Li River 4-Star Cruise with Buffet Lunch from Guilin

Zhujiang Pier and the Start of the Cruise

Most Li River cruise boats from Guilin leave from Zhujiang Pier or nearby Mopanshan, about an hour's drive south-east of the city, because the river upstream is shallow for much of the year. From here to Yangshuo the river runs for roughly 60 kilometres through the heart of the karst landscape, the stretch often described as the finest river scenery in China.

Our driver brings you to the pier and helps you find the boarding point; seats on the boat are assigned with the tickets and are numbered consecutively. Once aboard, settle in, then head to the upper deck as the boat pulls away: the first peaks rise straight from the water within minutes. The Li River cruise from Guilin is the one experience almost every traveller to the region chooses, and starting early gives you the soft morning light.

The Karst Peaks Between Caoping and Yangdi

In the first hour the river narrows between steep green hills around Caoping and the Crown Cave area, then opens into a broad valley near Yangdi. The limestone peaks here formed over millions of years as rain and rivers dissolved the rock, leaving isolated towers with sheer sides and rounded tops. Along the banks you see water buffalo cooling in the shallows, small farms, bamboo stands that lean over the water and, after rain, thin waterfalls on the cliffs.

Fishermen on narrow bamboo rafts are a common sight, and every bend reveals a new skyline of peaks. The audio commentary, in several languages, tells the local names of each formation: many are said to resemble animals or figures from folk tales. Keep your camera ready on both sides of the boat; the views change constantly.

Nine Horse Fresco Hill and Xingping

Between Yangdi and Xingping the boat passes Nine Horse Fresco Hill, a high cliff face patterned in green, white and ochre, where locals see the outlines of horses in different poses. Shortly after comes Yellow Cloth Shoal, where a pale rock beneath clear water gives the river its name, and the peaks are reflected almost perfectly on calm days.

Around Xingping lies the scene printed on the back of a Chinese banknote, the most famous view on the river, and many passengers bring the note to compare. Is the Li River cruise worth it? For this section alone, yes: it is the image of Guilin known across China. The best time for the cruise is from April to October, when the water is high and the landscape green; in autumn the skies are often clearest.

Life on Board and the Buffet Lunch

The 4-star boats are larger and steadier than the standard ones, with air-conditioned cabins, wide windows, clean facilities and an open deck on top for photographs. Mid-way through the cruise a buffet lunch is served on board, with a choice of Chinese and Western dishes such as rice, noodles, steamed chicken, fish, vegetables, dim sum and fresh fruit, along with soft drinks.

The buffet is not certified halal; travellers who eat only halal food often choose fish, vegetables, rice and fruit. In Guilin and Yangshuo you can also find noodle shops run by Hui Muslim families; ask us and we will point you to one for dinner. Infants under 1.2 metres share an adult's seat at a reduced booking that covers lunch and pickup only.

Arrival in Yangshuo and How to Continue

The cruise ends at Longtoushan Pier in Yangshuo, a short stroll from West Street, the town's lively old lane of shops, cafés and craft stalls. The service ends at the pier, so you are free to explore the town, check into a hotel in Yangshuo, or head back to Guilin, about one hour and a half by road. We can arrange a private transfer back to Guilin or onward from Yangshuo on request.

How to get to the Li River cruise on your own means finding the pier, queuing for tickets and arranging transport; this booking takes care of the pickup and ticket for you. Many travellers spend a night in Yangshuo to enjoy the Yulong River countryside and the evening light show on the river. Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL) is about 40 minutes from the city and about one hour and a half from Yangshuo.