Jazz Travels Guilin: Part 2- Bamboo Rafting and Culture Tour

By Jazz

Guilin is not only known for their beautiful landscapes; it has also a rich ethnic cultures with 28 ethnic groups such as Zhuang, Dong, Miao, and Yao People. You’ll get to experience how to sing their folk songs, throwing of embroidered ball, and for some-even getting married.

Folk songs 山歌are simple and plain in rhythm, particularly popular in countryside where female and male sings to express their interest for each other. These are instant creation, and singing could be anywhere anytime i.e. gathering firewood, working in the field etc. The rhythm can get pretty repetitive and it does stick in my head for the rest of the day.

We went to one Yao Village 3 hours of drive away from the city centre for some cultural experiences.



Time to warm ourselves on such chilly day

We were served some oil tea that symbolize "friendship", chopsticks are passed around and if you take a pair of chopsticks instead of single stick, it means that you wish to stay with the yao family.

Yao people are distinctive by their colourful national dresses and often the women have extremely long hair coiled up on top of their head. The way they tied their hair also signifies their status, if they have a bun sticking out of their headpiece, it means that the women are married. Non-married women hide their buns inside the cloth. We were told that women uses rice stock ash and fermented washing rice water as their “special shampoo” to keep their hair smooth and black.

Yao Woman showing off her long hair. You many attempt to try their "special" shampoo at home but bewarn of the smell =P


We just married off two of our handsome men to the yao women =) Them performing the marriage ritual.


In our Malaysia culture often woman is to be married into the men’s family, however in the case of YAO’s Culture, it is the other way around. Men will be brought into the village upon marriage.







Arent those babies adorable? Aww.. :)


For lunch we went to experience the long feast table, and possibly one of the best meals we’ve had on the trip, not because it was anything special, but hotpot in this weather is the best, especially when the vegetables were so fresh and sweet. If there's anything you should eat in Guilin, it's their fruits and veges. It's absolutely delicious


River Fish, nicely deepfried and addictive

Ahhh! the lovely pot of Belly pork braised with potatoes, simple pleasures but so delicious we've order 2 extra portions.



Fighting cock was hilarious. Traditionally they will have a blade tied to their leg as opponent tries to slash each other.


nice picture captured of my sis catching the embroidered balls
Yulong River is a beautiful river by the countryside of Yang Shuo. “It winds its way in a picturesque valley sided by stunning limestone hills” If you love photography, this is another to-go spot. Bamboo Rafting is the excellent way to relax as you take in the amazing view of the Yu Long River. The drift is very slow as you follow gently down the course of river while sipping some warm tea, and intake fresh fragrance of the paddy field.






Dad Tried to maneuver the bamboo raft, it takes extreme effort, not as easy as it seems especially during the low tide season.


You will get to witness the Traditional Cormorant Fishing, which was purposely set up to “show” us tourist. However, traditional practices still remain for some fishermen more for leisure, although less common since fishing was replaced with modern methods,. After given signal by the fishermen, the well train cormorants will dive into the water to search for fish. Once they caught the fish, they will submerge and show it to the fishermen. A band is fastened around the bird’s neck so that the fish cannot be swallowed. A well trained Cormorant can worth thousands.



Women washing her clothes by the riverside


Off off , here we go!


Lastly, me and my water chestnut. *teehee*

Part 3(final): Food + Shopping in Guilin
And what else ... EAT !

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