Zhang Ye is without a doubt the best found treasure in Gan Su Province. Anyone traveling in the area should not miss out on going to Zhang Ye and seeing the Rainbow Mountains. This is one of the few cities that is a little less known by both Chinese citizens and foreigners alike. However, due to this landscape being used as the setting to make recent movies such as The Great Wall with Matt Damon and Mulan, Zhang Ye may become a more popular travel destination. This city is in no way shape or form commercialized it makes for a great and relaxing trip that will not easily be forgotten. Zhang Ye is highly recommended to visit.

The Big (Reclining) Buddha Temple 大佛寺

When in Zhang Ye, this temple is very worth it to go to for a few key reasons. The first being that because Zhang Ye isn’t the most popular travel destination (yet) there aren’t a lot of people that will be in this temple, making your experience in the temple nice and tranquil. Secondly, the temple is very central in this small city and doesn’t take much time to visit. Lastly, there is a huge reclining Buddha in this temple. I’m not sure how it compares on a global scale but it will leave you in awe. Anyone who has an interest in temples or Buddhism should definitely give this temple a look.

How to get there and how much time should be spent there?

The Big Buddha Temple is very central in the small city of Zhang Ye. It will take about 20 minutes to get there (maximum) and taking a cab would be the best and most convenient way to go. Being that Zhang Ye is a comparatively small city the cab fares will be cheaper than in other bigger cities.

I recommend spending approximately 2 hours in the Big (Reclining) Buddha Temple. The temple itself isn’t that big. So, 2 hours would be more than enough time to take your time and enjoy the scenery and sense of tranquility that the temple will bring you.

---

The Wooden Pagoda 木塔寺

The wooden pagoda area is one of those areas that doesn’t require spending a lot of time. However, the time that you do choose to spend there is well worth it. The wooden pagoda is just around the corner (walking distance) from the Big Reclining Buddha Temple. So, travelers could go to both places in one trip and kill two birds with one stone.

The one thing that I’ve learned about pagodas in general is that for the most part the outside looks much better than the inside. There are some exceptions but the majority of the interior of pagodas look like an endless stair case to the top. It is better to save yourself the time and effort of climbing all of those stairs and just view the pagoda from the outside.

---

The Horse’s Hoof Temple 马蹄寺

The Horse’s Hoof Temple is literally a temple that has been built into the side of a mountain in the shape of a Horse’s Hoof. The Horse’s Hoof Temple is probably the place that I regret not going to the most in all of China. I’ve had trusted friends that went to the Horse’s Hoof Temple and they said that it is a must do if in Zhang Ye. It is a bit outside of the city of Zhang Ye but well worth the journey.

The Horse’s Hoof Temple is about an hour to an hour and a half outside of Zhang Ye.

How to get there and how much time should be spent there?

The Horse’s Hoof Temple is a bout an hour an a half outside the city center. So, while a cab ride would be possible it would also be a bit more on the expensive side.

The best way to get there would be to take a van/mini-bus with other travelers. This could be set up by your hostel, hotel or wherever it is that your staying.

The Horse’s Hoof Temple should take at least half a day to explore. It is a very interesting and unique place though. There are some people that may want to spend the entire day there.

---

The Rainbow Mountains of Zhang Ye 张掖丹霞

This is the reason to go to Zhang Ye. These mountains are beautiful, colorful and very rare. There are few places in the world that you will see a similar sight to this. It is my understanding that do to rain, erosion, varying degrees of sunlight and the make up of the mountains themselves that cause this variation in color. It seems to be a perfect concoction for a beautiful scenery. This is without a doubt one of my favorite places in all of China.

At the time that I went to the Rainbow Mountains there were only 5 viewing platforms, however, there were more being constructed. The viewing platform that will give you the best view of the different colors is the 4th viewing platform. It is also the best place to watch the sunset. Not coincidentally, it is also the most popular and attracts the largest crowds.

Sunset seems to be the main attraction for the Rainbow Mountains. At the time that I went the park didn’t open until after sunrise. So, sunset was the next best thing.

