Stay lengths
- 2-night karst landscape and river weekend
- 3–5 night active wellness retreat with climbing, kayaking, and cycling
- Week-long Guangxi exploration with day trips to Guilin and Longji Rice Terraces
Wellness getawayMindReach
Yangshuo Mountain Retreat
The 20-yuan RMB karst landscape: Li River kayaking, karst rock climbing, and farm village retreat in Yangshuo's most tranquil countryside
Guangxi, Guangxi
Listed on MindReach Getaways, curated wellness stays worldwide
From ~CNY 600/night — confirm at yangshuomountainretreat.com
At a glance
Everything you need to plan Yangshuo Mountain Retreat
Stay length, inclusions, seasons, and travel at a glance before you reach out to book.
Included
- Guangxi farm breakfast
- Bicycle use for countryside cycling
- River and karst trail access from property
Ideal for
- Active travellers combining rock climbing or kayaking with rural Chinese countryside immersion
- North American China travellers who want the Yangshuo landscape without the tourist strip
- Cyclists and outdoor wellness guests seeking China's most dramatic natural landscape backdrop
- Climbers visiting Yangshuo as Asia's premier sport climbing destination
Seasons
- Spring (April–May) for rice paddy flooding season and the classic emerald green karst landscape
- Autumn (October–November) for clearest skies and ideal climbing temperatures
- Winter (December–February) for morning mist rising through the karst peaks — the most atmospheric Li River light
Getting there
Yangshuo Mountain Retreat is in Chaolong Village, Gaotian Town, Yangshuo 541901. From Guilin Airport (KWL, 60 km north): drive the Guilin-Yangshuo Expressway (45 min) or take the Li River cruise (4.5 hours, the scenic approach). From Yangshuo town: 15 minutes by car/taxi to Chaolong Village. The retreat provides detailed transfer guidance on booking.
From
From ~CNY 600/night — confirm at yangshuomountainretreat.com
Concierge
Questions before you book?
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Experience highlights
What a stay here actually feels like.
01
Karst peak landscape
The limestone towers of Yangshuo — the most dramatic and iconic natural landscape in southern China, visible from every terrace of the retreat.
02
Li River kayaking
Paddling the 20-yuan RMB landscape from water level — karst peaks, bamboo banks, and the particular silence of the Li River in the early morning.
03
Karst rock climbing
World-class sport climbing on Yangshuo's pocketed limestone — routes visible from the retreat that have drawn climbers from every continent.
04
Bamboo countryside cycling
Farm tracks through the rice paddies between the karst towers — the most beautiful 10 km of cycling in China.
Gallery
The setting
Spaces, views, and surroundings at Yangshuo Mountain Retreat.
Your journey
Li River approach
The Li River cruise from Guilin is the defining arrival — four hours through the 20-yuan banknote landscape, karst peaks on both sides, bamboo and cormorant fishers in the shallows. Arrive to Yangshuo already changed.
Dawn mist on the karst
Morning from the retreat terrace — the Li River valley fills with mist, the limestone peaks emerge above it, and the cormorant boats begin moving on the water below.
Karst rock climbing
A half-day at Moon Hill or White Mountain — pocketed limestone routes that have attracted climbers from Europe, North America, and Japan for decades. The 20-yuan landscape as the climbing wall backdrop.
Countryside cycling
Bamboo-shaded farm tracks through the rice paddies between the karst towers — the most sustainable and most beautiful way to understand the Yangshuo countryside.
Guilin rice noodle breakfast
The most important Guilin meal — rice noodles in clear broth with pickled vegetables, dried tofu, and ground peanuts, eaten in the village before the morning activity.
About
About this getaway
Yangshuo Mountain Retreat is a boutique eco-resort on the Li River in Yangshuo County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region — set in the most iconic karst landscape in China, where limestone peaks called yangshuo (beautiful mountains) rise vertically from the rice paddy plain in the form depicted on the 20-yuan RMB banknote. The resort occupies a quiet riverside bend in the rural village of Chaolong, removed from Yangshuo town's backpacker activity, with the Moon Hill karst tower directly above and the Li River immediately below.
The retreat draws on the Li River valley's natural character: cycling the karst countryside on bamboo-shaded farm tracks, kayaking the Li or Yulong rivers, rock climbing the karst limestone towers (Yangshuo is one of the world's premier sport climbing destinations), and bamboo raft floating — combined with a wellness offering grounded in the farm village setting and Guangxi's TCM tradition.
