So… I told you about my mishap eating food the previous evening in Guilin. Well it meant a night without much sleep, an empty stomach and empty bowels and subsequently drinking a lot of chinese black tea (which is not a punishment) and some cola to at least take in some fluids. It also meant I decided to insert a complete resting day into my schedule. I had planned for some biking and rafting, but didn’t feel up to it.

However I couldn’t have been more fortunate in spending that day at the Moondance Boutique Resort, in the tiny village of Fenglou on the borders of the Jinbao river, a tiny tributary of the Lijiang river, at about 5.2 kilometers distance from Yangshuo‘s city center.

This was a tiny paradise within an environment that was already paradise. Let me show you around 😄

Fenglou village

Fenglou (凤楼村) is a small rural village in Gaotian Township, about 7 km southeast of central Yangshuo, near the famous Moon Hill at the end of the Yulong River’s scenic 10 Mile Gallery (Shili Hualang).

It’s a peaceful spot showcasing authentic karst countryside with rice fields, orchards, and terraced hills, ideal for quiet walks or biking amid daily village life like farming and local schools.

Tourist draws include proximity to adventure spots: Yangshuo Basecamp nearby offers rock climbing, ziplining, and camping, while upscale stays like Yangshuo Mountain Retreat and Moondance Boutique Resort provide riverside luxury with valley views.

Doesn’t sound that bad does it?

Moondance Boutique Resort

The Wandelgek had booked a few overnight stays at the Moondance Boutique Resort and after arriving and seeing where he had booked, he couldn’t belive his luck. This was the perfect place to spend a day doing all sorts … NOTHING AT ALL😆.

Click here for the Moondance Boutique Resort

Let me first introduce you to my hotel room. At first The Wandelgek had arrived here at the previous afternoon (in between of his visit to Yangshuo’s West street and the Impression Sanjie Liu lightshow at the Lijiang river. He had the opportunity to rest a bit, take a shower and speak to its dutch owner …. who told him a bit about his past in China and how he got to buy the resort and turn it into the thriving business it was today. We also chatted about our past travels as we had both been travelling a lot.

At the Moondance Boutique Resort, all rooms seemed to be named after classic romantic songs and evocative themes.

So let me now show you my room where I had been sleeping my first night which was excellent.

Hotel room

The 21 unique suites feature private balconies, king-size beds, modern bathrooms (some with tubs), WiFi, and scenic views; names evoke dreamy, musical vibes fitting the resort’s boutique charm.

Television room

There was a separate television room with a seat and a table …

Shower and toilet

The shower was excellent, featuring a rain shower …

The stones on the wall of this shower were particularly interesting and quite sparkling for the imagination …

Bedroom

The bedroom was large, clean and there were lots of windows with great views …

Bathroom with a view

The bathroom was the cherry on top of the cake. Years ago back in 2015, The Wandelgek had been travelling in Southern Africa and in Botswana he saw this bathroom overlooking the Chobe river inside the Chobe National Park:

Ever since that moment, The Wandelgek had hoped for experiencing a similar type of bathroom and now this dream came true …

This bathroom had a wonderful view over the surrounding karst hills.

Balcony and views

Same goes for the balcony …

Next I’ll show you the lush garden and the river front. One of the few rain showers was during my stay at the resort …

It was time to write some of my adventures and thoughts about travelling by train through China and some thoughts about my upcoming travels home in my travel diary, while looking at maps and enjoying the refreshing and soothing sound of the rain, before the sun got hot again m…

Jinbao River

The Jinbao River (likely referencing the upper Yulong River reaches or a local stream near Baisha/Jinbao areas north of Yangshuo) flows through scenic valleys parallel to the main Yulong, accessible via backroads from Baisha town.

It’s less crowded than the core Yulong, perfect for bamboo rafting, cycling along farming hamlets, and crossing ancient stone bridges like Yulong Qiao. Popular for day trips by minibus from Yangshuo, it offers karst peaks, paddies, and rural authenticity rivaling the Li River’s fame.

River terrace

In the garden was a nice terrace right next to the river …

This was an excellent place to recover a bit and enkjoy the view while acting lazy for a day, before preparing for next upcoming adventures. A large glass of orange juice helped to get some vitamins …

And so the day passed by, resting, enjoying the sun, sleeping a lot, bathing, showering, etcetera.

At the end of the day The Wandelgek felt a lot better, but his stomach was almost empty so he went to the:

Restaurant

The restaurant, attached to the hotel lobby had a diverse menu and The Wandelgek was up for a sturdy dinner to help him recover more quickly. He ordered a grilled blade steak with fries and vegetables and a delicious refreshing German Franziskaner Weizen beer.

I really loved my stay here and recommend it without hesitation to anyone reading my blogpost.

Next

I felt quite a lot better after having some dinner and decided to try a full scheduled day with loads of activities like the postponed biking, the postponed rafting and some mountain walking …