T R A V E L S
T R A V E L S
Guilin: Magical Mystery Tour
Picture yourself in a boat on a river,
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies...
When the Beatles penned these words, it’s not likely they had southern China’s Guanxi province in mind. But substitute ‘persimmon’ for tangerine, add some smoky skies and otherworldly rock formations, and a boat trip down the Li river becomes a true magical mystery tour.
In some ways it’s like that – a trip back to an another age, where old men still fish with cormorants, and riverbanks are swathed orange with drying persimmons, and locals pole about on narrow bamboo rafts with their wares.
But it’s the scenery which strikes you most of all. A serrated landscape of tall, narrow limestone mountains – karsts, in geologic terms - which fade away in rows of dragon’s teeth into the mist. It’s the same storied landscape portrayed in classical Chinese paintings, and if Tolkien was to write new scenes for The Lord of the Rings, this would make an ideal fantasy setting. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.
Fishing with cormorants. The surreal landscape of the Li River
The trip down the Li river lasts 4 to 6 hours, depending on boat traffic and on water levels. Be warned though that on weekends and peak holidays the river traffic can get heavy (which erodes but doesn’t eliminate the magic of the experience). And while there are faster, cheaper ways to get to Yangshuo, two hours on a jostling minibus cannot compare with the winding elegance of this river journey.
Yangshuo is a lively place, and there’s no shortage of activities for you to fill a few days. The more energetic can try rock-climbing (with qualified guides) on some of the local limestone cliffs -- or rent a bicycle and spend a day pedalling the quiet backroads between rice-fields, persimmon groves and stone villages. Those interested in more traditional pursuits can, for a few dollars, take Erhu or Chinese flute lessons. You can also join one of the cormorant fishermen on the river and watch him use trained diving birds to collect fish from the dark river waters – a practice that has existed for thousands of years.
Another highlight is to take small bamboo rafts down some of the local tributary streams. You can sit back, shaded from the sun, while your ‘gondolier’ poles you quietly downstream, past steep gorges and over occasional low dams. The water is startlingly clear, and in hot weather neighbouring rafts tend to erupt into laughing water attacks. It’s a surreal, almost heavenly way to spend an afternoon. For those wanting a real panoramic view of the region, the more adventurous can hire a hot air balloon to view the Guilin landscape from a breathtaking height.
Hot air ballooning over the mountains. A relaxed afternoon’s rafting.
If it’s food you’re after, then Yangshuo’s West street is the place. Gone are the days when a greasy cheese-topped pancake was passed off as pizza. Now you can eat your fill of authentic Italian polenta, Turkish kebabs, or American hamburgers. But you’d be remiss not to try the local delicacies as well – ‘beerfish’ (local river fish spiced with garlic, chillies and beer), ‘stuffed snails with pork’, ‘crispy duck’ (a variant of Peking duck) and ‘kou rou’ (a seasoned pork belly dish, piquant, and as soft as custard.) There are quiet cafés to wile away an afternoon with a book over some pu’er tea or strong Yunnan coffee. West street also has plenty of night-time watering holes, which come alive after dark with music and beery crowds.
Guilin/Yangshuo makes an ideal 3 or 4 day getaway, and is the perfect antidote for anyone weary of Hong Kong’s towers or Beijing’s dust-storms. Gaze upon timeless mountains, spend an afternoon on a lazy river, and if you see the girl with kaleidoscope eyes, don’t forget to say hello.
This article article was first published in TODAY.
by Mark Malby
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
A peaceful day’s rafting on the Yulong River - photograph Mark Malby
The mystical landscape of Guanxi Province.
Photos & text ©2000 - 2010 Mark Malby for Mute Planet