Yulong River Jima Swimming Bank

The Jima Village swimming bank is an informal stretch of the Yulong River in Baisha Town, Yangshuo County, in the Guilin prefecture of Guangxi, China. It is not a sea beach but a river bank of shallow gravel and pebbles, where the slow, green-tinted water of the Yulong runs clear enough in summer to see the stones beneath. Locals and visitors wade and swim here when the weather turns hot, with karst peaks and bamboo groves forming the backdrop. The water is gentle and shallow near the banks, though depth increases quickly toward the middle and near the raft channels. The river is narrow and sheltered, so there is no surf and little wind, and the atmosphere is rural and relaxed rather than a party scene. Families from nearby villages and independent travellers cycling the Yulong valley make up most of the visitors. Amenities are modest and village-scale. Raft docks and snack stalls sit close to the bank, bike hire and small village cafes are found along the lane, and seasonal life jackets are available for people swimming near the rafts. There is no lifeguard service, so swimming is at one's own risk and children need constant supervision. Restrooms are basic and usually belong to nearby cafes or guesthouses, so buying a drink is the usual courtesy. Access is straightforward from Yangshuo town, about 8 km away. A Didi ride takes roughly 20-30 minutes and costs about ¥30-60, while a rented bike costs around ¥20-50 per day and is the most popular way to reach the river along flat village roads. From Guilin city, about 70 km away, visitors normally travel first to Yangshuo by bus or road and continue locally. Parking for private cars is informal and limited to village lanes. Water levels and flow change with rainfall, and after heavy summer storms the river can rise, turn brown and run faster, which makes swimming unwise. The best swimming window is June to September, when air temperatures are high; outside this period the water is cool and the banks are mainly used for walking and photography. Bamboo-raft trips run on the same stretch, so swimmers should stay clear of raft lanes and docks. Visitors should also take litter away and avoid swimming close to engine-free rafts passing along the channel.