West Street

Written by Vivian Updated Jun. 18, 2021

As the saying goes, “The landscape in Guilin is the best in China, and the landscape in Yangshuo is the best in Guilin.” The picturesque landscape in Yangshuo has attracted millions of travelers from throughout the world.

In the early 1980s, foreign travelers first discovered Yangshuo County has an amazing landscape. Later more and more foreign travelers came to visit, making Yangshuo famous for its beautiful scenery. West Street, already the oldest street in Yangshuo, became its busiest and most famous street.

Situated at the center of Yangshuo, West Street is 517 meters long and 8 meters wide. It is covered with flagstones, meandering in a shallow ‘S’ shape. The buildings in the street are traditional southern Chinese architecture. West Street combines traditional Chinese culture and modern Western elements. This street is also called a “Foreign Street” in China as there is a greater concentration of foreign travelers than usual. It is one of the most famous global streets in China.

Shops and Catering to Foreigners

Plenty of souvenir shops, craftworks shops, painting and calligraphy stores, outdoor clothes and backpack shops, restaurants and cafes are set on the street. West Street is a good place to practice your bargaining. Customers can bargain in most shops and buy souvenirs at a very cheap price.

There are Chinese Kung Fu academies and Chinese Cooking Schools for foreign travelers as well. There won’t be a problem communicating with shop owners. Most people in the Street can speak a little English and the signs in the street are written in English and Chinese. Restaurants provide customers with menus in English and Chinese (and sometimes other languages) as well. Actually, some of the shops are run by foreigners.

Nightlife in West Street

West Street at night is a different sight. The street is jostling with visitors. Various bars, cafes, and restaurants are the highlights at night. Thousands of visitors come out to enjoy the nightlife, such as sitting down in an exotic bar or wandering along the street.

Food in West Street

Yangshuo beer fish is a well-known dish. There are good opportunities to enjoy delicious Yangshuo beer fish in West Street. There is the local staple, Guilin rice noodles, and Western-style food such as French cuisine as well.

There are a lot of characteristic restaurants and shops such as Méiyǒu Café. The Chinese characters for meiyou mean ‘don’t have’. It is the owner’s promise: “Meiyou warm beer, meiyou lousy food, meiyou rip-offs, meiyou bad service.”

Other Activities:

1. Visitors can take a bamboo raft to see the fantastic scenery along the Li River or Yulong River.

2. Biking in Yangshuo is another popular way to enjoy the fabulous landscape of the county.

Location:

Off Putuo Road, 3 minutes walk from the bus station.

How to Get There?

Go to Guilin Coach Station which is a 10-minute walk from Guilin Railway Station to get a direct coach to Yangshuo. The whole journey is about 70 minutes with a price of 20 CNY. The coach to Yangshuo departs every 20 minutes from 07:00 to 18:00.

There are private buses from the railway station that stop anywhere, cost 18 yuan, and take up to 90 minutes.
Alternatively, take a cruise down the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo.

Ticket Price:

Free

Opening Hours:

All day, but quiet with most places closed between about 2 am and 7 am.

Create My Trip

Need Help?

Request a custom itinerary today and get one step closer to your personalized trip

Create Your Trip