Yangshuo October 2007

by Michael Gondek and Leslee Klein
(Boston, MA , USA)

We spent four weeks traveling throughout China, and had a great trip, but the highlight of our trip was the time we spent in Yangshuo. We had read about Jessie on Trip Advisor, so we got in touch with her via email, and she was available to serve as our guide. She really made our stay there extremely pleasurable and memorable. Leslee hadn't been on a bicycle for decades, and wasn't sure she could manage it, but we really wanted to get out into the countryside along the Yulong River. No problem--Jessie has a solution to everything--a tandem bicycle for her and Leslee to share. We enjoyed a fabulous day with great weather, a few hours of biking in the countryside along the river, a really enjoyable bamboo raft trip back down the Yulong for an hour, and then a leisurely bike ride back, with a very relaxing and welcome lunch break along the way.

The next day Jessie arranged for us to visit the Fuli market, where her tips really gave us insight into the market, and her warnings about pickpockets were very welcome. We never would have come close to finding the fan production factory in Fuli without her. She got Mike tickets for the sound and light show that night.

And then on the third day she helped set up a visit up the Li River from Yangshuo to Xingping and back. Plus the beer fish at Cloud 9 were the best meals of the trip! We really enjoyed meeting Jessie, and having the chance to spend time with her. By the time we got to Yangshuo, we had already seen a lot of rural China and villages, so we didn't avail ourselves of a trip to her home village, but are sure it would be well worthwhile if people have not seen that previously.

We certainly recommend her as a guide, and appreciate her help in making our stay in Yangshuo so memorable for us.