Yangshuo Itinerary: How to Spend 2 or 3 Days in Yangshuo

At the Yulong River boat dock, there’s a scale sitting right at the ticket gate. Two travelers step on. The number hits 168 kilograms. The attendant waves them off: over the limit. Split into two rafts, or one of you buys the whole raft.

That’s the first thing Yangshuo teaches you — the details here go down to your body weight. But the mistake most people actually make isn’t picking the wrong sights. It’s not deciding two things first: how many days, and how to order each one. This Yangshuo itinerary sorts both out, built from the routes I’ve worked through on repeat visits.

How Many Days in Yangshuo?

Lock in the day count first. Everything else follows.

• 2 days in Yangshuo: enough. You hit the two essentials — the Xingping side of the Li River and the Yulong River — packed but not rushed.
• 3 days in Yangshuo: the sweet spot. Same first two days, then a slow third day for quiet spots like Fuli Bridge.
• 4–5 days: for add-ons like rock climbing or the Longji rice terraces.

One rule to set in stone: don’t cram Longji into 3 days. It’s 3–3.5 hours each way from Yangshuo, so 6–7 hours of the day is just road. I’ve watched too many people burn themselves out and only glimpse the terraces. If you really want Longji, give it 1–2 days on its own. Want the wider picture beyond Yangshuo? the wider Guilin itinerary is the better frame. Still deciding what’s worth your time? Start with a full list of things to do in Yangshuo.

So, how many days in Yangshuo? Two gets the job done, but 3 days in Yangshuo lets you breathe. Below is the full 3-day Yangshuo itinerary, then a 2-day shortcut if you’re tight on time.

3-Day Yangshuo Itinerary

Over 3 days in Yangshuo, you’ll cover the Li River, the Yulong River, and the slow spots in between — without ever feeling rushed.

Day 1: Xingping + the 20 RMB View + Xianggong Mountain + West Street

Day 1 of this Yangshuo itinerary opens in Xingping, not in town. The “Yangshuo” train station is actually in Xingping. Outside the exit, a bus to Xingping Ancient Town costs 5 RMB and takes about 10 minutes.

Spend the morning in Xingping Ancient Town (free). Walk a few hundred meters down the old flagstone street to the riverbank — that’s the 20 RMB banknote viewpoint. Bring a 20-yuan note and hold it up against the peaks; the pattern lines up. Morning light is best. Afternoons backlight the scene.

In the afternoon, head to Xianggong Mountain. Entry is 60 RMB (about USD 8.5), with a 15-minute stair climb to the top. From the viewing deck, the Li River curls into a U-shape below you, karst peaks stacked to the horizon. For sunrise, leave town between 4:00 and 4:30 am; for sunset, claim a spot before 5 pm.

Back in Yangshuo town for the evening, stay near West Street, try beer fish for dinner, then wander West Street after. It’s quiet by day, alive at night — string lights, folk-music bars, flagstone lanes. A first visit just needs the vibe; don’t over-schedule it. Skip the beer fish on the main strip, though. Pricey, and easy to get burned on the bill (more below).

Day 2: Yulong River Rafting + Ten-Mile Gallery + a Show

Start early for the Yulong River bamboo rafts — the number-one thing to do in Yangshuo. Hand-poled, no motor, just the tap of bamboo on water.

Pick your stretch. Prices are per raft, not per person:

• Jinlong Bridge (Jinlongqiao) → Jiuxian: the classic long run, 320 RMB per raft (about USD 46), around 90 minutes.
• Shuidi Wharf: shorter, 200 RMB per raft (about USD 29), with the dam drops — water splashes over your feet on the way down.

One raft seats two; solo travelers can pair up on site. Two rules: the combined weight of two people can’t exceed 160 kg (353 lbs) — they’ll split you into separate rafts on the spot, and that scale at the gate isn’t for show. Book through official channels only. Search “遇龙河” (Yulong River) or “i游阳朔” on WeChat mini-programs; next-day tickets drop at 8 pm sharp and the popular runs sell out fast. Never buy from a roadside tout.

