text:
Yangon

Yangon (Burmese: ရန်ကုန်), formerly known in English as Rangoon, was the capital of Myanmar until it was replaced by Naypyidaw in 2005. Western governments and Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD still use the old English name as a sign of non-recognition of the military government that changed the name. Today, with a population of over 5 million people, it remains the largest city and the economic hub of Myanmar.

Understand
As the country's former capital, Yangon is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in Myanmar, where you can find nightlife, quality international restaurants, and many of the country's museums. The city is an amalgamation of British, Burmese, Chinese, and Indian influences, known for its colonial architecture, which although decaying, remains an almost unique example of a 19th-century British colonial capital in Asia. New high-rise buildings were constructed from the 1990s as the government began to allow private investment, and with the introduction of reforms in 2013, many new buildings were constructed and refurbished in the city centre. Meanwhile, former government buildings such as the massive Secretariat Building have been left to rot since the capital was shifted to Naypyidaw.

Yangon's former English name was not the only victim of change in this country. For one, the country's name was changed. To add to the on-going identity crisis, the city has been stripped of its status as capital. The nation's capital has been relocated to a remote new site called Naypyidaw, built from scratch. The flag too has been changed, redesigned in 2010, replacing the old one which replaced another one slightly more than a decade earlier.

The government requires all foreigners to register their passports at hotels. It is illegal to stay in a private residence without registering with the local Township authorities.

Read
Our Home in Myanmar: Four years in Yangon by Jessica Mudditt - An Australian freelance journalist recounts living in Yangon during the country's liberalisation between 2012–2015, working for an English-language newspaper. The author describes with fascination what her life was like, the stories she worked on, and the difficulties created by the Myanmar government for her husband, a Bangladeshi, in light of the beginnings of the Myanmar military's genocide of the Rohingya people.

By plane

Getting there/away:
 * The easiest way to get to and from the airport is by taxi (US$10 from airport to city or 7,000 kyat from the city to airport, all pre-paid). It is possible to use a public bus. If you exit the international terminal and turn right, walking along the road for about 10 min, you'll hit Pyay Rd, from where you can take public bus 51 which will take you one block east of Sule Paya (200 kyat). Thus, the cheapest was to get to the airport is to take that bus, get off at Airport Rd, and take a taxi for the remaining kilometre (about US$1 after bargaining) or just walk. To get to the city you could theoretically ask the driver at the airport to drop you off at that bus stop if you don't feel like walking. The name of the bus stop is "Mile 10" on Pyay Rd and it's line 51, but you might have trouble being understood if nobody writes it down for you in Burmese script with precise instructions (thus using this option to get to the airport is much easier because you can ask your hotel for help). Another option is to share a taxi.

International:
 * There are direct flights to RGN from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Chiang Mai, Dubai, Dhaka, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Gaya, Kolkata, Kunming, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Taipei. International Airlines servicing RGN include Thai Airways, Emirates, Bangkok Air, Biman Bangladesh, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Korean Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, China Airlines and Air India. Coffee, tea and very basic snacks (packaged biscuits and single serving cakes) are available inside the security area. The international terminal has free Wi-Fi.

Domestic:
 * The domestic terminal is 200 m past the international terminal, and is old and tired looking. Facilities are minimal (espresso coffee, tea, local beer, limited hot food, and basic packaged snacks are available) but, as a consequence, check-in is simple and quick and bags arrive quickly from arriving aircraft. Ancient buses ferry passengers to their aircraft. Pre-paid taxis are available, paid at the taxi counter inside the baggage claim area, but it is easier and cheaper to exit the terminal and negotiate directly with the taxi czar who controls the taxi trade at Mingladon. Try not to allow porters to carry your luggage, as they will demand tips and hassle you. This is especially a problem in the domestic terminal as there is no customs to pass through with your bags. If a porter has not attached himself to a hapless tourist, he may take random bags off the luggage trolley, hoping someone will follow him. The full service, with no going to counters or luggage concerns will cost a few thousand kyat.

By train
There are several train lines that connect Yangon to the rest of Burma. Several trains daily connect Yangon to Mandalay via Bago with connections to Bagan and the Inle Lake area at Thazi. Most trains leave early in the morning (02:00 or 03:00) and arrive late at night. Yangon-Mandalay fares for a sleeper are US$35-50, for a seat are US$30-40 in first class and US$10-15 in second class. There is also a direct train line between Yangon and Bagan (US$35) but trains take almost 24 hr for a bumpy journey and the change at Thazi is a better bet.

The oldest line in Burma is the Yangon-Pyay line and it shows its age. But, the 9-hr journey (US$15) along the Irrawaddy basin is well worth it. Three trains leave from Pyay. 1) Start 02:00 and arrives 13:40 at Kyemyindine station (11½ hr). 2) Start 06:15 and arrives 17:30 at Kyemyindine station (11 hr). 3) Start 23:30, arrival 07:50 at Yangon central (8½ hr). Upper class 3,900 and ordinary seat 1,950 kyat.

The Mawlamyine line is equally bumpy and the 9 hr express (06:15, US$17-11) and 11 hr slow train (07:00, US$14-5) is slightly longer than by road. On this trip in first class you get your own seat and it's slightly less crowded, but there isn't much else different between the classes.

Trains also run to Pathein in the Irrawaddy delta but are very slow and the bus is a better alternative.

By boat
150 years ago, boats were the way to get to places from Yangon and IWT (Inland Water Transport) passenger ferries still ply the major rivers. Yangon to Mandalay takes 5 days with a change at Pyay (3 days) and the return trip (downriver) takes three days. The ferry leaves Pyay every Friday at 06:30 and arrives in Yangon on Sunday at 21:40.

A luxury ferry (the Delta Queen) recalls the colonial era on the Yangon-Pathein route (about 20 hr, US$170/person). The IWT ferry to Pathein takes 15 hr for the overnight trip (US$35/10).

By bus

From specific destinations:
 * Mandalay – There is heavy competition on this route with air conditioned fares ranging from 10,500 kyat (Mandalar Minn, E lite) to 18,000 kyat for a 3-seat across VIP bus (E lite). E lite has an all new fleet with several departures early morning and evening. The new highway has dramatically reduced travel times north with the Mandalay trip taking just over 8 hr with a good bus.
 * Bagan – Buses are poorer value at 15,000 kyat. At the stadium in Yangon, you can get bus tickets for 13,000 kyat to Bagan (haggle!).
 * Pyay – Several buses a day: 8 hr, from 10,000 kyat. A few of which have started in Sittwe 18 hr before that.
 * Ngapali (Thandwe) – There are many buses travelling this route, for there are many tourist longing for the beautiful beach. From Thandwe (but also Ngapali) most Yangon buses start in the morning. The first 6-8 hr of the trip can be very exhausting, because they are through hills and on serpentines mostly only the bus will fit on. Make sure to take care of your stomach.
 * Tamu – An Ordinary Express departs at 07:00, and a VIP Express at 11:00. Alternatively, transferring or stopping over in Kalay, the Ordinary Express departs Kalay at 12:00, and the VIP Express at 15:00.

Getting there/away: Going to the city from the Highway Bus Station is possible on Bus 43 for 300 kyat. The bus passes in front of the entrance to the station. Just ask the helpful locals. On the way to the terminal, ask your hotel to write it down in Burmese script and catch the bus from the city hall across from Sule Paya to the city centre for 200 kyat. Better than the horrible transfer time (see shuttle ticket below) that sometimes make you wait at Aung Minglar for 3 hours. Bus 43 takes about 1 hr to get there, but give yourself some time to check in and allow for potential delays, leaving 2 hr from Sule Paya before your bus leaves.

Big bus companies serving the main tourist destinations (Aung Mingalar Bus Terminal) have sales offices across from Yangon train station (can also buy "shuttle ticket" to Bus Terminal for 1,000 kyat here).

By taxi
The easiest way to get around the city is by taxi and Yangon is the city where Toyotas come to live out the rest of their days. Plenty of old white Toyota Corolla taxis ply the streets and will pull over if you stick your hand out. Genuine taxis have red licence plates, carry a laminated green slip, and a large-print taxi driver identification card on the dashboard of the car, but all taxis are reliable. Be warned though that around lunchtime and late at night, it may be hard to hail one. Taxis are always available outside the bigger hotels, on Sule Pagoda Rd, outside Cafe Aroma, and, during the day, outside the south entrance to the Shwedagon Pagoda. Away from the city centre, for example, near the budget hotels in Pazundaung Township, you may have to wait a bit before a taxi shows up and it may be easier to ask your hotel to call one for you. If you're travelling in the early hours (for example, to catch a 04:00 train or flight), arrange one with your hotel the previous evening. You will always, at all hours, find a taxi outside the Central Hotel on Bogoyoke Aung San Rd.

It is customary to negotiate prices prior to the trip but, other than tacking on an informal tourist surcharge, you'll very rarely be cheated. If you're not sure how much you should pay, it is safe to assume the driver is charging you an extra 500 kyat because you're a foreigner. Ask for 500 kyat less than the stated price if in doubt. Approximate fares are: city centre to airport, 6,000-8,000 kyat; city centre to Shwedagon Pagoda, 2,500-3,000 kyat; city centre to Pazundaung Township, 2,500 kyat; city centre to Aung San Suu Kyi's house, 3,000 kyat; city centre to Kandawgyi Lake area, 3,000 kyat; city centre to Aung Mingalar Bus Terminal, 5,000-6,000 kyat; city centre to Hlaing Thar Yar Bus Terminal, 4,000 kyat. Expect to pay more, sometimes twice as much, when it rains and late at nights.

Most taxi drivers will be happy to negotiate an hourly (3,000 kyat) or daily (US$20-30) or longer rate. Taxis will take you anywhere and you can, in theory, hail a taxi and negotiate a trip to Pathein or Bago or other destinations at a much lower price than through a travel agency.

Taxi drivers charge a minimum fare of 1,500 kyat even for short trips. It seems like meters are never used, even when present.

