Yangshuo Dragon River Retreat: hotel in Yangshuo China

Hotel Description:

Yangshuo Dragon River Retreat (only 6 km from Yangshuo city) is located in a corner of paradise. On the banks of the Yulong River, surrounded by the beautiful rolling hills, which are reflected in the smooth waters of the river. And all around 1000 shades of green, from the swaying bamboo forests to green rice paddies. In this dream landscape emerges a well-made wooden construction, old-style traditional, that respects the resort and in tune with the environment. Yes, it is the Yangshuo Dragon River Retreat. Many services, also a restaurant with western and Chinese Cuisines and a great garden. The customers can enjoy even a free shuttle service to and from city center of Yangshuo.

Hotel Facilities:
1. Free Shuttle We provide our guests with free shuttle service to and from downtown Yangshuo. Shuttles depart from the hotel three times per day (11:30 am, 14:30 pm, and 18:00 pm) and pick up at Ryleys Café on 96 West Street (11:00 am, 14:00 pm, and 17:00 pm). Please notify the reception beforehand if you plan to take the shuttle. 2. Free Pool Table and Internet Never feel bored at our hotel. When you are tired or don't feel like going out, show off your skills and have fun at our pool table! Or, if you're truly beat, surf the internet for free in the lounge of our hotel. You can use our public computer or access free WiFi on your laptop. 3. Free Library Grab a book from our library and retreat to one the many scenic spots in and around our hotel! From the grassy banks of the nearby Yulong River to the balcony of your room, this is a perfect way to relax while appreciating the beautiful surroundings. 4 Free Paking Lots Our hotel can accommodate small group tours or individual travellers and has gated parking if you drive from Guilin. 5. Free Tourist Information Haven't made plans yet? Afraid of missing out on the most beautiful sights in the area? No need to worry! We can provide professional advice on what to do and how to do it in Yangshuo. With over 1400 years of history, Yangshuo is a famous old county in the southeast of Guilin imbued with breath-taking geography and traditional culture. Let us help you explore this magnificent region! Some of the most popular activities include: Walking the streets of the old village Cycling around the glorious countryside Climbing the peaks and marveling at the breathtaking panoramas Visiting surroundings villages and markets Cruising the river by boat, bamboo-raft or kayak Taking a mud bath and sliding on toboggans inside huge caves Watching the Impression Sanjie Liu light show and Cormorant fishing Learning Chinese Cooking, Kungfu, Religion and Chinese Chess Making friends with English-speaking Chinese locals Reading on our restaurant terrace Relaxing on the bank of the nearby Yulong River. See the Activities section for more details and please feel free to ask at the reception if you want more information or have any other requests! 6. Laundry Never worry about dirty clothes! Next-day laundry service is available here. Please inquire at the reception. 7. Maps, Tour Guides, and Bike Rentals for Hiking and Cycling Hiking and cycling are the best ways to enjoy Yangshuo's beautiful scenery. Our hotel can provide maps, suggested routes, and bike rental onsite. We can also arrange English-speaking guides for your hiking and biking journeys to show you the real Yangshuo (and keep you on the right path!). 8. Motorbike Rental Motorbikes are a convenient form of transportation that allows you to go farther faster as well as travel at night. We provide two kinds of motorbikes for rent: Petrol : We provide a full tank of gas in the rental price. This will take you up to 100 km. If you want to travel farther, you must pay to refill it yourself. Electric: This bike is cheaper but can only travel 45 km before requiring a recharge. Please remember to reserve a motorbike in advance. 9. BBQ Parties Our hotel boasts a beautiful garden on the banks of the Yulong River, which is a wonderful place to hold a BBQ party. If you are traveling in a group, this is a great way to have fun and enjoy a truly special scenic spot in Yangshuo. There are two options for your BBQ party: 1. We provide the site and the equipment (no food) for 1000 RMB per day. 2. We organize the complete BBQ party for 80 RMB per person (drinks excluded). 10. Weddings Perched on the banks of the tranquil Yulong River, our hotel is the perfect location for your dream wedding. The surroundings provide a beautiful backdrop for wedding photos and, as a four star hotel, the wedding party will surely be satisfied with our services. Moreover, according to Chinese tradition, the Yangshuo area is an auspicious place to tie the knot. We hope you choose to plan a romantic wedding here! 11. Ticketing Agent 1) Flight, Train tickets For your convenience, we can book flights and train tickets throughout the Chinese Mainland and to Hong Kong. Please inquire at the reception for more information. 2) Impression Sanjie Liu Light Show This show was designed and produced by Zhang Yimou, who directed the opening ceremony at the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as several major motion pictures such as Hero. This show is the world's largest natural theater performance, utilizing the Li River waters as its stage, twelve mist-shrouded hills and the heavens as its backdrop, and a vast cast of 600 singers, dancers, bamboo boats and cormorant birds. Hence its name ---- "Human's Masterpiece in Cooperation with God." 3) Li River Cruise Cruise the Best Section----From Yangshuo to Yangdi! A cruise is considered the best way to enjoy the spectacular views along the Li River, particularly the section from Yangshuo to Yangdi. Official boats leave from the Yangshuo wharf at 2:00 pm daily and arrive at Yangdi wharf at 6:30 pm. The journey features an endless procession of distinctive peaks, bamboo groves and stunning landscapes. Enjoy the idyllic views of water buffalos patrolling the fields; ducks paddling the waters; peasants harvesting rice paddies in front of village houses; and fishermen using cormorant birds to make their catch. Famous attractions along the river include Nine Horse Mural Cliff, Yellow Cloth Shoal, Monk and Nun's Peak, Snail Hill, Wangfu Rock, and Half-Side Ferry. The price of the Li River Cruise includes a special local dinner (seven dishes and one soup) and the return deluxe bus trip from Yangdi to Yangshuo. Many visitors have remarked, "If you haven't done the Li River Cruise, you haven't really been to Yangshuo." But don't forget your camera: the stunning scenery provides photo opportunities that will keep the memory alive forever. You will be amazed at what awaits around each bend of the Li River!

