Yangshuo West Street

West Street (Xijie) is a pedestrian lane in Yangshuo Town, Yangshuo County, Guilin, Guangxi, China, and the social centre for visitors to the Yangshuo countryside. The stone-paved street, over a thousand years old in origin, is lined with cafes, bars, restaurants, handicraft shops, tailors and bike-rental stalls, and it is surrounded by karst peaks that rise behind the rooftops. It has long been a base for backpackers and cycling trips, and from here visitors set out for Moon Hill, the Yulong River, bamboo rafting and rock climbing. The street is free to enter and open 24 hours, with most shops operating from about 9:00 AM to midnight. A walk with stops takes two to three hours. By day, shops sell paintings, scrolls, silver, tea and clothing, and bike-rental stalls offer bicycles for 30 to 50 yuan per day for routes through the countryside, which should be confirmed. Cooking classes and tai chi sessions can be arranged from the street. In the evening, bars play live music and the lanes fill with visitors and locals, and the atmosphere is lively but touristy, with some touts for tours and massage. Restaurants serve Yangshuo beer fish, a local specialty cooked with beer, tomatoes and peppers, along with Western food. The street is busiest in the evening and on weekends and holidays, and quieter in the morning. Intercity buses from Guilin Bus Station or Guilin North take about 1.5 hours for 25 to 35 yuan, and a Didi from Guilin costs around 200 to 250 yuan. From the bus station the street is a short walk. Paving is flat, though crowds make movement slow in the evening.