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Thread: Could somebody give me some travel advice?

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[quote=BARONTWANGLE,279926]Apault - I totally understand what you say about Yangshuo, but maybe when you went there you never ventured further than West Street?  If you rent a bicycle for a day, there are so many places you can go where you will not see another tourist.  The list of things to do there is longer than most other Chinese locations.  Sure, if you join tours and organised activities, then you will be surrounded by hundreds of other backpackers, which is really not my idea of fun at all.  The food in Yangshuo has to be the worst food in China, but at least the menus are friendly towards non Chinese speaking people.  For foreigners having been travelling in other Chinese cities for a while, Yangshuo seems very easy going and relaxed, which is a welcome break.  I have met many people who have been there and didn't like it, but when you ask what they did, it becomes obvious why.  They take the boat on the Li river, pay to watch the bird fishing in large groups, and watch the light show on the mountian.  Basically, they never venture out of the town, and never do anything on their own.  The area around Yangshuo has to hold some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, and anyone who makes the effort to go off on their own through the rice fields and tiny villages always has an amazing experience.  I remember cycling through a tiny faming village (about 1.30hrs out of Yangshuo) and was invited in to a family home for lunch.  I ate like a king, and they refused to accept any money.  You won't get these experiences if you stick with the tour groups.  I think maybe I was the first foreigner they had seen in years!

I will always recommend Yangshuo to anyone, as long as they are willing to break from the masses.  It is one of China's real treasures.

I often tell people to throw away their Lonely Planets, and Rough Guides, as all they do is point you in the same direction as everyone else.  Anyone using one of those guides is bound to end up on a Li river cruise, thinking "My God, look how touristy this place is".

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