Li River cruise guide: Guilin to Yangshuo boats, prices, rafts (2026)

The classic Li River trip is a one-way boat ride downstream from the outskirts of Guilin to Yangshuo, past the karst peaks that appear in every photo of southern China. It takes most of a day, and the details that trip people up are the pier and the passport.

Boat classes and prices

• 3-star boats cost about ¥215 per adult. They are larger (roughly 100–120 passengers) and leave from Mopanshan pier. Lunch is sold on board.
• 4-star boats cost about ¥360–480, depending on the deck. They carry fewer passengers, include a buffet lunch and usually leave from Zhujiang pier.
• Children between 1.2 and 1.5 m pay about half. Smaller children are free but still need a ticket.
• The scenic area also runs 5-star boats. Prices and timetables for those change, so check the official site.

Both piers are 25–30 km from central Guilin, and prices usually include the shuttle from Guilin hotels. The views are the same on every class; you are paying for space, food and comfort.

Booking and the passport rule

Tickets are real-name. Book with your passport number through the official Li River scenic area channels (liriver.com.cn, which has an English version, or its WeChat mini-program), Trip.com, or your hotel. From April to November book at least a day or two ahead. On the day, bring your original passport: it is checked before boarding, and photocopies are not accepted.

The day itself

Boats leave in the morning, usually between about 09:00 and 10:30, and the trip takes around four to five hours, arriving in Yangshuo in the early afternoon. Boats only go downstream; there is no return cruise, so you go back to Guilin by bus or taxi (about 1.5 hours) or, better, stay a night or two in Yangshuo.

In winter (roughly December to February) the water can be too low for the full route, and some boats run a shorter section instead. If you are booking then, confirm what route you are getting, since a shorter trip should not cost the same.

The 20-yuan note view and Xingping rafts

The scene on the back of the 20-yuan banknote is at Yellow Cloth Shoal near Xingping, a small town between Guilin and Yangshuo. Big boats pass it, but you cannot stop.

If you are staying in Yangshuo, a motorised bamboo raft from Xingping is a cheaper and closer alternative. Short loops go to Nine Horses Fresco Hill and back in under an hour; longer routes run to Yangdi. Prices vary by route and season and are usually per person, with up to four people per raft. Boatmen rarely speak English. Children under about 1.2 m and older visitors may be turned away, and rafts stop in high water. Book through your hotel or Trip.com with your passport.

For the classic photo, walk to the riverside viewpoint in Xingping and hold up a 20-yuan note.

Which to choose

• Full cruise: best if you want to see the whole river in comfort and travel from Guilin to Yangshuo in one go.
• Xingping raft: best if you are based in Yangshuo, want to be close to the water, or care most about the 20-yuan view.
• For a quieter river, add a Yulong River bamboo raft near Yangshuo.

See our Li River page and the Guilin city guide for the rest of the area.