Learn Chinese, Travel or Work in China
This article is dedicated to analyzing the best public and private educational establishments for studying Chinese in Guilin and Yangshuo, two incredible places to live in the Guangxi province. In addition, we will analyze the pros and cons of studying Chinese in these two places.
If you’re interested in a more general overview of studying Chinese in China, you can read
this article.
Yangshuo is a smiling town in the north of Guangxi located about 60 kilometers from Guilin, on the banks of the Li River, near the confluence of the Yulong River.
It is set among the world-unique karst formations that have led it to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
This characteristic has favored, starting in the 80’s, the development of a large amount of economic activity tied to mass tourism; activities that are still in the course of development and make up the backbone of not only the city’s economy, but the entire province.
The almost complete lack of pollution, the presence of numerous services and pleasant climate (for more information read our guide on living in Yangshuo) makes the city an ideal place to stay for even long periods.
If you’re thinking about staying there or even just spending a bit of time in this city and don’t have an income to count on, I think that the information that I will bring out in this article will be useful to you.
This guide is a collection of resources and practical advice for living in Yangshuo, a town located on the outskirts of Guilin, in Guangxi Province. Here are the subjects that we will consider:
In this article, after a brief overview of Yangshuo and Tai Chi, I will go on to describe in detail the four Tai Chi schools in Yangshuo (personally I only attended the first three).
At the end, I will illustrate the criteria to keep in mind when choosing the best school for you and the course costs for Tai Chi in Yangshuo.
Yangshuo is a famous (at least among the Chinese) tourist destination in the region of Guangxi along the banks of the Li River (Li Jiang). The draw is that it is set between the river and granite formations unique in the world to the point of being recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 2015 11 million tourists went to see these rocky “protuberances” down intersecting rivers (Li being the bigger one), the majority of which were Chinese. There’s certainly no lack of foreigners, but as opposed to how things were up to a decade ago, they have the same dilution as a drop of tap water in the Pacific Ocean.
This tourist attraction is (by Chinese standards) a small town of about 200,000 inhabitants, and has its pros and cons. The most obvious con is that especially during the summer season (from June through August), the crowds are overwhelming just about everywhere.
Especially on West Street (the main shopping drag) its like being front row at a popular star’s concert. This makes prices soar, prices that go back down quickly at the end of the season when sellouts only happen on weekends and Chinese holidays.
There are lots of pros, which in my opinion are the difference makers: [Read more…]
I was climbing with my friend José in an indoor gym one bitterly cold Tuesday in Shanghai when he gave me bad news.
“Hey, I have news. I’m moving to Yangshuo to rock climb and learn more Chinese.”
We had been climbing partners for a couple months, which can be hard to find. He was a laid back guy from Mexico, and we spoke in Spanglish while we alternated between climbing and belaying. José had been working in Shanghai for two years at some marketing firm and wanted a change. I was fresh off the boat and had only been in China for three months, so I wasn’t familiar with many places in China.
He told me more about Yangshuo – it’s a tiny town in Guangxi province, just an hour outside of Guilin by bus. It has about 30,000 people, which is minuscule for China. It’s known for its world class climbing, which is well developed. José had been there before, and now he wanted to move there. For selfish reasons I was disappointed he would be leaving, but I was curious to see how this Yangshuo was. I took his offer to visit on Chinese New Year and started going to the climbing gym 3-4 times a week to get in shape for the trip. Little did I know, Yangshuo would become my favorite place in China and one of my best climbing experiences.
When Chinese New Year rolled around I was anxious for my five-day trip. I flew from Shanghai’s Pudong airport into Guilin, which took three hours. I had been nervous about how to get to Yangshuo from Guilin, but it was much easier than I expected. As I was walking through the airport I saw signs in English that said ‘Bus to Yangshuo’, so I followed them. I bought a ticket and arrived in Yangshuo an hour and a half later. [Read more…]
Are you familiar with the karst hills of Guilin and Yangshuo? If not it’s simple: if you’re in China take out a 20 Yuan banknote and look at its printed design!
These hills, which are unique in the world follow one after another, similar to mushrooms that sprout from the bowels of the earth to offer us trails that cross each other in an infinite and surreal manner, looking more like a child’s drawing than the incredible work of mother nature.
