Page 14 - 18 Day China Sample

DAY 09 GUILIN (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) At 8:30 AM depart the hotel and drive to Yangdi pier where you will board a ‘bamboo’ raft for a 90 minute journey along the Li River. As your raft glides along peacefully you will enjoy the beautiful scenery and the sounds of nature. Small villages line the shore; small, arched bridges span the streams which run into the river; water buffaloes wallow in the water and naked children play in the warm caves. Disembark and drive to Yangshuo, a small town on the picturesque Li River. The region is famous for its dramatic karst landscape. The hills taper upwards like cones and form an incredible panorama when viewed from a distance. From certain vantage points the hills appear to resemble all sorts of objects and creatures: animals, pagodas, needles, plants and it is not surprising, therefore, that the native population has bestowed the most imaginative names on them. Over 300 million years ago this region was submerged under an extensive sea. Certain geological phenomena contributed to the formation of the landscape during the course of millions of years: folds occurred in the earth's crust, the water level subsided and erosion took its toll. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch enjoy a 60 minute bike ride through town. Afterwards transfer to a the Yangshuo Cooking School. The cooking school is located in a traditional Chinese farmhouse. Begin with a visit to the local fruit and vegetable market where you will learn about the ingredients that will be used in the dishes you will learn to prepare.