The Li River, in my opinion, is the absolute best landscape in China. The Li River winds through the mountains in the Yangshuo valley, surrounded by small villages and lots of hidden corners to explore. I'd suggest sailing down the river on one of the traditional bamboo boats, especially if you can do it at sundown.
If you want to go sailing down the beautiful Li River, you have a variety of options. For me, the best is to hire a boat in the early morning, but make sure it's a small one for 4 people at most. The bots float gently down the river, giving you time to enjoy the landscape and even go swimming. When the last of the large boats from Guilin passes, you'll be all alone to enjoy the amazing karst landscape in peace.
During our cruise down the Li River we could see Cormorants. In this region it is very common to go cormorant fishing. It Involves tying a cord in the neck of these birds to prevent swallowing the fish. For a few yuan can take a picture with them.
