The Chinese and English Academy at Omeida arranged a kayaking activity in Yangshuo this weekend. We all went to kayak (Chinese: 独木舟; pinyin: dúmùzhōu) in Cha River (Chinese: 茶江; pinyin: chájiāng). We woke up bright and early and gathered in front of the academy. The drive lasted for about 45 minutes to Pingle County (Chinese: 平乐县; pinyin: pínglèzhèn). The small towns we drove past were hustling and bustling with people.
Things To Do in Yangshuo
Also, this activity took place during Labor Day or May Day in (Chinese: 五一; pinyin: wǔyı̄). This year, the Chinese people could enjoy a 5-day holiday, so there were many tourists and locals who went for an outing during this weekend to do fun activities with their family and friends. Even though this was a peak time for traveling to and in Yangshuo, we were the only ones kayaking. Don’t know where to go or what to do in Yangshuo? Have a look at this list of activities when you visit this magnificent town.
We arrived at the riverbank opposite of Shazi Town (Chinese: 沙子村; pinyin: shāzicūn) about 28 km from Omeida Academy. Everyone wore safety vests and hopped on board on one of the small ferries that would take us out in the water. The river was calm and clear and the breeze soft and gentle. The captain navigated the ferry upstream to the starting point.
Ready for Kayaking
When we arrived everybody grabbed an oar, sat in a kayak and began to paddle out in the water. A couple of students had never kayaked before, but after a couple of tries they started to enjoy it. Some rowed powerfully in circles while others made themselves comfortable and rested their eyes for a moment. Nissa warned everyone several times not to swim because of the deep water, however, one of the students got stuck because it was so shallow.
We laughed and chatted with each other and took our time to reach the finish line. We rowed past beautiful Yangshuo landscape; lush greenery, karst mountains, and quaint ancient villages.
Visiting Shazi Town
Some students decided to explore Shazi Town. One of the buildings had Roman letters inscribed on the wall as if there used to be a European settlement in the past. We walked down what looked like the main alley of an ancient looking town. We saw hair dressers, pharmacies, laundry shops, etc. After our little excursion we paddled across the river back to our main base.
The whole kayaking activity lasted for about 1.5 hours, which makes it a perfect half-day trip from Yangshuo. Would you be interested in learning Chinese in China or discover the wonders of Yangshuo and what it has to offer? Check out our website for more information!