It is a perfect place to enjoy the Yangshuo countryside with its traditional architechture,green rice paddies and river view. Great private garden on the Yulong River. We guarantee peace and tranquility in our four star standard hotel. Yangshuo, a vibrant town, is located only 6 km from Dragon River Retreat. We provide our guests with free shuttle service to and from downtown Yangshuo. Our restaurant can provide both western and Chinese Cuisines. We also offer facilities such as free Wifi, safe deposit boxes, pool table, bicycle rental (incl. mountainbikes and bikes for kids), badminton and an English book library. It is also a good location for swimming in the river.

Travel:
Moon Hill

Moon Hill is a popular spot in yangshuo. There is a big and round hole at the top of the hill open to two sides, like a moon hanging high in the sky when seen from far disdance. 60 minutes to climb to the top and down again.

Ways to get there: ① walking- From Dragon River Retreat, head for the main road and turn right towards the “Big Banyan Tree” about 20 minutes up the road.After a further 30 minutes to there.
②By bike - From Dragon River Retreat, head for the main road and turn right towards the “Big Banyan Tree” about 5 minutes up the road. After a further 15 minutes to there.
③By taxi- About 15 minutes to get there.



Yulong River

Yulong River is 43.5 Km long the second largest river in yangshuo county. Only next to the Li River. As a location of important cultural relic ,historic site and pastoral landscape, it is suitable for traveling on foot .There you do the bamboo rafting along the river, it is very beatuful!

Rafting:
Tour 1: Hongqi wharf to Dragon River Retreat about 2 hours
Take a twenty minute taxi ride or walk upstream(1 hour) to Hongqi wharf and then gently drift down the river to Retreat .
Tour 2: Yu Long Bridge to Dragon River Retreat about 4 hours
Take a taxi about 45mins,bike about 1.5 hours or walk 3.5 hours up to the Yu Long (Dragon River)Bridge.If you have bikes with you , you can ask the guy to send the bikes to the destination but you need to pay .

