Su-sen's village

If you go....

Getting to Yangshuo

• Head first to nearby Guilin, a major tourist site in southern China. You can fly directly into Guilin from major Chinese cities. You can also take a train -- more scenic, but a longer trip. Check with a travel agency for current route times.
• Shuttle buses leave from Guilin's main rail station all day. Listen for the people yelling, "Yangshuo! Yangshuo!" Be prepared to be stuffed into the van like a can of sardines. Trip cost: 10-15 yuan each way (negotiable). Get on the fullest bus to avoid a long wait. The trip takes about one hour.

Finding a bicycle guide (a very informal process!)

• The guides will find you. Sit outside any cafe and someone will approach you with photographs and a book of comments from previous customers -- all satisfied, of course. Ask around. Guides speak varying degrees of English.
• Arrange your tour price ahead of time, including whether lunch is included (our cooked at the tour guide's home). Ask about other details of the trip too: My tour included crossing my bike over a dam that dropped 6 feet into a deep river -- make sure you tell you guide if you can't swim!

Lodging and things to do in Yangshuo

• All guidebooks list places to call and reserve simple rooms. Or you can wait until you arrive -- all lodging is within walking distance of the bus station. Some places let tourists see the room first.
• Yangshuo is a great place to stock up on souvenirs. The two main roads are filled with shops selling handicrafts, silk clothes and t-shirts. Tailors can make clothes for you in 24 hours.
• The many backpacker cafés in Yangshuo have English menus. They serve both Chinese and Western food.

General logistics

• Make sure your passport will be valid six months after your last day in China. Chinese authorities sometimes get picky about this.
• You need a tourist visa to visit China. Contact your nearest PRC embassy or consulate for an application.
• Consider a Hepatitis A vaccination, especially if you go to rural areas as added protection against stomach upsets.
• Best time to go: Northern cities like Beijing are very cold and windy from late November to mid-March. Spring and Fall are best. Southern China is a bit more temperate, with damp winters and sweltering summers.

Related Resources: Weather:Guilin, China City Profiles:Beijing World Maps and Guides:China Currency Converter

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