It is important to all who go to the rainbow mountains that they know not to try to walk from one viewing platform to another. In the Rainbow Mountains of Zhang Ye there are some viewing platforms that can be walked from one to the other. However there are some that are a significant distance apart. Walking to a viewing platform that is far away will only succeed in wasting time and energy. It is best to take the bus from one viewing platform to another.

Side Note: As of the time that I am writing this blog the rainbow mountains of Zhang Ye is not the the most well known travelers destination. However, due to the development of the city, the viewing platforms that were under construction the last time I went and the appearance of the rainbow mountains in western blockbuster movies, I’d say it is only a matter of time before the rainbow mountains become a very popular travelers destination. Right now, the rainbow mountains are inexpensive and tranquil due to the lack of crowds of people there. All the same, I see this sight becoming very popular in the near future. So, do your best to visit this sight while its tranquility is still best preserved.

Helpful tip: the rainbow mountains are in the desert. If, you plan on spending the whole day there make sure you have enough water and snacks, cover up appropriately (to prevent sunburns) and bring some chapstick.

How to get there? How much time should be spent there?

The best way to get to the Rainbow Mountains is to take a van/mini-bus with other people that are interested to go. This way everyone will pay a portion and the driver will be satisfied and earn sufficient money. Your hostel or hotel can set up this accommodation, if you inquire about it. The trip to the rainbow mountains will take a little less than an hour to get there.

I would highly recommend that anyone going to the rainbow mountains allocate to spend at least one full day there. From morning until closing.

Jia Yu Guan is better known as the location that marks the beginning of the Great Wall of China. This city is full of sights to see. I would say that Jia Yu Guan would be the main destination for travelers to Gan SU Province. There is a lot for travelers to see and do here.

---

Jia Yu Guan Fort 嘉峪关城楼

The fort is one of the most popular sights to see while in Jia Yu Guan. The fort itself has a very ancient and traditional feel to it. It’s one of those times in your life where you might think “this might be the oldest place I’ve ever been”.

Nonetheless, there is plenty to see and do while at the Jia Yu Guan Fort. Aside from walking around the fort itself, there are games that can be played, performances that can be viewed, souvenirs that can be bought and (if you were interested) camels that can be ridden.

The performances

The performances are similar to that of a Chinese Circus. There are feats of acrobatics, balancing, strength as well as Kung Fu performances. It is very impressive to see and it is included in the price of the entrance ticket, so it doesn’t cost anything extra. The performances are highly recommended because normally you’d have to pay 50-60 USD to see a performance like that.

How much time should be spent there?

I’d say allot a half day to visit the fort. It is located very close to the center of the city so there isn’t much time that will be spent in transit. Approximately 4-5 hours should be allotted to spend in the Jia Yu Guan Fort.

Due to the fact that the fort is close to the city you could take a regular taxi or Uber to get there without spending that much time or money.

Side note:

It is very dry and hot in Jia Yu Guan during the day. There is the risk of dehydration and sunburns. Dress appropriately (cover up) or buy some sunscreen. Also, bring an abundance of water. You can also buy some while there but expect to pay a higher price for waters at any tourist sight.

---

The Great Wall 长城

The Great Wall in Jia Yu Guan may not have the incredible scenery that the one in Beijing has but it does have other characteristics that make it unique and one of the popular areas to visit while in Jia Yu Guan.

There is something that you should know about the Great Wall in Jia Yu Guan and that is that it is very steep. If you have knee problems, a fear of heights or difficulty climbing up steep stairs you may just want to take pictures from the base of the Great Wall.

The Great Wall in this area is surrounded by desert, so there will not be much variance in the color of landscape of the surrounding area. That being said the surrounding area is still very beautiful and worthwhile to see.

Once you’ve ascended to the top of the Great Wall you can play on the mountains surrounding the wall (it really is more fun than it sounds). Many people that have visited before wrote their names in the mountain using rocks (as seen above).

How much time should be spent there?

This section of the Great Wall will not take that long to climb. I’d say it can take anywhere between an hour and two hours depending upon your hiking pace. The commuting time to the Great Wall also isn’t that long, approximately 30-40 mins.

That being said a half day should be enough time for you enjoy the experience of being at the opposite end of the Great Wall (in relation to Beijing).

Watch out!

