Guilin was the first stop on our two and a half week China trip, four months into our big six months travelling through Asia adventure. By this point, I’ll admit that the magic had started to wear off, and the fatigue was harder to shake. The run up to China had been particularly tedious - the rigmarole of getting a visa, organising the various necessary apps, trying to figure out travel with the limited information available. We were over it before we even arrived.
But then, Guangxi. Landscapes so spectacular they felt as if we’d stepped into an ancient Chinese painting. The Li River, snaking its way through hundreds of dramatic karst formations. The rolling hills of the Longji Rice Terraces as low clouds swept through the valley. Within about three days we’d had multiple “once in a lifetime” moments we knew we’d never forget.
It’s unsurprisingly very touristy, particularly with domestic tourists. Therefore if you’re seeking peace, it may not be for you. But if you’re willing to accept that you’ll be enjoying the spectacular views with 100 of your closest strangers (and their selfie sticks, drones, and camera crews), it’s well worth it.
I initially wasn’t going to write a guide to Guilin and the wider Guangxi region, as I didn’t know enough myself to do it justice. Honestly, a lot of the time we were just winging it! However there’s so little information available online, and a lot of the information I did read was ambiguous or just straight up wrong. So I figured I may as well add my two cents!
To clarify, Guilin is a city within the region of Guangxi. It's beautiful within itself, but largely a stepping stone for exploring other parts of the region. This guide refers to Guilin for ease, as the surrounding region is often referred to under the same name (I thought the whole region was called Guilin until I got there myself!). Furthermore many travellers choose to use Guilin as a base. However this guide is actually more focussed on areas outside the city proper.
If you're planning a trip, or looking for things to do in Guilin and the wider Guangxi region, read on for my one week Guilin itinerary and travel guide.
China Essentials
Currency and Payment: China's currency is the Chinese Yuan, CNY ¥. China is a largely cashless society, and payment is done through the apps WeChat and Alipay. I recommend downloading these in advance of your trip, and attaching your card for payments. Payment is made by scanning a QR code within said apps. Generally Alipay is a QR code on a blue background, and WeChat is green. Sometimes, however, the merchant may have a QR code scanner, in which case you scan your QR available within the apps. Note, you may sometimes incur a 3% international card fee.
Internet Access in China: We learned the hard way that VPNs to get around the internet block are largely unreliable. Nord, our usual go-to, was entirely useless. Someone recommended Mullvad, which was mildly better. I've also heard good things about LetsVPN. However the best bet is to download an E-Sim before you get to China, which seems to circumvent the bans. My E-Sim Nomad worked well throughout - you can use the code ANOULDADMU for $5 off. I'd also recommend getting a basic local sim on arrival, as having a local phone number comes in handy, particularly if you haven't activated apps in advance.
Apps in China: If you've done any modicum of research into travelling in China, you probably already know this. However you can't rely on most "usual" apps like Google Maps in China, as many foreign companies are blocked. For getting around, download AMaps. China's Uber is DiDi, which you can download standalone, or use through Alipay. For finding recommendations, China's TikTok/Instagram is Rednote. It's a little tricky to navigate as the translation is imperfect, but great for finding cool places, restaurants, and things to do once you get the hang of it.
Guilin 101
When to visit Guilin: The best time to visit is generally considered to be Spring (April-May) and Autumn (September-October) when the weather is at it's best. However we visited in June and had largely good weather throughout. Avoid the school Summer holidays unless you particularly enjoy crowds!
Getting to Guilin: Guilin City is easily accessible from other major Chinese cities via high speed rail. We took a four hour train from Kunming, and bought our tickets in advance via Trip.com. I suspect buying via local websites would be far cheaper (www.12306.cn seems to be the go to), however it never quite managed to work for us. Note that Guilin has three main railway stations - Guilin, Guilin West (Xi), and Guilin North (Bei). Guilin Railway station is in the centre of town, however the other two are further out, around a 20 minute drive. Make sure to always have your passport on you!