Grab (taxi app popular in South-East Asia) can also help you catch taxis at a fair price.

By train

By trishaw
Trishaws are scarce in the city centre (and not permitted before 10:00), but more readily available in downtown and the surrounding townships. Negotiate fares in advance, but 500–1,000 kyat for a short ten minute ride, while a little more than a local would pay, is appropriate.

By bus
Using buses is safe and very cheap, the only drawback is that the network is hard to understand. Most of the locals can't speak English and the signs and bus numbers are written in Burmese. Yangon Bus Service (YBS), operated by Yangon Region Transport Authority (YRTA), started the operations in January 2017. The new bus network has reduced the number of lines from previous some 300 to about 70.

There are some apps that might come handy, although they are in Burmese, showing the bus stops and individual bus lines on the map (e.g. Yangon Bus Service Official App for Android).

By boat
A ferry crosses the river to Dallah from the Pansodan St Jetty.

On foot
Distances in the tourist areas are not great and, provided you take it easy, you can walk almost anywhere. The pavements can be very crowded though, particularly on Anawratha Rd, so expect to be constantly bumped into and to have to negotiate your way across vendors selling everything from hot samosas and curry to screwdrivers, TV remote controls to jeans. Many of the footpaths and pavements have large holes, mismatched pavers, or missing/unstable covers over drains. Walking on the footpath after dark can be treacherous, so either carry a torch or, like most locals, walk on the edge of the roadway which is normally in a (marginally) better state of repair.

See
Relatively untouched by development compared of other major Southeast Asian cities, the city centre of Yangon is full of historical sights. Yangon is perhaps the best preserved example of a European colonial capital in Southeast Asia.

Shwedagon Paya
The Shwedagon Pagoda or Paya is the most important religious site in Myanmar. The pagoda stands on the top of Singuttara Hill, and, according to legend, that spot has been sacred since the beginning of time, just before our present world was created. At that time, five lotus buds popped up on the hill, each bud signifying the five Buddhas who would appear in the world and guide it to Nirvana. Gautama, the Buddha as we know him, is the fourth of these five (Maitreya, the fifth, will announce the end of the world with his appearance) and, according to the legend, two brothers brought eight hairs of the Buddha to be enshrined in this sacred location, inaugurating the Shwedagon Pagoda. Whatever the truth of the legend, verifiable history records a pagoda at the site since the 6th century CE. Built and rebuilt, gilded and regilded, almost nothing in the pagoda is likely to be old, except whatever is hidden deep inside the stupa. An earthquake (18th century) destroyed the upper half of the pagoda spire and many buildings. Burmese Buddhists are practical people who constantly build and rebuild pagodas for merit. The pagoda is an interesting place: multicoloured neon highlighting a galaxy of colours, textures and shapes. It is also a jungle of spires with superior Myanmar woodcarving embellishment playfully mixed and matched with modern building materials such as corrugated roofing. Unlike other religious sites, it has a spiritual as well as a secular feel about it. Children run up and down singing songs, monks sit on the steps chatting, young men cast amorous glances at women, women stand around gossiping, all while others are deep in prayer in front of whatever shrine has significance for them. The Shwedagon captures the essence of both the informal nature as well as the strong ties that signify the relationship that the Burmese have with Buddhism. Things to see at the Shwedagon
 * Shvedagon Pagoda3.jpg

Other religious sites

 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg
 * Yangon Sule Paya.jpg

Miscellaneous

 * U Thant Haus in Rangon (Yangoon), Myanmar, Birma.jpg
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * U Thant Haus in Rangon (Yangoon), Myanmar, Birma.jpg
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * U Thant Haus in Rangon (Yangoon), Myanmar, Birma.jpg
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * U Thant Haus in Rangon (Yangoon), Myanmar, Birma.jpg
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * U Thant Haus in Rangon (Yangoon), Myanmar, Birma.jpg
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * U Thant Haus in Rangon (Yangoon), Myanmar, Birma.jpg
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.
 * There is an abandoned amusement attached to the zoo that has many overgrown rides, while entry is not permitted, many people do go in, and locals are used to tourists going in. While it is within shouting distance of the road and zoo, women should be aware of their personal safety. Millions of mosquitoes thrive here in the wet season and a number of aggressive wild dogs live here too. Enter through the bus parks back fence 30 m east of the zoo entrance, next to the mobile phone tower.

Do

 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.
 * Cinemas – There are a number of cinemas that play new release English movies. Local cinemas cost only a few dollars and are usually in a good condition but the best cinema might be in Myanmar plaza. remember to stand in silence for the national anthem.

Buy
Valuable and expensive woodcraft, gemstones, food ingredient, and souvenirs. Shopping is fun in Yangon for variety of things being available, unlike other crowded countries, foreigners can visit on certain times view things without distraction. Bargaining is expected, although tourists will be charged higher prices. Street vendors in the centre are not allowed to open their shops until 18:00, by government mandate.
 * Junction City, One of the famous shopping center in downtown area.
 * Junction City, One of the famous shopping center in downtown area.
 * Junction City, One of the famous shopping center in downtown area.

Money
Rates at the airport are almost as competitive as in the city, so change your money there or withdraw cash from an ATM. Do not change at the first bank you see inside the security area. Banks beyond security offer better rates.

If you need to change money outside business hours, especially on holidays and Sundays, only banks in the airport are open. Exchange rates are poorer at guesthouses and money changers.

Every full moon day is a public holiday. Banks, money changers, some Chinese shops and all government offices will be closed.

There are more than 500 ATMs in Yangon, however not all may work. It may take awhile to find one working. The withdrawal limit is typically 300,000 kyat plus a processing fee of 5,000 kyat.

When bringing in US dollars, the best exchange rates are for US$100 and US$50 notes. Smaller notes (US$1, US$5 and US$10) are indispensable to pay for admissions and transportation, which are sometimes charged in US dollars only. Bring notes in crisp condition as cashiers are wary of even the slightest blemishes. Check any US$ notes you are given in change, for the same reason. If you are given any damaged notes, nobody will accept it.

Eat
Yangon has seen an explosion of restaurants in the last ten years and a wide selection of international cuisines is available: Italian, Japanese, Thai and Korean. Local cuisine reflects the multi-ethnic nature of the city and the country. Along with Bamar food, there are a large number of Indian and Chinese restaurants as well as a few places specializing in ethnic Shan food. Fast food restaurants (usually with table service) serving burgers and pizza, and a few cafes complete the scene.

The cost of food ranges considerably. Restaurants and cafes in hotels and the airport charge prices that are normal in Western countries, yet at a streetside stall a whole meal costs 500–2,000 kyat.

Biryani, a rice and meat dish with roots in the Mughal Empire, is a speciality and there are many biryani restaurants (dan-PAO-sain in Burmese) in the city centre, especially along Anawratha Rd. The three main competing restaurant chains (all halal, but vegetarian biryani is usually available) are Yuzana, KSS (Kyet Shar Soon), and Nilar.

Budget
Street Food: Anawratha Rd and Mahabandoola Rd are dotted with food stalls, but Yangon street ambiance is not conducive to al fresco eating. Betel-nut spitting pedestrians do not add to the ambience either. Myanmar street food is mostly deep fried, and often served in a puddle of oil. Dishes are washed at the roadside "dunk" style, without soap and without running water. The green tea is free but before drinking from the cups pour some tea, swill it, empty it on the street and then pour yourself the cup of tea. Alternatively, use the provided tissue at the table as the locals do. There are many buffet-style street stalls where you point at the food to order.

Street vendors sell samosas, onion balls, and other Indian snacks around Anawratha St between Sule Paya Rd and Shwe Bontha St in central Yangon for under 200 kyat. Many restaurants and food stalls close as early as 20:00 or 21:00. It is best go around 19:00.

Mid-range

 * Kaisu kitchen, (on Mahabandula Road, between 11th Street and Hledan Street, diagonally across from Lotteria) serving western style fried chicken, burgers and Singapore style food- 2500Kyat. better than Lotteria, cheaper than KFC, has Wifi.
 * Kaisu kitchen, (on Mahabandula Road, between 11th Street and Hledan Street, diagonally across from Lotteria) serving western style fried chicken, burgers and Singapore style food- 2500Kyat. better than Lotteria, cheaper than KFC, has Wifi.

Drink
Nightlife in Yangon is split between local bars or "beer stations" as they are called which close early (around 21:00-00:00), but offer drinks at bargain prices (about 800 kyat for a pint glass of Myanmar Beer, local whiskies cost 2,000 kyat a glass). Expect to get a lot of attention when going to the local bars, since theses places are not frequented by foreigners. Drinking is not culturally acceptable for women in Burma, so don't expect to pick up any girls except in nightclubs and Western-style venues, local bars are places where men meet to talk and chew betel nut (very popular in Myanmar).

In stark contrast to local bars are the trendy cocktail bars and nightclubs that are springing up in the more modern areas of town, this is where you will find the expatiates and wealthy Westernized locals. Drinks are expensive and the DJs are unreliable- but expect a more or less Western experience, girls drink, most venues are LGBT friendly and all "the people" are there.

Bars

 * Asia (A5IA), nicely decorated, across from ko san
 * ko san double happiness bar, cheap, friendly and on 19th street. you will be safe from prostitutes, beggars and the usual hassles of 19th street.
 * Port autonomy, very trendy and in a new location- but expensive by Yangon standards

Nightclubs
Nightclubs in Yangon are not world famous, the music is often bad and most up-market discos and some nightclubs are frequented by Burmese prostitutes who are eager to talk with foreigners.

 * The Music Club (at the Park Royal Hotel (admission, US$6, hotel guests, free); Paddy O'Malley's (Sedona Hotel, admission, US$5, including one drink).
 * Fuse nightclub
 * Pioneer nightclub, mostly rich local kids but has reliable DJs, always popular. Go with four people and buy a 80k package that includes a liter of vodka. Security is tight.
 * Level 2 nightclub, probably has the best DJs in the city, frequent events. Attached to the trendy Alchemy Bar.
 * Pyrite, has a gay night (under repair as of 7 July 2019 but will re-open soon)
 * Crush Bar in the north of the city
 * Safehouse

Sleep
Accommodation in Yangon is comparatively much more expensive than the likes of Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City or Bali.

