Magnificent Guilin — Sunrise at Xianggong Shan in Xingping

At the hotel I inquired about a private car ride to take me to Xianggong Shan for sunrise viewing. After a day, I was told that there would be no one else to join me on this ride, and therefore I would be fully responsible for the RMB 180 yuan fee for the car and the driver. I was happy to pay that, although I already knew that the weather conditions would not be favorable.

Bright and early at 5:30am I waited outside of my hostel for the driver to arrive at 5:50am. Surely the drive came a little early at 5:45am. He first took me on to a rubber raft to cross the Li River, the pier of which lies right by the hostel. He parked his car at the other shore.

The way up Xianggong Shan is an easy 20 minute climb. The car park was at a high altitude already. Topping up with a 20 minute climb, I ended up at a very high vantage point to savor a 270-degree view of the karst peak clusters.

It was pitch dark when I made my way up. I quickly secured a viewing spot, as I was a little surprised how many people were doing the same as I did (and why did none of them join me and share my cost for the ride).

It takes little imagination for one to see how beautiful an experience it would have been had the sky been clear. At that viewing platform I could see quite clearly the town settlement that lies by the river and enveloped by an endless rolling of karst peaks. The fog did bring forth a somewhat melancholy vibe to the scenery, like a classic Chinese ink painting.

The day was not only gloomy, but with thick, heavy overcast that prevented the proper appearance of sun rays, let alone the sun itself. I was lucky enough to be able to observe a progression of light in my hour spent there at the peak. Perhaps a little surprisingly, I found the half hour before the sunrise to present more intriguing views of the scenery, when the lights of the underlying town settlement were still visible in pitch darkness.

I visited Guilin in January and so anyone doing a sunrise tour must bundle up with warm clothing. A down jacket, a scarf and perhaps a beanie would be necessary.

A Review of the Three Ancient Towns of Huangyao, Yangshuo and Xingping

I have seen much of the three ancient towns of Huangyao, Yangshuo and Xingping on this trip.  It is a good idea to share a few brief insights about these three towns.

Huangyao is the most friendly to tourists that look for heritage and learning. Throughout my stay at Huangyao, I saw clear signs explaining the history of old structures. In Xingping, the businesses were more catered to the interests of those tourists looking for leisure and relaxation. The restaurants there came with a much greater variety, the shopping was more diverse and interesting. In terms of heritage, there was not a focus in Xingping on imparting historical knowledge to the tourists, although the antique quality of the town’s character was clear and it was just as beautiful.

Of the three ancient towns, Xingping seemed to exhibit the most authenticity in terms of being a town with its own local life. Both Huangyao and Yangshuo strike me as locations that lived and breathed the economy of tourism. Xingping, however, seemed to show a life of its own besides the heavy tourist presence.

As to Yangshuo, I have passed the age when I could have liked it for the party atmosphere at night. The so-called heritage sites in Yangshuo are for show (meaning instagrammable pictures) only. But for tourists looking for a good time at hip bars with the latest dance music, Yangshuo certainly is the place to be. The food choices in Yangshuo were also more “local,” as compared to the wide selection of western styled foods in Xingping.

However, the river views of Yangshuo really does top all that of Guilin, as it claims itself to be. Seeing it is believing it.