Get Bedazzled by This Gorgeous Chinese City

Guilin is a medium-sized city in North Guangxi, China that needs to be explored during a trip to China. Guilin is one of the most-visited destinations in China for the basic fact that there are so many tourist attractions in and around this gorgeous little city. Situated in southern China, the vibrant city lies in the midst of the iconic Karst Mountains, well-known across the world for the lush green landscapes, the famous Li River, limestone rock formations, food cuisine, and the Longji Rice Terraces. The rationale for this blog is to list the things to see and do in Guilin.

Considering the small size of the city, you can tour the entire city in just one or two days. Guilin can be a good jumping-off point for kick starting your travel exploration in the Northeast region of Guanxi province. A trip to China without traveling to Guilin is incomplete.

It is quite interesting to note that the iconic Li River, a top attraction for global tourists can be seen on the back of ¥20 Chinese currency notes! The word Guilin in Chinese literally means “Forest of sweet Osmanthus” and the city gets this name because of the presence of a large number of Osmanthus trees.

Tourist Attractions in the Wonderful Chinese town of Guilin:

1. Go on a cruise tour on the Two Rivers and Four lakes-a water system in Guilin that runs to an extent of 7.33 km in length, and is similar to the one in Venice, Italy. The Two Rivers and Four lakes include Peach Blossom River, Li River, Mulong Lake, China Fir Lake, Banyan Lake and Osmanthus Lake. Taking a river cruise on these popular rivers can give you stunning views of the flora, Chinese celebrity houses, and other popular attractions including the Ancient Banyan Tree, Double Bridges, Sun and Moon Towers, and Ancient South Gate to name a few. The Sun and Moon Towers are two Buddhist Pagodas and can be best enjoyed during the night time when they shine in all their glory. While sighting the pagodas it is important to catch a glimpse of the contrast between the copper tinted Sun Tower and the silver painted Moon Tower. Taking snapshots of the gorgeous landmarks during the cruise is unmissable.
2. Take a rafting tour on the waters of Yulong River. The Yulong River is a small tributary of Li River and can make a perfect romantic getaway if you want to spend some unforgettable moments with your sweetheart. It has a more serene atmosphere than the noisy Li River. The months of April to May are ideal for a rafting tour on Yulong River.
3. Take a cycling tour on the hilly terrain of Yangshuo, a popular backpacker destination among globe trotters to explore the beautiful countryside of Yangshuo and enroute one can expect to spot some quaint villages and remarkable bridges. Just a small word of caution, the route is a stretch of 1.5 kilometers on an uphill with a steep slope, so you really need to be good at cycling and it isn’t for the weak hearted!
4. Learn the culinary skills of cooking Bamboo Rice and making some Oil tea. Bamboo Rice and Oil tea are two signature items from the Kitchens of Guilin and tasting and learning how to make these delectable items must be on top of your list of things to do. Bamboo Rice is a local food invention that is made by cooking rice and meat inside a bamboo tube on a charcoal fire that leaves a unique lasting aroma while Oil tea is another popular local drink that is made by frying tea leaves along with other essential ingredients like garlic and salt.
5. Explore the exotic Reed Flute Cave in Guilin. If you like exploring caves with limestone formations of stalagmites and stalactites, the Reed Flute Cave in Guilin needs your immediate attention. The Red Flute Cave is situated about 5 km west of Guilin and it even has a laser light/Music show in the night. Travelers need to note that there is an entrance fee to tour the Reed Flute Cave- $13 for adults and $7 for children and it is open between 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM (April to November) and 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM (December to March).
6. Take the road less travelled by tourists for some unusual things to do in Guilin. The Butterfly Cave, located slightly far away from Guilin is our top pick for an offbeat attraction. A butterfly theme Park surrounding a pair of mountains is the main attraction of this spot. On one of the mountains you will find a cave with limestone rock formations of stalagmites and stalactites, one of these rock formations has a close resemblance to a butterfly and hence it gets the name Butterfly Cave. One can reach the second mountain by way of a rope way from the cave exit of the first peak and patrons are greeted by a dance performance at the entrance, followed by a walk through towards a netted area where there’s a huge reserve of butterflies.
7. Travel to the nearby Longsheng County, located about 100 km from downtown Guilin to get breath-taking views of the terraced landscapes of Longji, popularly known as Longji Rice Terraces. The lush green cascading terraces resemble the shape of a dragon’s back and hiking to the top of Longji Terraces can make your trip more adventurous. The best way of getting to Longji Terraces from downtown Guilin is taking a mini-van ride, the best time to visit Longji Rice Terraces is before the harvest time. Take pictures of the surrounding scenic landscapes to treasure some great moments of the trip.
8. Hit the Daxu Town of Guilin, located about 23 km southeast of Guilin to get a good insight on the Chinese culture and the powerful dynasties that once existed here. Daxu Town is an ancient street that runs to an extent of 2.5 km. Interestingly, the street has a blue pavement that catches the attraction of the visitors’ eyes. The star-attractions of this town include the iconic Longevity Bridge and the Stone Arch Passageway which offers stunning views to the Li River.
9. Take a tour of the offbeat natural wonder – Elephant Trunk Hill, a limestone formation that mimics an elephant sipping water with its trunk dipped in the nearby lake! The icing on the cake is a Water Moon Cave that lies between the Trunk and the body of this bizarre limestone formation, inside the Water Moon Cave you can find some interesting ancient writings. The place is open for patrons between 6:30 AM and 7:00 PM (April to October) and 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM (November to March) and there’s an entrance Fee of $8 and above.
10. To explore the wildlife of Guilin, you must head to the Seven Star Park, a large park with a small zoo on Qixing road, just 15 minutes from the city center of Guilin. The park is a paradise for sighting some red Pandas and Giant Pandas. A fee of ¥32 is charged for entering the zoo. An additional attraction of the park is a Seven Star Cave for which you need to pay an extra fee of ¥80.

Getting to Guilin

As Guilin is a medium-sized city, it is not possible to hop on a direct flight from most international destinations, especially from The Middle East, Europe, and North America. Guilin does have an international airport- Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (IATA code: KWL) and is the main gateway to mainland cities including Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore and Taipei. Now that you know the amazing things to see and do in Guilin, nothing should stop you from flying to Guilin. For cheap flights to Guilin, you can have them booked on iEagle.com right away!