How long to spend in Guilin: If you're planning on travelling around the region, I would recommend at least a week to do it justice (see my full itinerary below). If you're short on time, consider booking a tour for convenience.
What to pack for a trip to Guilin: This will depend on the time of year, but generally light layers will see you through. If you want to partake in any hiking, cycling, or other activities, pack a pair of comfortable shoes. Oh, and take mosquito repellent!
Getting Around Guilin
Before visiting, I was really concerned about how we were going to get around the region. China has a big organised tour culture, and most of the guides I read basically just said to either join a tour, or get a private car and driver. We’re emphatically not group tour people - and as photographers, not having the freedom to explore and shoot at our own pace isn’t really ideal. And a private driver just wasn’t realistic with our budget.
Unfortunately, foreigners aren’t able to hire cars in China as international licenses aren’t recognised. It’s a real shame, as it would be an excellent road trip destination. You can apply however for a temporary license, which may be worth the hassle if you’re planning on staying a while.
So, we turned up in Guilin with little transport plans, hoping we could just sort of wing it.
Thankfully, this proved to be fairly straightforward. Between destinations, there are regular buses, and then within destinations, we relied on Didi’s (china’s ride hailing app), and scooters to get around. I’ll break down exact transport we did along the way, but the bottom line is, it’s totally doable to get around Guilin by yourself.
Suggested Guangxi 1 Week Itinerary
1 night: Guilin City
- Boat down the Li River to Yangshuo -
4 nights: Yangshuo
OR 2 nights Yangshuo, 2 nights Xingping
- Bus to Longji Rice Terraces -
2 nights: Longji Rice Terraces
- Bus back to Guilin City to continue your China adventures! -
Note: I've put this together as a 1 week itinerary on the grounds that you're probably exploring the region as part of a larger China itinerary, and therefore won't have more time to spare. However, if you do, you could easily stretch this to two weeks and not get bored. There's plenty of hiking, cycling, boat riding, and other activities to fill your days. But equally, these are wonderful places to sit back and take it easy for a little while. We gave ourselves 6 nights in Guilin, and definitely regretted not having more time as there was so much more we wanted to do.
Guilin City
Guilin city itself is most likely where you'll start your exploring of the Guangxi region. It's well connected to the rest of the country through multiple trains, as well as Guilin Liangjiang International Airport. If you'd rather not move hotels or are short on time, you could choose to base yourself solely in Guilin and do day trips to the surrounding areas.
The city itself is in a beautiful location, set around multiple lakes and framed by the iconic karst formations of the region. It has a few noteworthy sights, such as Elephant Trunk Hill, and Reed Flute Cave. However personally I think a day or two is sufficient, as there are far more spectacular sights further afield around Yangshuo and Xingping. Hence I've kept this section fairly brief - but if you have more recommendations for things to do in Guilin, please do share them in the comments below.
Things to do in Guilin
Elephant Trunk Hill: Guilin's most iconic sight is this, a whole within a rock formation that takes on the appearance of an elephant. It's viewable from a viewing area, or by boat. I'll by honest, I don't entirely get the hype!
Sun and Moon Pagodas: These twin pagodas sit on Shan Hu Lake, a short walk away from Elephant Trunk Hill. They're quite striking, particularly when their reflections are illuminated on the water at night.
Reed Flute Cave: A colourfully lit limestone cave with stalactites and stalagmites, known as the "Palace of Natural Arts". It's name comes from the surrounded reeds, which presumably could be made into flutes.
Zhengyang Road Pedestrian Street: Guilin's central walking street, filled with bars, restaurants, shopping and street food. It's touristy, but worth a wander.
Seven Star Park: A sprawling nearly 300 acre park surrounded by Guilin's striking karst formations, home to caves, rivers, and a collection of stone carvings.
