- Guilin is a laid-back city of about two million people in Guangxi, southern China, built among karst peaks on the Li River. Four or five days covers the city and the two classic day trips.
- You can fly into Guilin Liangjiang International Airport or take the high-speed train (about three hours from Hong Kong West Kowloon), but check which of Guilin Station, Guilin North Station or Guilin West Station is on your ticket.
- Stay downtown to walk to the sights, by the Li River for the views, or in Sanlidian, our own neighborhood, to see everyday local life.
- The two day trips we recommend most are Yangshuo and the Longsheng (Longji) Rice Terraces, and the terraces are worth a night if you can spare it.
- Few people here speak English, so a little Mandarin goes a long way: learn how to order a bowl of rice noodles and how to ask a taxi driver to use the meter.
Guilin is a mid-sized city in Guangxi, in southern China, built among karst peaks along the Li River, and it is worth the trip for the scenery alone. Plan four or five days: two in the city, one for the Li River and Yangshuo, and one or two for the Longji rice terraces. The Chinese Language Institute (CLI) has taught Chinese here since 2009. This Guilin travel guide is what we tell friends who come to visit, from getting here to what to eat.
This guide follows the order you’ll plan in: how to get here and where to stay first, then what to do, which day trips to take, and a little practical Chinese.
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01 Guilin, “The Best Under Heaven”
Guilin is famous in China for its scenery. An old saying goes “Guilin’s mountains and rivers are the best under heaven” (桂林山水甲天下 Guìlín shānshuǐ jiǎ tiānxià), and millions of Chinese and foreign travelers come every year to see if it’s true.
It is, with one warning: Guilin is a real city of about two million people, and the postcard views are mostly out on the river toward Yangshuo. One student told us in their end-of-program evaluation that the photos on our website had led them to believe “the surrounding area of CLI looks like yangshuo's countryside.” It doesn’t, but the peaks rise straight out of town and the countryside is a short bike ride away.
October is the best month to come, and our team members call it Guilin’s “golden month.” Avoid the first week of October if you can, though: that’s the National Day holiday (Golden Week), one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. Summers are hot and humid, and about half of the year’s rain falls between April and June, so bring an umbrella in any season. Winters are mild outside and chilly indoors (“much warmer than my home country's, but inside they are much cooler,” as one former student put it).
02 Guilin Travel Guide: Getting There and Getting Around
Most travelers arrive by plane or high-speed train. Once you’re here, taxis, Didi, city buses and a map app make Guilin easy to get around.
Guilin Liangjiang Airport (KWL)
Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL) is about 28 km (17 miles) southwest of the city center.
It has direct flights from most major mainland Chinese cities and a short list of international routes that changes from season to season, so check with your airline before you plan around one.
An airport shuttle bus leaves from outside arrivals and drops you south of the city center after about 50 minutes. The fare is usually listed at ¥20 per person.
From the drop-off point, a taxi to your hotel is quick and cheap.
Train Stations
The three stations are far apart, so check the Chinese station name on your ticket before you book a train or arrange a pickup.
Guilin has three main train stations (West, North & Central), and all of them connect to the Chinese high speed network. The fastest trains reach Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, in about two hours, Hong Kong West Kowloon in about three, and Beijing West in about eight to nine.
- Guilin Station (桂林站 Guìlín Zhàn) is right in the middle of town on a road called Zhongshan Nanlu.
- Guilin North Station (桂林北站 Guìlínběi Zhàn) is on the northern edge of the city, a fair way from the center.
- Guilin West Station (桂林西站 Guìlínxī Zhàn) is farther out again, on Guilin’s western outskirts. The direct trains to and from Hong Kong use it, though some booking sites list them under Guilin North, so check the station printed on your ticket.
Whichever station you arrive at, there are taxis outside, and the drivers will usually find you before you find them.
Taxis are cheap. As a rough 2026 guide, a taxi from Guilin Station to the city center is usually about ¥10-20, from Guilin North Station about ¥25-40, and from Guilin West Station about ¥45-70.
Heavy traffic, late-night trips, luggage, tolls or Didi surge pricing can push prices higher.
Once you’re in and have shown the driver where you’re going, ask them to use the meter by saying “dǎ biǎo” (打表). It’s the easiest way to avoid being overcharged.
