About an hour bicycle ride southeast of Yangshuo, is Moon Hill (Yueliang Shan). The fantastic views from the top have made this hill one of Yangshuo's best attractions! Moon Hill has a natural round cave at the peak and from a distance, the cave (a hole in the peak) resembles the moon, hence the name.
Moon Hill Villagecan also be seen from Moon Hill's peak. Local villagers will offer guided tours of Moon Hill and the surrounding peaks, caves (see below) and villages for relatively reasonable prices (RMB50-100 for one day). They are quite friendly and may even offer you lunch at their home as part of the tour.
Between the village and Moon Hill, stands aBanyan treethat according to legend, was planted in the Jin Dynasty, about 1,500 years ago. While impressive and very old, up close you will find it is just an old tree and not particularly inspiring!
On the way to or back from Moon Hill, it is great fun to explore the nearby caves. TheBlack Buddha New Water Cavesand theBlack Dragon Cavesare lots of fun for those who love a little adventure. The Black Dragon Caves tour is partly by boat and requires some wading. This expedition takes you through some great underground swimming holes so go prepared to get wet and dirty! The caves areonly open in the summerand tours cost as much as RMB100, but you can bargain (especially when part of a larger group) and it is very much worth it.
How to get there:By bicycle, take the main road leaving Yangshuo and take a right heading south. Travel for less than an hour (10 kilometers one way) and you'll see Moon Hill on your right. Moon Hill is also reachable by car or mini-bus from Yangshuo via the highway.