If paradise exists and has various forms, this is surely one of its best views on earth and if you find yourself in China, a visit of several days in these places is an absolute mus..
Keep reading to learn how to get to Yangshuo, when to visit it, and what to do in town! [Read more…]
The terraced rice paddies of Longsheng – The photos are all from Matteo Bosi
You already know how to get to Guilin. And if it’s still not clear, have a look at this guide. How to avoid swallowing the bait and staying only in this congested city, preferring instead smaller Yangshuo and its surrounds, you will certainly learn it from Furio’s (mis)adventures.
Good,so let’s talk about what you absolutely shouldn’t miss in any trip to the Guanxi region, the terraced rice paddies of the Spine of the Dragon. [Read more…]
Guilin is one of the top touristic destinations in China. For this reason there’re hundreds of hotels and choosing the right one might be difficult. Here we selected some of the best hotels in the city to make your choice easier. Remember to book in advance, because this hotels get easily full booked. If you plan to visit the rice terraces of Guanxi Province, at the end of the article you’ll find also some spectacular hotels in the district of Longsheng.
If you want some general tips about booking a hotel in China, you may want to read this article.
the Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin is a luxurious hotel overlooking the Li River and offering beautiful view of the city along with deluxe amenities and services. The hotel is located at 4.5 km from the city center and provides easy access to city’s must-visit destinations. This hotel offers top-notch facilities and very friendly staff that speak fluent English. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms and public areas allow the guests to stay connected to their social world. Famous places like Seven-Star Park, Shan Hu, Elephant Trunk Hill, all within 4 km from the hotel. The hotel also has special facilities for disabled guests.
Are you traveling to Yangshuo? Choosing a good hotel in this town can be a difficult due to the large number of hotels that exist and because in Yangshuo, many of the hotels are of doubtful quality. In this article, you will find a review of the best hotels in town, whatever your budget may be. Just enjoy your Li River cruise!
If you are interested in the general idea of how to book hotels in China, you can read our recommendations here.
The Yangshuo Resort Hotel is located in the Dragon River District, which is a great place to enjoy the beauty of Yangshuo as it is in close proximity with the Darongshu Scenic Area. The hotel is also close to the Jianshan Temple and Butterfly Spring. It is 70 km from Guilin Railway Station, 72 km from Guilin Coach Station and 95 km from Guilin Liangjiang International Airport. All the 234 rooms and public areas have free Wi-Fi facility and the hotel is equipped with luxurious amenities like a fitness center, outdoor pool, sauna and spa, and massage center. The hotel does not have many people speaking English; however, there are a few staff members that can converse in English. The hotel also provides airport transfer, shuttle service and free private on-site parking.
Wanna know a funny thing?
Everybody talks about Guilin and the Guilin cruise. However if you want to get lost within the world famous hills of Guangxi Province you better stay in Yangshuo, the arrival point of the Li River cruise.
And this is exactly what I did. I arrived to the train station of Guilin from Chengdu, took the cruise and ended up in Yangshuo, where I spent two nights.
You’ll always find somebody that will tell you “Oh, Yangshuo is soooo touristic, I’ve been then twenty five years ago and it was much better.”
Yeah.
I always reply the same thing to those fuckards: “Yeah, Berlin was different too, you know? There was a big wall and soldiers in every corner.” [Read more…]
Guilin, in Guangxi Province, is one of most popular touristic destination in China as it’s the starting point of the cruise on the Li River – which is surrounded by impressive limestone formations – that ends up in Yangshuo.
The easiest way to reach Guilin is by plane as there are flights from about any Chinese major city. Also, there are flights from Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Osaka and Seoul. The airport is a bit far from the downtown so expect to pay about 100 yuan for a taxi’s ride. You can also take the shuttle bus (20 yuan) and then a taxi to downtown as the bus will stop on the South of the downtown.
Beside the plane you can also reach Guilin by train; it will usually take at least 12 hours as the city is quite far from all the major Chinese cities and the high speed train didn’t arrive yet in Western China. Actually it took me 29 hours to get there from Chengdu. [Read more…]