Xingping Section of the Li River: The Most Beautiful Section of the Li River

The most beautiful section of the Li River, which is known for its stunning scenery, is located in Xingping Town, Yangshuo County. The river is wide and the water flows slowly here, with strange peaks and green bamboo on both sides. On February 1, 2025, we chose to stay in Xingping Ancient Town. Although the town is small, it is full of historical charm. We strolled around and tasted local delicacies. Early the next morning, due to the narrow roads and heavy traffic, we walked several hundred meters from our accommodation to visit the site depicted on the back of the 20 RMB note (Photo 12). Afterwards, we took an electric tricycle (CNY 20 one way, for up to 4 passengers) to the "Nine Horses Fresco Hill" pier, and took a ferry (CNY 5 per person, one way) to the opposite bank to admire the "Nine Horses Fresco Hill" (Photo 3, we faced the cliff and tried to count the horses, but couldn't find all nine). At the "Nine Horses Fresco Hill" scenic spot, we rented a "wild taxi" operated by a local villager (CNY 120 round trip) to go to "Xiangong Hill" 9 km away. We climbed the hill (CNY 60 per person, CNY 30 per person for those aged 60–65, free for those aged 65 and over) and overlooked the most beautiful section of the Li River (Photo 1). On the way back, we visited the site depicted in the "Guilin's Scenery is the Best in the World" painting (Photo 4). On that day, the temperature in Xingping Town was only 10°C, and there was light rain, but we were so intoxicated by the beautiful scenery of the Li River that we seemed to forget the wet and cold weather.