Water Cave

Located near the Moon Hill which is a nice trip on your sightseeing day .The whole cave 3 Km penetrates through 3 moutains and comes out on the other side .It is the most extensive unaltered subterranean micro comos in this area ,full of narrow maze-like and sometimes dangrous passages . You can have mud bath and hot spring bath .

Ways to get there :From Dragon River Retreat head towards the main road in the direction of Yangshuo (2km).Turn right when you reach the main road, cross the bridge and head towards Moon Hill (4km).



Silver Cave

The cave is located on the road ,from Yangshuo county ,which is a splended limestone cave It penetrates through 12 moutains and a round about tour covers about 2 Km.The cave collects stalacties of different geologic ages and some tens of remarkable scenic spots,in which can be divided into three sections :upper cave ,lobby and the lower cave ,with dozes of distictive scenery .

Ways to get there :You can go to Yangshuo to take shuttle bus to go there ,time— 9:30 am ,2:30 pm, 3:00 pm .

Kayaking

Kayaking is an excellent activity throughout the spring,summer and autumn..The water of the Li river is very smooth and clean ,and in most cases you will need to paddle . Setting off from the ancient town of Fuli to Liugong where you can have lunch and explore this 800 year old sleepy riverside village.It is take your 2h and if you head for Puyi more 1h you need ,it is worth noting that the kayaking can be quite strenuous and is better suited for sportier individuals.

Impressional Sanjie Liu

The large-scale performance The Impressional Sanjie Liu is the core project of The Li River Mountain-Water Theatre .It was directed by Zhang yimou who creatand choreographed the opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics . The biggest natural stage in the world, is buildt in Li River ,stretches for 2 Km’s long with 12 mouintain peaks as it background . The large-scaled lights system and specail smoke-effect system create a dreamlike world for the audience. There are many difference shows such as ‘Red Impression’, ‘Green Impression’, ‘Golden Impression’, ‘blue Impression’, ‘silver Impression’.

The Liu Sanjie show is performed every night of the week apart from during periods of heavy rains. The show starts Monday to Friday at 8 pm however in peak season and on weekends there are two performances starting at 7:40pm and 9:10 pm.



Cormorant Fishing

The cormorant is a bird that has the ability to dive into water and stay there a long time looking for fish. The bird then catches the fish in its beak and returns to the surface. The bird is unable to swallow the fish as a string has been tied loosely around its neck. The fisherman, who is on a bamboo raft will lift the bird onto the raft and remove the fish and drop it into a basket. The bird then goes back into the water to try to catch more. You can view this in the evening. You can purchase the ticket in Dragon River Retreat or in Agencies in yangshuo town .

Cooking School

Learn to cook chinese food in the traditional farmhouse in the beautiful countryside. Yangshuo cooking school offers you the opportunity to learn how to cook real Chinese food in a traditional setting with skilled and friendly teachers who can impart the secrete of Chinese cuisine in a friendly and fun atmosphere. Exciting expeirence for yourself!

courses include:
Small classes
A visit to the local market
Transport to the school
Fluent english-speaking local teachers
5 carefully selected dishes
Recipes of the dishes cooked
An individual work and bench- learn by doing Lanch or dinner
Coures 1
Monday Wednesday Friday
Market tour
Beer fish
Chicken with cashew nuts
Steamed stuffed vegetables
Eggplant with soy and oyster sauce
Green vegetables with garlic
Coures 2
Tuesday Thursday Saturday
Market tour
Egg wrapped dumplings
Steamed chicken with mushrooms
Eggplant yangshuo style(duck with picked ginger and chillies on 2 day course)
Stir fried pork with vegetables and oyster sauce
Green vegetables with garlic

Yangdi to Xingping of sight spot

Yangdi and Xingping this stretch of river is beautifully serene with very little traffic. It is also an excellent opportunity to watch rural riverside life as fisherman maintain their nets and farmers let their water buffalo enjoy the water and reeds of the river. Yangdi is an ideal place to enjoy the misty rain of Li River , which seems to be a wonderfuland, quiet, peaceful and misterious in spring. It is a starting point of the beautiful hike to xingping. If you are tired you can take bamboo raft to float down the river. Nine Horse Mural Cliff located in Xingping Town , this hill is named because of natural shape resemble nine horses in different positions on the cliff. There are bus from Xingping back to Yangshuo.



