Guilin

Quick facts

Population

4,931,137 inhabitants in the prefecture-level city of Guilin, which includes counties such as Yangshuo and Longsheng, according to the 2020 census; 1,725,865 in the urban area.

Founded

Shi'an County, in 111 BC; the name comes from the Guilin commandery, created during the Qin campaigns in the south (221–206 BC).

Country and region

China, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in the northeast of the region.

Language

Standard Mandarin with a local accent; Zhuang is co-official in Guangxi. Limited English outside hotels and tourist counters.

Currency

Chinese yuan renminbi (CNY, ¥).

Time zone

China Standard Time (Asia/Shanghai), UTC+8, no daylight saving time.

Best time to visit

September to November; April to July is the rainy season, peaking in June, and the Golden Week holiday, October 1 to 7, fills boats and hotels.

Average daily cost

Budget around CNY242; mid-range around CNY602; comfortable around CNY1,460 per person per day, based on spending reported by travelers to Budget Your Trip (checked October 2026). Indicative figures, excluding travel to the destination.

What to see

01

Li River (漓江)

EssentialHalf a day or moreCheck tickets and reservations

The stretch from Guilin to Yangshuo is the reason for the trip: about four hours by boat among limestone peaks, bamboo groves and villages, passing Xingping and the Huangbu shoal, the scenery that appears on the 20 yuan note. Three-star boats leave from Mopanshan Pier and four-star boats from Zhujiang Pier, both outside central Guilin, and reach Yangshuo around noon. Tickets are sold through the park's official channel and authorized platforms, and boarding requires the ID used for the purchase. In winter, with the river low, the boat may start farther downstream, with part of the route by road; in heavy rain, the operator decides whether the boat sails.

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02

Elephant Trunk Hill (象鼻山)

EssentialXiangshan · Up to half an hourCheck tickets and reservations

The official symbol of Guilin, at the confluence of the Taohua and the Li: a hill with a natural arch that looks like an elephant drinking water, the Shuiyue (Water and Moon) Cave underneath and the Puxian Pagoda on top. It is in Xiangshan Park, a walk from the center. Entry is free, with advance named reservation through the park's official channel; check the rule and the day's hours before going. Trees planted in the park block part of the view of the arch, which shows better from the river.

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03

Princes of Jingjiang City and Duxiu Peak (靖江王城)

EssentialXiufeng · One to two hoursCheck tickets and reservations

The walled compound of the Ming palace, begun in 1372, and the isolated peak that dominates it. Of the wooden buildings, burned in 1652, what remains are walls, gates, platforms and stone stairways; the compound is a campus of Guangxi Normal University and is open to visits with a ticket. The climb up Duxiu Peak leads to a view of the whole center, and in the reading cave at its base is the inscription by Wang Zhenggong with the most quoted line about Guilin.

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04

Yulong River (遇龙河)

EssentialHalf a day or moreCheck tickets and reservations

A tributary of the Li that crosses a flat valley of rice fields west of Yangshuo and joins the Li at the foot of Shutong Hill. You go down on bamboo rafts pushed with a pole, with small weirs along the way that the raft jumps over; the time depends on the boarding pier, from about 35 minutes to 90 minutes. The raft only goes downstream: from the arrival pier, the way back is overland. The banks have trails and country roads good for cycling, between villages and stone bridges. With brown, choppy water, the descent is not safe.

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05

Sun and Moon Pagodas (日月双塔)

Worth a visitXiangshan · Up to half an hour · At night

Two pagodas on the south shore of Shan Lake, built in 2001: the Sun Pagoda, yellow, 41 meters and nine stories, and the Moon Pagoda, pale blue, 35 meters and seven. They are part of the circuit of the two rivers and four lakes, the ring of water around the center, which you can walk for free along the banks or take by boat, with a separate ticket. Lit up at night, they are the best reason to leave the hotel in Guilin.

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07

Reed Flute Cave (芦笛岩)

Worth a visitXiufeng · One to two hoursCheck tickets and reservations

A limestone cave in the northwest of the city, with stalactites lit by colored lights and 77 ink inscriptions, the oldest from 792, left by visitors of centuries past. Local residents reported the cave to the authorities in 1959, and it opened to the public in 1962, after access works. Admission is paid; check the price and hours on the official channel before going.

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08

Xingping (兴坪古镇)

Worth a visitYangshuo · One to two hours

A village on the Li, settled since the year 265, with old streets, a quay and boats. It is the base for Laozhai Hill, for the Huangbu shoal and for walking the bank to Yangdi. Buses from Yangshuo take about 45 minutes; the high-speed train station called Yangshuo is a few kilometers away, with connecting buses.

