Moon Hill
6a+ – 7c · 4 routes · limestone · French
- Approach 25 min — stone steps up through the arch from the Moon Hill ticket gate; steep but fully built
- Best season October to December and March to May. Avoid June to August, when the wall seeps.
- Published
- Updated
The arch at Moon Hill is the most photographed piece of rock in China, and the climbing underneath it is genuinely good: steep grey limestone with tufas, a huge cave, and routes from 6a to 8a on the arch's north and south faces.
The main wall
The north face of the arch is a big, gently overhanging wall with tufa formations and a mixture of pockets and flowstone. The style is endurance climbing on positive holds — long, pumpy routes where the rests matter more than the crux.
There is a large cave section at the left end with much steeper climbing, and a set of harder lines on the right where the wall becomes more technical.
Season and conditions
Yangshuo's season is September to December and March to May. Summer is hot, humid and wet: the limestone seeps and many routes are unclimbable from June to August. Winter is cold and damp in a way that surprises visitors — a wet 5 °C in Guangxi feels colder than a dry day in Europe.
The wall faces north-west, so it is shaded in the afternoon, which makes it a good warm-weather option.
Logistics
Moon Hill is about 8 km from Yangshuo town; most climbers rent an electric scooter. There is an entrance fee for the scenic area, and the walk up takes 25 minutes with a pack. Climbers usually carry everything up in one go and stay for the day.
Routes · 4
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Hold types jug · pocket · slab
Open beta
Twenty metres of positive pockets at the right-hand end. The standard first route at Moon Hill.
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Hold types tufa · pocket · jug
Open beta
Thirty metres along the north face on tufas and pockets. Three rests, all of them on the same tufa column; do not skip any of them.
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Hold types roof · tufa · kneebar
Open beta
Steep climbing through the left-hand cave. Two kneebars make it manageable; without them the pump is brutal.
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Hold types flowstone · crimp · undercling
Open beta
Technical line on the smooth flowstone section. The hardest moves are three underclings in a row with no rest between them.
Crag ethics
Crag ethics
The arch is a tourist site as well as a crag. Keep bags off the viewing platforms, do not block the steps, and be aware that non-climbers will stop to watch.
