Cycling in Yangshuo, China
Introduction to Yangshuo County
Nestled amongst idyllic limestone karst peaks, like a scene from a traditional Chinese oil painting, is the town of Yangshuo, home of Bike Asia. When the Chinese say, "Guilin's scenery is the most beautiful in the world, and Yangshuo's scenery is far superior to that of Guilin," they are hardly exaggerating!
As well as boasting some of the most sublime landscapes imaginable, this small town is also rapidly becoming the adventure sports centre of southern China and beyond. Some of China's finest rock climbing, caving, hiking, kayaking, and of course cycling are drawing an ever increasing number of people to Yangshuo to enjoy what this area has to offer. If you haven't heard of Yangshuo yet, you soon will!
Yangshuo is very travel friendly: English is commonly spoken, there is a great range of excellent food, both Chinese and Western, in a broad selection of restaurants, cafes and bars. A huge variety of hotels and guesthouses are available to suit most tastes, comfort levels and budgets. There are also a variety of travel agents and services available to help with both domestic and international travel and connections. Just 65km south of Guangxi Province's second city, Guilin, Yangshuo is easily accessible by air from anywhere in the world, as well as being just an overnight train or bus ride from Hong Kong.
See below for more information about available cycling tours and activities or contact us at 
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Cycling
Packages and Getaways
Bike Asia offers short cycling package tours that take in the best of the Yangshuo area and are designed for individuals, couples, families or private groups as a quick getaway or as part of a longer trip in the region. With four packages to choose from, between five and seven days, a range of options such as climbing, kayaking, cooking and Gong Fu and Tai Chi classes, and prices starting from just $280 USD per person, there is something for everyone. Whether you are an experienced cyclist or casual rider we can provide you an unforgettable cycling experience to meet your interests and abilities. These tours include transfers, accommodation, local or western guide, mountain bikes, an extra activity and some meals. Go to our Yangshuo Getaways page for more information and details.
Day Tours and Hire
There is no better way to explore the countryside surrounding Yangshuo than on a bike, and for those looking for a quality mountain bike, Bike Asia has a fleet of bikes available for hire from our office in town. As well as well-maintained mountain bikes we also provide helmets, bike locks, maps, GPS, knowledgeable local and western guides as well as great advice on cycling in the region. If you want to explore the sights and scenery with the company and local knowledge of one our excellent local or western guides or if you wish to get right off the map and ride into the hills by yourself we have the equipment and knowledge to get you there. Talk to us about our guided one and two day rides or about hiring a GPS to keep you company and on track on one of the many varied routes in the area. Our cycling routes are well researched, exclusive to Bike Asia, and get you away from the crowds and into the Chinese countryside.
Just get in touch with us at to design a ride to suit you and check out the various options we offer below. To find us in Yangshuo, have a look at our map and address.
| Mountain Bike Hire (inc Helmet): | 50 CNY per day |
| Local Tour Guide: | 300 CNY per day |
| Western Tour Guide: | 400 CNY per day |
| GPS Hire (with uploaded route of your choice): | 200 CNY per day |
| Transfer to or from Guilin Airport: | 220 CNY |
| Transfer to or from Guilin Train Station: | 190 CNY |
Yangshuo to Puyi - 1 Day Cycle Tour
The gentler of our day rides, this tour on flat, mostly unsealed roads will take you along the famous Li River through local villages and rural farmland. With many interesting places to stop along the way to wander through Ming dynasty era villages and see locals in their everyday life, this is a great tour if you like to get out and see the countryside without punishing your legs too much! Lunch is included in a local village and your local guide will be there to provide an insight into Chinese rural farming life. Many of our guides have backgrounds as farmers so are intimately connected to the region they are leading you through. Inclusions: Quality mountain bike and helmet, local guide (western guide option 200 extra), lunch, ferry and bus tickets. For more information and bookings please contact us at .
Yangshuo to Xingping - 1 Day Cycle Tour
This great day tour takes in the back roads between Yangshuo and the village of Xingping. 70% off-road 30% sealed road over 72 kms. Away from all the tourists this tour is a great option for those that like to get away from the crowds. The cycling is strenuous hilly off-road with some great climbs and downhills through rural villages and farmland, tea plantations, past a waterfall and along the Li River to Xingping before hitting sealed road flat road for the remaining 27kms back to Yangshuo. There is an option to shorten the ride to 45 kms by taking a bus from Xingping back to Yangshuo. There's time to spend wandering in the old streets of Xingping and climb to the pagoda overlooking the picturesque scenery around the village and the Li River. A packed lunch is included on the tour so you can choose your own lunch spot to kick back and enjoy the views. A local guide will be with you for the day to share their knowledge and show you all the points of interest along the way. Inclusions: Quality mountain bike and helmet, local guide (western guide option 200 extra), packed lunch, ferry and bus tickets. For more information and bookings please contact us at .
