Li River karst landscape, Elephant Trunk Hill, Longji rice terraces — textbook Chinese scenery
"桂林山水甲天下" — Guilin's scenery is the finest under heaven. This 800-year-old Chinese proverb is still true. The Li River winds through hundreds of karst peaks that rise vertically from mirror-still water — a landscape so iconic it has been painted for centuries and now appears on the 20-yuan banknote. In the distance, water buffalo wade through flooded rice paddies. Cormorant fishermen cast nets from bamboo rafts.
Guilin (the city) is a pleasant but ordinary Chinese city. The real magic is on the Li River cruise to Yangshuo (65 km downstream) — a 4-hour boat journey through the most photographed landscape in China. Add a day for the Longji Rice Terraces, a 700-year-old agricultural wonder. Plan 3–4 days minimum.
The landscape that put China on its 20-yuan banknote — terraced rice paddies carved into mountains 700 years ago.
The single most beautiful boat trip in China — and arguably the world. 4 hours, 65 km, through 200+ karst peaks. Highlights: Yellow Cloth Reflection (the 20-yuan view), Nine-Horse Fresco Hill, Xingping village. Disembark in Yangshuo.
Tickets: ¥215–450 (seat class varies) · 9:30am departure · Book via Trip.comA 240-metre-long karst cave with a 1,000-year history of visitors. Stalactites and stalagmites lit in coloured light — the "Crystal Palace," "Pine in Snow," and "Dragon Pagoda" formations. 5°C cooler inside — a relief in summer.
Tickets: ¥90 · Allow 1 hour · 6 km north of cityGuilin's symbol — a karst peak that looks exactly like an elephant drinking from the river. The round arch beneath is the "trunk." Right in the city centre, on the riverbank. Free entry to view from across the river; ¥70 to climb.
Park free · Climbing ¥70 · Subway or walk from downtown700-year-old terraced rice paddies carved into the mountains 100 km north of Guilin. Two main villages: Ping'an (easiest) and Dazhai (more dramatic, longer hike). Stunning in May (water-filled, mirror-like) and Sep–Oct (golden harvest).
Tickets: ¥95 · 2 hours drive · Hike 2–4 hours · Stay overnight for sunriseThe pedestrian street in Yangshuo — restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops, and the most foreigner-friendly vibe in rural China. Bilingual everywhere. Backpacker hub since the 1980s. Lively, sometimes rowdy.
Free · 30 min walk end-to-endA quieter alternative to the Li River — small bamboo rafts poled by local farmers through 15 km of karst scenery. Drift past villages and rice paddies at walking pace. ¥150–300 per raft (2 people).
¥150–300 per raft · Yangshuo area · 90 min rideThe village at the heart of the 20-yuan bill view. Take the Li River cruise, stay overnight in Xingping, climb Laozhai Hill at sunrise for the same view, then ride back to Yangshuo on a bamboo raft.
Free village · Laozhai Hill ¥10 · Stay overnightTwo parks within Guilin city. Seven Star has a zoo, caves, and the Seven Star Tea House. Folded Brocade Hill gives a panoramic view of the Li River winding through the karst peaks. ¥70 for Folded Brocade, free for Seven Star.
Folded Brocade ¥70 · Seven Star free · Allow half day for bothGuangxi cuisine is spicy, sour, and fresh. River fish, rice noodles, fermented vegetables, and rice wine define the table.
The signature dish — thin rice noodles in broth with broth-braised pork, peanuts, pickled green beans, chilli, and fresh herbs. ¥8–15 at any local shop. Eat at least one a day for the full experience.
The signature Yangshuo dish — fresh Li River carp braised with tomatoes, chillies, garlic, and an entire bottle of beer. Sweet-sour-spicy-beery. Try at Xie Sanjie (谢大姐) or any West Street restaurant.
Layers of pork belly and taro, braised in soy and sugar, then pressed and sliced. Gloriously fatty, melts on the tongue. From Lipu County, served across Guangxi.
A Gongcheng / northern Guangxi specialty — puffed rice, peanuts, and tea leaves fried into a fragrant paste, served in broth. Add salty rice crackers. Acquired taste — most people grow to love it.
Large river snails stuffed with pork, lemongrass, and chilli, then stir-fried. Suck the meat out of the shell. A night market classic, ¥20–40 a plate.
Sticky rice, vegetables, and meat steamed inside a fresh bamboo tube. Split the tube open at the table. Especially good in Longji terraces villages.
The backpacker nightlife hub. Bars, pubs, live music, late-night street food. Lively, foreigner-friendly, sometimes rowdy. Most action 9pm–1am.
The river path through central Guilin is lit up at night. Quiet, romantic, perfect for couples. The karst peaks are silhouetted against the sky.
More a culinary ritual than a bar. Sit riverside, drink beer, eat fish, watch the sunset over karst peaks.
An evening boat tour of central Guilin — the four lakes connect via canals, lit up at night. ¥180–220.
Guilin Liangjiang (KWL)
— 28 km southwest. Airport shuttle bus ¥20, 1h. Or subway line 1 (¥5, 40 min).Guilin North (桂林北) — main HSR station. Shanghai 8h, Guangzhou 2.5h, Shenzhen 3.5h, Kunming 5h, Changsha 3h. Guilin West (桂林西) also serves some trains.
Best by Li River cruise (4h) or by train (30 min, ¥20). DiDi or shuttle bus (1.5h, ¥50).
1 line (with extensions under construction). Limited coverage. Buses and DiDi for most trips.
DiDi works. Regular taxis ¥9 starting. Drivers less likely to speak English — have destinations in Chinese.
The best way to see Yangshuo. ¥20–50 per day from any hotel. Helmets included.
Walkable to the river, Elephant Trunk Hill, and city restaurants. ¥300–1,500/night. Best for short stays.
The riverside tourist town. ¥400–1,500/night. Beautiful countryside, expat-friendly. Best for the Li River + Yulong River experience.
Wooden stilt houses in Zhuang villages. ¥300–800/night including dinner and breakfast. Best for sunrise over the terraces.
Europe & US, Southeast Asia; a classic long-haul sightseeing destination.