As with every other part of the Great Wall that I have been to, there is this very annoying habit that the local drivers (Black Cabs) do to trick foreigners into spending more money than they should for a cab ride. Beware of the black cab drivers. I recommend using Uber or Didi (cab service app) to arrange for pick ups.

---

The Dolphin Museum & Dong Hu Park 海豚博物馆和东湖公园

The Dolphin Museum is a very tall dolphin-shaped building with the exterior walls made of glass that has a museum located inside of it. At night the lights on the outside of the dolphin turn on and alter colors. This makes the Dolphin Museum a popular destination to visit at night.

Visitors who buy a ticket to the museum can go up to the top floor where there is a glass bottom floor and great views of Jia Yu Guan. To be honest the first floor of the Dolphin Museum is just a regular museum (about mainly astronomy). There is nothing breathtaking about it. You could overlook it and head directly for the top floor.

There is also a very nice park called Dong Hu park, with a lake area just outside the Dolphin Museum. It makes for a very pleasant walk up to and away from the museum.

It would be best to walk around Dong Hu Park while there is still a bit of sunlight out so you can enjoy the scenery of the park. Then, once dusk is approaching head up to the observatory (top) floor in the Dolphin Museum so you can see the sunset on the city of Jia Yu Guan. Then as you exit the Dolphin Museum it will be dark and you will be able to see the dolphin lit up from outside the building.

---

The First Block the Great Wall 长城第一墩

The significance of this sight goes without saying. It is the first block of the longest wall created in the history of mankind. That being said…it kind of just a rock in the desert. However they do have an underground observatory/mini museum that you can enter and learn more about the area.

The surrounding area to me was more impressive than the block itself. Roaming a round the surrounding area and seeing the huts, rivers, bridges and everything else there is a good way to spend your time while in this area. I will say that this area is a must do if you are in Jia Yu Guan, if not for any other reason than to say that you’ve been to the first block in the construction of the Great Wall.

---

Jia Yu Guan Vineyard 嘉峪关葡萄园

If you’re into wine or would just like to see a vineyard in the middle of the desert this place will be worth a look. There are tours that will take you down to the cellars where all the wine is stored. They will show you how the wine was grown, made and even give you some samples of the wine. It’s pretty much your standard wine tour. At the end of the tour you will have the chance to purchase bottles of wine. Like with other vineyards these bottles of wine will be a bit more expensive. However, the good thing about China is that overall the cost of items are cheaper than in the U.S. So, if you were inclined to buy a bottle of wine (depending on which one) it wouldn’t necessarily break the bank.

Honestly, unless you are a wine aficionado, I would say that this is one of the places that you could go to if you’ve done everything else that you wanted to do and just wanted to kill a bit of time. The tours last a couple hours, so this can be one of the shorter timed activities that are planned while in Jia Yu Guan.

---

The Wetland Area

I personally didn’t have the time to visit the wetland area while in Jia Yu Guan, but it does see like a very interesting place to visit if you have the time. Being that Jia Yu Guan is the middle of the desert it still boggles my mind to know that there is a wetland area. It seems like a very rare place. It may be worth a visit to see the different ecosystem and wildlife that is inhabiting the area.

The only information that I can provide about this area is that the wetland area is not far from the city center and will only take about 30 minutes (more or less) to get there.

Dun Huang is an oasis in a sea of sand. The Gobi Desert surrounds this city and the surrounding area on all sides. The Silk Road used to run through Dun Huang connecting the Middle East and China, enabling them to trade with one another.

The city of Dun Huang truly exceeded my expectations. In China, usually the more remote the area the less advanced the city. Dun Huang is VERY remote, which led me to believe that it would follow suit. However, this city had very sophisticated infrastructure with shopping malls and name brand stores (not only Chinese name brands but Western brands as well). There were nice hotels and overall the city looked like one of the cleaner cities that I have been in, while traveling in China. Not to mention possibly the best part, there weren’t a great amount of people in the city!

The Mò Gāo Grottoes 莫高窟

The Mo Gao Grottoes are the main attraction in Dun Huang and honestly the only reason anyone would travel so far out of the way into the desert. Nowadays there aren’t many people just passing through Dun Huang.

