Last stop in China

I hadn't even heard of Yangshuo before we visited here and we were pleasantly surprised by the peaceful atmosphere. This area used to be the hotspot for tourists and we bumped into many during our visit (especially in the bars and favourite cafe which we seemed to visit on a daily basis).

We hired bikes out for a day and decided to take a tour around the area. We began by cycling to the river where we took a raft boat down the river. Leigh had a go at trying to manoeuvre the boat but to be honest he was completely useless and steered use right into the reeds!

Our bikes were then waiting for us at the end and we then cycled to the Moon Hill scenic area; where we climbed to the top to admire the view below. 

We then took the bikes again to a cave which contained a mud bath and hot springs. Now the mud bath wasn't as exotic as it sounds; it was freezing cold and, to be honest, felt like you were walking through a field of animal fieces. The hot springs on the other hand were amazing and for the first time on this trip we were able to completely relax. Cycling the 14km back was definitely a struggle at first but was a brilliant way to see the area properly.

We spent the next day exploring the local market; hunting for bargains (plus we did find a converse shop which I couldn't resist). Yangshuo is definitely a very relaxed part of China and was a nice change from the big cities (especially as our next stop is Hong Kong). Time to endure our last night train in China and hopefully my last noodle pot too!

xxx