"Guilin's scenery is the finest under heaven" — and the Li River is where the saying was born. The image on the ¥20 note is the Huangbu reflection at Xingping.
The classic run: Mopan Mountain Pier to Yangshuo, about 4 hours on a roomy cruise boat with an open deck; or take a bamboo raft on the Xingping stretch to skim the water itself.
Landmarks along the way: Nine Horses Hill (a "herd" painted by nature), the Huangbu Reflection (the ¥20 backdrop), Yangdi and the misty waves of Langshi.
Season and light: clear days give the best reflections; rain gives that dreamy ink-wash mood. Dawn mist over the river is the photographer's hour.
Arriving in Yangshuo: beer fish on West Street, rafts on the Yulong River, cycling the Ten-Mile Gallery — turn the scenic cruise into scenic living.
