Bars and clubs on West Street, Yangshuo
The hot spot radiates out along the West Street. Some say that the closer you are to the West Street the better, but it’s actually not that important - at the rate things are going, soon it will all be bars!
The town of Yangshou itself is very touristy and infact was set up for tourists. Meaning that the life there is pretty much representative of any town earning its bread from tourism. The charge for the tourism dollar is seaping into the area surrounding Yangshou and some local Chinese I talked to lamented the changes taking place. Stating that things were becoming more stressful and people were becoming more unfriendly, but of course that was offset by increased wealth at least materialistically.
The drink menus of Yangshuo bars are established according to strict standards - stray at your own risk. Should Liquan beer and standard cocktails seem limited, you may add unusual items such as wines or alcoholic teas, but be warned that standards exist for these items as well, and violators may suffer consequences. Pricing secret: a regular drink at twice the usual price will be far more attractive to customers. Trust us, it’s reverse psychology! Microwave popcorn is mandatory.
The locals have learned the value of tourism and have adjusted their lives to hospitality and made real effort to smile and say “hello!” There are many western style cafes and shops, however the Chinese flavor lingers where ever you go, and you can find specialty Yangshuo noodle shops wherever you go in this town.