The Mo Gao Grottoes are without a doubt the most impressive of the three main (most popular) grottoes in all of China. The grottoes contain:

• Ancient murals on the walls of the grottoes
• Symbolic Buddhist sculptures
• The world’s third largest Buddha

The Mo Gao Grottoes are preserved astonishingly, especially considering their age. These grottoes are estimated to be created at approximately 366 A.D. There are a limited number of grottoes that are open to the public and so regardless of which tour group you are in you will not view any different grottoes.

All visitors to the Grottoes must join a tour group. You can not see the grottoes by yourself. English tour guides are not the easiest to find, but there are usually 1 or 2 tours in English per day (based on demand there could be more or less).

---

DO NOT!

Do not touch the walls or statues and do not take any flash photos of the murals or statues. I am sure that the tour guide will tell you that multiple times during the course of the tour. The flash from the cameras or photos will affect the paint on the murals as will the oils on your hands.

Also, do not try to view the grottoes on your own. Tour groups are small and (especially if you’re a foreigner) you will stick out like a sore thumb if you try to tag along with another tour group. Furthermore, the grottoes are all locked with pad locks and re-secured once the tour is done. You will not be able to view the grottoes without a guide.

---

Where are all of the pictures???

There is a reason why you do not see any pictures of the inside of the grottoes and that is because photographs of the inside of the grottoes are forbidden, even if the flash is off. Also, you travel in small groups so it is difficult to sneak a photo (without the flash). It is best not to try as you will only succeed in upsetting your tour guide and possibly getting kicked out of the grottoes.

---

IMPORTANT!!!

In order to gain entrance to the Mo Gao Grottoes you must first by a ticket (if that wasn’t obvious enough). There are two options for buying entry tickets to the grottoes, one is to go online and buy the tickets, the other to buy them at the ticket office at the site.

If you buy the tickets online or have a Chinese friend help you buy the tickets on Alipay or another app, BE ADVISED, that tickets bought online need to be purchased a day prior. You should not buy tickets the online or through an app the day that you wish to go to the grottoes.

You can always buy tickets to the Mo Gao Grottoes the day of, however, in order to preserve the condition of the grottoes they only let a certain amount of people in per day. This means that there are a certain amount of tickets that are sold each day and once that number is reached, no more people for that day can enter. So, if you intend to buy the tickets at the tickets office the day of, you run the risk of being denied entry due tickets being sold out.

---

How much time should be allocated to spend in the Mo Gao Grottoes?

The grottoes are a fun a place to go to and you’ll want to spend all day there, all the same, you can only view the grottoes with a group. The tour will take a couple of hours, which will put the total time that the average person will spend at the Mo Gao Grottoes somewhere between 3-5 hours.

The grottoes are also very close to Dun Huang. It will only take between 20-30 minutes more or less to get to the Mo Gao Grottoes. That means that you can take a taxi to get there. Taxi’s in Dun Huang are also not very expensive. So, it is not only quick way to go, but also economical as well.

Allocate 1/2 day to visit the grottoes either in the morning or in the afternoon. Be advised the later you go the less likely that you are to get an English tour guide.

---

How to get to Dun Huang?

Dun Huang is a very remote city. Not to mention that it is in the middle of the desert. So unless you are departing from another city in Gansu Province, the best way to go would be to fly into Dun Huang. Taking a train would be cheaper but take a significant amount more time, making it not worth the trouble.

Sandstorms

Let me be clear though there is no such thing as a perfect place and Dun Huang is no exception. One thing that you should be aware of while traveling in Dun Huang and that is the potential for sandstorms to pass through with little to no warning. If a sandstorm hits. Dun Huang while you are there seek shelter and wait it out. If you need to go out be sure to cover up (eyes especially) and limit your time outside.

Side note:

Do yourself a favor and invest in some chapstick before going to the Dun Huang. You are heading to the center of a desert it is going to be very dry and you wouldn’t want to have a cracked lips as a reason to think badly of this trip. Of course, you can buy chapstick in Dun Huang as well. Chapstick in Chinese is Run Chun Gao 润唇膏.

