Guilin Travel Guide

Located on the west bank of the dreamy Li River, Guilin is famous for being one of the most atmospheric towns in China. Guilin means ‘forest of osmanthus’ in English, you can find many osmanthus trees on every street of this city. Osmanthus flowers are pleasantly fragrant and used for making traditional Chinese tea. This name suggests a tranquil and rustic paradise for sightseeing, walking, photographing and cultural exploration activities. You will be amazed at Guilin’s usual caves, fascinating karst scenery, magnificent terraced rice fields and unspoiled ancient towns.

Best Time to Travel to Guilin

The most popular time for local travelers to visit Guilin is from April to October. If you want to avoid the peak season, autumn (September to November) and winter (December to February) are the best time for you to discover this rustic city. Located in subtropical monsoon climate, Guilin weather is characterized by four distinct seasons with a high level of humidity. Guilin is suitable for you to visit any time a year. As Guilin is in the south of China, it will be warmer in winter here than in Beijing or Xian. It rarely snows in Guilin and if it snows, Longji Rice Terraces are an amazing destination to visit. The rainy season ranges from May to June (early summer). It is usually sultry and humid during summer with the average temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. The driest time is from November to March.

Guilin Travel Tips

• Gulin offers 3-day visa-free transit for 51 countries including America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and some countries in Europe. Furthermore, nationalities from 10 countries in ASIA are eligible for 6-day visa-free transit. So check if you are eligible or not.
• As a tourist destination, local people can speak English at a decent level here. So don’t worry about language barrier when traveling to Guilin.
• Don’t forget your camera. You will come across a lot of splendid sceneries and beautiful old towns in Guilin.
• Prepare for the humidity: Keep an umbrella or raincoat in hand all the time. Bring a high-quality pair of shoes if you want to go trekking.

What to See in Guilin

1. Li River

Li River Scenic Area is one of the most stunning karst scenery in the world. The most suitable way to appreciate its beauty is taking a cruise. The 83-kilometer waterway from Guilin to Yangshou is splendidly spectacular and contains many exciting cruise routes in China. From the river’s banks, you will see breathtaking mountains, greenish hills, bamboo groves and rustic ancient towns. Remember to take photographs of scenic spots such as Mural Hill, Xingping Scenic Area, Yangdi Village and especially the scenery of Li River in mist. The charm of Li River is appreciated not only from a boat but also from other adventurous activities such as rafting or hiking.

2. The Longji Rice Terraces

Located in Longsheng County, Longji Rice Terraces are one of the most breathtaking attractions in Guilin. The name ‘Longji’ means ‘Dragon’s backbone’ from which we can imagine the imposing beauty of human landscape engineering along the mountainside. This place was originally built in Yuan dynasty (650 years ago), Chinese ancestors had fully taken advantage of scarce land and limited water resources. The two famous rice terraces to see here are Jinkeng Rice Terraces and Pingan Rice Terraces. Jinkeng Rice Terraces is a popular tourist destination where you can understand the lifestyle of Yao people. Pingan Rice Terraces are around Pingao village which is inhabited by Zhuang people.

3. Elephant Trunk Hill

Elephant Trunk Hill (or Elephant Hill) is located in the conjunction of Li River and Peach Blossom River. It has the same shape as an elephant stretching its long agile nose and drinking water from the river. It is a complex of magnificent limestone karsts and the symbol of long-lasting Guilin. Water Moon Cave, Elephant Eye Cave, Puxian Pagoda are must-see attractions. You can visit Elephant Trunk Hill on either daytime or nighttime. During daytime, this scenery is covered by mist while it becomes atmospheric when the moon appears at night. Don’t forget this destination on your Li River cruise.

4. Daxu Ancient Town

18 kilometers from the southeast of Guilin, Daxu Ancient Town contains several well-preserved ancient buildings which are worth-seeing for those who love digging the colorful culture of this city. The history of this town could be dated back to 2000 years during Qin dynasty and became flourished in Ming and Qing dynasties. One of the must-see attractions in this old town is Wanshou Bridge (Longevity Bridge), which is an elegant single-arched stone bridge built during Ming dynasty (600 years ago). From this bridge, you can appreciate the beauty of Li River and Mahe River. Don’t forget to buy some traditional handicrafts such as ceramics and straw sandals in a traditional market here.

