CHINA - GUILIN & YANGSHUO PHOTOGRAPHY

[Kumarjo]

I would like to make a trip to Guilin next year to shoot the landscape and the cormorant fishermen.

I checked the website and there is no tours available next year. I checked some photography tour agencies in Guilin. They are charging me higher price for single person. They say that the rates are the same even for 1 or 3 people.

Do you guys have any suggestion as to how to avoid the higher cost. My trip is mainly focused on shooting at sunrise and sunset. Hence I need a driver/guide to take me to such places very early in the morning. I don't need a photography guide. I need a person to take me to such locations.

Do you guys have any recommendations or any of you guys willing to join me for the trip next year so that we can plan together and avoid additional costs.

Thanks in advance...

 

[shierwin]

If your profile suggest who you're, do you speak and read Chinese?
A driver only drive; he may not bring you to places that you want to go.
1-to-1 for such trip would mean you bear the entire cost and not able to share with others in your group.
Nowadays, nothing is free in China.........

 

[Kumarjo]

If your profile suggest who you're, do you speak and read Chinese?
A driver only drive; he may not bring you to places that you want to go.
1-to-1 for such trip would mean you bear the entire cost and not able to share with others in your group.
Nowadays, nothing is free in China.........

I don't speak chinese my friend. If I can speak chinese, i will just go there without any help. There are people who are organising day tours at cheaper rate. If i was just going to do day tour, i can very well get a taxi or something.

What i was looking for is for some one to take me to remote places before sunrise and sunset. The problem with the so called photography guide is that, they will charge you lot of money for their photography guiding, which I do not require. I am willing to pay for one on one transport.

When I went to Bali and Bromo, I had some english speaking drivers, who can take me to any place before sunset and stay late night. I just pay them for the driving charges and late night charges and food. They will charge you around 80 to 120 sing dollar per whole day. If I take a photo guide for the same place, he will charge me 400 dollars per day. That is what I am trying to avoid.

Hope you understand what I meant. I was not looking for anything free, but something cost effective.

 

[shierwin]

Maybe you can do a search here in CS using keyword "Guilin" and ask them for advise.

 

[astroboy]

I think u will be in for a nasty surprise when u reach Guilin. Everything is boarded up and sealed... u only get to see something when u pay entrance fees.

Get out of Guilin and get to Yangshuo which may be better. It is also very unlikely u will get sunrise or sunset as it is mostly blocked by the mountains or bad weather. The images of fishermen with their birds... that's mostly set up. A local driver will not know what the photographer wants and as mentioned, very expensive. Your best bet is to form a group of 5 (enough to fit an MPV), hire a driver and a local to tell u the "secret" locations.

 

[Kumarjo]

I think u will be in for a nasty surprise when u reach Guilin. Everything is boarded up and sealed... u only get to see something when u pay entrance fees.

Get out of Guilin and get to Yangshuo which may be better. It is also very unlikely u will get sunrise or sunset as it is mostly blocked by the mountains or bad weather. The images of fishermen with their birds... that's mostly set up. A local driver will not know what the photographer wants and as mentioned, very expensive. Your best bet is to form a group of 5 (enough to fit an MPV), hire a driver and a local to tell u the "secret" locations.

You are true, they are charging exorbitant prices. even a trip to beijing, japan and iceland wont cost you that much. A person told it 1,650 US Dollars for 3 full day photography trip. That's 700 SGD per day.

 

[Kumarjo]

Any one interested to travel to Guilin next year in September 2017. If we go as a group, we can save lot of the cost.

 

[Kumarjo]

what is your location for departure..

I am travelling from Singapore to guilin next year.

31sr Aug 2017 to 5th Sep 2017.

 

[edwyn66]

Hi, I have been to guilin and yangsuo before. Checkout my thread for some pointers: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1519532&highlight=guilin. Sadly there's no more budget flight by Tigerair to Guilin. Another option is to get a travel guide on yangshuo and guilin. Take pictures of address in Chinese that you plan to visit and show it to the taxi driver.

 

[Kumarjo]

Hi, I have been to guilin and yangsuo before. Checkout my thread for some pointers: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1519532&highlight=guilin. Sadly there's no more budget flight by Tigerair to Guilin. Another option is to get a travel guide on yangshuo and guilin. Take pictures of address in Chinese that you plan to visit and show it to the taxi driver.

Thanks for your advice. I have gone through your post. it was helpful...

I am going to book the china southern return flight from Singapore to Guilin for only S$ 470/-. ( 31st Aug to 5th Sep )

I have already arranged for a photographic guide there for three days from 2nd Sep to 4th Sep. He is charging me 1,200/- dollars for three days including transportation + Two fishermen shoot + family vist & buffalo farmer. Actually for this price, can accommodate three persons. Since I am going alone, I need to bare it all. I am actually looking for one more interested person to join me, so that can share the guide + hotel cost.

I have to spend extra for Hotel, Food & Airport Transfer.

My Itinerary will cover the following :

Longi Rice terrrace, Minority villages, old lady potrait in the house, anicient village near yanghsou, sunrise at Xianggong Hill, Cormorant fishermen at sunset in li river, Cormorant fisherman at sunrise at Xingping, Daxu ancient town & people potraits, Buffalo farmer in country side, Sunset in Cuiping village, Sun & Moon Twin pagoda at guilin.


Let me know if there is any other interesting things to do there, I will be spending one more additional day there on my own.

 

[rncw]

another option is to take AirAsia flights SIN-KUL, then KUL-KWL - late flight to KL, then early fight to Guilin next morning.

been to Guilin many times, can stay at Yangshuo area. Have contacts for accommodations and guides.

 

[Kumarjo]

another option is to take AirAsia flights SIN-KUL, then KUL-KWL - late flight to KL, then early fight to Guilin next morning.

been to Guilin many times, can stay at Yangshuo area. Have contacts for accommodations and guides.

Yes, Thanks for Suggesting an alternate flight which I could consider. That's a good option too, especially if the China southern price increases.

Right now, air asia price will be 100+350 dollar. total 450 dollar. like you said go late night to KL and take early flight from there to Guilin.

China southern price now is 470 dollars. The flight start 6pm and reach guangzhaou 10pm, the next day flight is at morning 10 am to Guilin. But they provide accomadation for that night in guangzhaou. The return flight is simple, it starts 8 am at guilin to guanzhou, 3 hrs transit for the next flight to singapore. reach singapore by 5pm.