Yulong River 遇龙河

About Yulong River

Yulong Bridge and Fuli Bridge are useful landmarks for reading the relationship between settlement and water. Visitors see the valley from managed bamboo-raft trips or from permitted roads and paths beside it. Choose a specific section before setting out; the valley is a network of local approaches rather than one continuous, uniformly signed trail.

The river is shallow, with a maximum depth of around 5 meters (16 ft) and an average width of about 25 meters (82 ft) across. It is not close to industrial areas and is clean enough for swimming, though brownish surface foam appears in eddies, likely from phosphate runoff carried from nearby villages.

The Yulong River (遇龙河) is a right-bank tributary of the Li River, rising south of Nanbian Mountain township (南边山乡) in Lingui District. It flows east into Yangshuo County, turning southeast to merge with the Jinbao River (金宝河) near the Big Banyan Tree scenic area by Gaotian town, then turns north and joins the Li River at Gongnong Bridge (工农桥) below Shutong Hill (书童山) southeast of the county town. Its main stream is 54 kilometres long, with a drainage basin of 665 square kilometres.

The valley's low-lying terrain has long supported rice cultivation. In recent years farmers have shifted toward cash crops such as pomelos, tangerines and mandarin oranges, which bring higher income than rice. The valley remains agricultural, with few services or businesses beyond its small villages.

What to look for

• Stone bridges such as Yulong Bridge provide built landmarks among the fields and peaks.
• Bamboo rafts give a low viewpoint on the river and village landscape.

Location & getting there

Getting to Yulong River

For the upper valley, approach from Baisha towards Jinbao and the Yulong village/bridge area. For a raft excursion, go to the exact managed boarding point shown on the booking; different river sections have different starting and finishing places.