Rooms are abundant except at the height of the tourist season (Dec-Jan), and then only in the popular backpacker hotels. Reservations are almost never necessary. Tourists can still pay in US$ (bring only newer US$ banknotes in good condition), but the kyat is more commonly used now. Credit cards are increasingly accepted at hotels.

Budget hotels are mostly away from city centre. The upside is that the hotels are quieter, the city centre can be quite noisy, and you get a little more room for your money. You'll need a taxi to get to the main sight, the Shwedagon Pagoda anyway. The downside is that most restaurants are in the city centre, a long walk or taxi ride away and choices outside the centre are limited, usually with the only choice being a restaurant attached to the hotel with indifferent cuisine and which may be closed if business is slow. Pazundaung and Botataung Townships seem to have the highest concentration of budget hotels. Some rooms, the cheaper ones, in many budget hotels have no windows. There are a few budget central hotels but, except for a couple, are quite shabby.

Mid-priced hotels are scattered about the city, with one set concentrated in the few blocks around Sule Pagoda and a second set just north of the Shwedagon Pagoda. Luxury hotels are concentrated around Kandawgyi Lake or city centre.

Rates for hotels are usually quoted as single/double. The room is usually the same but you pay a little extra, about US$5-10, if two people share the room. Breakfast is almost always included and the quality and variety increases with the cost of the hotel. In a budget hotel, expect a banana, an egg, some bread and coffee made from "coffee mix" (a pre-packaged mix of coffee powder, milk powder and lots of sugar).

An important factor in choosing a hotel is electricity. Electricity supply is subject to frequent breaks anywhere in the city. Mid-priced hotels usually have their own generators while budget hotels either do not or have a limited supply: lights will work till 23:00, fans may or may not work, air conditioning never does even if fitted in the room unless state-supplied electricity is available. Ask when you book what the electricity situation is and, if there is no generator, what you can expect on the days that you are there.

Budget
You can get a dorm bed with free breakfast in Yangon from US$4 a night (April 2019).

Splurge

Connect

Internet cafes
Internet cafes have proliferated and Yangon has quite a few that provide access at a reasonable speed for a reasonable price. The government no longer blocks any web sites, but connections are not 100% reliable. Many hotels provide Internet services, but these tend to be more expensive than the public cafes. The cheapest rate is around 400 kyat/hr. There are plenty of places so shop around and save some cash.

Stay safe
Despite widespread poverty, Yangon is one of the safest big cities in the world. Most people, including single females, will not have any problems roaming the streets alone at night, and carrying large amounts of cash rarely poses a problem. Crimes against tourists are taken very seriously by the military government and punishment is often disproportionately severe. This, in addition to the strong Buddhist culture in the population, means that Yangon's crime rate is lower than the likes of Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. Violent crime is especially rare. However, little crime does not mean no crime, and there have been isolated incidents involving tourists, so it is best to take normal big city precautions like avoiding lonely areas at night and always being aware of your valuables. As with everywhere else in the world, there is no substitute for common sense.

Prostitution and drug trafficking are illegal, though there are plenty of prostitutes in Yangon, often in bars owned by senior army officers. Drug trafficking is punishable by death.

Scams
A increasingly common scam involved an overly friendly local approaching a tourist (often near Sule Pagoda or the park next to it, or outside Shwe Dagon pagoda) and offering to take them around the city. The tourist is then taken to an isolated area (often across the river to Dala township) where a group of men appear and demand huge amounts of money and take the tourist to an ATM where they are forced to make a withdrawal.

It can be difficult to separate these men from the more common tour guide who will introduce himself and try to overcharge you for short tours.

Taxi drivers at the airport and au minglar bus station are known to badly overcharge people who have just arrived and may lie about the exchange rate of the Myanmar kyat. Using Grab taxi is safer and often cheaper for tourists.

The most common crime in Yangon is being short-changed by a money changer, so count your kyat carefully when you exchange money. Opt to exchange at the Bogyoke Market, where the rates may be slightly worse, but the jewellery shop owners won't rip you off. Do not fall for the "bad serial number" excuse, it's another attempt to con you (however, US dollars with "CB" serial numbers may be fakes). Be especially careful with the money changer around Sule Paya. They count the money in front of you, but will trick you while doing that (they have fast hands.) People are strongly advised not to change money there.

There are a multitude of fake monks along the street near Sule-Shangri La Hotel (formally Traders) and Bogyoke Market. Authentic monks do not hang around tourist attractions soliciting donations.

Stay healthy

 * Yangon can be extremely hot with intense sun. Wear long-sleeved, light-coloured clothing, drink plenty of water, and staying inside during the noon hours.
 * Yangon's tap water is not potable. Always buy bottled water or refill bottles at purified water jars. Temples supply free purified water (large steel tanks), and most shop keepers are happy to let you top up at their water jugs.
 * Mosquitoes carry dengue and malaria. Insist on using a mosquito net at night if it is available. Make sure there are no holes or gaps left in the net. Your second line of defense is mosquito coils and mosquito repellent.
 * Street food is almost universally unsafe and can be a source of everything from diarrhoea to typhoid and parasites. Stick to indoor restaurants and tea shops with non-dirt floors.
 * Street dogs are occasionally rabid: Pass them with caution, and be aware that can form aggressive packs.
 * There are open sewers all over Yangon, usually under the footpaths. Be extremely wary during rainy season when many flood. You could accidentally find yourself standing chest deep in a sewer. Some sections of sewer are covered for walking ease, others are not. During rainy season, be cautious of any cuts you may have on your feet as the flooded water in the streets is contaminated and can lead to infections.
 * Drivers are reckless. If your taxi driver is behaving recklessly tell them to slow down. Be insistent; traffic deaths are extremely common.
 * Many drugs in pharmacies are fake. Golden Bell Pharmacy listed below is reputable.

Healthcare
Tuberculosis and AIDS (known as "A-I-D Five" among locals) afflict a disproportionately high percentage of the people. However, HIV infection is not at the epidemic level (infection rates are much less than 1%). There is a risk of dengue fever. Malaria is a risk in rural areas.

Medical care is limited, but is most expedient at private medical clinics. Most guest houses and hotels will be able to provide you with the address of a private doctor with experience in treating foreigners. Be sure to take the proper vaccinations before you leave for your trip. Carry a small first-aid kit with you containing at least painkillers, band-aid, ORS and a loperamide-like medicine. Anti-malarial pills and DEET are recommended. For more serious medical issues, you will probably need to travel to Bangkok or Singapore for treatment.

Embassies
In the event of an emergency, always take the precaution of registering at your embassy. Many details can also be found here: https://www.embassypages.com/myanmar

 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇧🇩 BangladeshBangladesh, 11B Thanlwin Rd.
 * 🇰🇭 CambodiaCambodia, 25 New University Ave Rd.
 * 🇨🇦 CanadaCanada, The Australian Embassy provides assistance.
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇫🇷 FranceFrance, 1, 102 Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Rd, is near the outskirts of the city.
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇮🇳 India
 * 🇮🇩 IndonesiaIndonesia, 100 Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Rd.
 * 🇮🇱 Israel
 * 🇮🇹 ItalyItaly, 3 Inya Myaing Rd.
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇰🇷 South KoreaKorea, 97 University Ave Rd.
 * LaosLaos, A1 Diplomatic Quarters, Taw Win St.
 * 🇲🇾 MalaysiaMalaysia, 82 Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Rd.
 * 🇳🇵 NepalNepal, 16 Natmauk Rd.
 * 🇳🇱 NetherlandsNetherlands, The German Embassy provides assistance.
 * 🇳🇿 New ZealandNew Zealand, The UK Embassy provides assistance.
 * 🇵🇰 PakistanPakistan, 4A Pyay Rd.
 * 🇵🇭 PhilippinesPhilippines, 50 Sayasan St.
 * 🇷🇺 RussiaRussia, 38 Sagawa Road
 * 🇸🇬 Singapore
 * 🇱🇰 Sri LankaSri Lanka, 34 Taw Win St.
 * 🇸🇪 SwedenSweden, The UK Embassy provides assistance.
 * 🇨🇭 SwitzerlandSwitzerland, The German Embassy provides assistance.
 * 🇹🇭 ThailandThailand, 94 Pyay St.
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * VietnamVietnam, 72 Thanlwin Rd.

Go next

 * Yangon International Airport - Taxi to airport is around 8,000 kyat including baggage. Your hotel manager may well drive you to the airport. There is a beautiful 3-storey mural, a nice composition of Burmese countryside and lifestyle in the style of idyllic romanticism worth taking souvenir photo of as you go to immigration on the second floor departure area.
 * Bago (Pegu) - an important city with pagodas and monasteries 60 km north of Yangon. An easy day trip.
 * Mandalay - overnight buses, and expensive government trains, leave for Mandalay daily. Bus tickets can be booked at the number of travel agents just north of Yangon railway station.
 * Mawlamyine - A pleasant seaside city with a few daytrip possibilities. 9 hr express train runs there each morning about 06:15 (and an 11 hr slow train at 07:00). Ordinary tickets (with no seat reservations) cost foreigners US$5, while upper class tickets are US$14. You get your own seat and it's slightly less crowded, but there isn't much difference between classes.
 * Pathein (Bassein) - famous for its paper umbrellas and stunning religious architecture, and an overnight boat away (or 4 hours by rented car, more by bus) to the west. From Pathein it's only a few hours by bus or pick-up truck on to the beaches of Chaungtha and Ngwe Saung.
 * Taukkyan - about an hour's drive (35 km) of central Yangon, and site of the Taukkyan War Cemetery.
 * Thanlyin - once an important city on the Irrawaddy Delta, and gateway to Kyauktan (Syriam), a small island in the Yangon River, which is the site of the 4th century Ye Le Paya.
 * Twante - the most accessible delta town to Yangon, makes for a nice half- or full-day trip.

title: Yangon


text:
Yangquan

Yangquan (阳泉; Yángquán) is a city in Shanxi Province in China.

