Travel notes | A glimpse of Yangshuo’s landscapes

Guilin’s landscapes are the best in the world, but the essence is actually in Yangshuo. This is why we went straight to Yangshuo. Many of Liu Sanjie’s exterior scenes were in Yangshuo. As for where the legend of Sister Liu Sanjie originated from, I haven’t figured out yet. It must have been on both sides of the Li River, that’s for sure.
In order to have a short but focused tour, we decided to only go to Shili Gallery, Utopia and Lijiang River Rafting. As for Yinzi Cave, we will not go there because time does not allow it. Although we slept very late, we still completed the check-out procedure at 6:30, and it was still dark.
It is said that Shili Gallery is the essence of Yangshuo, so our first goal is it. The sky was foggy, and I could probably see the appearance of the huge rocks from the night before. When I drove across the Workers' and Peasants' Bridge, I saw the beautiful mountains and rivers on both sides, so I asked them to find a parking lot and walk around the big banyan tree before taking a look.
The Big Banyan Tree Scenic Area is located on the south bank of the Jinbao River in Chuanyan Village, Gaotian Township. In the movie "Liu Sanjie", the scene where Brother A Niu and Liu Sanjie sing to each other, throw hydrangeas, and seal their lifelong love was filmed under the tree. This big banyan tree bears witness to their undying love. So it is very well-known, and most tourists from out of town will choose to visit here. It is said that it was planted in the Sui Dynasty and has a history of thousands of years. Although the trunk is old and the roots are tangled, it is still full of vitality. Under the ancient trees, the Jinbao River flows slowly, as clear as a mirror. The small river is intercepted by a dam. When the water rises, the water rolls over the dam surface, adding sound, light and dynamics to the elegant environment. There is a ferry under the ancient banyan tree. The "Rongyin Ancient Ferry" is a scene in Yangshuo.
The big banyan tree is more than seven meters in circumference and 17 meters in height. It has lush branches and leaves, covering the sky with thick shade. It covers an area of ​​more than 100 square meters. In nature, only the banyan tree can " form a forest " by itself. The banyan tree can grow many hanging aerial roots, which can absorb water from the humid air; the pillar roots embedded in the soil strengthen the tree's ability to absorb water and inorganic salts from the soil. This is The secret of the banyan tree " a single tree forms a forest " .
We also came here because of this name. After buying the tickets and entering the Big Banyan Tree Scenic Area, I felt a little disappointed. The banyan trees are very tall and there are also ferries, but they are just a shortcut for the villagers on the other side to row bamboo rafts to the scenic spot to make money. , and the scenic area is very small, you can finish it in just a few steps.

The place where we parked our car was located at the confluence of the Yulong River and Jinbao River, formerly known as "Qing'edu". There is also a tourist pier here, but we are not interested, and it is not open yet. Next to the pier, there is a bridge. From the bridge, you can see overlapping mountains, green bamboos covering the river, and secluded villages. It is a typical pastoral landscape and an ideal place for photography and painting.

On both sides of the road, there were food vendors selling food. We ordered a grilled fish, which was said to be a local fish. The female owner of the vendor carefully grilled the semi-finished fish on the fire and was very patient. , when handing it to my daughter, I reminded her not to burn it. The grilled fish tasted very good, and I quickly devoured it, and then bought some food from other stalls.

It was daybreak, and the sun finally rose from the clouds. Standing on the Workers' and Peasants' Bridge, I saw that among the endless fields, the Tianjia River was like a piece of white silk, twisting and flowing eastward, and the karst landforms were reflected in the quiet countryside. On the river, there are little boats.

We took out the guide map and looked at the surrounding scenic spots. It seemed that they were not inconvenient to drive. We didn’t want to walk too much. We wanted to go rafting. There were more people in Shili Gallery. The scenery seemed to be similar. Some A place I wanted to visit conflicted with the location of the rafting. After much picking and choosing, I chose a paradise.

