Why go
Yangshuo's karst towers — the same conical peaks that float past in every Li River painting — are made of bullet-hard limestone with endless edges and pockets. Climbers began bolting them in the 1990s, and today the county hosts one of Asia's densest networks of sport routes.
Most visitors start at the climbing schools along the Yulong River road, which run half-day sessions on beginner walls. For the signature experience, guide-led groups climb the 60–80 metre faces around Moon Hill, finishing the arch itself if the grade is within reach.
- Moon Hill — the famous limestone arch, with multi-pitch routes through the hole
- White Mountain and Sword Mountain — the best beginner-friendly crags
- Routes in every grade, from gentle 5.6 slabs to overhung 5.13 projects
- Hire a local guide and skip the queue — the climbing schools know which walls face the sun
Practical tips
Any operator can kit you out: harness, shoes, helmet, chalk. Wear thin, flexible climbing shoes if you have them, and bring sunscreen and a water bottle. Routes stay greasy after rain — the schools only open their crags when the rock has dried. Non-climbers can watch from the Moon Hill viewing platform.
Nearby
The best climbing crags sit close to the Yulong River's bamboo-raft stretch, so a morning on the rock and an afternoon drifting the river makes a natural day. The Li River cruise, Longji Rice Terraces and Xingping old town are all within easy reach of Yangshuo.
Getting there
- High-speed rail to Yangshuo station, then a 30-min taxi; or bus from Guilin (~1.5h)
- Crags
- 30+ limestone crags around Yangshuo
- Routes
- 300+ bolted sport routes
- Icon
- Moon Hill's natural limestone arch