By plane
The nearest airports are in Taiyuan and Shijiazhuang.

By train
The fastest trains from Taiyuan take only 35 minutes and cost ¥37-45, there are also slower and cheaper trains. Other trains include from Shijiazhuang (from 37 minutes), Beijing (2h30-3 hours; ¥119-143) and Shanghai (12 hours).

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Yangquan


text:
Yangshuo

Yangshuo (阳朔; Yáng shuò) is a small town surrounded by karst mountains and beautiful scenery near Guilin. It has been a popular backpacker destination since the 1980s, and the surrounding area has excellent rock climbing opportunities which attract large groups of tourists. As a result, it has seen much development and now gets many tour groups, mostly but by no means all Chinese.

Yangshuo Town is the county seat for Yangshuo County; county population is about 300,000 with most of them in the town. This article concentrates on the town but also covers some expeditions into the countryside.

Understand
Yangshuo is popular for its incredible karst scenery, beautiful mountains, rivers, caves, and temples as well as its laid back cafes and bars. However, as a result, there is no shortage of mainland Chinese tourists, expats and other foreigners.

Yangshuo is not a typical Chinese town and does not have the big-city feel of other Chinese cities. That means it is relatively air and noise pollution free, (provided you get away from major roadways), is very clean (by Chinese standards) and does not usually suffer from endless massive traffic chaos. It is much more like a vacation town, with wonderful restaurants and shops and again quite developed by mainland Chinese standards. It is also a nice place to stop and explore the local countryside by bike or even try your hand on the world class rock-climbing sites.

Yangshuo has a reputation as a foreigners' village in Southern China and is a major stop for many independent travellers. However, as of August 2023, most resident foreigners have left during the COVID period, and indeed very few foreigners can be seen around the town. Additionally, the majority of foreigner owned or focused businesses listed below have closed down; Yangshuo is now very much a domestic Chinese tourism destination. It is on the Hong Kong to Kunming overland route and the Chinese offshoot of the backpackers' Banana Pancake Trail through Southeast Asia.

Orientation

The main tourist area of Yangshuo is laid out roughly like a ladder. The two main tourist streets run more-or-less parallel up from the river and end at one of the town's larger streets. There are assorted smaller streets (rungs) crossing between the two larger streets. The street (ladder vertical) on the left seen from the River is West Street (西街 Xijie) and is the older more established tourist street, the real centre of things. The other long tourist street is Diecuilu (畳翠路).

There is a small creek that runs down the centre of the ladder; some of the prettiest bars and restaurants in town are on balconies near it. The street there is called Guihua Lu. It has undergone heavy rebuilding and has many new shops, bars and restaurants. Toward the river end, it curves to intersect Diecielu.

At the foot of the ladder by the river is an open area with a large number of vendors hawking all sorts of tourist stuff, both from shops and from handcarts. There are also a number of rather nice riverside hotels.

Across the top of the ladder is a major street (Pantao Rd) with many hotels. The town's main bus station is at the corner where that main street meets Die Cui Lu. The intersection has a large open area that becomes very busy at night, with dozens of restaurants and hundreds of diners. Do not expect English menus or non-Chinese dishes.

Get in
Yangshuo has neither an airport nor a railway station, though nearby Guilin has both and the new high-speed trains have some stops that are closer.

By plane
The nearest airport is Guilin Liangjiang International Airport in Guilin, served by many Asian carriers with several daily flights from Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. It is generally cheaper to fly to Guilin from Shenzhen than from Hong Kong, just across the border as flights from Shenzhen are considered a domestic flight, whereas from Hong Kong is international. There is also a daily flight from Kuala Lumpur by Air Asia.

An airport shuttle operates non-stop between Guilin Airport and Yangshuo taking around 90 minutes. Tickets can be purchased in Guilin airport close to the arrivals exit. Buses leave from outside the airport and travel to the Yangshuo northern bus station. There are departures from Guilin Airport at 09:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15:30, 16:30, 18:00, 20:00 and 22:30. Tickets cost ¥50 per person.

An easy but comparatively costly way to get to Yangshuo is by taxi. It is far better to have your pick-up arranged by your hotel as waiting taxi drivers at Guilin will overcharge you and drivers generally do not know anything else in Yangshuo than the bus station where they will drop you off and you need to arrange transportation from there onwards. Expect to pay between ¥260-400 depending on the vehicle, and depending on whether you take the G65 Baomao highway (additional ¥30 for toll fees but saves about half an hour). Taking the highway is much faster, less bumpy and better for your blood pressure as you will not have to watch as your driver plays chicken with oncoming traffic while passing all the transport trucks moving at 40 km/h on the regular road.

By train
Yangshuo has no train station, however there are train stations close by.

The nearest railway station with the most train service is in Guilin. A direct overnight train from Shenzhen (on the Hong Kong border) operates to Guilin (12 hours). Some hotels will arrange pick up from the train station. Minibuses to Yangshuo conveniently depart from the square in front of Guilin railway station (¥18, 80–90 minutes). These buses are untrustworthy, known to scam many tourists and take a long time to make the journey as they constantly stop to gather more passengers. The safest and more ideal method of getting to Yangshuo is to ignore the bus touts and turn north (left from the station) and walk the 300 m to the main bus terminal. Here buses are properly ticketed, safe and direct (¥15, 50–60 minutes). *As of December 2018 this bus station is closed. Buses run from the new South station about 10 km south.

GongCheng is a high speed railway station that opened in 2014. Now offering high speed trains to and from Guizhou, Guangdong and Shenzhen, it is become the most popular method of travelling to and from the Guangdong/Hong Kong region. Trains to and from Shenzhen now only take 3 hours. To travel from GongCheng Railway Station to Yangshuo, take the public bus to the GongCheng Bus Station (10 minutes) and the bus to Yangshuo (40 minutes).

Xingping has a high speed railway station with trains to and from Guangdong. Since XingPing town is part of Yangshuo County, you could call this station "Yangshuo" station and China Railway does. There is a bus stop right next to the railway station that brings you to XingPing (15 mins.) or Yangshuo.

By bus
From Guilin, there are frequent minibuses and express buses to Yangshuo. There are two services, private and government run.

Private buses depart from the square in front of the Guilin Railway Station (80–90 minutes, ¥18, buy tickets on the bus once it is underway. Invariably touts will try to sell you a more expensive ticket before the bus departs, even coming onto the bus. The best approach is simply to ignore them. Be aware that if the bus is not full enough to the driver's liking, they will delay in order to get more passengers.  This bus will stop to let on and take on passengers en route.

The government run service are express buses that depart every twenty minutes from the Guilin Bus Terminal off Zhongshan Zhong Lu and take about 1½ hours (¥22, buy tickets from counter inside terminal).

From Guangdong, overnight sleeper buses run direct to Yangshuo from Shenzhen (near Hong Kong), from Zhuhai (near Macau), and from Guangzhou. These cost around ¥100-250 depending on which station in Shenzhen you want to depart from and how new of a bus you want to travel on. Some sleeping buses from Shenzhen are quite uncomfortable. The buses from the border in Shenzhen are the most expensive.

Buses from Guangdong really don't go to the bus station; they just let you off in town, a ten-minute walk from the main tourist area following the signs to West Street.

By boat
There are also boats that travel down the Li River from Guilin, slower and more expensive (¥400+) than buses, but a very scenic journey. You may be able to travel for about ¥100 by joining a tour group. You will pass some of China's most famous scenic views, including a mountain view that can be seen on all ¥20 bills. Do check with your travel agent or hotel which boat you will be on as standards can vary a lot. Ask for a picture to be sure it is what you had in mind. Do not go with the CITS travel agents that approach you just when you get off the train and will either overcharge or sell you devalued trips in their office inside the train station.

In the winter time, which is the dry season, the boats often only travel starting halfway down the Li River from Guilin. A tour company should inform you of this. It is still worth taking the journey. You will then travel part of the way by bus or private taxi, then join the boat where the water is deep enough (this may vary).

In case you do not come on a Li River cruise, numerous boat trips on motorized rafts can be booked anywhere in Yangshuo. It is also very nice to hike the most scenic part between Yangdi and Xing Ping.

By bike
Renting a bike and taking off into the countryside, with or without a guide, is one popular strategy for exploring the area. There are several places around the main street catering for short-term rentals charging ¥20-50.

Most times you get what you paid for. Be sure to check brakes and gears before you set off so not to get your day spoiled by mechanical problems that could be avoided. Generally the SPX, Giant's and Hunter's are the brands to go for. Expect to pay ¥50 for a Trek-bicycle, the best ones to be found here. If you want to play it safe, some places will get you a helmet for extra.

Beware of robbers who operate on a motorbike and will try to snatch your camera, rucksack or handbag from the basket behind if you leave it open. Try to one that closes and lock it with your bike lock.

By motorbike
There are a number of motorbike rental options available throughout Yanghsuo. Generally they can be found at the same locations as bike rentals, particularly at the top of West Street. It is illegal to operate any petrol-driven vehicle without a Chinese license. Police seem to turn a blind eye to scooters, but may stop you if riding a motorbike. Electric scooters do not require a license and typically get around 40 km on a battery charge. Expect to pay around ¥100 for a day, petrol-driven vehicles often come with an empty tank. At least two guesthouses offer motorbike rent:
 * Dragon River Retreat
 * En Attendant Godot Youth Hostel

By taxi
Taxis in Yangshuo are very few compared to other bigger cities, because they are limited by the government. They are more expensive than elsewhere in China, and they will all refuse to use the meter if they have any; thus you have to bargain and agree to a price before getting on. Taxi drivers will ask you ¥25-30 for a ride within the town (from 100 m to 3 km), but, after bargaining, you can easily achieve a price of ¥10 for that distance.

