Yulong River Bamboo Rafting: A Must-Try Experience in Yangshuo!
This time, my main goal in visiting Yangshuo was to experience the Yulong River bamboo rafting, so I prepared thoroughly in advance.
✔ Bamboo Raft Types: The Yulong River bamboo rafting is divided into several sections, with options for two-person rafts and three-person rafts. The two-person raft is the most common and offers the most route options. I chose the two-person raft for my trip.
✔ Ticket Purchase: Tickets can be purchased via the "iTour Yangshuo" mini program at 8:00 PM one day in advance.
✔ Recommended Routes (Choose one based on your preference):
There are many routes for bamboo rafting, and the purchase interface distinguishes them. Here are three popular two-person raft routes:
1⃣️ Shui'e Di Pier → Comprehensive Pier (200 RMB/raft): This is the highlight route, very popular, with many visitors, and tickets are harder to get.
2⃣️ Jima Pier → Comprehensive Pier (320 RMB/raft): Includes the scenic views of the Shui'e Di section, easier to get tickets, and features several exciting dam drops.
3⃣️ Xiatang Pier → Jima Pier (200 RMB/raft): Less crowded and more scenic compared to the above two routes.
I chose the Jima Pier → Comprehensive Pier route at 8:00 AM. Since I was already here, I wanted to experience it thoroughly. In the morning, I took a taxi from the hotel to Jima Pier and started the bamboo rafting directly. The entire journey took about an hour and ten minutes. This route includes nine dam drops, with two or three being quite thrilling, splashing water onto your clothes and face. If you prefer to stay dry, you can prepare something to shield yourself. As the raft approached Shui'e Di, the number of boats noticeably increased.
If it happens to rain, don't worry. The Yulong River scenery in the rain has its own charm. As long as it's not heavy rain that halts the rafting, I highly recommend experiencing it. The scenery on both sides of the river is stunning, with Guilin's unique mountains and waters. It's rare to drift so close to nature. The bamboo rafting ends at Comprehensive Pier, near Gongnong Bridge. Conveniently, my hotel was nearby, so I could rest for a while, rent an electric scooter to explore West Street, have lunch, and then start cycling along the Ten-Mile Gallery in the afternoon.