Taxis and Didi (China’s Uber)
Inside the city, ordinary taxis are the easiest way around, and they’re cheap. Again, once you’ve shown the driver where you would like to go, ask them to “dǎ biǎo” (打表), which means “use the meter.”
If you’ve set up WeChat or Alipay before your trip, Didi (滴滴 Dīdī), China’s version of Uber, is often quicker. Download the app, add your details and your destination, and a car will come to you.
City Bus
Guilin’s city buses are convenient and cheap, with many local fares around ¥2. Once you know which line to take and where to get off, you’re set.
Before your trip, you may want to set up a workaround for western apps that are blocked in China. You don’t need one for maps, though: Apple Maps works in China without a VPN because it uses local Amap data, while Google Maps is patchy here even with one.
The Chinese apps Amap and Baidu Maps (百度地图 Bǎidù Dìtú) are the other good choices, and both are on the App Store. Download one before you come; Amap has an English setting.
03 Guilin’s Layout and Districts
Stay downtown if you want to walk to the main sights, by the Li River if you want the views, and in Sanlidian if you want a quieter, residential neighborhood.
Technically, "Guilin" covers about 10,737 square miles, which is bigger than the whole US state of New Jersey (8,723 square miles).
Guilin is a prefecture with 17 county-level divisions: 6 districts, 8 counties, 2 autonomous counties and 1 county-level city. You may already know two of its counties, Yangshuo and Longsheng.
In this guide, as in everyday speech, "Guilin" means the city itself, which sits on both banks of the stretch of the Li River shown on the map below.
Before you choose a place to stay, here is how the main areas of the city differ:
Downtown Guilin
Staying downtown puts you close to Guilin's main sights, like Elephant Trunk Hill, Guangxi Normal University's downtown campus (also called Prince's City 王城 wáng chéng), and Reed Flute Cave.
It also shows you everyday life in a Chinese city. Guilin's metro area has "only" about 2.1 million people (2020 census), far fewer than Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou.
Life here is typical of urban China, because China has over 160 cities with at least 1 million urban residents, and you've probably never heard of most of them. Megacities like Beijing and Shanghai are the exception in China, and mid-sized cities like Guilin are much more common.
Downtown puts you within walking distance of the main sights, but be warned that it can get touristy.
Along the Li River
Hotels along the Li River, such as the mid-range Sheraton Guilin Hotel on the downtown side or the high-end Shangri-La on the east bank, give you river views and a comfortable bed after a long day of hiking, taking photos and eating.
The west bank has busy neighborhoods, the main Guilin train station (桂林站 Guìlín Zhàn) and several industrial zones.
The east bank is home to local educational centers and universities like the Chinese Language Institute (CLI), Guangxi Normal University (GXNU; 广西师范大学 Guǎngxī Shīfàn Dàxué), and the Guilin University of Electronic Technology (GUET; 桂林电子科技大学 Guìlín Diànzǐ Kējì Dàxué).
The east bank is generally slightly more affluent and residential, especially in the Sanlidian neighborhood (三里店 Sānlǐdiàn).
If you’re a student, Guilin is also a good place to study abroad in China, because you’ll speak far more Chinese here than in a big city. As one reviewer on Go Overseas put it, “In Guilin, the environment is 100% Chinese.”
Sanlidian
Sanlidian (三里店 Sānlǐdiàn) is residential and down to earth. It’s where you get a feel for how people in Guilin actually live, doing the grocery shopping or spending a lazy afternoon over tea.
You'll see far fewer tourists (both China domestic and international) in Sanlidian than in downtown Guilin, especially during the two busiest annual travel weeks (the weeks of May 1 and October 1).
CLI's founders lived in Sanlidian for 8 and 13 years and never got tired of it, and the CLI Center is still here, on Chaoyang West Road.
04 Guilin Hotels: Where to Stay in Guilin
Guilin has places to stay at every budget.
The price ranges below are rough 2026 figures from booking sites. Rates change with the season, the room type and exchange rates, and they jump over Chinese public holidays, so always check your own dates before booking.
Budget
Junshe Boutique Guest House
If you want a clean, safe base between day trips, Junshe in the Sanlidian area might be for you.
