Lijiang River

A trip along the Lijiang River is one of the high spots of a holiday in China. From Guilin to Yangshuo the river meanders its way through 83km/52mi of beautiful countryside, with bamboo forests, dense reed-beds and incredibly bizarre rock formations.

Now and again the visitor will see a fishing boat glide by with two or more cormorants on board. The use of these birds in fishing is diminishing as it is no longer lucrative. The journey will continue past Pierced Hill (Chuanshan), Clean Vase Hill (Jingpingchan), Embroidery Hill (Xiushan) and, at about the halfway point, Picture Hill (Huashan).

The local tourist office arranges trips on the river, with a guide, which last about five hours.