Short answer
Yangshuo has more restaurants, activities, and transport. Xingping is quieter, cheaper, and closer to the twenty-yuan view. Choose Yangshuo for convenience, Xingping for calm.
Yangshuo
Yangshuo is the bigger base: hotels for every budget, a wide range of restaurants, cycling routes, climbing, and nightlife. It is also busy, especially around West Street, and the main road traffic can be annoying.
It is the better choice if you want convenience, variety, and easy access to the Yulong River. The Yangshuo area guide covers the neighbourhoods.
Xingping
Xingping is a small river town about 40 minutes downstream, with the classic twenty-yuan note view on its doorstep. It has fewer hotels and restaurants, and nights are quiet.
It is the better choice for photography, walking, and a slower pace. The trade-off is limited transport and nightlife. The Xingping area guide has the details.
How to split it
Two nights in Yangshuo and one in Xingping is a good balance. Or stay in Yangshuo and visit Xingping as a day trip by raft or bus. The 3-day route shows both.
If you are on a tight schedule, base in Yangshuo and skip the overnight in Xingping. The where to stay question compares all the options.
Related questions
Field desk / direct line
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