Things to Do in Guilin

The extensive Seven Star Park (Qixing Gongyuan)—arranged around the seven peaks from which it derives its name—ranks among Guilin’s oldest attractions. A pavilion sits atop Putuo Mountain in the center of the park, while Seven Star Cliff contains several illuminated caves. A fish pond and the Guilin City Zoo are popular with kids.

 

This 339-acre (137-hectare) park makes for a pleasant stroll in Guilin. Many sightseeing tours of the city stop at the park, as well as other popular outdoor Guilin attractions, such as Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave, and Fubo Hill, depending on the option chosen. To see the park’s seven peaks from afar (and enjoy the area’s immense natural beauty), take a cruise along the Li River.

 

Seven Star Park sits about a 20-minute walk from the center of Guilin. If you’d rather save your feet, you can get there aboard Bus 58.

While the park is open daily throughout the year, the best times to visit are during spring and fall when the weather is mild. Avoid visiting during Chinese national holidays, especially Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Seven Star Park is home to Guilin’s oldest bridge. Built during the Song Dynasty, the Flower Bridge gets its name from the bright display of spring flowers that once bloomed along the stream’s banks each year. The blooms began to decline during the Qing dynasty and today, few remain.

A landmark in Guilin since the Tang Dynasty, and considered by many to be a symbol of the city, Elephant Trunk (Xiangbishan) Hill got its name because it’s said to resemble a giant elephant drinking water from the Li River. Towering more than 180 feet (55 meters) above the water, it’s one of the top attractions in Guilin.

 

In addition to the hill itself, there are a number of caves, pagodas, and temples, including Water Moon Cave, which is said to resemble the full moon on water, or the Elephant Eyes Cave, which is located where the elephant’s “eyes” should be. Climb to the top of Elephant Trunk Hill to see the Puxian Pagoda and for panoramic views over Guilin and stop by Love Island, in the middle of the Li River, for a great vantage point of Elephant Trunk Hill.

 

Elephant Trunk Hill is a popular site, and many half-day and full-day tours will stop here, along with other attractions like Fubo Hill, Reed Flute Cave, and Seven Star Cave. You can also combine a visit with a multi-day tour that explores other areas nearby like Yangshuo.

 

 

Elephant Trunk Hill is located at the confluence of the Li River and the Taohua River. Take bus nos. 2, 16, 23, or 58 (free tourist bus) and get off at Xiangbishan Park Station.

 

Elephant Trunk Hill is a very popular tourist attraction. Visit early in the morning for fewer crowds or at night on a moonlit cruise.

 

Puxian Pagoda, at the top of Elephant Trunk Hill, was built during the Ming Dynasty to worship Samatabahra. Yunfeng Temple, located on the southwest slope of Elephant Trunk Hill, was the home of the Buddhist Monk Jianzhen during the Tang Dynasty, and was also used during the Taiping Rebellion. Today the temple contains an exhibition gallery devoted to that conflict.

Along the banks of the Li River as it winds south from Guilin, dramatic karst peaks, dense vegetation, and the winding river itself create magical vistas that loom large in the Chinese imagination, having inspired art and verse for centuries. From Guilin to Yangshuo, there’s never a dull stretch along China’s most beautiful river.

For many visitors, a Li River cruise between Yangshuo and Guilin ranks as a highlight of any trip to the area. While it’s possible to transfer between the two towns along the river, it’s also a popular option for a day trip from Guilin; you might combine a Li River cruise with a bamboo raft excursion on the Yulong River and a tour of picturesque Yangshuo, with its old-style houses along West Street. Come nightfall, the Li River serves as a stage for Zhang Yimou’s dreamy Impression Sanjie Liu show in Yangshuo.

While the Li River is much longer than the 52-mile (83-kilometer) length connecting Guilin and Yangshuo, these two towns represent the most popular access points. Cruises depart from Mopanshan Dock in Guilin and Xingping Dock in Yangshuo.