It has a 24-hour front desk, good WiFi and a free shuttle to the city center, and it’s only about half a mile from Seven Star Park, which makes it a good choice on a budget.
Junshe is also a few doors down from CLI, so we’re close by if you need help during your trip.
2026 Price Range: about $20-50 per night
Guilin This Old Place International Youth Hostel
This hostel in downtown Guilin is another good budget choice. It’s a short walk from the Sun and Moon Pagodas and the Two Rivers and Four Lakes scenic area, so the main sights are easy to reach.
The staff speak English and can help with travel advice, and the rooftop terrace is a nice place to sit and look at the view.
There are dorm beds and private rooms with full-sized beds, so it works for solo travelers and for families.
2026 Price Range: about $25-65 per night, with dorm-style options sometimes lower when available
Mid-range
Hotel Aroma Teahouse
With a collection of Chinese antiques and a modern art gallery on the premises, the Hotel Aroma Teahouse might be the most urbane place to stay on this list.
Its location is its biggest draw. It’s directly opposite the “Two Rivers and Four Lakes” scenic area, a short walk from Xi Cheng Pedestrian Street, the Guilin Night Market and the Ancient South Gate, right in the middle of the city.
2026 Price Range: about $45-100 per night
Riverside Inn
Riverside Inn is another central option. The rooms are clean, the WiFi is fast, and the front desk can book cave trips and Li River tours for you.
2026 Price Range: about $28-70 per night
Upscale
Shangri-La Hotel
Named after a mythical Himalayan paradise, the Shangri-La Hotel is a full-service luxury hotel with plenty of space.
It’s on the east bank of the river just north of downtown Guilin, and it has plenty for families, from a children’s play area to a mini-zoo and an 11,000 square meter (118,403 square foot) park.
The rooms are elegant and spacious, and if you’re looking for luxury, this is the place.
2026 Price Range: about $95-200+ per night
Li River Hotel
The Li River Hotel is a quiet, private place to stay.
The staff are attentive and speak more languages than you might expect, it’s a short distance from Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, and it has an outdoor swimming pool and a sauna.
The hotel has its own restaurant, so you don’t have to go out to eat.
2026 Price Range: about $145-260+ per night
05 Top 18 Things to Do in Guilin
Mix one or two big scenic trips with small local moments, like a bowl of rice noodles at a market stall or a conversation with whoever sits next to you.
Once you’ve settled in, here are the 18 things we’d tell a friend to do in Guilin.
1. Try Guilin rice noodles
Guilin rice noodles, or 桂林米粉 (Guìlín mǐfěn), are what Guilin eats for breakfast, and they’re famous across China. In 2026 a simple local bowl costs about ¥6-10, and shops in tourist areas charge more. Add chili, pickles, chives and coriander to taste.
Rice noodle shops are everywhere in Guilin, so just walk into one. There’s usually someone sitting at a table or desk by the door taking orders. Show them this to order a bowl:
- 请来一碗米粉，二两！(Qǐng lái yī wǎn mǐfěn, èr liǎng): One bowl of rice noodles, please, two liang! (A liang is 50 grams, so this is a normal 100-gram portion.)
A classic bowl comes with noodles, garlic, a few chopped chives, roasted peanuts and sliced beef and pork. To change it, point to one of these when you order:
- 加个卤蛋 (jiāgè lǔdàn): add a hard boiled egg
- 加个豆腐皮 (jiāgè dòufupí): add tofu skin
- 不放肉！(bù fàng ròu): no meat!
- 不放猪肉！(bù fàng zhūròu): no pork! (you’ll still get the beef)
Once you pay, you’ll usually get a ticket. Take it to the counter where the noodles are cooked, hand it to the cook and collect your bowl.
Then take your bowl to the toppings table and load up, because the extras are included in the price.
Near that table there’s a big pot of pork broth. Ladle some over your noodles.
Now eat it while it’s hot.
Where to Go: Our list of top Guilin mifen restaurants has suggestions for the best noodles in the city.
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2. Hike Guilin’s karst mountains
Guilin’s karst peaks draw hikers and rock climbers, and Guangxi Autonomous Region is well enough known for outdoor sports that the China-ASEAN Mountain Outdoors Tourism Conference held its rock climbing masters tournament there in 2018.
