Yangshuo Cycling Routes

Three bike routes through karst peaks, rice paddies, and riverside villages — from easy 10km to challenging 40km.

Quick Picker

Route 1: Classic

10 km · 1.5-2 hrs · Flat

Best for first-time riders

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Route 2: Riverside

25 km · 3-4 hrs · Mostly flat

Best scenery-to-effort ratio

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Route 3: Explorer

40 km · 5-6 hrs · Rolling hills

For fit riders only

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Before You Ride

Bike Rental

  • Standard bike: 30 RMB/day from any shop on West Street or Pan Tao Road
  • E-bike: 50-80 RMB/day — highly recommended in summer heat
  • No deposit required — just leave your hotel name
  • Test the brakes before you leave
  • Recommended: Yangshuo Bike Rental (Pan Tao Rd, near the bus station). Well-maintained fleet, English-speaking owner.

What to Bring

  • Water — at least 2L for routes 2 and 3. One bottle isn't enough.
  • Sunscreen. No shade on most roads.
  • Phone with offline map
  • Cash — small shops and roadside vendors don't take Alipay from foreign accounts
  • Rain jacket (May-September). Storms come fast.
  • Toilet paper. Public toilets exist but rarely have it.

Route 1: Ten Mile Gallery (Classic)

10 km 1.5-2 hours Flat Paved

The classic. A flat 10 km road running alongside the Yulong River with karst peaks lining both sides. This is the ride everyone does — and for good reason. Best done early morning (7-8 AM start) to beat the tour buses and catch golden light on the peaks.

Turn-by-Turn

  1. Start: West Street. Head west on Diecui Road, cross the bridge.
  2. 1 km: Turn left onto Ten Mile Gallery road (Shili Hualang). Karst views start immediately.
  3. 3 km: Yulong River bridge — photo stop. Classic view: river winding through peaks.
  4. 5 km: Moon Hill trailhead on your left. Park bike, hike up (30-40 min).
  5. 7 km: Continue west. The road gets quieter. Pass villages with water buffalo in the fields.
  6. 10 km: Turnaround point. Small village with a noodle shop. Return same way or loop back through countryside roads.

Rest Stops

Yulong bridge drink vendors. Moon Hill entrance snack shop. Turnaround village noodle shop.

Toilets

Moon Hill entrance (2 RMB). Yulong bridge public toilet. Noodle shop at turnaround.

When to Go

Start by 7:30 AM. By 10 AM the road fills with tour buses. Late afternoon (4 PM) is also good.

Route 2: Yulong River Loop (Riverside)

25 km 3-4 hours Mostly flat Paved + dirt

The best scenery-to-effort ratio in Yangshuo. Follows the Yulong River through farmland, past ancient stone bridges, and through villages where you'll see exactly zero other tourists. Bring your camera — this is where the Instagram shots happen.

Turn-by-Turn

  1. Start: West Street. Head south toward the Yulong River.
  2. 3 km: Cross Dragon Bridge (Long Qiao). Take the dirt path on the right.
  3. 6 km: Fuli Bridge — a 400-year-old stone arch. Perfect photo spot with bamboo rafts passing below.
  4. 10 km: Path joins paved village road. Follow signs for Jiuxian Ancient Village.
  5. 14 km: Jiuxian Village. Stop here. Explore 200-year-old courtyard houses. Buy drinks at the well shop.
  6. 18 km: Yulong River bamboo raft launch point. Even without rafting, the river bend is stunning.
  7. 22 km: Cross back to the east side. Follow village roads back.
  8. 25 km: Return through northern countryside — rice paddies, duck farms, hilltop temple.

Rest Stops

Fuli Bridge drink vendor. Jiuxian Village shop. Yulong raft launch point restaurant.

Toilets

Jiuxian Village public toilet. Yulong raft launch point toilets (2 RMB).

Tip

Dirt path section (km 3-10) gets muddy after rain. E-bike handles it fine; standard bike will struggle.

Route 3: Xingping Explorer (For Fit Riders)

40 km 5-6 hours Rolling hills Paved + gravel

For cyclists who want to earn their views. Yangshuo to Xingping — the village on the 20 RMB banknote — through the most dramatic karst landscape. The reward: arriving at Laozhai Mountain at golden hour with no crowds.

Turn-by-Turn

  1. Start: Yangshuo town. Head south on S305 toward Xingping. Well-paved, moderate traffic.
  2. 8 km: First major hill. ~1 km steady climb. Views open up at the top.
  3. 15 km: Small village with truck-stop restaurant. Only reliable food stop before Xingping. Noodles or fried rice (15-20 RMB).
  4. 25 km: Descend into the valley. More dramatic peaks, Li River appears on your right.
  5. 32 km: Xingping town. Lock bike, walk to 20 RMB viewpoint (15 min).
  6. Optional: Hike Laozhai Mountain (1,159 steps, 40 min up). Best river bend view in China. Tip 10 RMB at base shop to watch your bike.
  7. Return: Take local bus back with bike (20 RMB extra). Or ride back — hills are worse in reverse.

Rest Stops

Truck-stop restaurant at km 15. Xingping town riverside restaurants (beer fish).

Toilets

Restaurant at km 15. Xingping public toilets near bus station and 20 RMB viewpoint.

Important

Start by 6:30 AM in summer. Bring 3L+ water per person. E-bike highly recommended — hills will destroy you on a standard bike.

Route Comparison

RouteDistanceTimeDifficultyBest For
Classic10 km1.5-2 hrsEasyFirst-time riders, families, photo stops
Riverside25 km3-4 hrsModerateScenery lovers, photographers, half-day trip
Explorer40 km5-6 hrsHardFit cyclists, full-day adventure, golden hour

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