One of the best times to see the Li River is during autumn (September to November), when the weather is cool and dry. Cruises during the summer rainy season might be slightly shorter due to faster flowing water.

The stretch of river between Guilin and Yangshuo is packed with notable attractions, including several natural landmarks. Rice terraces where water buffalo roam are punctuated by named karst formations like Elephant Trunk Hill, Nine Horses Painted Hill, and Yellow Cloth Shoal. Beneath the karsts lie fascinating cave systems, including Reed Flute Cave and Crown Cave.

Located in the hills northwest of Yangshuo lies an area with the beautiful name Longji, which translated into English means "the rice terraces on the backbone of a dragon." The glittering, green fields swing their way gently up the slopes to lofty heights that are far away from the noisy tourist regions in the lower altitudes. Probably due to the climbs up the steep stairs and walkways being not that easy, the rice terraces breathe a sense of tranquility that is rare in modern China. In the midst of these rice fields lies Ping'an village, a place where time has almost stood still. 

The traditional wooden houses are crowded together, as if they want to be as close as possible, and on the front steps, old women feed chickens and dogs lazily guard door ways. Although the region is well developed and houses now have water and electricity, the lifestyle is very simple and the area around Ping'an village is home to the Zhuang minority. Many women still wear the traditional clothing, colorful scarves and embroidered blouses to work in the rice fields. And because of the couple guest houses and short journey between Guilin and Yangshuo, the village is now a popular spot to spend the night and watch the sun rise over the rice terraces the following morning from the Seven Stars Around The Moon or the Nine Dragons And Five Tigers viewpoints. Sunrises here are spectacular any time of the year, as in spring, water glitters on the newly irrigated fields like silver ribbons, in summer the bright green of the growing rice takes over, during the harvest time in fall the slopes are golden and in winter, everything is covered in a layer of white. 

Situated along the east banks of the Li River around 20 kilometers from Guilin City, Daxu Old Town dates back all the way to 200 AD. One of four ancient towns in Guangxi Province, Daxu features a 2.5-kilometer street paved in bluestone with well-preserved traditional houses and shops, mostly from the Ming and Qing dynasties, lining each side.

As a visitor, Daxu Old Town lends itself perfectly to taking leisurely strolls amid heritage buildings, sampling the local food, and learning about the traditional culture and customs that have been kept alive for thousands of years.

Most of Daxu Old Town’s residents are from the older generation and live simple, peaceful lives, working traditional trades, such as bamboo-weaving and shoemaking. Longevity Bridge is a must-see while in the town; this stone arch bridge was constructed in the Ming Dynasty and is a scenic place to stop and enjoy the Li River and perhaps take pictures of Snail Hill.

Guilin is known as the city of rice farmers, spreading out in the midst of an impressive landscape full of steep mountain peaks on both sides of the Li River. The highest of these bizarre rock formations is Yao Mountain at over 900 meters. Here, only 12 kilometers outside of the city center, you can find a quiet mountain landscape and panoramic views over the hundreds of hills, rice fields and the charming rural villages outside of Guilin. Although there is a cable car ferrying people up and down Yao Mountain, there are also numerous hiking trails leading up and around the tall peak. A long cart slide offers a fun alternative for the way down, which leads through many twists and turns down much of the densely forested side of the mountain. 

Most visitors come here to see the diverse flora of Southern China, which is beautiful throughout the year and changes constantly. Each season offers completely different views, with spring being especially popular due to the rosy, blooming azaleas. During the summer months, the pine trees and bamboo take over and cover the landscape in a vibrant blue-green, while during fall, the maple leaves turn a deep red and wild chrysanthemum flowers add vibrant dots of color to the landscape. But don’t miss out on a trip up the mountain in winter either, when mists swirl around the peaks and everything is dusted in a layer of snow and frost.

Yao Mountain is also a popular burial ground, something that is attributed to its good Feng Shui. The peak was named after the Yaoshan Emperor Temple, which can be found about halfway up the mountain, but there are also the Tombs of the Jingjiang Princes, one of the most famous attractions in the area, with over 300 tombs spread out over 100 square kilometers. 