There are more peaks than anyone could climb, so here are two we recommend:
Mount Yao (尧山 Yáo Shān)
For big views and a good workout, climb Mount Yao (尧山 Yáo Shān). At about 909 meters it’s the highest peak around Guilin city, and it stands in the farmland northeast of town. The hike to the summit takes several hours.
If you’d rather skip the hike, take the cable car. Booking sites have listed round-trip cable car tickets at anywhere from about ¥75 to ¥120 depending on the package, so check the current price before you go.
However you get up Mt. Yao, you’ll see Guilin city to the west and a long green karst range to the east. You can ride the alpine slide back down, and on the way up, see if you can spot the Ming dynasty tombs on the side of the mountain.
Address:七星区靖江路 Qīxīngqū Jìngjiānglù
Phone: (+86) 0773-5864592
Old Man Mountain (老人山 Lǎorénshān)
Some of the best views of Guilin are from the top of Old Man Mountain.
The last 100 meters are hard going, though, and you’ll need your hands for a few short, almost vertical sections.
The view from just below that last section is already great, so there’s no need to push past your comfort level.
Address:叠彩区四会路桂湖饭店旁 Diécǎiqū Sìhuìlù Guìhúfàndiàn páng
Directions: To find the path, face Guilin Park Hotel, then walk right down the path towards the river. At the wavy bridge turn left onto a narrower path, then around 50-100m up on your left is a 1-2 story stone staircase that quickly turns into a dirt path. Follow this path to the top of the mountain. Entrance to this park is free.
3. Enjoy a scenic sunset
Go to the Sun and Moon Pagodas (日月双塔 Rìyuè Shuāngtǎ) in the evening. As the sun sets, the lit pagodas and the Chinese lanterns around the lake reflect on the calm water, and it’s downtown Guilin at its prettiest.
There are restaurants and food stalls nearby if you want a late-night snack.
4. Attend a Guilin opera (桂剧 Guìjù) performance
Guilin opera dates back to the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) and reflects the daily life of everyday people. In the evening, swing by Dongxi Xiang (东西巷 Dōngxīxiàng) in downtown Guilin, where free performances are often held; ask locally for the current schedule.
For the full show, buy a ticket to an indoor performance, which comes with Chinese tea and local snacks.
5. Sample Guilin’s local delicacies
Guilin literally means “Forest of Osmanthus,” because of all the osmanthus trees in the city. In mid-autumn you can smell them everywhere, and the flowers go into many local foods and drinks.
The 土特产 (tǔ tèchǎn) or “local specialty” shops are all over the city, but Dongxi Xiang (东西巷 Dōngxīxiàng) has the most, and you can taste osmanthus cakes and osmanthus wine before you buy.
Guilin chili sauce 桂林辣椒酱 (Guìlín làjiāo jiàng) is the other local staple. Downtown, you’ll find shops that cut fresh chilies on the spot and pack the sauce for you to take home.
6. Try oil tea
Oil tea (油茶 yóuchá) is another breakfast food you should try in Guilin. As the name suggests, it’s made by frying tea leaves in oil, with flour, chili, garlic and salt.
It’s served with these toppings:
| Chinese | Pinyin | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 油果 | A small brownish ball, fried and made of flour | |
| 米花 | A small white “Krispie” made of rice | |
| 葱花 | Chinese chives | |
| 花生 | Peanuts | |
| 盐 | Salt |
Where to Go: For a bowl, try 茶锅奶奶灌阳油茶馆 (Cháguō Nǎinai Guànyáng Yóucháguǎn) at 12 Putuo Road (普陀路12号 Pǔtuólù 12 hào). The oil tea here is all-you-can-drink and a bit spicy, because they add fresh chili the way people do in Guanyang County 灌阳县 (Guànyángxiàn).
7. Go biking in the countryside
The best way to see the karst countryside surrounding Guilin is on a (shared) bicycle. You’ll ride past farmland and small trails, and now and then you’ll come across the studio of a local craftsperson. These studios come and go quickly, so each ride can turn up something new. One CLI student wrote about a countryside ride with one of our teachers in The Galloping Bicycle.
Stop and talk to the people you meet on the way, because it’s some of the best Chinese practice you’ll get.