Xia Men is a big city along the coast of South China in Fu Jian Province. It is also the closest point on the mainland to Taiwan. Xia Men (and all of Fu Jian for that matter) have a culture that is unique in and of its own. This is a very historic city with several sights to see.

Gu Lang Yu 鼓浪屿

Gu Lang Yu is a small island in between the mainland and where Xia Men branches of the coast (which is connected by bridges, similar to how Miami, FL is set up). Gu Lang Yu is undoubtably the biggest attraction for people to go to Xia Men. People from all over will come to Xia Men just to go to Gu Lang Yu. It is a very popular place for couples to have their wedding pictures taken. Don’t be surprised at the amount of wedding photoshoots you see on the street while visiting Gu Lang Yu. The architecture of Gu Lang Yu is another very distinct feature. You’ll find old buildings and churches that appear to have a European influence. Not to mention there are places to snack all over. While in the city section of Gu Lang Yu, a good way to pass explore the island is to wander through the streets by foot. Grab a bite to eat from one of the many grab and go food shops and explore the unique architecture of the churches and old style building.

Ri Guang Yan Park 日光岩公园 (on Gu Lang Yu island)

Roughly translated to the Sunlight Cliff Park, is personally my favorite place on Gu Lang Yu. Those who enjoy hiking might find the short hike up to the peak of Ri Guang Yan Park to be very pleasant. This section of Gu Lang Yu is very different from the above-mentioned city section. In Ri Guang Yan Park, you’ll find a small beach area, a bit more greenery and small mountains to hike. It is a much more natural setting than the city section of the island.

For me personally, my main grievance with Ri Guang Yan Park is the volume of people that visit the park. It seems that the park is not big enough for the amount of people that visit it on a daily basis. During the hike it might seem like the only sights you’re seeing on the way up is the back of the head of the person in front of you. On the other hand, while traveling through any part of China you will have to accept and be comfortable with the idea of having a certain amount of people around you. There are some places and sights that it is impossible to avoid the crowds completely and Gu Lang Yu is one of those places.

Side note: The hike to the peak of Ri Guang Yan Park is not difficult at all. It will take any where from 45 minutes to an hour to reach the peak. The peak offers some of the best views of the island and makes the hike well worth doing, as long as the weather is permitting (if there is a thick fog over the island it will make it difficult to see down to the other sections of the island.

How to get to Gu Lang Yu?

Since Gu Lang Yu is an island and doesn’t have any bridges or underwater tunnels connecting it to either side of Xia Men you will need to take a boat to get to Gu Lang Yu.

Here’s the tricky part… There are several ports that have ferry services from Xia Men. However, many of these ports do not have ferries that go to Gu Lang Yu. This can become extremely frustrating because unless you first consult your hostel owner and inquire as to which ports have ferries to Gu Lang Yu, you may very well be wasting time, daylight, money and effort walking (or taking a cab) from one port to another only to find all of the ports that don’t have ferries to Gu Lang Yu.

Let me save you the trouble of going to the wrong ports and only succeeding is aggravating yourself. There is a very big port that has ferries headed towards Gu Lang Yu and the ferries leave every thirty minutes. That port is called Xia Men Cruise Liner Center Xia Gu Port (this is my translation of the port to make it easier for the reader, the actual name is Xia Men You Lun Zhong Xin Xia Gu Ma Tou or just show the characters below to whatever cab or Uber you’re in and they’ll take you to the right place

厦门邮轮中心厦鼓马头

There are no two ports so like that one it is the the biggest cruise liner port in all of Xia Men, so showing that to your cab driver should be a pretty safe bet.

Very important: There are not ferries to and from Gu Lang Yu all night. I’m not 100 percent sure what time the last ferry takes off from Gu Lang Yu to Xia Men (the times may change base on the time of year that you go and the hour that the sunsets), but if you miss the last ferry, then you will need to stay the night at Gu Lang Yu and leave the following day. Be sure to look at the timetables for the last ferry to Xia Men or ask someone who works there (that can speak English) when the last ferry to Gu Lang Yu.

How much time should you allot to spend in Gu Lang Yu?

