漓江

Why this place

The Li River runs between the karst peaks of Guilin and Yangshuo, and it is the landscape on the back of the Chinese twenty-yuan note — conical limestone hills rising straight out of flat green fields, with water buffalo and bamboo rafts in front of them. It is the most reproduced landscape in Chinese art.

What to see

• The four-hour cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, past the classic peaks
• Xingping, where the twenty-yuan note view is, and the old town itself
• The Yulong River, a smaller tributary with rafts and cycling paths
• The karst caves at Reed Flute and Crown Cave, and the night cormorant fishing shows

What to eat

• Yangshuo's beer fish — river fish cooked with beer and tomato, a local invention
• Guilin rice noodles, and the region's river snails and Li river shrimp

How to plan

Two days: the cruise down one day, cycling the Yulong the next.

Best time

April–May and September–October; summer is hot and wet

Practical tips

• The big cruise boats are slow and packed — the smaller rafts from Yangdi are more pleasant if the water level allows