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Nilo’s itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1 · Guilin: hills, palace and lakes

   1. D6Diecai Hill (叠彩山)One to two hoursWorth a visit
   2. Fubo Hill (伏波山)Up to half an hourIf there is time
   3. 7Reed Flute Cave (芦笛岩)One to two hoursWorth a visit
   4. 2Elephant Trunk Hill (象鼻山)Up to half an hourEssential
   5. 5Sun and Moon Pagodas (日月双塔)Up to half an hourWorth a visit

   1. Start early at Diecai Hill, in the north of the center, and climb the stairways to the top before the heat.

   2. Walk south along the bank of the Li, past Fubo Hill, to the Princes of Jingjiang City; climb Duxiu Peak and look for Wang Zhenggong's inscription in the reading cave.

   3. Have mifen for lunch at a neighborhood place on the side streets of the center, away from the restaurants on the waterfront.

   4. In the afternoon, take a taxi or bus to Reed Flute Cave, in the northwest of the city, for the guided visit.

   5. Return to the center and, in the late afternoon, visit Elephant Trunk Hill, with the entry booked in advance.

   6. In the evening, walk along the shore of Shan Lake to the lit-up Sun and Moon Pagodas. Sleep in Guilin.

2. 2

   Day 2 · Down the Li River to Yangshuo

   1. 8Xingping (兴坪古镇)One to two hoursWorth a visit
   2. West Street (西街)Up to half an hourIf there is time
   3. 1Li River (漓江)Half a day or moreEssential

   1. In the morning, take the transfer bought with the ticket to Mopanshan or Zhujiang Pier, with the passport used for the purchase.

   2. Go down the river for about four hours, passing Xingping and the Huangbu shoal.

   3. Arrive in Yangshuo around noon, drop your luggage and have lunch.

   4. In the afternoon, book the Yulong raft for the next day through the official channel, if it is high season.

   5. In the evening, have beer fish for dinner near West Street. Sleep in Yangshuo.

3. 3

   Day 3 · The Yulong valley by raft and bicycle

   1. Moon Hill (月亮山)Up to half an hourIf there is time

   1. Early, take an agreed-price taxi or minibus to the boarding pier of your chosen stretch of the Yulong.

   2. Go down the river on a bamboo raft; the duration runs from about 35 to 90 minutes, depending on the stretch.

   3. From the arrival pier, go back overland to Yangshuo by taxi or minibus, and have lunch.

   4. In the afternoon, rent a bicycle, check the brakes, gears and lock, and ride the country roads of the valley, between villages and stone bridges.

   5. In the late afternoon, take the Gaotian road to see the Moon Hill arch from the highway, or go straight back to Yangshuo.

   6. Return the bicycle before dark. Sleep in Yangshuo.

If you stay longer

1. 4

   Day 4 · Xingping and the river of the 20 yuan note

   1. 8Xingping (兴坪古镇)One to two hoursWorth a visit
   2. L9Laozhai Hill (老寨山)One to two hoursWorth a visit

   1. Decide before leaving where you will sleep. If the trip continues to Guilin, Longji or the flight, check out and take your luggage, because the high-speed train station is near Xingping.

   2. Take the minibus early from Yangshuo's south bus station to Xingping, about 45 minutes.

   3. Climb the 1,159 steps of Laozhai Hill while it is still cool, with good footwear.

   4. Come down and walk about ten minutes to the spot with the scenery of the 20 yuan note, at the Huangbu shoal.

   5. Have lunch in the village and, in the afternoon, walk a stretch of the bank toward Yangdi or take a short boat ride, with price and life jacket agreed beforehand.

   6. In the late afternoon, if you are continuing to Guilin, take the connecting bus to Yangshuo station, about ten minutes, then the high-speed train of about half an hour, and sleep in Guilin; if you are staying, return to Yangshuo by minibus.

2. 5

   Day 5 · Longji rice terraces (龙脊梯田)

   Day trip

   1. In the mountains of Longsheng County, about 77 km north of Guilin, slopes terraced for more than 650 years climb to 1,100 meters. There are two sectors: Ping'an, a compact Zhuang village, with viewpoints reached on foot through the village itself, and Jinkeng, with the Yao village of Dazhai and a cable car to Jinfo Peak. From Guilin it is about two hours by road to Longsheng and about another hour by local bus to the villages, or a direct transfer you book; from Yangshuo, the route passes through Guilin and is much longer. General admission cost 80 CNY in September 2026, without the cable car. The terraces receive water in April and May, turn green from June to August and yellow at harvest, between September and October. Sleeping in a village lets you see the morning and late-afternoon light; anyone going and returning in a day has to leave Guilin early and catch the last bus, which leaves before sunset.