Yangshuo, XingPing, Dragon River 3 Day Tour
Take in the best of Yangshuo county in two nights and three days! This is the perfect tour for those that want to see more of the area but have a tight time-frame. This tour takes in our Yangshuo to Xingping tour on your first day (see above) but we stay in Xingping for night 1. Early the next morning we cycle for a short 15 mins before putting the bikes on a local boat for a cruise up the most spectacular section of the Li River to the port at Yandi. A bowl of hearty noodles is our breakfast before heading off on the bikes again on a sealed country road winding through more sublime karst mountain scenery. We visit the busy market town of Baisha for a well-earned lunch before turning off into the Yu Long River Valley (Dragon River Valley) and some of the regions most spectacular views. Visits to Fuli and Dragon Bridge are one of many stops through this farming region as we cycle on dirt roads through rice fields, alongside the bamboo-lined river, through farming villages, by local farmers and their water buffaloes before arriving at our local guesthouse in a traditional farming village for night 2. With all the usual comforts, this guesthouse is a great place to experience the tranquillity of local rural life. The next morning we cycle back to Yangshuo to prepare for the included activity of your choice: caving, kayaking, half-day rock-climbing or a cooking lesson. Inclusions: Quality mountain bike and helmet, local guide 2½ days (western guide option 400 extra), one breakfast, two lunches, boat tour, two night's accommodation and one activity of your choice(caving, kayaking, rock-climbing or a cooking lesson). For more information and bookings please contact us at .
Rock Climbing
World-renowned limestone peaks have made Yangshuo a must do for climbers world-wide. An awesome climb in an awesome setting is the perfect addition to any visit to Yangshuo. Whilst we're all about cycling at Bike Asia it's hard to resist the lure of the climbing here and we have many friends here who rarely do anything else! There are plenty of climbs to cater for the first time climber all the way through to the most serious pros. With great equipment, support staff, attention to safety and dozens of climbs of all grades of difficulty this is a great option to go for. Again, just contact us for more information and bookings at .
| ½ Day Climb including all equipment (shoes, helmet, chalk-bag, harness, ropes, e.t.c), transport and guide | 250 CNY |
| Full Day Climb including all equipment, transport, lunch and guide | 450 CNY |
Kayaking
Another great option to spend some spare time in Yangshuo is to kayak along the Li River. You won't find any white-water but theres no more a tranquil activity than a paddle along the river in rural China, especially on those hot summer days! A kayaking session lasts for typically around 2 hours with a drop off at the start and you'll be met at the end of the paddle and shown to a local bus for your return to Yangshuo. Included is transport to the start-point, kayak and life-vest. Guides can be arranged upon request at an extra cost. For more information and bookings please contact us at .
| Kayaking on the Li River | 200 CNY |
Caving
Yangshuo's limestone peaks are riddled with caves and underwater streams. Many caves are easily accessible and are dazzling neon-lit tourist attractions. If you want to try something a little different there is the Water Cave which is an underground trek through various caverns, streams, waterfalls and mud pools. At around three hours and if you are prepared to get wet and muddy this is the fun caving option! Included is a local guide. For more information and bookings please contact us at .
| Water cave | 100 CNY |
| Transport (per party) | 40 CNY |
Hiking
There are plenty of good walks around Yangshuo and often it is simply a matter of grabbing some water and heading off out of town in any direction! One of our recommended hikes is the Yangdi to XingPing hike. Around four to six hours in duration, this hike will take you through the best scenery along the Li River (see map). It is an easy enough, do-it-yourself hike but Bike Asia can arrange a guide to take you through this walk to make sure you get the most out of the experience. Included is a local guide. You will be required to pay for a local bus to and from the hike, food and water for the day, ferry crossings and any incidentals. For more information and bookings please contact us at .
| Yangdi to Xingping Hike | 300 CNY |
Cooking Classes
One of our most popular options, Yangshuo Cooking School is situated in a renovated farmer's courtyard house located in a countryside village near Yangshuo. With two classes and two menus per day there's plenty of scope to learn to cook local speciality Chinese dishes. The class begins with a visit to the local market where all produce and ingredients are bought for the school, an interesting excursion in itself, before being transported to the school where local chefs will guide you through the preparation and art of cooking local Chinese cuisine before eating your creations overlooking rice fields and karst mountains. Included is transport to and from the school, a visit to the local market, cooking class, and lunch or dinner of your own creations! For more information and bookings please contact us at .
| Yangshuo Cooking School (half day course) | 130 CNY |
Kung Fu, Qi Gong and Tai Chi
One of Yangshuo's best kept secrets is the Bu Di Zhen Gong Fu school run by Grand Master "Papa" Gao and his sons. Papa has developed a unique "family" style of martial arts and he and his sons are the last proponents of this particular form. The school has had international students from around the world and offer classes in Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong. Classes are available for one hour up to a full day and long term instruction can be arranged. Ask us for more details at .
Accommodation
As there is so much to do in Yangshuo, many people decide to spend more time, before or after their tour, to take in all the activities on offer or simply to spend some extra time relaxing. Our rates per room are as follows:
| Single | Twin Share | |
| Yangshuo | 30 USD | 40 USD |
| Chaolong | 20 USD | 30 USD |
In Yangshuo we use a centrally located, comfortable 3-star standard hotel with all amenities. Internet connection is available in both the lobby and rooms.
In Chaolong Village we stay in fully-renovated farmer’s cottages with all amenities, set in a local village with access to hikes, the Yu Long River and rural Chinese countryside. Internet is also available.
Please contact us at for bookings.
