Backpacker's Paradise

Backpacker's Paradise

Be forewarned: Yangshuo is bliss for hipster backpackers. There's an aura about this subtropical destination that's akin to Bangkok's hippie laden Khao-San Road. Yangshuo's 20,000 surrounding karst lime mountains are part and parcel of the tried-and-true Southeast Asia backpacker circuit that was forged in the 1970s and remain well trodden to this day.

The city first blossomed among the more seasoned and adventurous backpackers in the 1980s and came into swing during the late 1990s.

Today, Yangshuo's main strip known as "Xijie" or "West Street" throbs with the commingling cacophony of Hong Kong canto-pop, reggae, hip-hop, and classic rock. Here, too, you can order everything from lasagna to enchiladas to pad-thai noodles. It's also the ideal place to get the low down on the best deals from English-speaking waitstaff or expats.