The Wandelgek in Sun‑bright Yangshuo

When The Wandelgek set foot upon the quay of Yangshuo, the afternoon sunlight wrapped around him like a golden cloak.

The town sparkled with life — rows of whitewashed houses with charcoal roofs, their eaves curling like the tips of calligraphy strokes, stood beneath cliffs that reached into a slightly clouded sky with patches of sky blazing blue in between.

The air was full of motion and music: the laughter of vendors, the ringing of bicycle bells, the humming of scooters, the scent of frying noodles and tangerine peel drifting through the radiant air. It had been another hot day.

He wandered through the lanes of the old town, where the sunlight poured between the slatted wooden balconies…

Every wall seemed touched by the same painter who had brushed the peaks along the Li. The Wandelgek passed beneath swaying lanterns strung above West Street, their vermilion skins glowing fiercely against the pale daylight. There, travelers and villagers mingled like old friends—trading fruit, silk, and stories in equal measure. A young woman offered him a slice of starfruit, pale yellow as the sun itself. “Good luck for the road,” she said, and the fruit tasted of sweetness and distance.

Beyond the bustle, the path wound out toward the river plains, where fields of orange blossoms rolled toward the horizon. The river still shimmered nearby, bending through groves of bamboo that whispered gently when the breeze passed. From the fields he could see the strange, elegant silhouettes of the karst peaks surrounding Yangshuo—tall, proud, and dreamlike, their slopes shining in sunlight as though carved from crystal jade.

The locals told him each mountain contained a spirit, and that when dusk came and the last rays crowned their tips, the spirits would sing faintly across the valley.

Intrigued, The Wandelgek followed a small dirtroad toward Moonhill. He didn’t climb it, because he was still physically recovering from food poisening, but he did have a good look.

His guide Tao began telling him about this ancient legend she had heard from an old monk resting on the ascending steps: “Long ago,” said the monk, “the Moon sailed low across this land, seeking her lost reflection. When she found it in the river, she left a circle of herself in the mountain, a window so that heaven and earth could always see each other.”

The Wandelgek, filled with a quiet joy, imagined the Moon smiling still at her reflection each night in the Li’s calm embrace and he didn’t know it yet, but he would actually see that happening very soon …

Children ran along the roadside with kites shaped like phoenixes. Farmers led their buffalo home, their bells chiming gently with each step. The Wandelgek paused by the riverbank once more to watch how the fishermen prepared their boats, nets and tended to their helpers, the cormorants.

He opened his journal and wrote: “Yangshuo smells of earth, fruit, and laughter. The mountains pulse with sunlight; their shadows breathe. The river has finished telling its story, yet the air still hums with its music. Every hill here is a verse, every ripple a memory of heaven’s brush upon the earth.”

The Wandelgek, sitting by the quay, smiled quietly. The Li River and its shining children—the peaks, the caves, the people—had become, for him, not mere sights but living spirits of journey and light. A young lady in a very beautiful blue dress passed by and smiled and spontaneously he asked her whether she would mind being in a photo together, a memory for later …

And so the day of sunlight on the River of Painted Peaks closed, but the wanderer’s road stretched on, bright as the sun’s reflection of upon the ever-flowing Li.

Modern Yangshuo

Yangshuo in Guangxi, China, captivates with its dramatic karst peaks, winding rivers, and laid-back vibe, making it a postcard-perfect escape for nature lovers and adventurers.

Iconic Landscape

Picture jagged limestone mountains rising from misty rice paddies and emerald rivers—this UNESCO-recognized scenery along the Li and Yulong Rivers defines Yangshuo’s magic. Visitors drift on bamboo rafts past water buffalo and ancient peaks, evoking ancient Chinese ink paintings come alive.

I have since a long time been a fan of the aquarel paintings of Harry Holcroft, made while travelling and these works from his book: “The Silk Route: From Europe to China“, of the area around Guilin have been an inspiration to visit the area myself …

 

West Street Evolution

Once a sleepy backpacker haven called “backpacker village,” West Street buzzed with cheap guesthouses, street food, and hippie trails in the 1990s–2000s. Today, it’s a bustling tourist hub lined with international cafes, bars, boutique shops, and neon lights, drawing millions while retaining some rustic charm amid the crowds. The Wandelgek had heard about its backpacker village vibes from friends who had been there much earlier and from older travel blogposts, but he immediately had to recognize that this was not a backpacker village anymore. It felt like a bustling town, only partly dependant on tourism and I mean mainstream tourism. Itvwas very visible that the town had been growing very fast specially in the outward parts of the town, but he could see it in West Street as well.

West Street Highlights

Yangshuo’s lively West Street pulses with energy: grab fresh guilin mifen noodles or beerfish, browse souvenirs, and pop into the modest Buddhist temple tucked along it, offering a serene pagoda for quiet reflection amid the hustle…

As said before, The Wandelgek didn’t feel any major backpacker vibes overhere anymore. One year earlier he had been to El Chalten in South Patagonia (Argentina), which still does have a real backpackers vibe.

Cormorant Fishermen

At the quays along the Li River, traditional cormorant fishermen—masters of night fishing with trained birds—perform for tourists.

At night their lantern-lit boats glide silently as birds dive for fish. This centuries-old craft, now mostly a cultural show, symbolizes Yangshuo’s timeless riverside heritage.

Growth Trends

From a rural town of ~300,000 residents in the early 2000s, Yangshuo’s population has swelled past 500,000 with urbanization, while tourism exploded from thousands to over 100 million annual visitors by 2025, fueled by Li River cruises, climbing, and shows like Impression Sanjie Liu.

It seems that The Wandelgek had finally been walking into a tourist trap, but to be honest, it truely deserved that attention.

Ending with a few impressions of Yangshuo by night …