Moon Hill

Moon Hill, or Yueliang Shan, is one of the most recognizable karst peaks near Yangshuo: a mountain pierced clean through by a huge natural arch that frames a circle of open sky. Walk or cycle around its base and the opening seems to change shape, waxing and waning between a full circle and a thin crescent depending on your angle, which is exactly how the hill earned its name. It rises beside the Ten-Mile Gallery, the scenic country road south of town, and has long been one of the classic stops on a Yangshuo cycling day.

Before you plan a climb

Several ticketing platforms have listed Moon Hill's summit trail as closed for renovation since October 2024, with no confirmed reopening date as of mid-2026. The work appears to focus on the access road and hillside paths rather than the wider valley, and some sources still describe the site as open, so the picture is genuinely mixed right now. Confirm current access with your guesthouse or a local tour desk before building a morning around the climb; even when the trail is shut, the arch itself is still clearly visible from the Ten-Mile Gallery road and from the cafes nearby.

Climbing to the arch, when open

On a normal day, a stone stairway of around 800 steps climbs through bamboo and trees to a platform right beneath the arch. The climb takes most people 30 to 40 minutes and is steep in places, but the reward is a sweeping view over the patchwork of rice fields and karst towers below. Standing directly under the arch, with the hollow of the peak curving overhead, is more dramatic than the view from the road. Local vendors often set up near the base and along the path selling cold water and fruit, which is welcome on a hot climb.

A rock climbing hub, with its own access history

Moon Hill and the cliffs around it are widely considered the birthplace of modern rock climbing in China, with hundreds of bolted routes on the surrounding limestone and a climbing culture that dates back to the 1990s. Climbing access here has been paused and reinstated before, including a period when sport climbing on the hill was restricted before it reopened, so treat any specific route list you find online as a starting point rather than a guarantee. Climbing schools based in Yangshuo track the current situation closely and can confirm whether routes are open before you book a beginner session with ropes, shoes, and an English-speaking guide.

When to go and practical tips

Moon Hill has historically kept daytime opening hours and charged a modest entrance fee at the gate, though both are moot for now if the summit trail is still closed, so check current status before you commit a morning to it; Trip.com's listing is a reasonable place to start. If and when you do climb, go early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the midday heat, wear shoes with grip for the worn stone steps, and carry water, since there is little shade on the way up. Because it sits right on the Ten-Mile Gallery route, it pairs naturally with the Yulong River, the Big Banyan Tree, and Butterfly Spring, all a short ride away, so many travelers fold several of them into one relaxed day exploring the countryside by bike or scooter.

A bit of background

Moon Hill formed the way the whole region did: over millions of years, slightly acidic rainwater slowly dissolved the soft limestone, hollowing out a cave that eventually collapsed at both ends to leave the freestanding arch you see today. It first drew international attention in the 1990s, when visiting climbers bolted routes on the surrounding cliffs and helped put Yangshuo on the world climbing map. On a clear day, the view through the arch, with layered karst peaks fading into the haze beyond, is one of the most memorable in the area. Allow a little extra time at the top to sit, catch your breath, and watch the light shift across the valley before heading back down, assuming the trail is open when you visit.

Getting to Moon Hill

Moon Hill sits about 8 kilometers south of Yangshuo town along the Ten-Mile Gallery road: an easy half hour by bike or scooter, a short taxi or Didi ride, or a stop on the sightseeing shuttle line that runs the length of the valley. Most cyclists simply pedal out from town, lock up near the base, and continue on to the next stop along the same road, which keeps the whole outing flexible and car-free.