Xingping's karst peaks from across the Li River

The classic view of Xingping's karst peaks, the one used on the reverse of the RMB 20 banknote, is normally seen from a raft on the river itself, but an equally striking and far quieter vantage point exists on the opposite bank, reached by a short walk or a separate short boat crossing from Xingping's old town dock. From across the river, the same cluster of nine limestone peaks is seen as a full unbroken skyline reflected in the water, without the crowd of rafts and tour boats that gather at the main viewpoint closer to town. The crossing point sits a short walk downstream from the old town dock, along a dirt path that follows the riverbank past small vegetable plots and a handful of fishing platforms used by local households. Because almost all visitors head straight for the raft trip to the banknote viewpoint, this bank sees only a trickle of foot traffic, making it one of the few spots in the area to photograph the peaks without other boats or people in frame. Sunrise and late afternoon give the most dramatic light, with the peaks silhouetted or lit from the side depending on the hour, and the river's surface is calmest -- and best for reflection shots -- before the day's raft traffic picks up around 9 AM. The path along the bank is informal and unpaved, crossing occasional muddy sections near the water's edge, particularly after rain.