Guilin & Yangshuo: China\'s Most Beautiful Landscape

3-4 Days

The perfect first-timer's Guilin trip — the iconic Li River cruise and Yangshuo countryside in a long weekend.

Guilin → Yangshuo → Longji

Connected by road — Guilin is the hub, Yangshuo is 1.5 hours south, Longji is 2.5 hours north.

Li River, Karst Peaks, Rice Terraces

The 20 RMB note view, bamboo rafting through limestone peaks, and cycling through rice paddies.

Day 1: Guilin

Fly into Guilin Liangjiang Airport (KWL). Guilin city itself is a pleasant small city with two lakes (Shanhu and Ronghu) connected by the Li River. Visit Elephant Trunk Hill (the city symbol), walk around the Sun and Moon Pagodas on Shanhu Lake, and explore the night market on Zhengyang Pedestrian Street. Guilin rice noodles (桂林米粉) for breakfast tomorrow — this is the city's signature dish.

Local tip: Elephant Trunk Hill charges a modest entrance fee and takes 30 minutes. It is fine but there are better ways to spend your time. Instead, walk the Binjiang Road promenade for a free view of the river and the karst peaks. The real Guilin experience starts tomorrow on the Li River.

Day 2: Li River → Yangshuo

Option A: Take the 4-hour Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo (departs 9am, arrives 1pm). The boat passes through the heart of the karst — peaks named 'Nine Horses Fresco Hill', 'Yellow Cloth Shoal' (this is the 20 RMB note view), and 'Mural Hill'. Option B: Drive to Yangdi (1 hr from Guilin) and take a bamboo raft from Yangdi to Xingping (90 min, tickets arranged at the dock) — this covers the most scenic section and avoids the large tour groups. From Xingping, take the 40-min bus to Yangshuo. Evening: West Street (Xi Jie) for dinner and bars.

Local tip: The bamboo raft from Yangdi to Xingping is the better experience — you are closer to the water, the rafts are smaller, and the scenery is the best section of the river. Each raft takes 4 people. If you are alone or a couple, you may need to wait for others to fill the raft or pay for the empty seats.

Day 3: Yangshuo Countryside

Rent a bicycle or e-bike from one of the many rental shops in town and cycle into the Yangshuo countryside. The classic loop: Yangshuo → Aishanmen → Gongnong Bridge → Moon Hill → Baisha → Yulong River → Yangshuo (25 km, 3-4 hours). You cycle through rice paddies with karst peaks in every direction. Stop at Moon Hill (800 steps up a natural limestone arch) for the panoramic view. Afternoon: Yulong River bamboo raft (90 min) — this is the quieter, more intimate river compared to the Li. The rafts here are actual bamboo (not motorised PVC) and poled by a boatman.

Local tip: The Yulong River bamboo raft is better than the Li River raft — no motors, just a boatman with a bamboo pole. The stretch from Jinlong Bridge to Jiuxian is the best section. Go before 10am or after 3pm to avoid the midday crowds. Wear shoes you can get wet — there are small weirs the raft slides down.

Day 4 (optional): Longji Rice Terraces

Day trip from Guilin or Yangshuo to the Longji Rice Terraces (2.5-hour drive). The terraces were built by the Zhuang and Yao minorities over 600 years and look like dragon scales wrapping around the mountains. Two main viewpoints: Ping'an (the classic view, easier walk) and Jinkeng (larger, more dramatic, accessible by cable car). Visit one — both is too much for a day trip. Return to Guilin for your flight out.

Local tip: Longji is best May-June (flooded terraces reflect the sky) and September-October (golden rice ready for harvest). The Yao women at the entrance will offer to carry your bag up — they are genuinely helpful and the income supports their village. You can hire one even if your bag is light.