Discover regional delicacies: Guangxi has it's own regional cuisine, with plenty of unique things to try. Some are delicious, some may well test the boundaries of what you'll willingly eat... Look out for Guilin rice noodles, beer fish, and bamboo rice. You'll also see dishes featuring ingredients like snails, frog, and intestines if you're feeling adventurous.
Top Tip: Check Rednote for local food recommendations, with a handy "nearby" tab!
Li River Cruise
After a day in Guilin, we were ready to head to Yangshuo, our main base in Guangxi. There are two routes - a bus, which takes around an hour and a half down fairly uninspiring motorways, or a scenic 3.5 hour Li River cruise. Obviously, we chose the latter!
Now if you're anything like me, you may prefer to have all your travel plans booked and sorted before you travel. However, I recommend waiting until you get to Guilin before booking your cruise. The cruises available online to foreigners are limited in choice and vastly more expensive than booking when you get there. Our hotel directed us to a nearby travel agent, who talked us (okay, WeChat translate messaged us) through our options. Our cruise was roughly £26 each for a 3 star, one way (this is compared to $78 / £57 online!). If you're travelling in peak season, make sure you do this as soon as you arrive in Guilin to avoid disappointment!
There are 3 or 4 star cruises available, with the latter being fancier and therefore, more expensive. The route is the same, however the main difference is you get fed - although there's still food available for purchase on a 3 star. There's also fewer people and bougier facilities on board a 4 star, but honestly, we found the 3 star perfectly satisfactory. Particularly as it's a fairly short journey, we didn't feel we missed out by not opting for a meal.
The cruise route starts about an hour outside Guilin centre, at either Mopanshan or Zhujiang Dock depending on your cruise. You can make your own way there, but we opted for a group coach pick up. It was honestly a bit of a bizarre experience. The guide proceeded to spend the entire journey talking away on a microphone in quick fire Mandarin, which switched to a sales pitch (complete with samples) of various local products around half way through. I was actually quite thankful I didn't understand and could just zone out!
Once you arrive at the dock there's various shops and restaurants to grab snacks and souvenirs. You'll have your ID checked, so make sure to bring your passport (this is the same pretty much everywhere in China, so always carry it with you!). The dock is massive with hoards of boats all departing at once, so it can be a bit overwhelming, but just follow the crowds, and there's usually someone on hand to point you in the right direction.
As for the cruise itself, the journey takes you slowly down the Li River, with a guide pointing out highlights along the way. It was solely in Mandarin, so we had no idea what was going on - but the views were so beautiful, it didn't much matter! The top deck starts out packed, but over the course of the trip it emptied - at one point, we were the only people up there. Though there's plenty of sights along the way, one of the biggest draws is the spot where the view printed on the 20 Yuan note can be seen, so expect lots of crowds then.
From the docking point, about 1.5km outside of Yangshuo, there's a convenient walking route. Or if like us, you're carting heavy bags, there's plenty of people offering taxis - though prepare to be thoroughly ripped off.
Yangshuo
Yangshuo is a county and town in Guangxi, roughly an hour and a half South of Guilin. The town and surrounding area is an excellent place to base yourself for exploring the natural landscapes the region is so famous for. But it's not just a room for the night - there's plenty of dining, shopping, and experiences within the town itself to keep you occupied. Life revolves around the town's "West Street", a pedestrianised thoroughfare busy with souvenir shops, street food, and costume stores where scores of domestic tourists get makeovers in traditional outfits to take photos with the bamboo rafts.
Where to stay in Yangshuo
Because we had no means of transport within the area, we wanted to stay central to avoid spending all our money on taxis in and out. So we booked Riverview Hotel, a quaint, affordable hotel overlooking the river. I wasn't hoping for much, but it ended up far surpassing our expectations. The staff speak great English, are quick to sort out any transport requests, and upgraded us to a room with a view when we arrived and our room wasn't yet ready. It kind of reminded me of a British pub hotel or B&B, with very cosy vibes. The downstairs is a bustling restaurant, which often had queues it was so popular - so definitely plan to have a meal or two here at the very least!
