Getting There-- The nearestrail and airconnections are in Guilin, but tickets can be purchased here from CITS. From the bus station on Pantao Lu,busesdepart for Guilin (70 min.; ¥7.50/95¢) every 10 to 15 minutes from 7:30am to 8pm; for Xingping (1 hr.; ¥3.50/45¢) every 15 minutes from 6am to 7:30pm; for Fuli (20 min.; ¥5/60¢) every 15 minutes from 6am to 7:30pm; and for Gaotian (a half-hour; ¥2/25¢) every 15 minutes from 6:30am to 7pm. Direct buses also run to Guangzhou (8 hr.; ¥150/$19) at 10am, noon, 4pm, and 10pm; and to Shenzhen (10 hr.; ¥180/$22) at 5:30pm and 9pm.
Taxisfrom Guilin (your hotel in Guilin can arrange this) will make the trip in an hour at a cost of around ¥250 to ¥300 ($31-$38). If heading straight to Yangshuo, call ahead and your hotel can arrange a taxi for between ¥160 to ¥180 ($20-$23).
Getting Around-- Yangshuo's main thoroughfare is the cobblestone pedestrian streetXi Jie (West Street),also known as Yangren Jie (Foreigner's Street). It runs from Pantao Lu to the Li River boat docks and is where the bulk of travelers' cafes, shops, and basic guesthouses are clustered. The town itself is small enough to be traversed by foot in less than an hour.Bikesare the best means of getting to outlying sights, and are available for rent for ¥10 ($1.25) at many Xi Jie cafes and hotels, as well as at the southern end of Xi Jie towards Pantao Lu.Motorcycle taxis,normally ¥3 (40¢) for 3km (2 miles), will offer to take tourists out to Moon Mountain and nearby caves for ¥30 ($3.75), but be sure to agree on all the desired destinations and cost beforehand.
Tours & Guides--CITSat Xi Jie 110 (tel.0773/882-7102;fax 0773/882-7102; citsys@sina.com.cn) has three outlets on Xi Jie and offers many local tours. A 1- or 2-day Longsheng Minority Village tour costs ¥150 ($19); the bus leaves Yangshuo at 7:30am and returns at 7pm. There are also Li River cruises between Yangshuo and Xingping and between Xingping and Yangdi. Day tours can be booked at several travelers' cafes, includingPlanet Yangshuoat Pantao Lu 47 (tel.1350/7839231). Be aware that all agents in Yangshuo are now charging a ridiculous booking fee of ¥50 ($6.25) for train and plane tickets, so it would pay to book ahead.
Visitor Information-- The friendlyYangshuo Luyou Zixun Fuwu Zhongxin (Yangshuo Tourism Information Service Center)just south of the bus station on Pantao Lu (tel.0773/882-7922) can answer basic questions on accommodations, local sights, and tours.
Fast Facts
Banks, Foreign Exchange & ATMs-- TheBank of Chinais located at Binjiang Lu 11. Forex hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
Internet Access-- Internet access is available at a number of cafes and also atCITS(Xi Jie 110) for ¥6 to ¥10 (75¢-$1.25) per hour. Dial-up is tel.96163.
Post Office-- The post office (open 9am-9:30pm) is at Pantao Lu 28.
Visa Extensions-- The YangshuoPSBoffice at Chengbei Lu 39 now tells foreigners that they have to go to Guilin to renew their visas.