Overview
“Guilin’s scenery is the finest under heaven.” The karst peaks along the Li River are a real-life Chinese landscape painting. Elephant Trunk Hill is the city emblem, the Two Rivers and Four Lakes night cruise is dreamlike, and the Longji rice terraces are breathtaking. Guilin is China’s classic karst-and-river destination — the country’s “landscape calling card”.
Good for: nature lovers, photographers, boat lovers, families, international travellers.
Getting there & around
Getting to Guilin
| Mode |
Route |
Time |
Reference price |
| Rail |
Guangzhou South → Guilin West/Guilin |
2.5 h |
≈¥180 |
| Rail |
Nanning East → Guilin |
2 h |
≈¥110 |
| Rail |
Guiyang North → Guilin West |
2 h |
≈¥130 |
| Rail |
Changsha South → Guilin North |
2.5 h |
≈¥200 |
| Air |
Guilin Liangjiang (KWL) |
— |
airport bus ≈40 min (¥20) |
| Self-drive |
Guangzhou → Guilin |
5 h |
tolls ≈¥200 |
Getting around
| Mode |
Notes |
Fare |
| Bus |
Covers main sights |
¥1–2 |
| Taxi |
From ¥9 |
— |
| Shared bike |
Widely available |
¥1–2 |
| Li River cruise |
Guilin → Yangshuo (Mopanshan Pier) |
3-star ≈¥300 / 4-star ≈¥400 |
Where to stay
| Area |
Examples |
Reference price |
Notes |
| City centre (Cross Street / Central Square) |
Lijiang Waterfall Hotel, Sheraton |
¥300–800 |
Walk to Elephant Trunk Hill and the lakes |
| Riverside |
Guihu Hotel, riverside guesthouses |
¥400–1000 |
River views, quiet |
| Near Guilin North station |
Budget hotels |
¥150–300 |
Transit stop |
| Yangshuo (strongly recommended) |
Banyan Tree, Yangshuo resorts |
¥300–800 (mid) / ¥1000+ (luxury) |
The scenic core: Li River, Yulong River, West Street |
Eat
| Dish |
Where |
Price |
Notes |
| Guilin rice noodles |
Chongshan, Tonglai |
¥10–20 |
The soul food — dry-tossed first (see tips) |
| Beer fish |
Xie Dajie, Master Beer Fish (West St, Yangshuo) |
¥60–120 / portion |
Yangshuo’s signature: Li River fish braised in beer |
| Luosifen |
Liuzhou brands |
¥10–20 |
Sour, spicy, pungent rice-noodle soup |
| Lipu taro pork |
Guilin Restaurant (Wenming Rd) |
¥40–70 |
Banquet dish of taro and pork belly |
| Oil tea |
Gongcheng oil-tea shops |
¥5–10 |
Ginger tea with puffed rice and peanuts |
| Tianluo niang |
Yangshuo restaurants |
¥20–40 / portion |
River snails stuffed with pork |
| Water-chestnut cake |
Street stalls (Zhengyang Rd) |
¥5–10 |
Sweet, made from water chestnut |
| Osmanthus cake |
Speciality shops |
¥15–30 / box |
Guilin’s famous osmanthus sweets |
| Vinegar-blood duck |
Quanzhou-style shops |
¥40–70 |
Duck blood stir-fried with vinegar — tangy |
| Sanhua liquor |
Sanhua liquor shops |
¥30–60 / bottle |
Local rice-aroma spirit, good as a gift |
See & do
| Sight |
Ticket |
Time |
Notes |
| Li River cruise (Guilin → Yangshuo) |
3-star ≈¥300 / 4-star ≈¥400 |
4–5 h |
The classic stretch; book ahead; 4-star includes a meal |
| Elephant Trunk Hill |
Free (was ¥75; free since 2022) |
30–40 min |
The city emblem — a must for photos |
| Two Rivers & Four Lakes night cruise |
¥190 |
1.5 h |
Guilin’s best night view; Sun-and-Moon Pagodas |
| Longji rice terraces |
¥80 |
Half–full day |
2 h away; Jinkeng (large) or Ping’an (smaller, closer) |
| Sun-and-Moon Pagodas |
¥35 (climb) |
30 min |
Gold and silver pagodas in Shan Lake; best lit at night |
| Jingjiang Prince’s Palace |
¥100 |
1–1.5 h |
Ming prince’s residence; origin of the “finest under heaven” inscription |
| Seven Star Park |
¥55 |
2 h |
Guilin’s largest park: cave + zoo |
| Reed Flute Cave |
¥90 |
1 h |
Spectacular karst cave, grander than Seven Star’s |
| Zhengyang pedestrian street |
Free |
1 h |
City-centre snacks and shopping |
| Diecai Hill |
¥25 |
1 h |
Climb for a city-and-river panorama |
Suggested routes
- D1 city: Elephant Trunk Hill (morning) → Prince’s Palace → Zhengyang St (lunch) → Two Rivers & Four Lakes (afternoon + night).
- D2 Li River: cruise Guilin → Yangshuo (4 h) → West Street → Impression Liu Sanjie show (evening).
- D3 Yangshuo / Longji: cycle the Yulong River / Ten-Mile Gallery, or a Longji terraces day trip.
| Item |
Where |
Price |
Notes |
| Sanhua liquor |
Sanhua shops / supermarkets |
¥30–60 / bottle |
Local rice spirit |
| Guilin fermented tofu |
Supermarkets / speciality shops |
¥10–20 / jar |
Traditional condiment, eaten with noodles |
| Osmanthus products |
Zhengyang St shops |
¥15–40 |
Cakes and honey — good gifts |
| Zhuang brocade / embroidered balls |
Yangshuo craft shops |
¥20–100 |
Colourful minority handicrafts |
| Li River stone paintings |
Yangshuo / riverside |
¥10–50 |
Hand-painted pebbles |
| Monk fruit (luohanguo) |
Speciality shops |
¥20–40 / bag |
Brewed as a soothing tea |
Practical tips
- Do Guilin and Yangshuo together: Guilin (1 day) → Li River cruise (4 h to Yangshuo) → Yangshuo (1–2 days) → back.
- How to eat Guilin rice noodles: toss with the sauce first (no broth), then add the bone broth at the end — that’s the local way.
- Longji seasons: May–June flooded terraces (mirror effect), July–August green, mid-September–mid-October golden harvest (most spectacular), December–February rare snow.
- Stay in Yangshuo, not Guilin: one day in the city is enough; two nights in Yangshuo (cycling the Yulong River, West Street, the show) is ideal.
- Which cruise: 3-star (≈¥300, simple meal) is good value; 4-star (≈¥400, buffet) is nicer. Both leave Mopanshan Pier.
- Cycling in Yangshuo: rent a scooter (≈¥30–50/day) or bike (¥15–20/day) for the Yulong River and Ten-Mile Gallery.
- Elephant Trunk Hill has been free since 2022 — Guilin’s best-value sight, though queues form on holidays.
- Two Rivers & Four Lakes: the ¥190 boat is the classic; the free glass bridge lets you walk part of it.
- Impression Liu Sanjie (dir. Zhang Yimou) is a riverside show in Yangshuo, ≈¥200–300 — a standard pairing with an overnight there.
- Best season: April–October — April–May misty Li River, June–August green + terraces, September–October golden terraces and clear skies.
- West Street is commercial but lively at night — good for eating and nightlife.
- Guilin → Yangshuo also by bus from the Guilin bus station (≈1.5 h, ¥30) or car (≈1 h).