I would say that you could spend an entire day in Gu Lang Yu from morning until evening and it wouldn’t be a wasted day. For those that really enjoyed Gu Lang Yu and wish to spend more time there another half day on the island would be sufficient. The island isn’t that big and after a day (or a day and a half) its like Disney World in that the noise of the crowds, lack of space and heat start to get a bit old.

Taiwan Anyone?

It is worth noting that at the above-mentioned port you can also board a cruise to Taiwan. This is the closest point from the mainland to Taiwan. So, if any travelers wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to visit Taiwan all you would need is your passport. This may not be the most common way to go to Taiwan but it is one a distinct travel path that you could make, provided you have enough time.

Gui Lin is a remarkable travel destination that I would put in my top five places to visit in China. In my opinion this is a can’t miss place. The topography of Gui Lin is unfathomable, it appears as if mountains have just sprung up out of nowhere. Combine with the beauty of the rivers and natural greenery of the surrounding area make Gui Lin a can’t miss stop on your travel itinerary.

So, Gui Lin itself doesn’t have that many to sights to see. There are a few memorable sights to see, however, the reason that travelers spend several hours in route to Gui Lin is to go to the surrounding areas within arm’s reach of Gui Lin.

What is there to do in Gui Lin?

Xiàng bí shān （象鼻山）

In Gui Lin the main attraction is the Elephant’s Trunk Mountain (象鼻山，Xiàng bí shān). This has been the spot that has inspired countless paintings.

My personal opinion of the Elephant’s Trunk Mountain (Xiàng bí shān): There were quite a few people there when I went. I was expecting a much more tranquil setting for such a picturesque place. However, this sight did have a little bit of hiking (which is a plus) and there was a small cave in the mountain that is believed to be the eye of the elephant. People can also go to the base of the mountain to see the elephant’s trunk from the other side (in relation to the pictures above and below). The sights from the mountain aren’t the best to be honest. the best place to take a picture of the Elephant’s Trunk Mountain would be from the opposite side of the park (must cross the bridge adjacent to the park). Tourist can go here free of charge and do not need to buy a ticket for the park.

The ticket price is approximately 75 RMB. However, you can receive discounts on the price of the admission ticket by buying the tickets through certain apps. The catch is that these apps need to be registered to a Chinese bank account or bank card. So, if you meet someone on your trip that is also going to this sight you can give them the money and they can buy your ticket at a discounted rate.

The Elephant’s Trunk Mountain is the most famous sight to see in Gui Lin. A visit is recommended while in Gui Lin.

How long should you stay in Gui Lin?

My recommendation for the duration of time spent in Gui Lin is one full day. There aren’t too many extraordinary sights to see in Gui Lin besides the Elephant’s Trunk Mountain (Xiàng bí shān) and I personally think that your time could be better spent elsewhere, such as the surrounding area of Gui Lin.

What foods should you try while in Gui Lin?

Gui Lin is famed for their Rice Noodles. While in Gui Lin (or Yang Shuo) give it a try.

Side note: There is a saying that the Southern Chinese people will eat just about anything, from snakes to frogs and etc. You can be as adventurous with your diet here as you would like to be. That is personally not my speed, but to each their own.

The Boat Tours of the Li River

I don’t recommend that tourist take the boat tour from Gui Lin to Yang Shuo. There are several reasons why I don’t recommend this mode of transportation for traveling from Gui Lin to Yang Shuo. One of which being the cost of the boat ticket. Boat tickets need to be bought from local travel agencies and the prices are usually between 300-600 RMB. Also, the travel agents are similar to used car salesman, in that they’ll do or say anything to make the sale. You could go from one travel agency to another comparing prices of the boat tours, find the best price and then take the trip but that would be putting yourself through a lot unnecessary hassle and wasting quite a bit of time. Speaking of time, it will take the boat approximately 4 hours to arrive in Yang Shuo. That must be considered in your travel plans because if you were to board an early boat (let’s say 8am) you wouldn’t get to Yang Shuo until 12pm, and this is not factoring in the time that it took you to shop for the best prices on the boat tour tickets. Once in Yang Shuo you may want to check into your place of lodging and drop off your bags and possibly eat lunch. So, in theory if you planned to spend that whole day in Yang Shuo, it has now been cut to a half day due to the time in transit.