Bike Rentals: Shared bikes (共享单车 gòngxiǎng dānchē) are all over China’s streets, and the main apps are now Meituan (which took over Mobike) and its rivals. Download one and rent a bike for a small fee, or rent one from Giant Bike Store - Jiefang Dong Lu Location 16 Jiefang Dong Lu, Xiufeng District, Guilin (桂林市秀峰区解放东路16号 Guìlínshì Xiùfēngqū Jiěfàngdōnglù 16 hào)
Suggested Starting Point: From the CLI Center, turn right onto Chaoyang Road and head east out of town. After the Second Ring Road (东二环路 Dōngèrhuánlù), keep going straight toward the mountains. After about 3 kilometers you’ll be out of the city, among the farmland and karst peaks.
Roads are being built and new trails cleared all the time, so this area keeps changing (like most of Guilin). The scenery is lovely wherever you end up, so pick a direction and see where the road takes you.
8. Cruise down the Li River
The Li River connects Guilin and Yangshuo County, and a river cruise is the classic way to see the scenery Guilin is famous for. Our Li River guide compares all the different cruise options.
9. Visit Reed Flute Cave (芦笛岩 Lúdíyán)
Reed Flute Cave is Guilin’s best-known cave. The limestone formations are lit in bright colors, which you’ll either love or find a bit much.
Some of the formations look like mushrooms or towers, and there are over 70 ink inscriptions on the walls, the oldest from the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE).
During a visit to Guilin, Henry Kissinger described this site as “poetic,” and it does live up to the hype.
10. Play pick-up basketball with local students
Basketball (打篮球 dǎ lánqiú) is hugely popular with high school and university students in China, and there are pickup games every day on the courts at every university in Guilin. Heads up: nobody “checks” here, play just begins.
We recommend heading over to the Yucai campus of Guangxi Normal University (pictured below and located roughly in the center of this Google Map) or to the courts by the main stadium in Guilin.
11. Relax in Seven Star Park (七星公园 Qīxīng Gōngyuán)
Guilin’s largest park is where you see everyday life. Come early and you’ll find people of every age doing their morning exercises, square dancing or singing.
It’s a beautiful park, with a cave and a Buddhist temple inside, an artificial waterfall, and sometimes a few small monkeys in the trees. Seven Star Park is well worth the stroll.
12. Visit a local fabric market (布市场 bùshìchǎng)
For a very local afternoon, visit one of the fabric markets (布市场 bùshìchǎng) around Guilin.
There’s a great one underneath Modern English in the basement below Lequn Road (乐群路 Lèqúnlù) and Zhongshan Middle Road (中山中路 Zhōngshānzhōnglù). See the below Google Map for the exact location, but note that the entrance is unassuming and the market itself is underground.
It’s a good place to practice your Chinese while you pick out fabric, because the market is full of tailors who will help you design clothes and make them on the spot. The prices are very low.
13. Explore Guilin’s Bird and Flower Market (花鸟市场 Huāniǎo Shìchǎng)
If you like wandering through local markets, you’ll love Guilin’s Bird and Flower Market (花鸟市场 Huāniǎo Shìchǎng), a huge market for plants, flowers and small animals.
There are thousands of indoor and outdoor plants for sale, plus pets like turtles and songbirds, and plenty of tropical fish. You’ll also find pots and baskets, and fans of Chinese gongfu tea will find shops selling cups, pots, tea pets and tea tables.
Even if you don’t want to buy a bird or a plant, you can easily spend an afternoon here chatting with other customers or bargaining with vendors in Chinese. If you don’t speak any Chinese yet, it’s still great for people watching.
Address: 七星区环城北二路97号 Huánchéngběièrlù 97 hào
Phone: (+86) 0773-5601999/5608258
Opening Hours: 7 days per week; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
14. Visit the Wayao Wood Carving District
The Wayao Wood Carving District (瓦窑木雕市场 Wǎyáo Mùdiāo Shìchǎng) is worth an afternoon on any trip to Guilin. Shop after shop carves everything from wooden statues bigger than a school bus to furniture and small knick-knacks.
If you’re interested in traditional Chinese tea, this is also the place for the wooden tea tables (茶桌 chá zhuō) used in gongfu cha tea ceremonies. Like most things here, they come in every size and level of detail.
