Yangshuo River Cruise Mafia
Ah, Yangshuo. That beautiful little village laid out among some of the most stunning karst rock scenery in East Asia is for many the highlight of any Chinese trip. For this reason and not unexpectedly, also one of the most booming Chinese tourist destinations: in little over two years, I was barely able to recognize some of the roads because of the massive presence of new buildings. Guesthouses, hotels and b&b are everywhere, and the push to exploit the tourism has also generated some bad effects for the solo traveler. I will warn you from a situation that might happen if you attempt to get to the pier at Yangdi to organize your own boat down the Li River….
Seeing the karst formations floating down the Li River on a little boat can be easily done taking a bus from Yangshuo main station, by now everybody will point you where to get the first bus to Yangdi/Xinping. There are several running every few minutes, so it will be definitely easy and fast. However, in this precise moment you will have to be careful who you talk with: many people will offer you boat trip packages, following you to the bus, being insistent even if you firmly and gently refuse their offers. One of these people, the most persistent, will follow you inside the bus, and start offering the same package for a lower price. Even if you still resist, and politely refuse, this person will leave you, probably come back, and then sit somewhere else in the front of the bus. You won’t notice by now, but this is your doom.
Arriving at destination after half an hour, you will get off the bus and be met by swarms of other touts offering everything, from fresh fruit to souvenirs and of course, boat cruises. Even if you will surely find some better bargain, at this point you will notice the presence of the very same person who offered you the boat trip in Yangshuo’s bus station… yes, that same person you politely said no at least twenty five times. In his/her presence, any other attempt to reserve a boat, either from one of the touts, or directly from one of the boatmen, will be vain.
Why? Because these people have organized what I would legitimately call a “river cruise mafia” which means that the person who spots you and talk to you first in Yangshuo, will be the only one entitled to deliver you to the boatman of her choice, and collect her cut from your payment. And there is not much else you can do: whoever you will talk to will pretend he doesn’t have that service you are asking for. This also means that your plans might definitely and easily run amok because of some third party person who lays eyes on you… yeah, that is too bad. But again, nothing to be done: boatmen will stare blankly at the karsts, pretending you are not there asking them questions. Touts will swarm further away from you. This person will, instead, become so insistent to push you to the boat of her interest you will have no choice but take it, or get back on the bus you came from and forget about your river cruise.
There are few things you can do, since this situation is directly created by a mutual agreement between most of the city’s hotel and guesthouse representatives. Best thing is, once you find a person you like and trust, organize your trip directly with them, and make sure they (or the person of their choice) are coming with you to the bus station, clearly showing that yes, they are your guides. This way, people will not be able to claim they “spotted you first” and your experience will be a bit less annoying, being able to decide for yourself, and not let the first peasant coming by claiming rights on your wallet.
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