Side note: The travel agents do not take no for an answer and will to great lengths to make the sale if they believe there is even a fraction of a chance of success. I had a travel agent follow me around for 3 blocks and into a train station because he thought that I would at some point change my mind.

The next reason that I don’t recommend the boat tours on the Li River to Yang Shuo has to do directly with the quality of the tours themselves. The tours do offer some extraordinary scenes of the mountains and the river, however, Yang Shuo is the destination because of that scenery. There are no better sights in the area then those in or surrounding Yang Shuo. Also, the Li River is very heavily trafficked by other boats and polluted. Do not expect to see any marine life in the water as it has turned into a brown muddish color. Due to the heavy trafficking of other boats on the Li River don’t expect to hear any of the sounds of nature while on the tour as they will be drowned out by the sounds of other boats and other tour guides.

However, you can expect to be pestered by people on the boat tour trying relentlessly to sell you useless items. You can also expect that the tour will be conducted in Chinese or very broken English. The boat tour of the Li River is one of the tourist traps in Gui Lin and tourists and travelers would be wise to avoid it.

How to get from Gui Lin to Yang Shuo?

The Bus (Recommended)

In order to get from Gui Lin to Yang Shuo travelers can take a bus. The bus ride is anywhere between an hour to an hour in a half depending on traffic (although there isn’t often too much traffic). The bus station is a stone’s throw away from the train station (less than 10 minutes walking) and the ticket price to take the bus is only about 20-30 RMB. There are buses that leave very frequently (I think it was one or two buses an hour when I went there). By taking the bus it will get you to Yang Shuo faster, cheaper and with less hassle.

Side note: If you are a person prone to motion sickness, the bus ride isn’t that bad. Although Gui Lin is riddled with mountains left and right, however, the roads don’t have as many twists and turns as you may think and for the most part they are relatively flat.

By Foot

This way of traveling from Gui Lin to Yang Shuo is not recommended. In order to go by foot from Gui Lin to Yang Shuo it would be best to be traveling with a Chinese friend that is confident that they know the way (which thanks to Baidu maps can be just about anyone) and will have the stamina to complete the trip. The trip will require an entire day’s worth of walking and will be quite exhausting, even more so depending on how much luggage you have. This method of going from Gui Lin to Yang Shuo is only for those travelers that have an excess of time on their hands and plan on spending a significant amount of their trip in the Gui Lin area. The scenery is said to be incredible, but the trip will be very taxing on your body.

The trick to navigating your way through Gui Lin and Yang Shuo

Before I go into detail on all the things there are to do in Yang Shuo, I would first like to tell you the trick to planning your trip to Gui Lin and Yang Shuo. There is a lot of things to see and do in this area, so it is only natural to want to spend a bit more time in here. The more time you spend the more stuff you may want to bring with you and as a result the heavier your luggage will be. However, if you plan on going from Gui Lin to Yang Shuo or elsewhere with all of your luggage you may find yourself lugging around heavy suitcases through most of Guangxi Province. In order to prevent this here is my suggestion:

Pack as much as you want on this trip, but also pack a backpack or smaller bag that you could use to hold 2-3 day’s worth of clothes and essentials. There are several hostels in Gui Lin that will hold your big bag/suitcase in storage while you travel from Gui Lin to Yang Shuo. Use the backpack to travel to Yang Shuo. Once you have finished traveling in Yang Shuo and decide to return to Gui Lin you can retrieve your bag/suitcase and be on your way to your next destination or return home.

I know that leaving your bag/suitcase in one area while traveling to another may give some people a little anxiety. So, let me recommend a hostel that I have personally stayed at and done this with and found them to be very professional, kind and reliable. The hostel is called the Wada. The good thing about this hostel other than having nice accommodations is that there are two hostels named the Wada, one in Gui Lin and the other in Yang Shuo, both of which have the same owner. If, your travel plans change for any reason the employees of the Wada in one area can contact the other Wada an alert them of the changes in your travel plans. Therefore, informing them that the bag/suitcase being stored there may not be picked up for another day or two. It is very convenient and saves you the hassle and worry of contacting the hostel of travel plans change.

