Yangshuo

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, I cannot imagine a "pirate" duplicating that. 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.

Used Bookstore

13321730517, (mailto:[email protected]). there is a used bookstore and reading room with a large selection in english and some books in several other european languages at cafe too at 7 cheng zhong road. prices are higher than at used bookstores in western countries, but cheaper than new books. you can buy coffee, or a meal, and read them free. wifi here is free and philip, the owner, is a great source of local news and information. it is great for people living in china and missing western books.

tourist stuff

There is a huge amount of touristy stuff available:

Pashmina scarves Cashmere by a different name.

Silk products: ties, kimonos, scarves, dresses.

Pottery, bronze, stone carvings, bracelets, and knickknacks of all sorts.

Scroll paintings, fans and embroidered cloths.

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.

Asking prices for such stuff in Yangshuo are horribly inflated. Here is a table based on some travellers' experience:

Item	Asking price, in yuan elsewhere	Price paid Yangshuo	A local says it is worth Yangshuo
silk ties	20	75-120	50 for 3
small silk scarves		80-100	20
large scarf/wrap	60-80	120-200	50
old silver dollars, nearly all counterfeit	20	80-150	6-10
large tapestry	150	55	30-40
Wooden dolls with minority style clothes	up to 50	6	¥20 for 10-12 dolls
Half-meter 18" wooden Buddha	400	100	less

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.

Unlike other touristy places in China, shops in Yangshuo are notorious for overcharging not just because you are a tourist. They do it because you're a foreigner.

Many tourists, having no idea of the real Chinese price, are grossly overcharged. After all, even ¥120 about $17 US would be a great price for a nice pure silk tie back home.

Being rude at haggling usually gets you nowhere a basic ask-first-and-walk-away strategy will more likely work.

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. Note that 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 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.

See also How to haggle.

local goods

There are also a few things not usually available elsewhere:

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.

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.

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.

You should also bargain on these, of course.