A few more worthy suggestions:
Shijian Homestay: Floor to ceiling windows and a tub with a view? Say no more.
Xitang River View: A simple stay, but upgrade to a room with a view and you are in for a treat.
Yangshuo Percent Hotel: Centrally located in Yangshuo, boasting panoramic river views from the rooftop.
LIANGSU Hotel: With a rural setting and infinity pool, this is one for the Instagram-minded.
Banyan Tree Yangshuo: For those looking for luxury in an exclusive setting, the Banyan Tree Yangshuo is it's own little world aside the Li River.
Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel: A more traditional, heritage-style stay in a beautiful old fashioned property, tucked away amidst the forest.
Xianggong Mountain Sunrise
The viewpoint from Xianggong Mountain is one of Yangshuo’s most famous views, and as such, it’s a popular spot. It’s best known for sunrise, with low clouds sweeping through the valley creating an ethereal scene. However when we visited it was quite gloomy, and so packed out our view was mostly of the backs of people’s heads, amidst a sea of selfie sticks. Thankfully, there are multiple viewing platforms at different levels, and the lower ones were less crowded, with largely the same view. Was it worth the 3am wake-up? Probably not, but I imagine if you get a decent sunrise it’s spectacular.
Xianggong Mountain is around a 40-50 minute drive from Yangshuo, or visit on a tour from Guilin. Entry is ¥60, and it takes about 15 minutes to get to the viewing platform up steep steps. If you want to be here for sunrise, make sure to give yourself plenty of time! If you don’t fancy the hike, there’s a couple of cafes a few minutes before the entry to the mountain that also offer beautiful views.
Fuli Bridge
My favourite view? Certainly not packed out Xianggong, but instead, the rather more serene Fuli Bridge. Around a 20 minute drive from Yangshuo, this stunning ancient bridge is famous for the reflection it creates in the water, forming a perfect circle. It's a hub for bamboo rafting, which can disturb the water, so earlier is better. We visiting in the morning, around 8am, and had the bridge largely to ourselves. There's a shop offering photoshoots and traditional costumes next to the bridge, and a couple of small tuck shops, but other than that it's fairly peaceful. The bridge is free to visit, and there's a car park nearby.
Xingping Ancient Town
Xingping Ancient Town is another popular town, around 45 minutes up the Li River from Yangshuo. The Ancient Town itself is fairly small, and if I'm honest, fairly underwhelming compared to some of the others in the country. However it's vantage point on the river offers some of the best spots for dramatic landscape views. The most iconic are those can be found from a viewpoint on the edge of town, where you can see in real life the landscapes depicted on the 20 yuan note. It's a popular spot, so expect crowds. For photographs, the light is better earlier in the day, or at sunset - we visited late afternoon and could barely see out due to the sun right in our eyes!
If you wander a bit further out along the same road, there's several spots along the river where you can take pictures with the bamboo rafts for a small fee. They're extremely busy with photoshoots, particularly at golden hour / sunset - although we didn't make it ourselves, personally I think the light might be better at sunrise!
We actually had our best meal in Guilin at a restaurant in Xingping, at Yuelu Private Kitchens (pictured). I'd recommend the pepper beef, absolutely delicious!
Wuzhi Hill, Cuiping
We spent a considerable amount of our time in Guangxi chasing views, and this was arguably the very best. Cuiping Hill, also known as Wuzhi Hill, is a panoramic viewpoint located near Putao Town, around half an hours drive from Yangshuo town. There's a small booth at the entrance to the hike, where you pay ¥50 entry. The route itself is an easy to follow step path. It took us around 15 minutes to the top at a fairly leisurely pace - though we were a bit sweaty!