5. Reed Flute Cave

5 kilometer from the city center, Reed Flute Cave will take you to a dream fairytale with stunning karst caves. The name of this cave was taken from reed growing outside which can be used to make flutes. In this cave, stalactites and stalagmites are in various shapes and sizes, and they are sparkling with the multicolor lighting system. With the history of 180 million years, this cave now looks like an amazing underground place made of stone pillars and stone curtains. The most interesting formations are Rose Dawn over Lion Peaks and Crystal Palace.

6. Yangshuo Town

65 kilometers from the southeast of Guilin, Yangshuo Town is a popular destination for Western tourists. It is picturesque with turquoise rivers, limestone karsts, and traditional architecture. The section of Li River between Guilin and Yangshuo is worth visiting for your cruise to this romantic river. Pinnacles, caves, hills, and mountains are stunning during daytime and suitable for your photographs. Not only natural sceneries, the colorful West Street is a famous spot for tourists buying souvenirs, dining, entertaining and walking activities. This street is the perfect combination of Chinese and Western culture.

7. Shangri-la

Shangri-la, a famous place featuring in the novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton, is the point where you can begin to experience the Tibetan world. 49 kilometers from Guilin and 16 kilometers from Yangshuo, Shangri-la is a showcase of a natural paradise. Besides the natural attractions such as Haba Snow Mountain, the Tiger Leaping Gorge, Wufeng Mountain, and White Water Terraces (Baishui Tableland), Dukezong Ancient Town and Songzanlin Monastery are where you can explore the combination between Tibetan and Han culture.

What to Do in Guilin

Cruise to Li River

Li River Scenic Area is one of the most stunning karst scenery in the world. The most suitable way to appreciate its beauty is taking a cruise. The 83-kilometer waterway from Guilin to Yangshou is splendidly spectacular and contains many exciting cruise routes in China. From the river’s banks, you will see breathtaking mountains, greenish hills, bamboo groves and rustic ancient towns. Remember to take photographs of scenic spots such as Mural Hill, Xingping Scenic Area, Yangdi Village and especially the scenery of Li River in mist.

Explore picturesque natural sceneries

• Reed Flute Cave: 5 kilometers from the city center, Reed Flute Cave will take you to a dream fairytale with stunning karst caves. In this cave, stalactites and stalagmites are in various shapes and sizes, and they are sparkling with the multicolor lighting system.
• Elephant Trunk Hill: Elephant Trunk Hill (or Elephant Hill) is located in the conjunction of Li River and Peach Blossom River. It has the same shape as an elephant stretching its long agile nose and drinking water from the river.
• The Longji Rice Terraces: Located in Longsheng County, Longji Rice Terraces are one of the most breathtaking attractions in Guilin. The name ‘Longji’ means ‘Dragon’s backbone’ from which we can imagine the imposing beauty of human landscape engineering along the mountainside.

Discover ethnic culture and countryside life

China is famous for many rustic ancient towns, and Guilin, without exception, is the place where you can enjoy the atmospheric scenery of well-preserved old villages.

• Daxu Ancient Town: 18 kilometers from the southeast of Guilin, Daxu Ancient Town contains several well-preserved ancient buildings which are worth-seeing for those who love digging the colorful culture of this city.
• Yangshuo Town: 65 kilometers from the southeast of Guilin, Yangshuo Town is a popular destination for Western tourists. It is picturesque with turquoise rivers, limestone karsts, and traditional architecture. Not only natural sceneries, the colorful West Street is a famous spot for tourists with buying souvenirs, dining, entertaining and walking activities.
• Shangri-la: 49 kilometers from Guilin and 16 kilometers from Yangshuo, Shangri-la is a showcase of a natural paradise. It is where you can begin to experience the Tibetan world.

What to Eat in Guilin

Guilin is not only a heaven for photographers and trekkers but also a paradise for food lovers. You can find a great eatery or restaurant on every corner of this beautiful town. Guilin cuisine is a mixture of Cantonese cuisine (light and sweet) and Hunanese styles (spicy and sour). The main cooking techniques used for Guilin foods are stir-frying, braising, and steaming. Unlike in Hong Kong and Shanghai where you should try dumplings and dim sum, in Guilin, we recommend noodles, meat, poultry and fish dishes.

