Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo
The standard Li River cruise runs one way downstream, from piers south of Guilin to Longtoushan pier in Yangshuo, and takes about four hours. In 2026 there are two classes worth knowing. The three-star boat costs 215 yuan and leaves from Mopanshan (磨盘山客运港). The four-star boat costs 360 yuan, includes a buffet lunch and leaves from Zhujiang (竹江码头). Buy through the official 漓江售票处 (Li River ticket office) WeChat account, under the passport you will carry on the day, and book a bed in Yangshuo for that night. The boat does not come back.
This page covers the boat itself. For how the cruise fits a three- or four-day trip, see the Guilin travel guide.
Three-star or four-star?
| Three-star | Four-star | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult fare (2026) | 215 yuan | 360 yuan |
| Leaves from | Mopanshan pier | Zhujiang pier |
| Lunch | Not included; about 30 to 60 yuan on the 2026 menu | Buffet included |
| Arrives at | Longtoushan pier, Yangshuo | Longtoushan pier, Yangshuo |
| Time on the water | About 4 hours | About 4 hours |
The scenery is the same river. What the extra 145 yuan buys is a less crowded deck, a better cabin and lunch. If you were going to buy lunch on board anyway, the real gap is closer to 100 yuan. On a busy holiday sailing the four-star deck is noticeably calmer, and that is the main reason to pay more. On a quiet weekday in November, the three-star boat is fine.
Prices are set by the scenic area and include the scenic-area fee. Children's fares and height rules are listed on the official account and change from time to time, so check them there rather than trusting an old screenshot.
Booking without getting caught out
- Use the official channel. The 漓江售票处 WeChat account is the official seller. Hotel and travel-agency packages cost more but often include the pier transfer, which is worth something if you don't read Chinese.
- Check that it accepts your passport before you pay. Tickets are real-name, and the ID you booked with is checked at the pier.
- Book holidays early. For National Day 2026, sailings went on sale 15 days ahead, and remaining seats were topped up at 11:00 and 16:00.
- Check the evening before. In 2026 sailings were suspended at short notice during floods. In long dry spells the boats can run a shorter section of river. The official account posts both.
Getting to the pier
Both piers are well south of the city, roughly 50 minutes by road from central Guilin. Show a taxi driver the Chinese name of your pier: they are different places and you cannot switch on the morning. Ticket checks start early, before 07:00 in busy months, so plan to be there well ahead of your printed departure time.
Bring your luggage, or leave it with your Guilin hotel and come back for it on the way out. Most people take it, because the next two nights are in Yangshuo.
On the boat
The famous stretch is the second half, as the river approaches Xingping. Huangbu Shoal, with Yuanbao Hill reflected in the water, is the scene on the back of China's fifth-series 20-yuan note. When it comes into view the upper deck fills quickly, so if that photo matters to you, be on the rail before Xingping rather than finishing lunch.
The first hour is pleasant rather than spectacular, so this is the time to eat and rest. After that, keep moving between the bow and the stern rather than holding one spot for four hours. Hard midday sun flattens the limestone. Light cloud or the mist after rain is better for photos, and fog at boarding usually lifts into layered peaks as the morning goes on. Tripods on a crowded deck will make you unpopular.
Bring sunscreen, a hat and something waterproof. Summer showers come and go quickly, and the upper deck has little cover.
Arriving in Yangshuo
Boats land at Longtoushan pier, about 1.7 km from West Street. That is a 20-minute walk or a short ride, so drop your bags at the hotel and have the afternoon in town. The next morning is the right time for a bamboo raft on the Yulong River, a smaller and quieter river than the Li.
If you have to go straight back to Guilin, you can, but you lose most of the reason for coming. Yangshuo railway station is not in Yangshuo town. It is about 20 km away in Xingping, on the high-speed line, and you need a bus or taxi to reach it.
Shorter alternatives
If you have only one morning and can't reach a Guilin pier in time, local operators sell shorter trips on the Yangdi to Xingping stretch, including motorised rafts. They cover some of the best scenery, but they are a different product with different prices and rules, and they are not the full Guilin to Yangshuo cruise. Check the official listing before buying from a tout at the riverside.
Before you go
- Your boat class, pier name in Chinese and departure time.
- The passport you booked with.
- The official account's notice the evening before, for flood or low-water changes.
- A Yangshuo hotel for the night you land.
- What else you're doing in Guilin: Elephant Trunk Hill suits the day before the boat, and Reed Flute Cave a spare fourth day.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Li River cruise?
About four hours from the Guilin piers to Longtoushan in Yangshuo, plus around 50 minutes by road from central Guilin to the pier.
Is the four-star Li River cruise worth it?
On holiday sailings, usually yes, for the calmer deck and the included buffet. Off-season, the three-star boat sees the same scenery for 145 yuan less.
Where can I see the 20-yuan note view?
At Huangbu Shoal near Xingping, in the second half of the cruise. Short raft trips from Xingping also pass it.
Can I do the Li River cruise as a day trip from Guilin?
Yes, by road back from Yangshuo, but it makes a long day. Staying the night in Yangshuo is better.