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Food

Where to eat

• Central Guilin

  Mifen for breakfast and lunch, at the neighborhood places on the side streets. Ask for two liang for a meal and eat the topping before adding the broth. The places near the station and the crowded restaurants on the Li waterfront have a reputation for being expensive and not very local.

• Guilin food streets (Zhishan Road, Nanhuan Road, Yiren Road)

  Neighborhood restaurants with local dishes, such as snails with sour chili, duck dishes and river fish, at neighborhood prices. Nanhuan Road links Zhongshan Road to Elephant Trunk Hill and is on the way in the late afternoon.

• Yangshuo, away from West Street

  Beer fish, chosen alive and charged by the jin. The restaurants on the parallel streets and at the night market tend to charge less than those on West Street; ask the weight and the price per jin before the fish goes to the kitchen.

• Longji villages

  Rice cooked in bamboo, prepared by the side of the path, and the home cooking of the guesthouses, with mountain vegetables.

· 2026-10-19

Day trips

Where to begin

Guilin: hills, palace and lakes

Start early at Diecai Hill, in the north of the center, and climb the stairways to the top before the heat.

• Elephant Trunk Hill (象鼻山)
• Sun and Moon Pagodas (日月双塔)
• Princes of Jingjiang City and Duxiu Peak (靖江王城)
• Diecai Hill (叠彩山)
• Reed Flute Cave (芦笛岩)

Down the Li River to Yangshuo

In the morning, take the transfer bought with the ticket to Mopanshan or Zhujiang Pier, with the passport used for the purchase.

• Li River (漓江)
• Xingping (兴坪古镇)

The Yulong valley by raft and bicycle

Early, take an agreed-price taxi or minibus to the boarding pier of your chosen stretch of the Yulong.

Xingping and the river of the 20 yuan note

Decide before leaving where you will sleep. If the trip continues to Guilin, Longji or the flight, check out and take your luggage, because the high-speed train station is near Xingping.

• Laozhai Hill (老寨山)

Money

Getting there and around

Safety

Etiquette tips

Mistakes to avoid

Useful phrases

Where to stay

• Central Guilin, between Shan Lake and the Li River · People arriving by plane or train, with one day in the city, who want to do the hills, the palace and the lakes on foot.: Airport bus Line 1 ends in the center, the Li cruise transfers pick up at hotels in the area and the lit-up pagodas are a walk away. The drawbacks are the noise of the avenues and the expensive waterfront restaurants.
• Yangshuo, near West Street · People without a car who want buses, rental bicycles and dinner a few steps away.: The bus stations, the agencies and the restaurants are there, and the Li boat arrives a few minutes away. The street is noisy until late: a side street or a hotel near the river, away from the bars, sleeps better.
• Yulong Valley · People who want quiet, rice fields at the window and will spend their days cycling.: The guesthouses sit between the villages, near the trails and the raft piers. They depend on the guesthouse's own transfer or a negotiated taxi, and there are few restaurants at night.
• Xingping · People who want the most photographed stretch of the Li early, without crowds, and will arrive or leave by high-speed train.: The village is next to Laozhai Hill and the Huangbu shoal, and Yangshuo station is ten minutes away by bus. It has fewer services than Yangshuo, and buses to Guilin go through the county seat first.
• Ping'an or Dazhai, in Longji · People going to the terraces who want to see the morning and late-afternoon light.: The village guesthouses have a direct view of the terraces and arrange transfers. Cars stop below the villages, and luggage goes up on foot or in a basket, with porters who charge for the service; crowdsourced guides report a lack of ATMs in Dazhai.

· 2026-10-19

Districts

Central Guilin (Xiufeng)

The core between Zhongshan Road, the Li River and the Rong and Shan lakes. It has the Princes of Jingjiang City, the pagodas on Shan Lake and the food streets, and it is where you can cover the city on foot. It suits anyone with one day in Guilin who wants to return to the hotel between visits.

East bank of the Li (Qixing)

Across the bridges, around Seven Star Park, with the Guihai Stele Museum. A more residential, university neighborhood; it suits anyone who wants parks and a view of the center from the river.

Yangshuo: West Street and Diecui Road

The two parallel streets that climb from the river make up Yangshuo's tourist center, with restaurants, bars, shops and tour agencies. It is close to the bus stations and the bicycle rentals; at night it is noisy.

Yulong Valley

Villages, stone bridges and rice fields west and southwest of Yangshuo town, along the Yulong River. It is the area for cycling and rafting; it has quiet guesthouses and little nightlife.

