Where to stay in Yangshuo: a first-timer’s guide to 3 areas
Where to stay in Yangshuo: West Street for a first trip (hotels typically about $19 a night), the Yulong River for the countryside and views (about $38), and Xingping for the Li River scenery (about $24).
Yangshuo is the small town where the Li River cruise from Guilin ends, set among the karst peaks most people picture when they think of the region. The choice is town or countryside: West Street for food, nightlife and the bus station on foot, or the Yulong River valley and Xingping for the views, the cycling and the quiet. We compared 153 hotels in 3 areas: what each is like, its catch, who it suits, what its hotels typically cost and the best-rated ones, so you can choose by your own priorities.
Short on time? The quick answer
- First trip, two or three nightsWest Street $19Food, bars, the bus to Guilin and bike hire on foot; the countryside is a short ride away.
- Best valueWest Street $19, Xingping $24 or the Yulong River $38The lowest typical prices of the areas with 8 or more hotels.
- Countryside, cycling and raftingthe Yulong River $38Wake up among the peaks, ride the Shili Gallery road, raft the Yulong River.
- The Li River and the 20-yuan viewXingping $24Sunrise on the river, Laozhai Hill, quieter than town.
- Luxurythe Yulong River $38 or Xingping $24The highest typical prices and many of the city's grandest hotels.
Best areas to stay in Yangshuo at a glance
| Area | Best for | Typical price | Transit | Evenings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Street (town centre)restaurants, bars, the bus station, the Li River pier | restaurants, bars, the bus station, the Li River pier | $19 | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | 9.1 |
| Yulong River and Shili Gallery (countryside)rice fields, bamboo rafting, cycling, mountain views | rice fields, bamboo rafting, cycling, mountain views | $38 | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | 9.5 |
| Xingping (Li River)the 20-yuan note view, Laozhai Hill, Li River rafts | the 20-yuan note view, Laozhai Hill, Li River rafts | $24 | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | 9.4 |
Typical price: the median nightly rate of the area's hotels on Staylist World. Transit: metro, rail and airport links. Evenings: how lively the area is after about 9 pm. Score: the average hotel score.
4 rules before you choose an area
- Decide: town or countryside. West Street puts food, nightlife and transport on foot. The Yulong River valley and Xingping have the views and the quiet but need an e-bike, a taxi or a hotel shuttle for every meal out. For two nights, town is simpler; for three or more, a night or two in the countryside is what most visitors remember.
- Plan how you'll get around. Yangshuo has no public transport beyond minibuses. Most visitors rent a bike or e-bike in town, or book a driver. Countryside hotels often run a shuttle to West Street; check before you book.
- Check where the room is, not just the hotel. Near West Street, rooms facing the bars are loud until late. In the countryside, ask for a mountain or river view room: it is the reason to stay there.
- Check the hotel accepts foreign guests. Mid-range and upscale hotels almost always do; some small guesthouses cannot register foreign passports. Trip.com shows this on the hotel page, and our hotel pages flag it.
1. West Street (town centre): best for a first trip and food
Why stay here. Yangshuo's old pedestrian street and the lanes around it, with restaurants, cafés and bars, the Li River pier where the cruise boats arrive, and the bus station for Guilin. Bikes, e-bikes and drivers for the countryside are hired here.
The catch. Hotels within a block of West Street can be loud until late from the bars' sound systems. Choose one set back from the street or on the riverside.
- Good for
- First-timers, short stays, food and nightlife, travellers without a car
- Not ideal for
- Light sleepers next to the bars
By the numbers: 50 hotels, typically about $19 a night (most $13 to $28), average score 9.1.
Best hotels in West Street
2. Yulong River and Shili Gallery (countryside): best for the countryside and views
Why stay here. The valley a few kilometres west and southwest of town: rice fields between karst peaks, bamboo rafts on the Yulong River, Moon Hill and the Shili Gallery road, the classic bike ride. Many hotels here are resorts and guesthouses with mountain views and pools.
The catch. Restaurants and West Street are an e-bike, taxi or hotel shuttle away, and evenings are quiet. There is no public transport beyond minibuses.
- Good for
- Couples, cyclists, families, slow stays
- Not ideal for
- Nightlife, travellers who want to walk everywhere
By the numbers: 71 hotels, typically about $38 a night (most $21 to $70), average score 9.5.
Best hotels in the Yulong River
- 19.8Guilin Yangshuo Couple Yuqing Luxury Homestay (Yulong River Scenic Area Jima Wharf Store)3-star · Jima Villagefrom $32 / night
- 29.8Yangshuo Yulong Riverfront Resort - Xishi Jinshe5-star · Gaotian Townfrom $242 / night
- 39.8Yangshuo The Tong Resort5-star · Ten-Mile Gallery Scenic Areafrom $337 / night
3. Xingping (Li River): best for the Li River scenery
Why stay here. The old riverside town about 28 km from Yangshuo, roughly 50 minutes by car, on the most famous stretch of the Li River: the view printed on the 20-yuan note, Laozhai Hill's steep climb above the river, and bamboo rafts. Yangshuo's high-speed station is on this side of the county.
