Yangshuo Yulong Valley Cycling Guide

Quick answer

• What it is: A mostly flat cycling route through the Yulong River valley, passing rice fields, karst peaks, bamboo rafts, and small villages.
• Best for: Travelers who want exercise, scenery, and a slower pace than an e-scooter or car.
• Distance: 15–25 km for a typical loop.
• Time: 2–4 hours depending on stops.
• Cost: Bike rental ¥20–40/day (US$3–6). No entrance fee for the route itself.
• Best start: Fengming Parking Area or near Gongnong Bridge; both have rental shops and avoid West Street crowds.

Overview

The Yulong River (遇龙河 / Yùlóng Hé) is the quieter, greener cousin of the Li River. This is the classic Yulong Valley cycling route: a loop along its valley that is one of the most satisfying half-day activities in Yangshuo. The route mixes paved country roads, narrow village lanes, and riverside paths. You will pass farmers working in the fields, bamboo rafts drifting downstream, and karst peaks reflected in irrigation channels.

Travelers report that the best scenery is on the backroads parallel to the main Ten-Mile Gallery road, not on the busy highway itself. Start early to avoid midday heat and tour-bus traffic.

How to get there

Starting points

Getting to the start

• From Yangshuo town, cycle or take a short DiDi/taxi to Fengming or Gongnong Bridge.
• Many hotels offer free or cheap bike delivery to your accommodation.
• If you are driving, park at Fengming Parking Area and rent bikes there.

Navigation search terms

What to expect

The classic loop: Fengming — Gongnong Bridge — Jima — Xiatang — return

This is the most popular cycling loop in the valley. It follows quiet roads and riverside paths, with optional stops at piers, cafes, and viewpoints.

Highlights along the way:

• Gongnong Bridge: The classic view over the Yulong River and bamboo rafts. Best in the morning or late afternoon.
• Jima Pier (骥马码头 / Jìmǎ Mǎtóu): A bamboo-raft departure point with calm water and mountain reflections.
• Xiatang Pier (下塘码头 / Xiàtáng Mǎtóu): Smaller and less crowded than Jima. A good place to watch rafts pass through small weirs.
• Country backroads between Jima and Xiatang: Travelers consistently report this as the prettiest section — rice fields, narrow lanes, and very little traffic.
• Riverside cafes: Several small cafes along the route serve drinks and snacks with terrace views. Good rest stops on hot days.

Alternative: Ten-Mile Gallery main road

The main Ten-Mile Gallery road is wider, paved, and easier to navigate, but it carries tour buses, cars, and scooters. Use it only if you want a fast connection or are cycling with young children.

Bamboo rafts and bikes

Rafts are one-way. If you take a raft down the river, you can cycle back to your starting point on the parallel road. This is a popular half-day combination. A shuttle bus usually returns raft passengers to the upstream pier for a small fee.

Yulong River Cycling Route Map

The Yulong Valley route follows the river south-east from Yangshuo town and returns on quiet village lanes. Use these coordinates to plan key stops.

• Fengming Parking start: 24.7775°N, 110.4987°E — the main cycling hub with rental shops.
• Gongnong Bridge: 24.7620°N, 110.4890°E — classic river-and-karst viewpoint.
• Jima Pier: 24.7550°N, 110.4600°E — raft put-in and quiet water reflections.
• Yulong Bridge: 24.7512°N, 110.4234°E — the upstream stone arch bridge, usual turnaround point.

The road follows the river, so it is hard to get lost. Download an offline map before you leave because mobile signal drops between villages.

Route and distance

The Yulong River valley runs roughly south-east from Yangshuo town, and almost everyone rides the same spine: out along the river road, then back. How far you go is the only real decision.

The standard ride starts at Fengming Parking Area or Gongnong Bridge on the southern edge of Yangshuo, follows the west bank of the Yulong River upstream through Jima and Jiuxian, and finishes at Yulong Bridge. From there you either turn around or continue a little further before looping back on the opposite bank.

Surface and gradient: mostly paved country road in good condition, with a few narrow village lanes and short gravel sections near the piers. The valley floor is flat — there is no sustained climbing, which is why this route suits casual cyclists and families.

Navigation: the road follows the river, so it is hard to lose. Download an offline map before you set off, since mobile signal drops in places between the villages.

Best stops along the way

The ride is a sequence of small highlights rather than one big viewpoint. These are the ones worth stopping for, in the order you reach them riding upstream from Yangshuo.

• Gongnong Bridge (工农桥): the closest stop to town and the busiest. Bamboo rafts gather below the bridge, and the karst reflections here are the classic Yulong photograph. Come early if you want it quiet.
• Jima Village (骥马村): a small riverside hamlet roughly 6 km out, with a raft pier and open paddy views. A good turnaround point if you are short on time.
• Jiuxian Village (旧县村): the most interesting village on the route, with surviving Ming and Qing dynasty courtyard houses along its lanes. Worth locking the bike and walking for ten minutes.
• Yulong Bridge (遇龙桥): the upstream landmark — a stone arch bridge with roughly 600 years of history, and the natural halfway point of the classic loop. There is usually a small cluster of drink stalls nearby.
• Riverside weirs: between the villages, low concrete weirs create the little rapids the bamboo rafts slide down. They are the best places to watch the rafts and are easy to miss if you ride past quickly.

If you only stop twice, make them Yulong Bridge and one of the weirs — the bridge for the sense of arrival, the weir for the river itself.

E-bike or bicycle?

Both work on this route, and the choice is mostly about how much of the valley you want to see rather than fitness. The valley is flat, so a standard bicycle is genuinely viable — but an e-bike lets you add the village detours without watching the clock.

Our e-bike vs bicycle comparison goes deeper on range and cost, and the e-bike rental price guide covers deposits and the extras shops sometimes add.

Cost breakdown

*USD estimates based on August 2026 exchange rates. Verify current prices before you go.

Tips for foreign visitors

• Start early: The valley is cooler and quieter before 9 AM. Midday summer heat is draining.
• Avoid the main road: The Ten-Mile Gallery highway is scenic but busy. Ask your rental shop for the "small road" (小路 / xiǎolù) route along the river.
• Bring water and sunscreen: There is limited shade in open rice-field sections. A hat and refillable water bottle are essential.
• Watch for scooters and farm vehicles: Country lanes are shared with locals. Keep to the right and ring your bell on blind corners.
• Payment: Rental shops usually accept cash, Alipay, or WeChat Pay. Foreign cards are rarely accepted. See our digital setup guide →
• Helmet: Most rental bikes do not include helmets. Ask if you want one, or bring your own.
• Lock your bike: Use the provided lock whenever you stop at cafes or viewpoints.
• Phone navigation: Download Amap (Gaode) offline maps. Google Maps is unreliable in rural Yangshuo.
• Rain plan: Paths can get muddy after rain. If the forecast is bad, consider an e-scooter or a shorter loop.