River tours between Guilin and Yangshuo are an extremely popular way to see the natural scenery along the Lijiang River.

Though the site is situated in Central China's Guangxi' Zhuang Autonomous Region -- Guilin City is almost 2,000 kilometers southwest of Beijing -- you have already "visited" it if you have ever used the 20-yuan note. It is printed with the scenery of the Lijiang River.

The Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the centerpiece of any trip to northeastern Guangxi Province. Gorgeous karst peaks surprise at each bend of the limpid river. Water buffalo patrol the fields, peasants reap rice paddies, school kids and fisherman float by on bamboo rafts.

What to see

The trip starts from the dock south of Liberation Bridge in Guilin's downtown area. Some agencies will transport visitors by a one-hour bus ride to catch the cruise.

The river trip is over 80 kilometers long and takes seven to eight hours.

However the eye-catching landscape and country scenery never disappoints.

The stunning scenery is accompanied by some legendary stories which the guides will relate.

Most are mystical fairy tales and love stories. Use your imagination and see if it matches what the guide relates...

Yangdi Village

The most beautiful and unique peaks are along the Lijiang River between Yangshuo and Yangdi Village, which is about a third of the way to Guilin from Yangshuo. Look for Crown Rock, Nine Horses Mountain, Screw Mountain and Mural Hill along with many other strange and fascinating peaks along the way to Yangdi.

Yangshuo Town

Yangshuo, beside Dali in Yunnan, is China's most popular backpacker destination. The village is set amongst limestone and karst peaks and is filled with quaint alleys, shops and restaurants that serve many kinds of Western food. The surrounding land is flat and perfect for bicycle riding, with your choice of peaks to climb and local villages to visit.

Night surprise!

The world-famous movie director Zhang Yimou is transforming the river into a natural theatre and 12 performances will be shown here every evening from October 1 to 7.

The outdoor theatre, where the Lijiang River and Tianjia River meet, covers an area of two-kilometers along the Lijiang River. Some 12 peaks serve as the ''stage'' setting. With the adaption of the largest scale artistic neon light and unique man-made smoke effect system, Zhang tries to produce a poetic and dream-like vision.

The one-hour performances will combine classical folk songs, folk culture and lights trained on fishing boats, integrating them with the surroundings to present a picture of harmony between humans and nature.

The theatre offers 1,800 ordinary seats, 180 VIP seat and 20 "presidential" seats.

Cost of the trip

The cost of the package river trip from Guilin to Yangshuo ranges from 180 yuan (US$22) to 500 yuan (US$60) (but includes a bus ride back to Guilin and lunch on the boat), depending on the style of boat.

Price of the night performance:

Still unconfirmed as we went to press. See below for further details. How to get there

Train route T5 from Beijing West Railway Station gets to Guilin. It takes 24 hours and costs about 400 yuan (US$48) for a sleeping berth.

Direct flights from Beijing to Guilin are available every day (1,000 yuan/US$125).

Hotline for the performance ticket: 0773-8811983

Hotline for flight information in Guilin: 0773-2845359

Train hotline in Guilin: 0773-3835956.

(Beijing Weekend September 2, 2003)