The viewpoint is designed to be spread out over several levels, so there's plenty of space and plenty of different vantage points offering up a range of landscapes below. The dramatic karst formations surround, whilst rivers dotted with fishermen meander through small villages. It's particularly picturesque at sunset, as the sun dips behind the mountains.
As for why this was my favourite? Largely because the swarms of crowds that inundate every other scenic spot were conspicuously absent. In fact, we had the view all to ourselves! This spot is a little more difficult to get to, as it's quite remote. You can get a bus to Putao Town, rent a scooter, or consider getting a DiDi and asking the driver to wait.
Cafe Hopping in Yangshuo
I'm generally trained to find recommendations for dining, cafes, photo opps and things to do on Instagram or Google Maps. However even if you can circumvent the internet blocks on these, they're woefully inadequate for information on China. Luckily once I got the hang of China's answer to TikTok, Rednote, I discovered that it was a treasure trove of information and tips on where to go, what to do, and most importantly, what to eat.
The biggest gem I discovered on Rednote was the sheer number of aesthetic cafes in the area surrounding Yangshuo. Overlooking rice paddies, framed by Guilin's spectacular karst rock scenery, Yangshuo boasts a number of dramatically beautiful spots for your morning cup of joe.
Finding these places can be a bit tricky, as they often don't have an English name listed. But from the Rednote location tag, you can tap on the navigation icon to take you straight to them on Amaps.
I'm planning on putting together a full guide to Yangshuo's many aesthetic cafes, however in the meantime, my favourite was Xiangyue Tingxiaoyuan Moon River Cafe. A serene spot in a small village outside town, the outdoor terrace looks over a truly mystical landscape. Mr Zhang's, nearby, is another popular spot. As well as drinks they have a small menu of sweet treats (and randomly, sausages).
My last pick is Zhizi Huaxia / "Under the Gardenias", pictured (I'm not sure this name is a 100% accurate translation, but the Mandarin is "栀子花下"), south of Yangshuo. With a proper food menu, it's the best spot if you're looking for a full meal. Just be careful what you order, we accidentally ended up with a mysterious part of a chicken that neither of us could quite stomach!
Longji Rice Terraces
A couple of hours North of Guilin city is one of the region's most beautiful destinations, the Longji (also known as Longsheng) Rice Terraces. I've been to a few similar landscapes in my travels around various parts of the world, but Guilin's are probably the most spectacular I've seen.
The region is split into two areas, Ping'an and Dazhai. The latter is the bigger of the two, and where we stayed. Therefore the information in this guide will be focussed on Dazhai. If you're looking for more in-depth coverage on both areas, I found this blog helpful.
Most people seem to do it as an overnight, or even a day trip from Guilin, but considering the effort to get there, we wanted to enjoy a full day of hiking and taking in the scenery. However it didn't feel like a remotely enough, and it was quite painful having to check out and say goodbye to those breathtaking views at the end of our stay. If you have the time, consider three nights - a day to hike and explore, and a day to just sit, relax, and take in the scenery.
There's a ticket office at the entrance to the scenic area, costing ¥80. It includes both areas, and is valid for 48 hours.
When to visit the Longji Rice Terraces
There are a number of different times to visit. Mid-May to mid-June sees the terraces filled with water, beautifully reflecting the sky and clouds on a clear day. This is when we visited, however we weren't quite so lucky with the weather! Summer sees the landscape turn lush and green. However it's at it's most striking in September / October, when the rice turns golden and is ready to be harvest. Once it's harvested there's little to be seen in the region, so I'd avoid visiting in the Winter months.
Getting to the Longji Rice Terraces
Being more remotely located, getting to the Longji Rice Terraces may seem daunting. However thankfully the area is well connected by buses. If you're travelling from Guilin, it's around a 2 and a half hour journey by bus. There seems to be no obvious way of booking these, at least not one that's international tourist friendly, but your hotel or a local tourist office will likely be on hand to help.
