The Big Banyan Tree is a 1,400-year-old banyan in Gaotian Township south of Yangshuo, with a 17m canopy diameter, 28m circumference, and aerial roots forming a small forest of pillars beneath it. The tree was featured in the 1961 film 'Liu Sanjie' (the basis for the modern show) and is a standard waypoint on the Yangshuo countryside bike loop (Moon Hill → Yulong River → Big Banyan Tree → back). Entry ¥20. Stop here for 30 min as a midway rest point — not a destination in itself.
Address
Gaotian Township, Yangshuo County
桂林市阳朔县高田镇
Highlights
- 1,400 years oldOne of China's oldest banyan trees still living
- Liu Sanjie film locationFeatured in the 1961 Liu Sanjie movie
- Bike loop waypointStandard rest stop on the Yangshuo countryside cycle route
What Chinese travelers actually do here
Distilled from Chinese-language travel notes — the practical tips most English guides miss.
- ▸The 1,400-year-old age is verified by carbon-dating samples taken in the 1990s — the tree predates the Tang dynasty. Most Chinese 'ancient tree' claims are inflated; this one is well-documented.
- ▸Photography: best from the SOUTH side (the entry side) shooting north with the karst peaks in the background. The northwest angle is also strong at golden hour. Skip the inside-canopy 'looking up' shots — they're hard to compose well.
- ▸The site has a small zhuang-minority handicraft market (woven baskets, embroidered slippers, sun hats) at fair local prices — ¥15-50 per item, half the West Street prices. Best souvenir-shopping in the Yangshuo area, low-key.
- ▸Avoid 10 AM - 1 PM when 5-6 tour buses arrive simultaneously and the small site gets shoulder-to-shoulder. The bike loop visitors arrive 8-9 AM or 2-4 PM and have it much quieter.
- ▸There's a Liu Sanjie movie clip playing on loop in the visitor center — the romance scene under THIS tree. Watch the 90-second clip even if you don't speak Chinese; it gives instant cultural context to the visit.
- ▸Don't get sucked into the ¥80 'Liu Sanjie costume photo' booth nearby. It's overpriced, the costumes are polyester, and the photos are bad quality. Real Zhuang-minority costume rentals are available in Xingping Town for ¥30.
For foreign visitors
- English service: partial english
- Cards accepted: cash_only
- Booking / entry: not needed
- Best time: Mid-afternoon as a bike loop rest stop
- Wi-Fi: none
- Transit access: need taxi
Photos
What travelers say (5 reviews)
Videos
Frequently asked questions about Big Banyan Tree Park
- Is the Big Banyan Tree worth a dedicated trip?
- No — visit only as part of the standard Yangshuo countryside bike loop. The tree is impressive (17m canopy, 1,400 years) but the visit is 30-40 min total: pay ¥20 entry, walk around, photograph, leave. Worth doing IF you're already passing on the bike loop; not worth a dedicated ¥80 taxi each way.
- What movie was filmed here?
- The 1961 Liu Sanjie film — the Chinese mainland classic that the modern Impression Sanjie Liu show is based on. Liu Sanjie famously sang to her sweetheart under this exact tree in the film's romance scene. Chinese tourists in their 50s-70s come specifically for this nostalgic association; foreign visitors generally don't care.
- Can I touch the aerial roots?
- Yes — the aerial roots forming a small pillar-forest below the main canopy are accessible to walk through. Don't lean on them or hang from them; the tree is a protected national heritage object and damage carries fines.
- How does this fit the bike loop timing?
- Slot it 90-120 min into the standard Yangshuo countryside bike loop, after Moon Hill and before Yulong River. The 30-min stop here is ideal between the heavy Moon Hill climb (legs tired) and the relaxing Yulong River bamboo raft (legs resting again).
- Is there a parking lot for cars?
- Yes — small lot for the few cars that drive here directly (¥10/day). But 80% of visitors arrive by bike on the countryside loop. Bike parking is free near the entry gate; bring a basic lock.