Walk down some of the side streets to see the artists actually working on new pieces.
Address: 象山区瓦窑路15号附近 Wǎyáolù 15 hào fùjìn
15. Hang out with new friends from Guilin
Some of the best days in Guilin are the ones spent with people who live here.
Even if you don’t plan on learning Chinese, time spent with new friends in Guilin will make your trip. For the most part, people here are friendly and curious about the outside world, so step out of your comfort zone and say hello.
If you’re only in Guilin for a short time, making local friends on your own can feel intimidating, especially if your Chinese is still basic. If you’d like some help, CLI can pair you with a local university student who speaks English, for a small fee.
Contact us at least two weeks before you arrive if you’d like to be paired with a student for the day. It costs around 400 RMB (about $55 USD), which covers the student’s stipend and some transportation and meals.
16. Visit an ancient Buddhist cave temple
Guilin’s karst mountains are famous, but few visitors know that many of them are riddled with maze-like caves.
Over the centuries, Guilin’s caves have been hideouts for rebel soldiers, wine cellars, band practice rooms, underground basketball courts, restaurants and temples.
Zhusheng Temple (祝圣寺 Zhùshèngsì) is built into the caves inside a karst hill behind Seven Star Park, on the same road as CLI.
Because it’s inside the mountain, the temperature stays about the same all year, so it’s cool in summer. Few people visit, so it’s usually quiet and peaceful.
The only sound you’re likely to hear is the gentle drip of water from the ceiling as you cross a stone bridge built over a shallow underground stream and wander among the numerous Buddha figures carved directly into the walls.
The temple was first built in the Ming dynasty, over 500 years ago, and some of the poems carved into the cave walls are older still. It was remodeled in 2016.
After the temple, keep walking along the same road away from CLI, and before long you’ll reach Guilin’s largest herbal market (Chinese Medicine & Herb Market 原生药材批发菜市场 Yuánshēng Yàocái Pīfā Càishìchǎng). It’s a very local market and a good place to learn more about Chinese medicine.
Along the same road across the street from the herbal market there’s also a great osmanthus wine (桂花酒) cellar and cave restaurant that’s worth checking out.
Address: 朝阳西路祝圣寺 Cháoyángxīlù Zhùshèngsì (七星公园旁 Qīxīnggōngyuán páng)
Phone: (+86) 0773-5868661
17. Have dinner in a cave
Keep exploring Guilin’s caves over dinner at Buddha Cave (宝积山私菜馆 Bǎojīshān Sīcàiguǎn). This local restaurant is inside one of Guilin’s many caves, near the city’s waterways, with a large red buddha out front.
It’s a good place to try local Guilin food. Order the 啤酒鱼 (píjiǔ yú or “beer fish”), a specialty of Guilin and Yangshuo: carp topped with stir-fried vegetables and, as the name suggests, a beer sauce.
Address: 中山北路29号, 桂岭小学后宝积山添福岩 Zhōngshān Běilù 29 háo, Guìlǐng Xiǎoxué hòu Bǎojīshān Tiānfúyán. The restaurant is near Diecai Mountain (叠彩山 Diécǎishān), in a cave roughly in the center of this map.
Phone: (+86) 13307836383 / 18677349083
18. Learn Chinese at CLI
Finally, taking Chinese classes lets you see local life from the inside, and it makes everything else on this list easier.
If you’re only here for a few days and want the basics, or you’re looking for a longer program, CLI can build a course and schedule around what you need. Contact us to plan your Chinese lessons in Guilin.
Want a Clear Starting Point?
If you want guided one-on-one speaking practice, you can explore all of CLI's programs, learn more about online Chinese lessons, or begin with a free trial lesson.
06 Day Trip from Guilin: The Longsheng Rice Terraces
The Dragon’s Backbone: General Information
Just 62 miles (100 km) from Guilin, you’ll find yourself in a different world: the Longsheng Rice Terraces (龙胜梯田 Lóngshèng Tītián).
When you arrive, the dark tiled roofs of the villages rise out of the mist between the green rice paddies.
The wooden houses of the Miao, Yao, Dong and Zhuang peoples who live here are beautiful, but most people come for the terraces themselves: the dragon’s scales, rising to the ridge that forms its spine. Building began in the Yuan dynasty, over 650 years ago, and went on into the early Qing.