There are numerous open air three wheel style taxis and motorbike taxis. Agree to a price before getting on and bargain hard. If you are staying outside of the main town, try to arrange transport in advance if you want to avoid haggling or being ripped off. Some hotels offer free or low-price shuttle services, and it is often a good ideal to take advantage of these services. For a trip about 5 km outside of town the various taxis (normal, three wheel, motorbike) will ask at least ¥35, but the final price can be lower after bargaining.

By motorbike taxi
On many street corners there are men waiting on their motorbike. They will take you anywhere in town for a fee of ¥8-15 within town.

By foot
Yangshuo is a small place, the town can easily be covered on foot. There is an electric minibus network consisting five routes covering most parts of town. ¥1 per ride.

If you are planning on walking around the many streets and caves around Yangshuo, a map is recommended. Artistic tourist maps are available for sale for around ¥5-10 at tourist shops all over town, but the free maps are better for finding your way.

For those who want to wander a little further afield, or to check the attractions in the area, there are several options.

By boat
There are boat tours up or down the river.

By bus
Local buses serve some locations. From Yangshuo's bus terminal, minibuses (xiao mian bao, litt. little bread loaves) go to Gaotian (for Yueliang Shan/Moon Hill), Jinbao via Baisha (for Yulong Qiao/Dragon Bridge), Shazhi (for Fuli village), Xingping (for the Xingping-Yangdi scenic area) and further afield.

Climbers should look for the Gaotian minivan at the end of the row which leaves every 15 minutes - tell driver 'Banyan Tree' or 'Moon Hill' and they will stop for you. Get on bigger blue bus to Puyi (two buses down from Gaotian van) which leaves every half-hour for The Egg and White Mountain. The driver will know where to stop, don't sweat it. These rides are ¥3 each way, pay when getting off or when the girl comes around, and please have small bills or exact change. After climbing just go back to where you got dropped off and you'll be picked up shortly. Last returning bus picks up Egg climbers at 18:30.

By car
It is possible to hire private cars for others.

Tour guides
Most hostels or hotels can arrange transportation and a guide if you want one. A guide may be very helpful for things like cycling tours. Guides can also be found at 'Expat Services' on Chenzhong Rd, next to 7th Heaven.

Alternately, you can choose your own tourist guide by working out a deal with one of the many who will accost you on the street. Some local guides are simply savvy street wise individuals trying to make some money, whilst others are registered and take government examinations. Expect to pay around ¥100 a person per day. Whilst some of the unlicensed guides can be very good at what they do, be careful that you are not simply being taken on a 'shopping' tour where you feel pressured into spending money you do not wish to.

If you want to go and see a larger region or even start a tour to the rest of the province or the neighboring provinces, you can get in touch with one of the local foreigner-run travel services. They can give you good advice or organize an authentic-orientated private tour for you with your own car and driver and experienced tour guide.

As elsewhere in Asia, many shops pay commissions to guides who bring in customers, such shops are usually overpriced, and some guides will take you only to those places. To get good prices, go shopping without a guide and be prepared to bargain hard. See the section below for more information.

Karst landscape
The area around Yangshuo is renowned throughout China, if not the whole world, (even making it into the backdrop of Star Wars Episode 3), for its karst landscape where there are hundreds upon hundreds of limestone hills dotting the countryside. The beautiful scenery here is a common subject of Chinese paintings and the inspiration for poetry. There are several popular areas for karst landscape sight-seeing which can be covered by river cruises, bamboo-raft cruises, cycling, trekking and combinations of the various modes.

Rock climbing
Yangshuo has over 300 climbing routes ranging in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.13. There is a lively climbing scene in town, so experienced climbers will have no problem finding a partner, just ask in the climbing places and they should know other climbing travelers you can hook up with. The Climbers Inn is most common place to find beta or partners. For beginners and climbers traveling without their own equipment several climbing companies offer equipment rental, one/multi-day trips and places to hang out chatting about potential routes or to find a partner. The Yangshuo Climbing Guide, a guidebook showing route topos, grades, etc., can be purchased from any of the climbing companies. Climbing shops in Yangshuo:

Martial arts
Yangshuo is an excellent place to learn martial arts in China especially the internal styles known as Tai Chi. This is the set of slow movements that you may have seen people performing in parks across China. It can be practiced for health or as a martial art and there are many schools in the area around Yangshuo. Each school has its own special qualities, but each will give you a really good foundation in the form no matter if you stay for a day or a year. Prices in Yangshuo tend to be much higher than those in the rest of China but even so you will find that you get value for money with all of the teachers here.

Buy
On West Street there is the Bank of China, Agricultural Bank and ICBC. On Pantao Lu there are a few others, including the China Postal Bank and another near the fresh food markets. Some banks do not have ATMs, and not all ATMs will handle foreign card transactions.

The fresh market displays cages full of dogs waiting for the slaughter. There are plenty of stalls out on the streets where you can buy lots of fruits.

Tourist stuff
There is a huge amount of touristy stuff available: Much of this stuff is lovely, really very tempting. However, quite a bit of it is fake and nearly all of it is available all over China and cheaper outside of Yangshuo.
 * Pashmina scarves (Cashmere by a different name).
 * Silk products: ties, dresses and robes, scarves, dresses.
 * Pottery, bronze, stone carvings, bracelets, and knickknacks of all sorts.
 * Scroll paintings, fans and embroidered cloths.

Asking prices for such stuff in Yangshuo are usually seriously inflated. Here is a table based on one traveller's experience (around 2008):

Getting the prices shown took hard bargaining, often based on knowledge of prices elsewhere. Of course, even those may not be the best possible prices.

Many tourists, having no idea of the real Chinese price, are grossly overcharged. After all, even ¥120 (about $19 US) would be a great price for a nice pure silk tie back home.

Advice for tourists who have no idea what the Chinese price should be:
 * Compare different offers first but don't haggle until you're ready to buy.
 * Ignore the offered price and throw out the price you thought it is. You can usually get more price cut on clothing, silks and pottery, but don't expect much on ginger candy.
 * Walk away if the vendor will not meet your price. They often follow after you with better prices. Some vendors may be unwilling to give you a fair price, and will not follow you even if you walk away.

If you plan to travel to other Chinese cities, you might want to do your purchases elsewhere. Apart from a few specific items, most of what you see in Yangshuo may be found anywhere, with much better chances of paying a fair price.

Local goods
There are also a few things not usually available elsewhere: You should also bargain on these, of course.
 * Postcards and picture books of the area, in stores or hawked by older women on the street.
 * Chinese paintings of the local Karst scenery.
 * T-shirts
 * Chinese characters with different slogans, such as "I have no money", or "Foreigner coming" on the front and "Foreigner going" on the back.
 * Hard Rock Cafe T-shirts are common. There has never been a real Hard Rock Cafe (part of the chain) in Yangshuo, though at least two now defunct places used the name.
 * Silver and embroidery pieces by local minorities.
 * Prices for large pieces are high, but some pieces may be worth them.
 * Small pieces, such as embroidered Zhuang minority love balls, are also available.

Other interesting things

 * Nature House, on Die Cui Lu about half a block from the river. Sells various rocks, some are interesting geological specimens while others are carved and/or painted. Fascinating.
 * The Chopstick Shop, on West Street. Their factory is in Guilin and they sell wonderfully gift wrapped chopstick sets.

CDs and DVDs - Available at several stores on West Street or nearby. Nearly all such products in China are unauthorised copies, but many in Yangshuo look real. General quality, especially the packaging, is far better than the usual. Many come with booklets of lyrics or artist biography. Some have full-colour advertising printouts for the label's other offerings. Selection is also good, the English music is not all Backstreet Boys and the Carpenters. Prices are also higher, ¥15-25 versus ¥6-8 for the cheap copies all over China.

Eat
Yangshuo has a lot of restaurants but in this touristy place, prices tend to be more expensive. You can eat cheaply in the markets with the locals or you can try comfort food in many cafes.

Local specialties:
 * Grapefruit or Pomelos (sha tian you) - locally produced, they are very sweet and juicy and can be bought everywhere for ¥1-2. Ask the vendor to choose one with a small top and cut it up for you.
 * Beer fish (pi jiu yu) - A local specialty, something most Chinese tourists try.

When you buy fish, the price on the menu is customarily quoted per 500g, called 斤 (jin). A larger fish may cost you well over ¥100. For 3-4 people, a fish with 2 jins (1 kg), along with 3-4 other dishes, is usually enough.

There are more than one species of fish cooked with beer. Each with its own unique texture and taste. For example, MaoGu fish (毛骨鱼) has the least amount of bones.

The local cuisine can be spicy and contain MSG but you can request keeping them out. However, for big fans of chillies, local dining places, including an Indian restaurant, tend to assume westerners can't take any real spicy food no matter how you insist on it.

Western and Indian food
Many cafes in Yangshuo offer burgers, shepherd's pie, and a Western breakfast, however authentic western foods are still rare. The quality of Chinese foods in those western restaurants are hit or miss, sometimes regarded as "Chinese foods in a western style", a euphemism for weird tastes among local people. Prices in those places are also higher than average Chinese standard. ¥15-40 for a coffee, ¥40 for a pizza and ¥30 for a slice of cake is common.

A general guideline is that the best Chinese restaurants do not serve Western food, and vice versa, but Yangshuo has a number of places that do reasonably well at both.

Most of the staff in these places speak reasonable English, a few excellent. Free WiFi is usually provided and several also have a computer terminal available.

 * The Alley Yangshuo Beer Bar & Restaurant on Gui Hua Rd. Open at 17:00. Serves mostly steaks, pizza, burgers and drinks. The steaks are great and pizza, starting from around ¥30, is among the most authentic you can find in China. Burgers are delicious and they come with fries and a complimentary Liquan beer for ¥28-50.

Chinese food
Most Chinese restaurants outside of West Street don't have either an English menu or English-speaking staff, but prices are often better than on the Street.