So, just to give everyone a little preview of what to expect from this blog.  This will be a blog that suggests places to go for travelers and those planning their trips.  This blog will break down what sights and activities should be done in each place, how much time you can expect to spend doing said activities (more or less, may vary with different people), and useful tips that should be considered before traveling to these places to better enjoy the experience.  

This is not a blog that will go into an in depth encyclopedic description of each sight/city nor will I go into much detail about the history or background of the area.  If, you would like to know more about the area mentioned here google it or wikipedia it, you will find more than enough information on the internet about the history and background of these places.  

What I am seeking to provide are some of the information that can’t be so easily found on the internet.  Information that can only be obtained from either trial and error or local knowledge.  This blog is seeking to make traveling more enjoyable and less stressful.  Concepts such as time of year, seasons, food, traveling on a budget and amount of time expected to be spent in an area will be addressed in the hope of making the planning process for your travel plans easier.  

I am also hoping to make planning your trip easier.  I will break down how much time I think should be expected to be spent in each city and go into even further detail and include how much time should be expected to be spent in each sight.  I will use the metric of days and half days to determine how much time should be spent in each city.  The metric of full days, half days and a few hours for how much time should be expected to spent in each sight.  I do this with the hope that it will make planning the trip easier for anyone reading this blog.  Even if someone is traveling in China for an extended period of time (weeks or months) they could read this blog and have a reasonable idea of how much time should be spent in each city.  I will classify the sights that I recommend people go to if there is time, the sights that can be overlooked and the can’t miss sights.  

I will reveal one bias that I do have though about my opinions in this blog.  That is that I do not care for 90% (made up figure) of the museums that I go to.  Sorry about that, but I feel that museums for the most part are boring, there is never enough places to sit and after about an hour I feel as if I have been dragged on a school field trip and struggle to stay awake (even while standing).  In my own personal experience most museums have left me with back pains and the feeling that I have wasted most of my day indoors.  So, as far as recommendations go, sorry museum lovers they are not high on my list.  

I personally prefer more natural areas.  I personally feel like if a person gets on a plane for 10+ hours they should experiences things that they wouldn’t be able to experience anywhere else in the world and go to the places and sights unique to that area.  That being said I place those natural scenic areas higher up on my recommendation list.  The big city and metropolitan areas are also very nice but personally I’d rather spend my time hiking a mountain or floating down a river.  I have seen many metropolitan areas in the United States, which is why I prefer to see something a bit different when I travel.  

I also hope that I could save people a buck or two by introducing some of the more economic ways to travel around these areas. For some areas (such as Hong Kong) it is very difficult to travel economically. This blog will also cover what to expect while traveling to some of these places. For example, cultural norms, popular modes of transportation within the country and potential obstacles that one might encounter while traveling in these areas.

HOME

My name is Kevin and I was born and raised in South Florida. I have lived in South Florida, in between Miami and Fort Lauderdale in a small place called Cooper City for the majority of my life. I live in Beijing, China from 2014-2016, while I was there I took advantage of the opportunity to travel as much as possible through China and during that time I visited over 20 different cities. I am fluent in Chinese and managed to get to some places that aren’t often frequented by Westerners (although those places are becoming more and more rare). I have an extensive knowledge of how to travel around China. I have also traveled to Japan, Thailand, Bolivia and some cities in the United States and Canada. My area of focus will be China, however, I will also include some of those other places that I traveled and go into detail about what I would do and how I would do it if I had the opportunity to return to those places.

My goal for writing this blog is to both give people recommendations about what to do, where to go and more or less how much time they should expect to spend in their destinations. I have had excellent travel experiences and horror stories and from all of those experiences I hope I can help more people have positive experiences and avoid the horror stories.

In preparation for traveling to each of these places I conducted research to see what the popular sights and attractions were in that area. The culmination of the information obtained about these places came from multiple different sources such as local knowledge, searching the web and travel books. Along with this blog I also highly recommend picking up an edition of the Lonely Planet. I think those books are well written and organized and they put the top sights at the beginning of the book to be able to locate those areas quickly, whether you’re reading in your house or on the go you can quickly locate the sights that you want.

Home