Guilin's famous karst mountains, clear waters complement cultural, culinary treats on road to global sustainable travel

Fisherman Huang Quande skips down the cliff to the riverside, hopping onto his bamboo raft before launching it from the shore within seconds.

Two cormorants, one of them taking a quick dip in the crystal-clear waters, move to perch comfortably behind their owner.

The trio glides swiftly across the smooth-flowing waterway, framed by misty karst mountains and lush bamboo groves.

The scene is picture-perfect－exactly like the iconic image on a 20-yuan bill.

Huang, 93, and his cormorants have become a must-see attraction on the Lijiang River in Xingping town of Guilin, in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, one of China's top scenic spots.

A cormorant fisherman drifts on the river in Yangshuo county in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. CHINA DAILY

Since his teens, he has been practicing the traditional cormorant fishing method－which trains the birds to hunt with snares at the base of their throats that stop them from swallowing larger fish－even as growing numbers of visitors have made him a celebrity at home and abroad.

"There have been changes through the years, including improvements in the environment. But we still enjoy our traditions here," Huang says.

From pristine landscapes to culturally rich communities, Huang symbolizes one of the best attractions that Guilin has to offer as it leverages its global tourism pioneer position toward green cultural development.