The night market — Used to be located near the bus station, now head into the markets across the road or down to Gui Hua Lu. There is quite a variety of food, much of it at low prices (although still more expensive than elsewhere in China). They even serve dog, rat, oysters, mussels, rabbit, duck, shrimp, frog, the local mud snails and a variety of other surprising dishes! Make sure to haggle. Take very good care of your belongings—there are some very accomplished sneak thieves and pickpockets specializing in wallets, phones and passports.

Beer fish, carp or catfish cooked in beer sauce, is the most famous dish in Yangshuo. The price is quoted in Chinese jin (500g) and usually runs ¥20-50 per jin depending on the species of fish. Guilin Rice noodles, local white-color pasta made of rice, is breakfast and lunch dish that costs around ¥3-10.

 * Clay Pot This is where all the climbers go for dinner. On Guihua Ln. Leaving Bar98 cross canal and turn right, pass many restaurants until street diverges away from canal. Earthware Pot (next to empty Clay Pot) is the packed place on the right. Simple menu, great food, cheap.
 * Riverview Cafe - A restaurant with a panoramic view of the Li River.
 * Cloud Nine — A popular Chinese place on West Street.
 * Dumpling King Just off the walking street from the bus station. This cheap eatery states 'We may not be in lonely planet but we are good for you' ...It is not, it is awful.
 * Julies Moon Hill View Chinese and western delicacies served in a peaceful environment, just by Moon Hill.
 * Snow Lion A great place just outside of town. Eat on the terrace by the river. Well known for its Crispy Duck dishes with fresh plum sauce.
 * Ganguoyu (干锅鱼) — A "dry pot" fish restaurant very popular with the locals. It is located beside the pond on Jiefang Lu (between the petrol station and the tunnel).
 * Yangshuo Ren (阳朔人) — A Chinese restaurant very popular with the locals. It specializes in beer fish and other hot pots. It is on the market street between Sunshine 100 and the 99 supermarket.
 * Beifang Jiaozi Guan (北方饺子馆) ("Dynasty of Dumplings") — This "northern dumplings" restaurant on Xianqian Jie near the intersection with Die Cui Lu and right around the corner from the Magnolia Hotel has fantastic North-East Chinese cuisine.
 * Huang Jin Lian — This is a good restaurant on Diecui Rd (parallel to West St) serving the local delicacies. The local shrimp dish is interesting as you eat them whole so they have a bit of crunch. Be prepared to pay ¥1 for the provision of the shrink wrapped dish set and ¥1 for a bowl of rice. This restaurant is quite close to the market that runs along the river and service is friendly.
 * Sichuan Restaurant A great Sichuan Restaurant on FuRong Rd. Maybe 100m along Die-cui lu travelling away from the water then right (big sign). The fish flavoured eggplant is great as are the fried green peppers (not on menu - just hope someone has them and point). Menu with English and pictures.
 * Sichuan Restaurant A great Sichuan Restaurant on FuRong Rd. Maybe 100m along Die-cui lu travelling away from the water then right (big sign). The fish flavoured eggplant is great as are the fried green peppers (not on menu - just hope someone has them and point). Menu with English and pictures.
 * Sichuan Restaurant A great Sichuan Restaurant on FuRong Rd. Maybe 100m along Die-cui lu travelling away from the water then right (big sign). The fish flavoured eggplant is great as are the fried green peppers (not on menu - just hope someone has them and point). Menu with English and pictures.

Cafes
There are Chinese tea shops where you can sample ‘ten year’ old tea, or even ’fifteen year’ old tea. It looks very black, but produces a very mild light looking and tasting tea, all served from miniature teapots into miniature teacups.

Many tea houses are ridiculously over priced. One of the most popular scams in China is the standard, "Do you speak English?, Do you have time? I was about to go get some tea, want to come with me?" and out goes hundreds of kuai. It is a scam; do not fall for it. They are not your friends.

Clubs
Yangshuo has a boisterous nightlife along the West street but nightclubs are packed with shy and lumpy dancers. There are also several clubs located near the bus terminal, which sometimes stay open until 05:00 or 06:00 and other nights are shut by midnight. They often change the opening and closing hour from day to day so check it yourself.

Entrance fees are not common but on special occasions they may have minimum charge for each table. The cheapest beer often starts from ¥25.

Bars
As with Guilin, the local drink is Guilin Three-flower Wine, although most people prefer a 700 ml bottle of Liquan which is sold in between ¥8-10 in a bar catering for the Westerners. On the contrary, a bar or pub catering for Chinese tourists often charge at least ¥20 for a 350 ml bottle of beer. Many of the bars have ¥50 bottles of Jack and Coke.

Sleep
There are many places to stay in Yangshuo from ¥40/night for a dorm room through US$100/night for a luxury bungalow. Hotel touts are to be found around the main bus station but best avoided. Prices are very negotiable in the off season, and the asking price will be many times lower than that advertised on signs in the hotel lobby. Don't be afraid to negotiate. Know the name of your hotel in Chinese, and best also the name of the location in Chinese, e.g. name of the street. It will be helpful for non-Mandarin speakers, bear in mind even local Chinese may get the name wrong due to the sound in pronunciation, a writing is better than thousand words.

Any place within a block of West Street will likely be very loud, as apparently every bar on West Street turns up their sound systems to the max until 02:00.

Connect
The post office is on Pantao Lu, opposite the top end of West Street. It's open from 08:00-21:00.

Most hotels, bar and restaurants operate a free Wifi for their customers. Just ask for the Wifi password.

Stay safe
Being the first backpackers' destination in China in the 1980s, Yangshuo is a well-developed touristy place which comes along with many annoyances that are not common in other places in China. Some travellers call Yangshuo the worst place in China for overcharging, persistent tour touts, and illegal occupancy of a route to extort money from tourists.

On the West street, besides annoying touts and taxi drivers, prices for clothing and souvenirs could be skyrocketing to up to 100-500%. Unlike other Chinese places that groceries items are usually sold at standard prices, Yangshuo has a two price system - one for local Chinese, another for non-local Chinese and Westerners.

From Yangshuo to Yulonghe, a popular route for biking, you may pass through a Longtan Village (龙潭村) where villagers are known to set up a checkpoint to request ¥20 for any entrance. Rock climbers have also experienced similar practices on some hills.

Pickpockets in the town are rare now, particularly as Yangshuo has installed security cameras in tourist areas. Be vigilant on buses, when travelling from or to Guilin, the government run non-stop bus service is safer than the private operations. Reports of bag snatching by motorbike are frequently heard, the most common form are thieves using motorbikes to snatch bags in rear baskets of bicycling tourists; keep your bags locked to the bike and if a cage cover is provided with the basket, close and lock it, or better yet, carry belongings in front of you. Thieves will take opportunities presented to them, so keep all your valuables in sight at all times.

Theft reports are frequently made from swimmers. Despite numerous reports of theft, particularly at the Secret Beach (Shuan Tan), petty theft continues to thrive almost to a daily occurrence, and police seem disinterested in targeting the criminals. Thieves will go for bags and valuables, but have also been known to take even petty objects of seemingly no value. Do yourself a favor and bring only the necessities for swimming.

Touts of bamboo rafts for Yangdi to Xingping, a route best known for its landscape printed on the background of a ¥20 banknote, are notorious for a system to "claim" the ownership of a tourist. Once you talk to the touts on the bus, no one else can discuss the price with you except the touts from their own team. If you want to hassle by yourself instead of reserving a bamboo raft from a travel agency, do not talk to any touts on the bus.

At nights, Yangshuo is safe but after 01:00, the streets are dark and you better carry your torch. In some bars popular with western tourists, boozers can also be disturbing and aggressive. Noise pollution is a major problem in hotels and on streets as in most of China. Pick your location wisely or bring ear plugs if holed up in the entertainment district.

Traffic regulations, if any, are also practiced half-heartedly. Pedestrians should not expect a driver to stop at a green cross-walk sign and motorbikes can come in any directions even on a pedestrian road. If in doubt, follow the lead of a local when crossing the street. However, Chinese traffic rules tend to protect the rights of pedestrians when accidents happen. When you get hit, a driver will have to cover all your medical expenses and any loss. The negotiation on compensation is often done in a police station.

Thanks to seriously enforced regulations on hotels and hostels, accommodation-related tourist traps practically do not exist but be aware of the sudden surge in prices during the Chinese National Day on 1st Oct and the Chinese New Year in Jan or Feb.

Lastly, Yangshuo Police have taken a proactive step towards being more approachable by tourists. A few designated police deal almost exclusively with foreigners and their English is extremely good. Yangshuo Police have tracked thieves down, caught culprits and managed to return stolen valuables. There is a small police box at the top of West Street or a larger police station on FuQian Xiang.

Further outside of town
Because Yangshuo is popular with backpacking tourists, you'll find a range of services and agencies not commonly found in China. There are ample places that sell plane tickets to all other provincial capitals and some international destinations. There are also bus and sleeper bus services available towards Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Kunming. Train tickets (which will depart from Guilin) are also available.

There are tickets available all the way to Hanoi in Vietnam. These aren't easily available elsewhere, and can save quite a bit of hassle at the China/Vietnam border. Vietnamese visas can also be obtained in Yangshuo in 2 days (14:00) or picked up in Nanning the next day (19:00). Call +86(0)773-8822533 for more information. They also offer bus tours to Hanoi for a most convenient journey.

 * Nanning - Buses leave Yangshuo at 08:00, 08:50, and 11:30. Tickets cost ¥120. In Nanning, the 08:00 bus stops in the Langdong bus terminal while the 08:50 bus goes to the Jiangnan bus terminal.
 * Hong Kong - Getting a 10-hour direct bus to Shenzhen's border is the most popular way to go to Hong Kong. Tickets cost around ¥180-200, depending on which bus stations the buses arrive. For taking a flight, you will need to take a bus to Guilin, change a bus to the airport. When arriving in Shenzhen, you need to take another 1 hour to go to the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border.

title: Yangshuo


text:
Yangzhou

Yangzhou (扬州 Yángzhōu) is a city in Jiangsu province, China.