If like us, you're travelling to the Longji Rice Terraces from Yangshuo, there are also direct buses, though they're less regular. In high season there are two buses a day between Yangshuo and the Dazhai Parking lot. At time of writing these are 8am and 13:30pm, however this may differ in low season.
Our hotel sorted our tickets, including a transfer to the bus station in Yangshuo, but excluding entry tickets to the Longji scenic area. At ¥120 per person I suspect they’re charging a healthy markup, but for the convenience it’s well worth it - and still far cheaper than a private driver!
The bus takes around 3.5hrs, with a 30 minute loo break in Guilin, another random loo break around 3 hours in that mainly just seemed to be the driver stopping for a smoke, and a stop at the ticket office in Longji to pay for entry to the scenic area. From the ticket office, it's around another 40 minutes to the Dazhai parking lot. Your hotel may offer free pickup from here like ours did, or ask them to organise a car in advance. There were a few women in the lot seeming to offer rides too. If your baggage isn't too heavy and your hotel not too far, you can always walk!
Things to do in the Longji Rice Terraces
I wouldn't normally advocate for doing nothing (what then, is the point of a guide?), but in Longji, our favourite moments were spent simply sitting and taking in the view. That said, the main attraction is the panoramic viewpoints dotted around the region, which are accessible by car, or various walking trails. Within Dazhai, there are three main terraces: The Large Scale Thousand Layer Terraces, West Hill Music, and Golden Buddha Peak. The former two are in a similar region, and a short walk from our hotel. The latter is connected to the Dazhai car park by a cable car. As it's the most accessible by day trippers, it tends to be the most popular. The other two, we found fairly quiet when we visited - though I imagine that in September / October, they're rammed! To get to them, there's plenty of signage in English to follow. It can be a little confusing (there'll often be multiple signs pointing in different directions for the same place), however you'll (hopefully!) get to the right place easily enough.
The hikes / trails are fairly straightforward for those with a base level of physical fitness. However if you're looking for something more challenging, you could embark on the trail between Dazhai and Ping'an, or trek over to Golden Buddha Peak. We considered the latter, but the rain made it fairly unappealing!
Where to stay in the Longji Rice Terraces
We stayed at Xia Tiruijing Homestay, lured in by the promise of sprawling views out over the terraces. Honestly, from the pictures, I was worried it was going to be too good to be true. You know when they just look a bit too suspiciously glossy? But it turned out to be as described - a vast bedroom, complete with tub, and a traditional style balcony overlooking the terraces. The homestay offers a free pickup from the Dazhai car park, and a simple breakfast was included. The restaurant also serves meals throughout the day - though nothing to write home about, it was ideal when the rain came in and we didn't want to leave! It's also a good base for exploring the terraces without a car, as it's within walking distance to two of the three main viewpoints, as well as a number of other cafes and restaurants.
Guilin and the surrounding areas aren't the easiest to figure out, but if you put in some planning, and are occasionally willing to just go with the flow, the region has so much rich culture, nature, and activities to discover. I hope this travel guide to the Guangxi region, and things to do in Guilin, has been helpful. If you have any questions, please do pop them in the comments below, or feel free to DM me on Instagram.
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A substantial guide, indeed. Looking to using this on our ttop. Thank you 😊
Love this!! This is such a helpful, thorough guide. Thank you!
Author
I’m so glad to hear it’s helpful, thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
What a helpful and detailed overview! I’m planning a trip to Guilin and Yangshuo in October. You wouldn’t happen to have details of the travel agent you used for the Li river cruise? We are hoping to fly straight in to Guilin and take the cruise the same day without staying the night in Guilin. But as you mentioned…it’s hard to find times for later cruises online… thank you! :)
Author
Hello! It can be so difficult to find information, can’t it! Hmm I’m afraid I don’t know the exact name, however I can tell you that it was on Zhongshan Middle Road, just around the corner from YI CHI JU Hotel. I was under the impression that cruises only ran in that direction in the morning around 9-9:30am, so I would double check this – I may be wrong!