Rising 217 feet (66 meters), Solitary Beauty Peak has been a famous scenic spot in Guilin since ancient times. Also known as the “Pillar of the Southern Sky,” it’s one of the area’s highest peaks. Climb to the pavilion at the peak to take in sweeping views over the city.

 

In addition to the two-story Solitary Peak Pavilion, other highlights include the Xuanwu Pavilion, Three Gods Memorial Hall, Three Guests Temple, and Guanyin Hall. There are also a number of notable caves at the base of the peak, including Dushu (Study) Rock, Taiping (Peace) Rock, and Snow Cave. At the east end of the peak, you’ll find Yueya (Crescent) Pond, with its distinctive crescent shape, and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Tower.

 

It’s possible to visit Solitary Beauty Peak independently, but because most of the posted information is in Chinese only, visitors will gain more insight and appreciation of its historical significance on a guided tour. 

 

Solitary Beauty Peak is located in the Prince Jingjiang Mansion, in the center of Guilin. Take the No. 1, 22, 30, or 100 bus and get off at Lequn Crossing stop, and walk east. Or take the No. 10, 11, 8, or 98 bus and get off at the Liberation Bridge stop, and walk north.

 

Solitary Beauty Peak is open year-round. Opening hours are longer during the summer and shorter during the winter. Summer will be hot and humid, which may make it more uncomfortable climbing to the peak.

 

Solitary Beauty Peak got its name from a famous line in Southern Dynasty Poem by Yan Yanzhi: “None can surpass this solitary peak in beauty.” In addition to “Pillar of the Southern Sky,” a third name for the peak is “Purple Golden Hill,” so named because at dawn and at golden hour, the peak resembles a figure wearing a purple gown with a golden belt.

Guilin is mainly known for the magical karst landscape surrounding it, but next to the nature there is also plenty of culture. In fact, the town has been an imperial city since the Qin Dynasty and its main estate bears witness to this glorious past and the city’s long history. The Jingjiang Mansion, also called the Jingjiang Princes’ City, was the seat of the Jingjiang Family, who reigned in this part of China between 1368 and 1644. The mansion was built after the first Ming Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhan, made his nephew, today known as King or Prince Jingjiang, ruler of the Guilin region. 

Designed to function as the inner city of Guilin, the mansion and grounds are very extensive and include four halls, several pavilions and over 40 secondary buildings surrounding the main mansion. The property was built in the typical imperial style and according to the strict rules of the Ming Dynasty, which can be seen in the yellow walls that are topped by tiered roofs and encircled by tall, red pillars. The property is also enclosed by a 1.5-kilometer-long wall with the buildings, gates, the palace, the gardens and the quarters being arranged on a symmetrical axis.

The center of this axis is a karst hill called the Solitary Beauty Peak, a towering 216 meter high mass of sharp limestone cliffs interspersed by green vegetation. Exactly 306 steps lead to the top of the peak, where visitors can find the Solitary Beauty Pavilion with its red pillars, as well as panoramic views over the now modern city. It took over 20 years to build the imperial city and 630 years of history took place within those walls, but today, Jingjiang Mansion is the site of the Guangxi Normal University. 

Yangshuo, near Guilin, is known for its breathtaking scenery full of dramatic limestone karst formations. With plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation, Yangshuo is popular with hikers, bikers, and rock climbers, while rafting trips down the Li or Yulong rivers offer a more leisurely way to enjoy the picturesque countryside.

 

Yangshuo is a well-known destination for many independent travelers in southern China, but a guided tour will make it easier to find hiking and biking routes. A guide can also help point out the countryside’s most scenic spots. Tours range from a few hours to multiple days and cover a range of activities, from biking and hiking to kayaking and rock climbing. Those looking for less active pursuits can try their hand at calligraphy, cooking, or learning Chinese while in Yangshuo. Most tours originate in Yangshuo or Guilin, but also from further afield like Guangzhou and Shanghai.