Shangri-La

This is a theme park of sorts. In Chinese it is called ‘shiwaitaoyuan (世外桃源), the worlds peach blossom garden’. Though all the young ladies who guide you through will speak little or no English, it is still a lovely place to go and a great photo opportunity. You take a mini-barge down the river and are shown some of the amazing culture that spawned on the edge of the Yangshuo river estuary. After this, they take you for a walk through all their shops and show you their handicrafts from ‘Block printing’ to hand woven neck-ties and magnificent statues carved from wood.

way to gethere: Take the bus to Guilin. They will let you off at the entry. Ticket prices should only be about Y7.


Tai Ji
In China TaiJi is practiced to keep fit and healthy and enhance Kung Fu fighting skills. It is also a component of traditional chinese medicine that is believed to increase strength and improve the flow of the internal energy throughout the whole body. Many people know Tai Ji in different forms. Some of them see Tai Ji as an early morning form of exercise which can be done with hand movements or with other props such as fans and swords.

It is an excellent exercise for coordinating all of your body muscles by moving them at the same time. With Tai Ji, you learn to control your breathing, pulse and muscles coordination. As a matter of fact, Ta Ji has a calming and meditative effect that makes it particularly helpful for stress, anxiety. The benefits of practicing TaiJi are unlimited, which is safe and fun for people at of all ages and fitness levels.

Local town & village

Fuli Town

This famous old town is over 1000 years .It still has all of its old houses which you can peak into and the simple lives there .All the traditional new years decorations which remain in town for entire year. The Fuli market days are endings in 2,5,8. You can have fun from this crowded but very traditional market. Fuli is also great for purchasing scroll paintings and chinese fans. You can enjoy that lacal farmer painter how to paint and make the fans.



Xingping Town

Xingping is the oldeast town in Yangshuo, a lovely village which has the potential to be next backpacker haven as Yangshuo keeps growing. It was set up in 265, Three kingdoms (220-280A.D.),and used to be Xingping county. There are many stunning views: Nine Horse Mural Cliff ,Yellow-cloth Reflection,Monkand Nun’s Tryst,Ancient Stockaded Villange’s New Looks, Lotus-flower Cave , and others. You can also do some bamboo trips on the Li River there.



Yangdi Village

Many tourist love this lovely small village , which is located between Guilin and Yangshuo, on west banks of the Li River. The landscapes there are very spectacular , you can enjoy elegant mountains, winding water ,delicate beach ,striking waterfall , dense green bamboos and dotted villages.Yangdi is also an ideal place to enjoy the misty rain of Li River ,which seems to be a wonderland , quiet, peaceful,mysterious in spring.

Fishing Village

This village is a great place to go to and see the way that local people used to live their lives before their town because world famous.Rich in culture and tradition, you can see all that Yangshuo used to be Grandparents taking care of the kids , mothers washing in the river and fathers maintaining the town oe working in the fields.4 Km from the center of the town, you can feel like you have actually stepped back about 100years in time .

Liu Gong Village

Liu Gong Village is located among the beautiful karst hills. A tipycal ancient buildings are preserved in it . There are many footpaths between farmers fields, The main attraction here are water-flowing cave,Liugong Three-Pond ,beauty and peach Li River ,Gold Lion Drinking Water. The water is very smooth and safe all long year . Many people love to take a Kayak or bicycle to go there. It will give you an unforgettable impression in your life.

Mrs. Gillia*** Date: 2012-04-04 Nation: China / British Type of room: Superior double Travel for: holiday Travel: with family	Amusements: 4 Location: 7.5 Welcoming & Kindness: 10 Employees qualities: 10 Breakfast: 10 Quality/Price Ratio: 10	Bathroom Functioning: 8.5 Bathroom Courtesy items: 6 Rooms Cleanliness: 9.8 Quietness: 10 Comfort: 10 Rooms Spaciousness: 8.5 Rooms Furnishings: 9
The food was absolutely delicious we didn't eat anywhere else and always came back to the hotel for all our meals :))