Understand
The city has a history of over 2,500 years and developed as a major trading center for salt, rice and silk. Marco Polo served as the city's governor (or possibly a Salt Official for the government, or he just stayed there for that period of time) for three years in the late 13th century. Yangzhou has a population exceeding 1,000,000.

Built on flat land a few miles north of the Yangtze River, Yangzhou is criss-crossed by a network of canals of all size, from the Grand Canal of China (which, actually, has two routes - the old, next to the city center, and the modern, a few miles to the east) to small neighborhood canals.

Several walled cities existed here over the two millennia, but even the last (Ming Dynasty) wall has been demolished long ago. Still, the contours of the Ming city wall are traced by the canals surrounding the two kilometer square in Yangzhou's city center. New neighborhoods have grown for about 5 km or more in all directions outside of the former walled city.

Yangzhou is the birthplace of former Chinese politician and general secretary Jiang Zemin, the 5th president of China.

Neighborhoods
Most of Yangzhou is built on a rectangular grid street plan. The main east–west artery is Wenchang Rd, divided into the West, Central, and East sections (文昌西路 Wenchang Xi Lu,文昌中路 Wenchang Zhong Lu, 文昌东路 Wenchang Dong Lu). The main north–south street within the old city center in Wenhe Road, with the North and South sections (汶河北路 Wenhe Bei Lu, 汶河南路 Wenhe Nan Lu) divided by Wenchang Road. The Wenchang Pavilion (文昌阁 Wenchang Ge), one of the city's few surviving historic buildings, stands in the traffic circle at the crossing of Wenchang and Wenhe Roads, which is often viewed as the city's symbolic center point. Many of the city's upscale shopping centers, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues are found within a few blocks of this circle.

Several square miles northwest of the city center, with a maze of narrow ("slender") lakes and rivers, is occupied by a number of green areas, with various architectural and historical monuments scattered among them. Some sections of this area (notable, the Slender West Lake Scenic Area) require a fairly steep admission charge; others, such as the Songjiacheng Sports and Recreation Park (宋夹城体育闲公园) are free to enter, but gated (so that opening hours could be observed, entrance with bicycles or dogs can be prohibited, etc.); yet others are open to everyone at all times. The surroundings of this park area have been undergoing extensive "urban renewal"; a brand-new (as of 2017) Rainbow Bridge Plaza (虹桥广场), at Shouxihu Rd and Dangongqiao Rd, outside of the Slender West Lake's south gate, contains an assortment of tourist-oriented facilities (coffee shops, restaurants, an information center)

The west side—the section of town south of the "Double Museum" and the train station—is an area of apartment complexes built after 2000, with wide streets with light traffic. Landscaped walking/running paths follow some of the numerous rivers and canals of this region.

The far east side (beyond the new Grand Canal) has several large-scale recreational facilities, including Yangzhou Zoo and Marco Polo Flower World.

On the south side, beyond a belt of hotels along Jiangyang Road and a belt of industrial/commercial properties (开发区), one enters a mostly rural area, which stretches all the way to the Yangtze River. A few little towns, such as Chahe 汊河 and Guazhou 瓜洲 are scattered there. Long, mostly unpaved trails run along both sides of the (old) Grand Canal from Gaomin Temple (at the southern edge of the actual urban) down almost to the Yangtze.

Gaoyou is a county-level city administered by Yangzhou.

By plane
The closest major airport is Nanjing Lukou, southwest of the city; buses from there go to both bus stations in Yangzhou. You can also reach the airport by taking a train from Yangzhou to Nanjing Railway Station, and transferring to Nanjing Metro (Subway).

You can also fly into Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, and take a high-speed train from the nearby Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Zhenjiang (under 2 hr; see below), and then a bus across the river to Yangzhou. However, if you are flying from overseas, you probably will arrive to Pudong Airport instead; which means that you'd have to spend an extra 1-1.5 hr crossing Shanghai by subway, shuttle bus, or taxi, to get from Pudong Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (or to Shanghai Railway Station, downtown).

By train (directly to Yangzhou)
, built in 2003, stands remote from the town's center, roughly 2 km further out than the museum and the Century Market, serving D series and ordinary trains. As of 2017, it has fairly frequent high-speed (D series) service, with a train going in each direction almost every hour during most of the day. Westbound trains go either to Nanjing Railway Station or to points further west (Hefei/Hankou [for Wuhan]/Chongqing), skipping Nanjing; eastbound ones, to Taizhou and Nantong.

There is also a convenient overnight train to Beijing (Z29), and of course plenty of trains to eastern Jiangsu (Taizhou, Nantong, Yancheng). As elsewhere, T-series trains are somewhat faster than K-series, which in their turn are faster and more comfortable than "plain" (no-letter) trains.

Departures and tickets are on the upper level of the station, and arrivals are on the lower level. The checked luggage department is at the eastern end of the station building.

There's a small convenience store inside the station. Buses and taxis depart from outside — 'black' illegal taxis are rare in Yangzhou, but regular drivers may 'forget' to use the meter.

Besides Yangzhou Railway Station, China Railways also opened another new railway station, in late 2020. The station serves high-speed trains, and is fairly close to Yangzhou's city center.

There is no direct railway service from Yangzhou to Shanghai, because there is no railway bridge in Nantong (so far). To travel by train to Shanghai (or other cities south of the Yangtze, such as Suzhou) by train, you can use (see below).

Yangzhou's main intercity bus station (see below) is just SW of the train station, although you have to go outside to get there.

Jiangdu District (Yangzhou's far eastern suburb, east of Grand Canal) has its own, on the same line with Yangzhou Station.

By train via Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang, across the river from Yangzhou, is served by one of the busiest passenger railways in the country. (Actually, it's 3 parallel railways: one "conventional" and two high-speed). Most buses from Yangzhou go to This station consists of two buildings on the opposite sides of the tracks, connected by a pedestrian tunnel. The new building south of the tracks is for the frequent high-speed service on the Shanghai-Nanjing Intercity Line. Some trains continue beyond Shanghai to Hangzhou, or beyond Nanjing to Hefei and Wuhan. Most of the "conventional" trains running between Shanghai and the northern part of the country (every place north of the Yangtze) stop at Zhenjiang as well (served by the older station building north of the tracks). The bus station is adjacent to the new train station building. Buses across the river stop running around 20:00.

Zhenjiang's South station is on the Beijng-Shanghai high-speed line, and is served by long-distance high-speed trains, most of which run between Shanghai and Beijing. A few continue to various other major cities throughout the country, from Harbin to Xi'an to Wenzhou to Guiyang. There are buses from Zhenjiang South to Yangzhou as well, but they are fewer, and the service ends earlier.

By bus
The city has two major bus stations:

 * Yangzhou East Bus Station, at 800 Yunhe East St (运河东路800号)
 * Yangzhou East Bus Station, at 800 Yunhe East St (运河东路800号)

Of most interest to visitors are bus services across the Yangtze. Buses to Zhenjiang are frequent. There are also multiple departures every day to Shanghai; Shanghai-bound buses usually start from the main (West) station, and pick more passengers at the East Station half an hour or so later. As of 2017, one bus a day goes directly to Shanghai Pudong Airport; four buses go to the Bailianjing (白莲泾) Bus Station in southern Pudong, and the rest, to various other major bus stations, including those at Shanghai (main) Railway Station and Shanghai South Railway Station. The bus station's web site does not seem to have a schedule, but it can be found elsewhere.

Older maps and guide books mention the previous location of city's main bus station,, in Jiangyang St about 3.2 km southwest of downtown. The services were moved to the new (West) station in 2015, and this old station has been demolished. The former North Bus Station is gone as well.

By ferry
A passenger and vehicle ferry (镇杨汽渡, Zhen-Yang qi du) operates across the Yangtze River, with the Yangzhou terminal in Guazhou town (20 km south of downtown Yangzhou) and the Zhenjiang terminal a couple of kilomters west of Jinshan Temple. Both terminals are served by several routes of, respectively, Yangzhou's and Zhenjiang's city buses. As of 2017, the fare for a walk-on passenger is ¥3, for a bicyclist ¥5. The ferry runs round the clock, on a fairly frequent schedule (several departures per hour). The ferry company has a fleet of over half a dozen vessels, although only some of them are in use at any given moment.

By bicycle
If traveling to Yangzhou from south of the Yangtze (say, from Suzhou or Nanjing), be aware that the Run-Yang Bridge connecting Yangzhou and Zhenjiang is on an expressway, and cannot be used by bicycles (or small two-wheeled motor vehicles, such as China's popular electric motorcycle). Bicyclists can use the Zhen-Yang Ferry instead (see above).

Get around
City buses are reliable and cheap (¥1-2 fare usually), but many routes stop running around 18:00-19:00, the rest around 22:00. Bus stops are well marked; bus schedules (in Chinese), with the list of stops along the route, are posted at bus stops, and routes are shown on city maps that can be purchased e.g. at the Xinhua bookstore downtown. Routes that run in the evening (after 18:00-19:00) have the letter "w" appended to their route number; the evening route may be different from the daytime route (the list of stops posted at each stop will indicate that).

Many city bus routes originate at the West Bus Station (adjacent to the railway station). One can board the bus inside the bus station, before the bus becomes more crowded as a lot more people will board at the outdoor bus stop in the station square. The East Bus Station (of less use to most visitors) is also the terminal for many bus routes.

Taxis are widely available. Flat rate starts at ¥7, and all are metered (it is illegal to drive an unmetered taxi). If your feet get tired and you want an exhilarating ride, pedicabs are also abound in the city center, especially around tourist sites.

Bicycling around Yangzhou is fairly pleasant, as major streets usually have separate bicycle lanes, which, outside of the city center, are usually not crowded. As in other Chinese cities, public rental bicycles abound throughout the city (2018), but probably require a local resident card and a Chinese smartphone to use. Ask your local friends for help.

