With a history of over 1400 years, Yangshuo, located in the northest of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southeast of Guilin City, was founded in the tenth year(590) of Kaihuang's regine in Sui Dynasty(581-618A.D). It is 65 km by land but 83 km by ruver from the Guilin urban area. The county, covering over 1400 km2, has typical karst formations. The 63 km of the Li River that run through it exhibits the essence of the river's scenery. Within its borders, the natural scenery features unique karst hills, crystal caves as well as a cultural historic heritage and folks of diverse customs. Richly endowed by nature, it became the first county in China open to tourists from the outside world. Since then tourism has been rigorously promoted.

ID：020-4372 Yangshuo scenery   Picture Sources：ccnpic.com 

In the 1980s, many foreign backpackers were drawn here by the introduction of the county in the 'Lonely Planet'. Now, the county greets its guests with more charms and attractions. The special geography gives it breath-taking beauty while over 1,400 years of history bless it with a deep traditional culture. The diverse ethnic minority groups including Hui, Zhuang, Yao and others, en-rich it with special folk cultures represented by their various festivals; while many foreign residents add exotic flavors to its fascination.

The famous Li River traverses the county and brings it the most beautiful scenery. Along the extremely pure river, thousands of hills stand in different poses and with different expressions, such as Moon Hill, Mural Hill and Schoolboy Hill which is the natural stage of the world famous opera 'Impression on Sanjie Liu'. Sanjie Liu is a fairy singer in the legend of the Zhuang minority group. Big Banyan, a huge tree with a history of over 1,400 years, is said to be the place where her love story happened. The 'Little Li River' the Yulong River is a paradise for a cruise because of its green hills, silky water and ancient bridges. You can also go to Xanadu, a primitive minority village full of folk culture and tranquil rurality.

ID：020-3836 Ancient town: Yangshuo    Picture Sources：ccnpic.com

Streets in Yangshuo are well kept in the original style, presenting the simple and primitive atmosphere of the ancient town. West Street is the most exciting one that locals call the "Global Village". There are not only many foreign tourists, but also quite a number of foreign residents managing cafés and restaurants. The exotic flavor, combined with the traditional culture, make the West Street world famous.

Yangshuo also attracts tourists with its delicious specialty foods, such as Beer Fish, Niang dishes and special snacks including rice noodles and various glutinous rice cakes. You can taste them in most streets of the county. The local specialties such as the Shatian Shaddocks, the kumquats and the Chinese chestnuts are worth tasting as well. If you want to buy some souvenirs, painted fans, embroidered balls, and painted shirts are all good choices. You can buy these articles both in the tourist spots and in the malls of the county.

Local Features
The scenery along the Lijiang River from Guilin to Yangshuo has long been known as the best scenery in China. The area is characterized by karst limestone peaks that, eroded by the abundant rainfall of the region, take on unique and strange shapes.

ID：020-3913 Perform on the water of Yangshuo   Picture Sources：ccnpic.com

Chinese tradition is to name the peaks and rocks of the region by the shapes they resemble. Animals such as dragons or horses, figures such as scholars or immortals are popular themes for peak and hill names. Along the Lijiang River you can view "Mandarin Ducks Play in the Water", "Nine Horses Mountain", and "Elephant Trunk Hill".

In Chinese, the word for "landscape" literally means "mountains and water" and Chinese people love scenery that combines the two elements together. It is no surprise therefore, that Guilin with its karst peaks and winding rivers is known as the most beautiful place in all of China.

Local Minority Groups
The region around Guilin is inhabited by 28 different ethnic groups including the Zhuang, Miao, Yao, and Tong, and they make up 8.5% of Guilin's population of 600,000. These groups all have colorful customs and mostly rural lifestyles.

Northwest of Guilin are the towns of Longsheng and Sanjiang, where you can find mixtures of Dong, Zhuang, Yao, and Miao minority villages. These people tend to be very friendly and may offer to be your guide and possibly invite you into their home for a meal and an overnight stay (for free or for an agreed upon fee). The tours can also be arranged from Yangshuo.

Tips:
The best time to visit Guilin is between April and October. During this time, the area is at its most green.

The average temperature for the year is 19.3 centigrade with a July average temperature of 28.3 degrees. The average rainfall for the year is 192.6 cm per month.

The most important thing to know about Guilin (and Yangshuo) weather is that it can get very hot, humid, and it rains a lot!

  (CCNPIC Tony Xie)