The region is known by one of those excessively long bureaucratese titles that proliferate in China: Longsheng Various Nationalities (Gezu) Autonomous County (龙胜各族自治县 Lóngshèng Gèzú Zìzhìxiàn).
Despite the clunky name, it’s one of the best trips you can make from Guilin.
The time of year makes a big difference. Winter can bring frost, and the fields turn gold before the autumn harvest, while in spring and summer the terraces fill with water and new green rice.
How much it will cost: As of 2026, the main Longji scenic area ticket is listed at around ¥80-100 per adult, with discounts sometimes available for children, students and seniors. The Dazhai cable car costs extra.
How long it will take: You can do it as a long day trip from Guilin, but we’d give it two days so you can sleep in a village and see the terraces early in the morning.
Additional Info: Bring warm layers, because it’s colder up here than in Guilin, plus hiking shoes for the terrace paths and an umbrella in case it rains.
Yao Cultural Stronghold: Tiantouzhai Village
If you want to meet the people who built the terraces, head to Tiantouzhai Village (田头寨 Tiántóuzhài) next. It’s a tough uphill walk to this Yao village (瑶族 Yáozú), where the houses really do stand on stilts.
Many Yao live in remote places because of their history: they are descended from rebels against the Chinese Empire.
In the 14th century the Yao and their Miao cousins took up arms against the Ming dynasty. After more than a hundred years of war they were defeated, and many Yao fled the emperor’s revenge to remote valleys and mountaintops.
Tiantouzhai is one of those hard-to-reach places. Here you can eat traditional food and see how the rural Yao live today.
The village sits high on the mountain, so the views over the terraces are wide, and there are more viewpoints nearby if you want to keep hiking.
How to get there: The simplest way is also the hardest: walk. From nearby Dazhai it’s about an hour up a dirt path. You can also hire a local driver in Dazhai, or, if you’re staying the night in Tiantouzhai, ask your guesthouse to pick you up.
How much it will cost: Tiantouzhai itself usually does not require a separate ticket once you have entered the broader Longji scenic area. Still, budget separately for the Longji admission ticket, local transportation, food, lodging, cable cars, or porter services depending on your route.
How long it will take: If you are in reasonably good physical condition, budget at least one hour for the walk up to the village.
Additional Info: From Dazhai there’s also a cable car up to the viewing platforms above the terraces. It’s a separate ticket from the main scenic area ticket.
Bamboo Inflected Delicacies
The food is another reason to go to Longji. Out in the Guangxi countryside, small local restaurants serve good home cooking.
Don’t miss these two bamboo dishes:
Bamboo Rice (竹筒饭 Zhútǒngfàn)
Rice mixed with crushed peanuts, bacon and young bamboo shoots is poured into a freshly cut bamboo tube through a small hole. The hole is sealed with sweet potato, and the tube goes straight onto the fire. After 30 minutes you have steaming rice that tastes of bamboo.
Bamboo Chicken (竹筒鸡 Zhútǒngjī)
Bamboo chicken is cooked the same way as the rice, with vegetables added (which ones depends on the restaurant).
Wherever you order it in Longji, it’s likely to be good, and it’s a fine reward after a day of walking up and down the terraces.
07 Day Trip from Guilin: Yangshuo
General Information
Guilin would be worth the trip on its own, but it’s also close to Yangshuo (阳朔 Yángshuò), and our own student excursions go there. Yangshuo is ringed by rivers and mountains, and its countryside is even more dramatic than Guilin’s.
Raft your way down the Yulong River
Rafting the Yulong River (遇龙河 Yùlóng Hé) is near the top of every “Top 10 Things to do in Yangshuo” list, and for good reason. You drift on a bamboo raft between green peaks, which on a sunny day is a lovely way to spend an hour or two.
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What’s more, it’s still a pretty good deal. Prices vary by route and season, but as a rough guide, booking sites in 2026 list common sections at about ¥160-320 per raft, so check the price for your route on the day.