See

 * Ge Yuan 个园 A lovely garden with sections representing the four seasons and with pavilions, open 07:30-17:00 daily, discount with student ID.
 * He Yuan 何园 This true scholar's garden is cleverly arranged garden with several tea houses, open grottoes, and pleasant view. One of the best gardens in Jiangsu Province. open daily 07:30-18:00, discount with student ID.
 * Lu Shi Yan-shang Zhu-zhai (卢氏 盐商 住宅) A lavishly furnished home with 100 rooms that belonged to a local salt merchant, open daily 08:00-17:00.
 * Marco Polo Memorial Hall is situated somewhat away from Tianning Temple (and not inside it!) at the corner of Tai Zhou Lu/Dong Guan Jie. The exhibition itself is an uncritical scenic description of Marco Polo's journey, which may be interesting for children, but does not meet academic standards. There are no remnants of Marco Polo's time in China on view (that would be a sensation anyway!), and at the end of the exhibition you find a whole isle dedicated to the twinning between Yangzhou and Rimini in Italy, which has nothing to do with Marco Polo. The impression you get is that Venice was not available for twinning, so just another Italian city had to fill in. Open 09:00-11:30 and 14:00-17:30.
 * He Yuan 何园 This true scholar's garden is cleverly arranged garden with several tea houses, open grottoes, and pleasant view. One of the best gardens in Jiangsu Province. open daily 07:30-18:00, discount with student ID.
 * Lu Shi Yan-shang Zhu-zhai (卢氏 盐商 住宅) A lavishly furnished home with 100 rooms that belonged to a local salt merchant, open daily 08:00-17:00.
 * Marco Polo Memorial Hall is situated somewhat away from Tianning Temple (and not inside it!) at the corner of Tai Zhou Lu/Dong Guan Jie. The exhibition itself is an uncritical scenic description of Marco Polo's journey, which may be interesting for children, but does not meet academic standards. There are no remnants of Marco Polo's time in China on view (that would be a sensation anyway!), and at the end of the exhibition you find a whole isle dedicated to the twinning between Yangzhou and Rimini in Italy, which has nothing to do with Marco Polo. The impression you get is that Venice was not available for twinning, so just another Italian city had to fill in. Open 09:00-11:30 and 14:00-17:30.
 * Marco Polo Memorial Hall is situated somewhat away from Tianning Temple (and not inside it!) at the corner of Tai Zhou Lu/Dong Guan Jie. The exhibition itself is an uncritical scenic description of Marco Polo's journey, which may be interesting for children, but does not meet academic standards. There are no remnants of Marco Polo's time in China on view (that would be a sensation anyway!), and at the end of the exhibition you find a whole isle dedicated to the twinning between Yangzhou and Rimini in Italy, which has nothing to do with Marco Polo. The impression you get is that Venice was not available for twinning, so just another Italian city had to fill in. Open 09:00-11:30 and 14:00-17:30.
 * Marco Polo Memorial Hall is situated somewhat away from Tianning Temple (and not inside it!) at the corner of Tai Zhou Lu/Dong Guan Jie. The exhibition itself is an uncritical scenic description of Marco Polo's journey, which may be interesting for children, but does not meet academic standards. There are no remnants of Marco Polo's time in China on view (that would be a sensation anyway!), and at the end of the exhibition you find a whole isle dedicated to the twinning between Yangzhou and Rimini in Italy, which has nothing to do with Marco Polo. The impression you get is that Venice was not available for twinning, so just another Italian city had to fill in. Open 09:00-11:30 and 14:00-17:30.
 * Marco Polo Memorial Hall is situated somewhat away from Tianning Temple (and not inside it!) at the corner of Tai Zhou Lu/Dong Guan Jie. The exhibition itself is an uncritical scenic description of Marco Polo's journey, which may be interesting for children, but does not meet academic standards. There are no remnants of Marco Polo's time in China on view (that would be a sensation anyway!), and at the end of the exhibition you find a whole isle dedicated to the twinning between Yangzhou and Rimini in Italy, which has nothing to do with Marco Polo. The impression you get is that Venice was not available for twinning, so just another Italian city had to fill in. Open 09:00-11:30 and 14:00-17:30.

Do
Stroll along the Xiaoqinhuaihe Canal (小秦淮河) that crosses the city's historical center, and the narrow lanes of the (few) surviving blocks of the old city nearby.

Go for some exercise in Songjiacheng Sports and Recreation Park (entry free; some sports facilities may require fees. Open 17:30-21:30). It's on an island east of the Slender West Lake Scenic Area. The park has an interesting past: farmers' fields and a few small villages were converted to a Wetlands Nature Park in 2005, then to Songjiacheng Archaeological Park around 2009, and finally to a sports park in 2015. Boardwalks through the marshes surrounding the island have been inherited from its Wetlands Park incarnation, while the four gate towers, from the Archaeological Park period. The rest of the landscaping apparently comes from the 2015 remodeling. One can enter the park from the Changchun Rd (via its southern or western gates), or from Shouxihu Rd (via the eastern gate). Bicycles are not allowed in the park, except for those rented in the park itself (at the rental station outside of the western gate); those can be used on the 3,200 m long bicycle trail around the park's perimeter.

On a summer day, walk on a boardwalk trail to Baozhang Lake (保障湖) a popular locals' swimming place, about 2 km north of downtown. The trail starts outside of the southern gate of Songjiacheng, and runs east and north outside of the park's borders (within a narrow strip of greenery that's separated from the Songjiacheng park by the lakes' water).

Buy
For goods and necessities, there are 2 RT-Mart(s) (大润发 da run fa) one on Hanjiang Road and the other on Wenchang Middle Road; several bus lines run there from downtown and from the local colleges. As far as Western products go, RT-Mart, Tesco (Hanjiang Rd, north of the old bus station) or Auchan (Jiangyang Rd, east of the old bus station), are good.

One major local industry is ceramics and teaware; a few big ceramics factories and showcases can be visited here.

Not a shopping mecca, however, there are a number of department stores in the city centre. Here you can find the Golden Eagle Shopping Centre (in the city's main square, facing the Wenchang Pavilion), Times Extra Mall and the Times Square Mall. If you feel the need for a more Western-style shopping experience, the Living Mall, in the new development zone, was completed in 2008 and is easily reached by taxi. Big name foreign and domestic designer brands, western style restaurants, K-TV bars and a cinema can be found here.

Clothes, footwear
A popular area for the locals to shop for clothes and footwear is Ganquan Road (甘泉路), a major east–west street in the southern part of the historic central city. Over a mile of shops of various kind, from bargain-basement to boutique level. The north-south Guoqing Rd, which crosses Ganquan east of the city center, is full of such shops as well.

Books and maps
The six-storey Xinhua Bookstore is located in South Wenhe Rd (Wenhe Nan Lu) just a block south of the city's main square, where the Wenchang Pavilion stands. Maps, and local interest books are on the first floor; for the city map, ask at the cash register. The store's usual business hours are 09:00 to 21:00; shorter hours on holidays.

Cell phones, SIM cards, electronics
Many cell phone and electronics stores are located in Siwangting Street, within several blocks to the west of the Siwangting Pavilion.

Another large center for electronics and computer equipment is found in Wenchang St, about 1.6 km east of the Wenchang Pavilion: the Yinhe Electronics Center (银河电子城 Yinhe Dianzi Cheng) on the south side of the street, and Hongtu Sanbao Lou (宏图三胞楼) opposite to it (on the north side of the street). The 7-story Hongtu Sanbao Lou building also houses repair/service centers for various electronics and computer brands; entry from the back of the building.

While small cell phone shops everywhere sell SIM cards, since the late 2017 most shops require a Chinese resident ID card (of a citizen or permanent resident) to buy a SIM card. If you're a foreign visitor, and your only ID is a passport, you need to go to the cell phone company's main office to buy a SIM card. Such an office for China Mobile is located at 55 West Wenchang Road (文昌西路55号), in a big tower with the company's name (中国移动) on top.

Eat
The big-name local dish is Yangzhou fried rice 扬州炒饭, filled with fried egg, muer mushroom 木耳, ham, shrimp, scallions, peas, and carrots. It's representative of the Huaiyang cuisine. Other famous dishes include the Lion's Head 狮子头, which is a giant meatball made with pork and crab. Also suggested is; semisweet Thousand-layer cake 千层糕, steamed dumpling 蒸饺, amazing tofu noodles often like chicken soup 大煮干丝, delicious soup fill dumplings 小笼汤包, and stinky tofu 臭豆腐. For breakfast you'll be sure to find steamed filled buns (baozi)包子, steamed buns (mantou)馒头, rice porridge (zhou)粥, boiled eggs (zhujidan)煮鸡蛋.

If these choices look unappealing to you—or if they look appealing, but you just don't eat that stuff—try Damingsi Vegetarian Restaurant 大明寺素菜馆, 1802 Wenhui Road East. It's affiliated with the temple, and serves vegetable-matter simulacra of the local favorites for very reasonable prices.

Drink
The most popular beer is from Shenyang, called Snow 雪花啤酒, and costs around ¥3 for a large bottle. But should you want something with a stronger beer-flavor, the L-Mart at the Living Mall has Kirin Japanese beer, brewed in Taiwan, ¥5 a can. The Living Mall 京华城 also boasts a Starbucks 辛巴克, semi-conveniently placed between the train station and the RT-Mart.

Sleep
Unlike most Chinese cities, Yangzhou has little lodging available in the train station area, although a Hanting Hotel has opened in the new bus station building (next to the train station).

Although some hotels are found in major streets all over the city, they are mostly concentrated in two areas: around downtown, and within a few blocks of the old main bus station (Jiangyang Rd and Hanjiang Rd, a few km to the southwest of downtown). The demolition of the old bus station has not affected the hotels too much, since Jiangyang Rd is still the natural route for entering the city by car. As of 2017, room rates start from around ¥100 in both areas.

As elsewhere in China, some smaller hotels are closed for a few days around the Chinese New Year, while others raise their price around this and other holidays, when crowds of tourists from all over the country descend on the Slender West Lake area.

Go next

 * See the nearby city of Nanjing
 * Visit the stunning Huangshan mountain area
 * The city of Suzhou
 * Gaoyou

title: Yangzhou