The accommodation blends traditional Guangxi rural architecture with contemporary comfort: stone and timber farm buildings, terraces facing the karst peaks and river, and the particular silence of the Chaolong countryside that the Yangshuo town backpacker district no longer provides. The organic kitchen draws on Li River valley produce — fresh bamboo shoots, river fish, Guilin rice noodles, and wild mountain vegetables.
The karst landscape of Yangshuo has been depicted in Chinese painting and poetry for more than 1,000 years. The limestone towers — formed over 300 million years of geological process and then shaped by 100 million years of erosion — rise to 300–400 metres from a flat river plain, creating a landscape so vertical and so improbable that it was chosen for China's most culturally visible piece of currency.
Packages & pricing
Rates and availability from the property's official booking page.
Riverside Room Stay
From ~CNY 600/night — confirm at yangshuomountainretreat.com
Farm village accommodation with karst or river views and Guangxi breakfast.
Check dates & bookRock Climbing Half-Day
From ~CNY 400/person — confirm with retreat
Guided sport climbing on karst limestone with certified instructor.
Check dates & bookPlan your trip
Availability notes
- • Chinese Golden Week (October 1–7) and Spring Festival fill the retreat — book months ahead.
- • October–November autumn season is the most popular for climbing and clear landscape.
- • Weekday stays in spring and early winter offer the most tranquil farm village experience.
Accommodation
- Riverside farm rooms
- Karst view rooms facing Moon Hill
- Garden and village courtyard rooms
Location & travel
- Getting there
- Yangshuo Mountain Retreat is in Chaolong Village, Gaotian Town, Yangshuo 541901. From Guilin Airport (KWL, 60 km north): drive the Guilin-Yangshuo Expressway (45 min) or take the Li River cruise (4.5 hours, the scenic approach). From Yangshuo town: 15 minutes by car/taxi to Chaolong Village. The retreat provides detailed transfer guidance on booking.
Policies
- Minimum stay
- 2-night minimum typical — confirm at yangshuomountainretreat.com.
- Cancellation
- See yangshuomountainretreat.com for current cancellation terms.
- Children
- Children welcome — confirm activity suitability for climbing and kayaking by age.
Contact & book
Reach the retreat directly or reserve online
FAQ
Good to know
What is the 20-yuan RMB landscape?
The karst peaks of Yangshuo's Xingping area are depicted on the reverse of the Chinese 20-yuan RMB banknote — making them literally the most reproduced landscape image in China. Li River cruises from Guilin to Yangshuo pass through this landscape; kayaking or bamboo-rafting the Li River delivers the same view from water level.
What is the rock climbing like in Yangshuo?
Yangshuo is one of Asia's premier sport climbing destinations. The karst limestone offers pocketed, tufa-laden routes ranging from 5a (beginner) to 8c (elite). Major crags include Moon Hill (with its famous Moon Cave route), White Mountain, and Dragon River area — all within cycling distance of the retreat. Certified instructors for all levels are available through the retreat.
What is the difference between the Li River and Yulong River for kayaking?
The Li River is the main river between Guilin and Yangshuo — wider, more tourist-trafficked, and home to the most dramatic karst peak scenery and the 20-yuan landscape section near Xingping. The Yulong River is a tributary south of Yangshuo — smaller, quieter, with less boat traffic and a more intimate paddling experience through bamboo-shaded channels and traditional wooden bridges. Both are kayakable from the retreat.
Is the retreat in Yangshuo town or in the countryside?
The Yangshuo Mountain Retreat is in Chaolong Village, Gaotian Town — in the rural farming countryside approximately 10–15 km from Yangshuo town. This removes guests from the West Street bar district and backpacker activity while keeping the karst landscape and Li River activities fully accessible. A bicycle ride reaches the main town in 30–40 minutes through rice paddies.
How do I get to Yangshuo Mountain Retreat?
Nearest airport: Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL), approximately 60 km north. From Guilin: take the Li River cruise downstream to Yangshuo (4.5 hours, the classic approach through the karst landscape), or drive via the Guilin-Yangshuo Expressway (45 minutes). From the Yangshuo bus station, taxi or retreat transfer to Chaolong Village (15 minutes). Full arrival guidance provided on booking.