1. Mifen (Guilin Rice Noodles)

If you ask a local person what his favorite Guilin food is, he will probably response: ‘Guilin Rice Noodles’. Invented in Qin Dynasty (2200 years ago), this dish still retains its top position in the best Guilin cuisines. With abundance water resource from Li River, it is definitely that rice is the main crop in Guilin. There are two kinds of Guilin Rice Noodles: round noodles and flat noodles. The round one is suitable to try either with or without soup. However, the flat one will be amazing when enjoying with rich broth made from pork bone and other seasonings.

Guilin Rice Noodles are usually eaten with pork, beef, sausage and even horseflesh. Peanuts, soybeans, scallions, chili and green onions are also added to enhance the flavor. As this is the most popular dish in Guilin, you will see many kinds of people when entering a mifen restaurant: young fashionable ladies, students, elders, and office workers.

Where to try Guilin Rice Noodles?

• Chong Shan MiFen: No. 5 Yi Ren Road, Xiufeng District
• Shenlu Mifen: East end of Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, Xiufeng District
• Youyixuan Horse Meat Rice Noodles: Lequn Road, near Lequn Food Market, Zhongshan Middle Road

2. Lipu Yutou Kourou (Lipu Taro and Pork Loaf)

This dish is the specialty of Lipu County and usually served in wedding and other festivals. Pork belly and lipu taro are the main two ingredients of this dish. The pork is first boiled, then added salt and honey, and fried. The taro is carefully cut to make sure that it is of the same size with the meat. It is deep-fried separately until it turns to beautiful golden color. Later, the pork and taro are steamed with some seasonings such as salt, soy sauce, sugar, mashed onion, white wine, and pepper powder. To ensure that these two ingredients mix well together, the chefs place the taro between each piece of pork.

3. Oil Tea

This dish is originated in Gongcheng County of Guilin and used to be considered as a breakfast for local people. Now, it is a popular dish for tourists to try when coming to Guilin. As the name suggests, this dish is made from two ingredients: oil and tea. Old leaves of black tea are used to make this food. People fry tea leaves with other ingredients such as garlic, salt, ginger, chili, and peanut oil to add tantalizing aroma to the dish. To minimize the smoky taste of tea leaves, they add hot water so that the mixture is boiled. Lastly, scallion and coriander are added to enhance the taste.

4. Yangshuo Pijiu Yu (Yangshou Beer Fish)

Li River supplies a variety of fresh fish for Yangshou County, including the succulent beer fish. The carp fish from Li River is fried with camellia oil. Then, it is added high-quality local beer and the mixture will be boiled with soy sauce, tomatoes, green onion and ginger. The chefs will adjust the fire – higher temperature first, lower temperature later to ensure the fish is chewy. Peppercorn is sprinkled to make this dish tastier.

5. Baiguo Dun Laoya (Gingko stewed with Old Duck)

Baiguo Dun Laoya is really nutritious and healthy since it is made from old duck and gingko (baiguo), a famous Chinese herbal medicine. This dish is beneficial for your lungs, especially if you are suffering from asthma.

Most famous restaurant in Guilin

• Jinlong Zhai Restaurant: Floor 4, Shanhu Lake Hotel, Guilin Central Square, Xiufeng District
• Forrest Gump Restaurant: 11 Pedestrian Street, Xicheng Road, Xiangshan District
• Chunji Shao’e Restaurant: 2, Zhongshan Middle Road, Xiufeng District
• Golden Oriole Hotel Floor 6 Restaurant: 8 Binjiang Road, opposite Elephant Trunk Hill Park, Xiufeng District
• The Old House Restaurant: 8 Zhongshan South Road, near Nanxi Park, Xiangshan District
• Li River’s Story Restaurant: in Chuanshan Park, Qixing District
• Yangshuo Mountain Retreat Restaurant: 26 Moon Hill Village, Gaotian District, Yangshuo
• Ping’an Hotel Restaurant: Ping’an Village, Longji Terraced Fields Scenic Area, Longsheng
• Ronghu Lake Hotel ‘Vegetarian Art Pavilion’ Restaurant: 16 North Ronghu Road, Xiufeng District