The catch. There are fewer restaurants and little to do after dark, and the Yulong River and West Street are far.
- Good for
- Photographers, hikers, travellers arriving by high-speed train
- Not ideal for
- Nightlife, a first base for cycling the Yulong River
By the numbers: 32 hotels, typically about $24 a night (most $17 to $50), average score 9.4.
Best hotels in Xingping
Staying a week? Split your stay
Two or three nights suit most visitors: a day cycling and rafting the Yulong River, a morning in Xingping on the Li River, and the evenings on West Street. Most people arrive on the Li River cruise from Guilin, which ends in town.
Where not to stay in Yangshuo
- A room facing the bars of West Street if you sleep lightly.
- A remote countryside hotel without a shuttle if you don't want to ride an e-bike.
- Xingping as a base for cycling the Yulong River: they are on opposite sides of the county.
Tips for booking a hotel in Yangshuo
- Arriving from Guilin. The Li River cruise ends in Yangshuo town after about four hours. By high-speed train, Yangshuo Station is about 25 to 34 km from West Street: allow about an hour by shuttle bus or about ¥100 to ¥115 by taxi. Direct buses from Guilin stop next to West Street. Where to stay in Guilin.
- Read the bad reviews before you book. Yangshuo is humid, and the complaints are specific: damp rooms, insects in countryside guesthouses and bar noise near West Street. Every hotel below links to its 1-2 star reviews. Check any hotel's bad reviews.
- Set up payments before you fly. Link a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay: bike rental, rafts and street food are paid by QR code. How to set up Alipay as a foreigner.
- Sort out mobile data. Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked on Chinese networks; a roaming plan or a travel eSIM bought before you fly keeps them working, and maps work offline only if you download them first.
Before you go to Yangshuo
- Hotels in Yangshuo for foreigners: 231 hotels whose booking page says they accept guests from all countries.
- Hotels that accept foreigners in China: how to book, check-in with a passport, deposits and police registration.
- What hotels cost in Yangshuo, by star class and budget.
- Paying: set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly.
- Entry: check whether you can visit China visa-free for 30 days or use the 240-hour transit.
The best hotel in each area, side by side
One pick per area, compared on score, typical price and what guests say.
Compare 3 areas' top hotels or explore Yangshuo on the map
Questions about where to stay in Yangshuo
Is it better to stay on West Street or in the countryside?
West Street for a first or short trip: restaurants, bars, the bus to Guilin and bike hire are on foot. The Yulong River countryside for views and quiet, if you don't mind an e-bike or shuttle for meals. Staylist World compares 50 hotels around West Street (typically about $19 a night) and 71 along the Yulong River (about $38).
Should I stay in Guilin or Yangshuo?
Both, for most trips: a night or two in Guilin, where you arrive and the Li River cruise starts, and two or three in Yangshuo, where it ends. If you only have two nights, spend them in Yangshuo.
What is the cheapest area to stay in Yangshuo?
West Street (about $19 a night), Xingping (about $24 a night) and the Yulong River (about $38 a night) have the lowest typical prices of the areas we compared, counting only areas with 8 or more hotels.
How many days do I need in Yangshuo?
Two or three days: one for cycling and rafting the Yulong River, a morning for Xingping and the Li River, and time to wander West Street in the evening.
How do I get from Guilin to Yangshuo?
By the Li River cruise (about four hours, one way, ending in town), by direct bus to the bus station next to West Street (about 75 to 90 minutes), or by high-speed train to Yangshuo Station (about 20 to 25 minutes from Guilin North or Guilin West) and then about an hour by shuttle or taxi to town.
Can foreigners stay in any hotel in Yangshuo?
Most hotels on international booking sites accept foreign guests, but some small guesthouses cannot register foreign passports. Check that the listing says it accepts guests from all countries before you pay.
Should I stay in more than one area of Yangshuo?
Two or three nights suit most visitors: a day cycling and rafting the Yulong River, a morning in Xingping on the Li River, and the evenings on West Street. Most people arrive on the Li River cruise from Guilin, which ends in town.
Our verdict
For a first trip, stay near West Street, set back from the bars: food, transport and bike hire are on foot, and the countryside is a short ride away. Choose the Yulong River valley for the views and the cycling, and Xingping for the Li River at its most famous.
How we compared: each hotel belongs to its nearest area centre (within walking distance) and is counted once. Walk times are estimates from the map. Prices, scores and guest praise or complaints come from Staylist World's data and AI overviews of guest reviews; transit and evening ratings are our own judgement of rail links and nightlife. Previously observed price; confirm current price and availability. Data updated 6 November 2026. How Staylist ranks hotels.