The "Utopia" scenic spot is about 12 kilometers away from Yangshuo County, including a river, two caves, and three villages. It is a leisure tourism that integrates ethnic customs, labor customs, strange mountains and rivers, caves, pastoral scenery and other tourism resources. resort.
There were not many cars in the farm parking lot, and I thought there were not many tourists either. After purchasing the tickets, I found out when I arrived at the entrance that there were many people queuing up. The scenic spot called people one by one according to the numbers written on the tickets. The tourists queuing in front told us that it would take more than an hour to wait for us. At the entrance, there is a zigzag water-friendly wooden trestle, and at the end is a platform of several hundred square meters for tourists to rest and take photos. The water surface becomes very open here. I don’t know if there is an artificial dam or a naturally formed lake. On the far side of the lake, there are endless mountains of mountains. They look like something. You can imagine it as you like. On the right hand side, The Dong Tower is unique, with your head lowered, the lake is clear, and you can enjoy the beautiful scenery while waiting.
The waiting time was not as long as expected. The core tour of the scenic spot is to take a boat around the island in the water. Bamei Village, the core of the Utopia scenic spot, is located in a triangular dam and must be crossed by boat. You can enter the village only through the long water hole. After passing through the water cave, the terrain suddenly opens up, forming a unique and beautiful environment. A river runs through the narrow valley from south to north, and there are patches of farmland scattered in the open areas of the valley. On the hillside, there is a Zhuang Village village among ancient banyan trees and green bamboos. The waterwheels built by the villagers along the river and the fences in the fields form a small rural scene. The scenic spot has also built some ethnic houses on the boat route. When the cruise ship passes back and forth, welcome songs and farewell songs with local ethnic characteristics are sung. The male voice is loud and the female voice is gentle, coupled with the sound of wooden drums, different styles Season, or the wind blows the reeds and white catkins fly, or the water flows and the peach blossoms are all over the ground, or the green peaks, yellow rice, green bamboos, and the scenery of the lakes and mountains in front of you, that kind of leisure, that kind of tranquility, that kind of Comfort, how can it not be a paradise?

After a week's sailing, the tourists landed at the pier at the Dongjia Tower. When we arrived, there was a song and dance performance. I asked my daughter to participate, but she still couldn't let go of her shyness. In front of the embroidery building, there was a performance of throwing hydrangea balls. A group of Korean old people were in great spirits in the small and spacious yard. Everyone was there "looking forward to it". I didn't remember who the hydrangea ball hit. Anyway, after a while of fighting, a group of old Koreans sang downstairs. The ball tossing girl brought a group of colorful and beautiful men and women to the yard and danced the "circle dance" again.
In the fields, rapeseed flowers are blooming.

After leaving the scenic spot, I bought some small kumquats at the farm gate and then headed to Yangdi. I have forgotten how I arranged my lunch that day. I only ate one or two sweet potatoes and chewed a piece of Baohuan, or I had a meal at a restaurant on the street. I have no memory at all. I was away from home. Well, just make do.
My daughter and I both want to do a more complete rafting trip, from Yangdi to Xingping, and have a great time. However, the two docks are 40 to 50 kilometers apart, which is quite inconvenient. To Jiuma Hua Mountain, the distance is shorter, and there is also the problem of how to pick up the car. It is said that it is a pleasant trip to and fro, and it is completely enjoyable. Before I finished speaking, my daughter was there to support me, and her mother muttered for a while.
From the guide point of view, the essence of Li River rafting is the section from Yangdi to Jiumahuashan. I originally thought there was a dike here, but later I learned that there is a peak here called Yangti. People thought it was tacky and not worthy of the beautiful scenery, so I changed it to Yangdi, which has the same pronunciation as Nanfangtidi.
The navigation shows that there are still 2 kilometers to reach Yangdi. At this time, we are on the winding road going down the mountain. The Saga peaks on the other side, in the mild haze, are like a fairyland. There is a large viewing platform for people and vehicles. Very few. From the viewing platform, you can clearly see the fields, villages and distant mountains, but the Li River is obscured by trees. Two to three hundred meters across the road from the observation deck, there is a solitary rock protruding out of the cliff behind the forest. There is a house behind it. Under the solitary rock is the Li River. A walking trail can reach the place.
Several people followed me. The path was not difficult to walk, but they all gave up halfway. My daughter and wife followed me to the house. The lone stone is a black stone, a bit like a volcanic rock, covered with sharp thorns and small pits. You have to climb 2-3 meters through the gaps to get up. My daughter gave up at this point.
The Lijiang River is right at your feet, with green water, dotted bamboo rafts, farmhouses, green trees, and distant mountains...
When we arrived at the pier, there were not many tourists. Perhaps various early warnings diverted tourists to other places. Come on, don’t even think about rafting to Xingping. During the Spring Festival, in order to receive more tourists, we adopt rafting in sections. The good news is that as long as you add a little money, you can float back again!
A bamboo raft can accommodate 4 tourists. In order to enjoy it better, we chartered a boat. The bamboo raft is not small, but the material is replaced with bamboo-like plastic pipes. Drifting down the river, the boatman introduced us to the scenery along the way. At that time, we remembered everything and even gestured, but soon we forgot about it. Only the carp climbing the wall still remembered it, because this is a cliff. The river also has a sharp bend here, which is a more dangerous section of the river. Regarding the other peaks, I asked what this one looks like and what that one looks like. Maybe I am stupid and I almost didn’t notice that Wuzhi Peak has five stone peaks.
When people are in the river, the scenery they see is completely different from that on the top of the mountain. The mountains have become so tall, the water is so wide, and the still water alternates with waves. The bamboos on both sides of the strait are in clumps, so tall. I have known the bamboos for a long time. The bamboos under the moonlight are so fascinating.