Xingping

An old village on the Li between Guilin and Yangshuo, about 45 minutes by minibus from Yangshuo, on the most photographed stretch of the river. Flat and walkable in fifteen minutes, with Laozhai Hill to the south and the high-speed train station in the nearby hills.

History

Geography and shape of the city

Culture

Festivals and events

Books and films

Frequently asked questions

Guilin: how do you get from the airport to the center?

Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL) is west of the city. In December 2024 there were eight airport bus lines: Line 1 goes to the civil aviation terminal in the center for 20 CNY, and Line 7 goes directly to the Yangshuo bus station for 50 CNY, in about 90 minutes. A taxi from the airport to central Guilin is the most convenient option with luggage.

Guilin: how do you get to Yangshuo?

There are three ways between Guilin and Yangshuo. The boat on the Li River makes the trip in about four hours and ends in Yangshuo. The intercity bus goes from the Guilin terminal to the Yangshuo county seat in about an hour and a half; the minibuses run by touts in the station square are less reliable. The high-speed train takes about half an hour from Guilin West or North to Yangshuo station, which is in Xingping, more than 30 km from the county seat: from there, connecting buses reach Xingping in ten minutes and central Yangshuo in about an hour.

Guilin: how does the Li River boat to Yangshuo work?

The stretch from Guilin to Yangshuo takes about four hours by boat, passing Xingping and the Huangbu shoal. Three-star boats leave from Mopanshan Pier and four-star boats from Zhujiang Pier, both outside central Guilin, and reach Yangshuo around noon. Tickets are sold through the park's official channel and authorized platforms, and boarding requires the ID used for the purchase. Tickets vary with the boat category, the stretch and the season; check the day's price on the park's official channel before buying. In winter, with the river low, the boat may start farther downstream, with part of the route by road; in heavy rain, the operator decides whether the boat sails.

Guilin: how many days should I stay?

I'd stay three days: one in Guilin, for the hills of the center, Reed Flute Cave and the lakes at night; one to go down the Li River by boat to Yangshuo, which is the route that justifies the trip; and one in the Yulong valley, by bicycle and raft. With four, I'd add Xingping, to climb Laozhai Hill early and walk a stretch of the bank. The fifth day I'd give to the Longji terraces, preferably sleeping one night in one of the villages, because the trip from Guilin takes about three hours on mountain roads and the best light on the terraces is in the morning and the late afternoon. With just one day, I'd do only the boat to Yangshuo.

Guilin: do I need a visa to enter China?

China's entry rules depend on nationality and have changed several times since 2024, with visa exemptions and visa-free transit of up to 240 hours for dozens of countries: check the current list with China's National Immigration Administration before buying your ticket.

Guilin: how do you pay for things?

In China almost everything is paid by QR code, with Alipay or WeChat Pay. Since 2023 both accept Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad, and in 2024 the central bank raised the limit for foreigners to 5,000 dollars per transaction and 50,000 per year; registration is done in the app itself, and it is worth setting up and testing before you arrive. In the app you pay merchants, not individuals. Cash is still accepted and is useful at street stalls and in the Longji terraces, where crowdsourced guides report a lack of ATMs in Dazhai.

Guilin: how do you visit the Longji rice terraces?

The terraces are in the mountains of Longsheng County, about 77 km north of Guilin, and have two sectors: Ping'an, a compact Zhuang village, with viewpoints reached on foot through the village itself, and Jinkeng, with the Yao village of Dazhai and a cable car to Jinfo Peak. From Guilin it is about two hours by road to Longsheng and about another hour by local bus to the villages, or a direct transfer you book; from Yangshuo, the route passes through Guilin and is much longer. General admission cost 80 CNY in September 2026, without the cable car. Sleeping in a village lets you see the morning and late-afternoon light; anyone going and returning in a day has to leave Guilin early and catch the last bus, which leaves before sunset.

Guilin: when is the best time to go?

September to November; April to July is the rainy season, peaking in June, and the Golden Week holiday, October 1 to 7, fills boats and hotels.

Guilin: is it safe?

Guilin and Yangshuo are calm destinations, and the most common problems are petty scams and thefts. At Guilin's central station and on buses, watch your wallet and phone, and be wary of approaches from people who introduce themselves as students or teachers and end up at a tea house or gallery with a high bill. On the valley roads, motorbike thieves snatch bags from bicycle baskets; carry belongings in front of you or secured. On the small beaches of the Li, thefts from people who leave their things on the bank to swim are frequently reported, and the river has a current. Do not drink tap water; bottled water is cheap.

Itineraries through here