In the afternoon, rent an electric scooter (40–60 RMB a day, about USD 6–9) and ride the Ten-Mile Gallery. It’s free, and it isn’t one “sight” — it’s the road itself, mountains and paddies and bamboo on both sides. Watch for Moon Hill; the hole in the peak shifts from crescent to full moon as your angle changes. No ticket needed.

In the evening, catch Impression Liu Sanjie, the Zhang Yimou open-air show. Standard seats run 278 RMB (about USD 40) for roughly 70 minutes, with the Li River and twelve peaks as the stage. Book online a day early and you can shave off a few dozen RMB.

Day 3: Fuli Bridge + a Slow Morning + Departure

Don’t pack Day 3. Sleep in.

In the morning, go to Fuli Bridge — a 500-year-old single-arch stone bridge, free. The arch and its reflection meet in a perfect circle, and it’s quiet. Want the shot of a raft sliding under the bridge? It’s far calmer here than at Jinqiao.

For the afternoon, if timing allows, add Shangri-la Scenic Area (about 68 RMB, roughly USD 10 — a boat ride through a cave into a Dong village), or head straight out. Leave time for the return: the shuttle from town to Yangshuo station takes 50–60 minutes, or about 45 by taxi.

Only Have 2 Days? The 2-Day Shortcut

A 2-day Yangshuo itinerary cuts the slow day and keeps the two essentials.

• Day 1: Xingping (20 RMB view) → Xianggong Mountain → West Street at night (same as the 3-day Day 1).
• Day 2: Yulong River raft (morning) → Ten-Mile Gallery ride → depart.

What you cut: Fuli Bridge, Shangri-la Scenic Area — the “nice to have” spots. They’re lovely, not essential. With only 2 days in Yangshuo, pour your energy into the two you can’t skip: the Li River and the Yulong River.

The rule in one line: 2 days for the must-sees, 3 days to slow down.

Mistakes to Avoid (From Experience)

Every Yangshuo itinerary hits the same snags. Here are the ones I wish I’d known first.

• Raft weight limit is 160 kg. Over it, they split you on the spot. Don’t chance it.
• Skip Laozhai Mountain. It sits by Xingping Ancient Town — steep steps, no railings, some sections you climb with hands and feet. The local sign says “undeveloped, no climbing,” and officials don’t recommend it for ordinary visitors.
• Ask the unit before ordering beer fish on West Street. Some places quote “a few dozen” then settle as “half a jin” or “per liang.” Have the fish weighed in front of you, confirm the price, then let the kitchen cook it. Jian’gu fish (fewer bones) runs about 88–128 RMB per jin (USD 13–18); regular carp or grass carp is 48–68 RMB (USD 7–10).
• The train station is 33 km from town. The shuttle bus is cheapest — 20 RMB per person (about USD 3), around an hour. A taxi or Didi normally runs 80–100 RMB (USD 11–14), about 45 minutes. Reject anything over 150 RMB, a driver who won’t use the meter, or one who offers to “conveniently” drop you at a restaurant. Timing matters too — the best time to visit Guilin avoids the holiday crush.
• Holiday crowds are brutal. During Golden Week and Labor Day, the road from Ten-Mile Gallery to the Yulong River becomes a parking lot; raft queues hit 3–5 hours and ticket sales stop before noon. Avoid these dates if you can.
• Electric scooters don’t need a Chinese license. Show a passport or leave a deposit, and check the battery before you ride off.

Getting There & Where to Stay

How to get to Yangshuo, or getting to Guilin first and then how to get from Guilin to Yangshuo, each has a dedicated guide. Here I’ll just point: fly into Guilin Liangjiang Airport and transfer, or take the high-speed train straight to “Yangshuo” station (remember, it’s actually in Xingping).

Where to stay: near West Street for nightlife, food, and convenience; along the Yulong River for quiet and mountain views from your window. For the full picture, see where to stay in Guilin.

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