Here are some of the better routes:
- Jinlong Bridge (金龙桥, Jīnlóngqiáo) to Jiuxian docks (旧县 Jiùxiàn): 1 hour 30 minute ride, less crowded
- Yima (骥马, Jìmǎ) to Shui E Di (水厄底 Shuǐ’èdǐ): 1 hour ride, more crowded
- Yulong bridge (遇龙桥 Yùlóngqiáo) to Xia Tang Zhai (夏堂寨 Xiàtángzhài): 1 hour 30 minute ride, more crowded
- Yulong Bridge (遇龙桥 Yùlóngqiáo) to Gong Nong Bridge (工农桥 Gōngnóngqiáo): 4 to 5 hour ride, more crowded
Xingping: Fishing village from the year 265 CE
Xingping (兴坪 Xìngpíng) is an old riverside town with good hiking and some of the best viewpoints on the Li River.
The most famous spot is the “¥20 Point.” Take out a 20 yuan banknote and look at the riverside mountains printed on it, then look up: it’s the same view.
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The exact spot from which the famous image was taken is often clogged with endless lines of selfie-seeking tourists, so don’t be afraid to branch out. There are equally good (maybe better) views all along the riverbank.
There are plenty of good hiking trails, and the tourist information center has maps.
Before you set off, ask at your Yangshuo hotel or hostel whether the trail is open, since some close for maintenance.
Hotel staff can also point you to smaller, quieter paths that cut through the orchards and follow the river for miles.
One of the most popular trails from Xingping is the Xingping–Quanjiazhou (全家洲 Quánjiāzhōu) Trail. It’s about 7 miles (11 kilometers) and takes about 4 hours, depending on your fitness.
If you’re exploring Xingping in summer, bring plenty of water, because the days get very hot.
08 Guilin Health and Safety
Keep local emergency numbers, your hotel address in Chinese, and a map pin for your accommodation available offline before you start exploring.
Guilin is a safe city, and people are usually happy to help if you’re lost. The weather is the thing to plan for, because it rains a lot. Pack shoes with good grip, too: the sidewalks in Guilin are “very slippery when wet,” as one student warned us. Keep these numbers and this address handy just in case.
Chinese Emergency Numbers
Police: 110
Ambulance: 120
Fire: 119
Local Guilin Tourist Information Center
Address: 14 Ronghu Bei Lu, Xiufeng District, Guilin (广西壮族自治区桂林市秀峰区榕湖北路14号 Guǎngxī Zhuàngzú Zìzhìqū Guìlínshì Xiùfēngqū Rónghúběilù 14 hào)
Opening Hours: Listed as 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; hours can change, so check before you go.
09 36-page in-depth Guilin Guidebook
For much more detail, read this Local Guilin Guidebook written by CLI's co-founder, who lived in Guilin for over 13 years.
10 Welcome to Guilin!
While you’re in Guilin, you’re welcome to arrange a visit to CLI. A stay with us adds language lessons to the sightseeing, and even a few classes make the city easier to get around. We look forward to welcoming you to Guilin!
11 Essential Guilin Travel Vocabulary
Keep these Chinese terms handy as you move through the guide and explore Guilin.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Translation | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| 桂林 | Guilin | City name | |
| 桂林山水甲天下 | Guilin’s mountains and rivers are the best under heaven | Opening section | |
| 桂林站 | Guilin Station | Train travel | |
| 桂林北站 | Guilin North Station | Train travel | |
| 桂林西站 | Guilin West Station | Train travel | |
| 打表 | use the meter | Taxis | |
| 滴滴 | Didi | Ride-hailing | |
| 百度地图 | Baidu Maps | Navigation | |
| 三里店 | Sanlidian | Guilin districts | |
| 桂林米粉 | Guilin rice noodles | Food | |
| 请来一碗米粉，二两！ | One bowl of rice noodles, please! | Ordering noodles | |
| 加个卤蛋 | add a hard boiled egg | Ordering noodles | |
| 尧山 | Mount Yao | Hiking | |
| 老人山 | Old Man Mountain | Hiking | |
| 桂剧 | Guilin opera | Culture | |
| 芦笛岩 | Reed Flute Cave | Attractions | |
| 七星公园 | Seven Star Park | Attractions | |
| 花鸟市场 | Bird and Flower Market | Markets | |
| 龙胜梯田 | Longsheng Rice Terraces | Day trips | |
| 阳朔 | Yangshuo | Day trips |