 

 

How to Get There 

Yangshuo is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Guilin. The closest airport is Guilin. From Guilin, taxis will be the most direct, though expensive, option to Yangshuo. There are frequent minibuses (about 1.5 hours) and express buses (about 1 hour) from Guilin. Overnight sleeper buses are available from Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Guangzhou. The nearest train station is Yangshuo Railway Station, near Xingping, 14 miles (22 kilometers) away. A pleasant and scenic alternative is to cruise down the Li River from Guilin.

 

Yangshuo is a very popular tourist destination year-round. Avoid visiting during Chinese national holidays. For those planning on engaging in outdoor activities, spring and fall are the best times to visit for the most pleasant weather.

 

Top Yangshuo Attractions 

Within Yangshuo itself, top attractions include West Street and Green Lotus Peak. Nearby, popular attractions include Moon Hill and Big Banyan Tree, which are all along the scenic “Ten Mile Gallery” Road from Yangshuo. There are also many peaks to climb and caves to explore. Rafting along either the Li River or the Yulong River are also popular pastimes, as is exploring nearby villages like Xingping.

Situated in northeast Guilin, beautiful Fubo Hill (Fubo Shan) sits half in and half out of the Li River, causing the passing water to swirl and lending it its other name: “Wave-Subduing Hill.” With a height of 695 feet (213 meters), Fubo Hill offers spectacular views of the city and river views from its summit.

 

In addition to its stunning views, Fubo Hill features a number of caves and points of interest, including the Pearl Returning Cave, the Thousand Buddha Cave, and the Sword-Testing Rock, all at the foot of the hill. There are also a number of pavilions where you can stop and enjoy the scenery.

 

Fubo Hill is a popular attraction and many tours will include a stop here, along with Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave, and Seven Star Cave. You can also combine a visit with a multi-day tour to explore top attractions outside of Guilin, such as Yangshuo.

 

 

Fubo Hill is located on Binjiang Road, Xiufeng District, in northeast Guilin. From the South Train Station, take bus no. 1 directly to Fubo Hill. Bus nos. 2, 58, and 203 also stop at Fubo Hill.

 

Open year-round, Fubo Hill is a popular tourist attraction; to avoid the crowds, arrive early in the morning.   

At the foot of Fubo Hill is Pearl Returning Cave; inside of that is the Sword-Testing Rock, which hangs from the ceiling and nearly touches the ground. Legend has it that the emperor tested his sword by cutting what used to be a stone pillar, leaving the crevice at the bottom. At the back of the cave is the Thousand Buddha Cave, with more than 200 Buddhist statues and more than 100 inscriptions, some dating from the Tang and Song dynasties.

For the farmers who reside in Southern China’s Longji region, rice terraces are simply a way of life. Yet for the thousands of annual visitors who make the 2-hour journey from the city of Guilin, the Longji Rice Terraces—nicknamed the Dragon’s Backbone—are an iconic symbol of Chinese agriculture and one of the most photographed sites in the country. 

Here in Longji, in Longsheng county, layer upon layer of cultivated terraces stretch skyward on steep slopes—at some points they slope at over 50° angles. Despite the dramatic grades of the mountainside, however, traditional Chinese rice farmers have managed to sculpt the hillside into orderly terraces that annually yield massive harvests of rice. 

When visiting the Longji Rice Terraces, you can walk among rural and traditional villages that still house ethnic minority people such as the Yao and Zhuang people. Most travelers visit as part of a guided day trip from Guilin; these self-guided, small-group, or private tours often include a visit to a Zhuang or Yao village, where women still grow very long hair in a traditional style.

Due to their considerable distance from Guilin (59 miles/95 kilometers), the easiest and most convenient way to visit the terraces in and around Longsheng is to book a guided tour. 

