buffalos patrol on the fields; ducks paddle in the waters; peasants reap paddies in front of village houses; fishermen use the cormorants to catch the fish and return them to the boat and kids go home singing songs. All these create an idyllic and beautiful scene of the life removed from concrete cities.
A reputed attraction is Mural Hill, a 100-meter-high cliff face, which has been weathered and has stratified rock surface in various shades of colors. It is rumored that the colors present nine horses and a person who can identify them out is considered smart. Legendary stories are given to hill rocks and peaks and it is a delightful experience to appreciate the stunning landscape while listening to tour guide's interpretation of the stories behind it.
Fisherman and cormorants
Cormorants are good sized birds who enjoy diving underwater in search of fish. Fishermen use the cormorants to catch the fish and return them to the boat. The picture shows a cormorant fishergirl. But I think the girl is just a model for shots. Usually fishermen seem to be more sun-tanned. The fisherman drives the birds into the water where they dive below the surface in search of fish. When the birds catch a fish they return to the boat and the fisherman removes the fish from their throat and places it in the basket. The secret is that the fisherman places a cord around the bird's neck to keep the bird from swallowing the fish. Water Buffalo
You will see buffalos gazing along the river bank or patrolling on the fields. They seem to be indispensable friends of peasants, especially for kids.
Yellow Cloth Shoal
Boating downstream southward from the Mural Hill about 500 meters, peaks become steep and the river become wide and quiet. A huge yellow flagstone lying under the limpid waters can easily be seen. It is like a cloth piece and people called it Yellow Cloth Shoal. There are seven green peaks standing nearby. A legend goes that the seven peaks are fairy girls from the heaven who took baths in the river. Enthralled by the charming scene, they stayed here and become into the peaks. With verdant bamboos, the green peaks under the blue sky reflected on the quiet waters create a spectacular scene. Sometimes, people doubt they see boats floating on hill tops. Many Chinese paintings and poems present this charming scene and tourists run out of their films for it.
Xingping
The river takes a big turn at xingping and endowed with beautiful and poetic scenery. It has been reproduced in many Chinese landscape paintings. Even the newly-issued 20 RMB note has the scenery on its back. A photographer once said: 'Shots from any perspective for this place turn to be impressive and stunning'.
A 'village' on the river bank is worthy a visit. Chinese call it a 'village' because of the fact that nowadays it is inhabited by villagers. Actually, it is an age-old castle complex survived from over 500 years ago. Although some courtyard buildings have weathered through ages, the simple but elegant flying-eaves, roofs with colorful paintings, lattice windows and unique timber structures present the folk residence from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The villagers have the same surname of Zhao, so it is rumored that they are descendents of the imperial family in the Song Dynasty. Both Dr. Sun Yet-sun, the pioneer of China's democratic revolution and US president Colinton paid a visit to the village on their visits to Li River.
Yangshuo
Li River cruise makes the small town known to foreigners. Located some 90 kilometers south of Guilin City, this town is the downstream end of the cruise but not the least. The enchanting fairyland of Yangshuo is renowned as the best in Guilin. The town is very small that everyone will know you after one month. The West Street in the town lined with western cafes, restaurants and hotels is the best choice for people who want to explore Chinese life. Yangshuo is a great place for hikes and cycling excursions. There's no doubt that taking a close-up exploration to the country villages, you will have a taste of the rural life. One thing surprised us is the one-hour bamboo raft trip along Yulonghe River. We didn't expect the scenery to be such a paradise.
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[edit] Videos
| Lijiang River |
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| A boatstour from Guilin to Yangshuo on the wonderful Lijiang river. |
[edit] What to see
[edit] Traffic
Chinese tourists board on Mopanshan Dock, foreign tourists board on Zhujiang Dock, board on Yangdi Dock in dry season.
- Free bus (9:00-17:00)
- No 51-depart from Donghuan Bus Station, passing through flower and bird market, North Pole Square, North Feng Road, Center Square To guilin,
- No 52-depart from Donghuan Bus Station, passing through Sanlidian Square, Longyin Road to Qixing Park
- No 53- depart from the bus head office, passing through west Huancheng Road to North Pole Square.
- No 54- depart from South Guilin Station, passing through Shanghai Road, Anxin Community, Chuanshan Garden, Sanlidian Square to Gaoxin Zone
- No 55- depart from Pingshan, passing through Nanhuan Road, Jingpingshan Bridge to Automobiles Management Bureau.
- No 56-depart from Pingshan, passing through Nanxi Park, Shanghai crossroad, Xiangjiang Hotel, General’s Road, Bazhong Lukou to Pingshan.
- No 57-depart from Xifeng Road, passing through Educational College, Youth Palace, Nanmen Bridge, Xiangshan Park, Liberation Bridge, Cross Street, Art Museum to Xifeng Road.
- No 58-depart from Nanxishan Park, passing through Xiangshan Park, Qixing Park, Folk Custom Garden, Fuboshan Park, Diecaishan Park, Yushan Park to Ludi Park.
[edit] Tips
- 1.According to the rules, oversea tourists could not board on Normal Boat.
- 2.Tourists could buy the boat tickets themselves to Water Transportation Center in Hengjiang Road, Guilin City (after passing Nanmen Bridge, turn right and walk on for 20 meters turn left.) one day before the trip; there are no buses or regular buses from the city to the dock. If the tourist want to buy the ticket themselves, they have to take a taxi in the morning, it will cost them about ￥70.
[edit] Complain
- Telephone of complain of Guilin City：0773-2800315
- Telephone of Complain of Guangxi Province：0771-5529315
- Telephone of Complain of State Tourism Office：010-65275315
[edit] Best Travel Time
There is one special advantage of visiting Li River; you do not need to worry about the weather. Li River takes on different looks on different weathers. You can appreciate the reflections of the mountain on sunny days, see the clouds on cloudy days, and see the mist and clouds on rainy day. On rainy day, the mist and waves stretch far into the distance, the mountains loom unclearly, clouds passing through mountains, and the rain is like covering a yarn over the river. The whole scene is like a ink-splitting water color painting;
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Loads of tourist shops available in old town. Probably over priced, but Lijiang doesn't have as many cases of the "Westerner" price being too much higher than the "Chinese" price as in many other parts of China.
- Burned wood carvings of Lijiang are one of the popular local specialties. Quality varies greatly by the individual artist, and prices vary by shops. Some shops do custom etchings of your face (near photo-realism) with Lijiang in the background - expect to have your picture taken, then come back in a few hours.
- Yak horn combs are also popular, with some combs also carved from the yak hoof (the ones with the rougher edge on the handle)
- Naxi clothing - also for 5 yuan, you can get your picture taken in them without having to buy them.
- Any shop that has "local skirts" that includes some with Ancient Egyptian designs is not recommended.
- Dongba (东巴) art and writing samples - the Naxi have the only living hierographic language in the world, and shops with samples of it, or of the unique Naxi style art, are abundant.
- Yunnan Coffee - it is coffee ground to a fine powder then added to water, although most contain milk and sugar powder already.
- Warm Clothing- in the Old Town warm clothing is quite expensive if you are just looking for something cheap to keep the chill out. The road just outside the town by the waterwheel has very cheap hats, mitts, and even long johns. Just turn left at the first intersection.
- DO NOT BUY a small red fruit shaped like a coconut. Actually, it is just a coconut painted red and sold for a very high price. This is a scam.
--from wikitravel.org
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