Though there really isn’t a bad season to visit the Dragon’s Backbone. The early summer months of May and June are popular for photographers, as this is when the terraces are irrigated and cast a mirrored effect that crawls up the walls of the valleys. 

The Longji region is home to several picturesque rice paddies, the most famous of which are the terraced fields of Ping’an Village. Less touristed and perhaps more visually impressive are the fields at Jinkeng near Dazhai Village. 

Located 3 miles (5 kilometers) from downtown Guilin, this famous limestone cave is one of the top attractions in Guilin. It’s named for the reeds that grow outside the cave, which are used to make flutes. The cave stretches for 787 feet (240 meters), and is colorfully lit inside to highlight the interesting collection of stone pillars, stalactites, and stalagmites found within.

 

Visitors follow a U-shaped route through the cave system to see the variously shaped formations. In addition, there are numerous inscriptions on the cave walls, said to be poems dating from the Tang Dynasty. Outside the cave, you’ll see pavilions, ponds, bridges, and gardens.

 

Reed Flute Cave can be easily visited independently. If you’re planning to visit other Guilin attractions, consider taking a half-day and full-day tour, which will typically include Reed Flute Cave and other attractions like Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, and Seven Star Cave.

 

 

Take the No. 3 bus to Ludiyan or the No. 213 to Ludiyan Tingchechang.

 

Reed Flute Cave can be visited at any time. That said, it’s a popular destination and can get crowded, especially during weekends and on public holidays.

 

A large number of the formations have Chinese names that refer to their shape. For example, there are formations named after different flowers, while others bear names like Fruit Mountain, Crystal Palace, Dragon Pagoda, and Rose Dawn Over Lion Peak. Just note that you may need to put your imagination to work to see the resemblance. 

At over 500 years old, the Fuli Bridge is yet another ancient stone bridge which can be found in the countryside around Yangshuo. While the Yulong Bridge is the biggest single arch bridge in the province and the Xiangui Bridge is the oldest passage across the river, the Fuli Bridge is the tallest one. When seen from a distance away, the bridge with its high arched back and the reflection created in the water form a perfect circle, called a full moon by the locals. Single-arched stone bridges were a common type of bridge built in ancient China due to their strength and sturdiness, and like many of them, the Fuli Bridge has survived thanks to its high resistance to weathering.. 

But although it is located only a short distance from the very touristy and popular Yulong Bridge, the Fuli Bridge is a barely visited gem. Only very few travelers come here and those who do, usually have the stunning stone arch completely to themselves. Sometimes, children from the neighboring villages come here to swim in the shallow pools, squealing and jumping in over and over again in their clothes. Once in a while, a farmer crosses with a heavy load on his shoulders or a motorbike whizzes past, but otherwise, the stunning landscape around Fuli Bridge is completely tranquil. Only seldom do the bamboo rafts make it this far upriver and there are no coach tours to be seen and thus, it’s a great idea to imitate the locals and hop into the cool water for a peaceful swim in the dragon river.

Taking a cooking class is a great alternative or addition to the usual sightseeing and the Yangshuo Cooking School offers just such courses to all those visitors, who don’t only want to munch their way around China, but want to do a bit of hands-on work as well. During lessons ranging from four hours to week long intensive courses, you will learn everything from buying the correct ingredients to preparing several Yangshuo dishes according to old recipes that have thousands of years of history attached to them. First, you will go to the local market, a huge complex of several buildings containing all the garlic root, taro fruit and Chinese broccoli you will need, seafood sections with frogs, crayfish and crabs in their big tanks and a big meat department, that not only offers chicken, but also tofu and an array of spices. 

After everyone is done with the shopping, the new pupils are brought to the Cooking School, which is located in an old farmhouse with a beautiful courtyard and everyone gets their own work stations and equipment. Under the watchful eyes of the teachers, you learn the correct chopping techniques, that you have to heat the wok until it smokes before putting peanut oil in and what to do with those weird looking, purple aubergines. Of course, at the very end, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor and eat all the dishes you have prepared in the big courtyard during the big communal lunch.