Trips and Tours to Guilin

The majority of Guilin's attractions are of the scenic variety located on or around the Li River, the soul of the city and one of China's most iconic and romantic landscapes. From its source in the Mao'er Mountains northeast of Guilin the river flows through striking karst peaks creating twists and turns as it meanders along its route. Little villages hug the banks while fishermen languidly cruise the waters looking for their daily catch. One of the best ways to soak up this poetry in motion is by boat to the village of Yangshuo, a journey of 4-5 hours that passes a number of well-known land formations and sights.

The karst peaks of Guilin contain within them incredible limestone cave formations and the most popular and well-known of them is the Reed Flute Cave. Stalagmite towers rise from the ground and chandeliers of stalactites drip from the ceiling to create a natural gallery of shapes and textures further enhanced by the neon light display fitted into the cave. Pools of water beautifully reflect the formations to create a splendid subterranean palace. A visit to the 240 metre-long cave takes around one hour and the collection of Tang Dynasty-era inscriptions inside suggests the cave has been a popular tourist destination for several thousands of years.

Stood side by side in the water of the Shan Lake, the Buddhist-style Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas are a prominent feature in Guilin's picturesque lake region. The gold-painted Sun Pagoda measures 41 metres tall with nine stories and is one of the few pagodas in the world to feature an elevator. The shorter Moon Pagoda is two stories smaller with aqua-coloured glazed eaves on brown beams and connected to its taller twin by a viewing tunnel beneath the lake's surface. The pair are particularly worth visiting at night when they are illuminated with coloured lights to match their names - yellow for the Sun Pagoda and white for the Moon Pagoda.

Downriver of Guilin 70km south of the city is the village of Yangshuo, surrounded by some of the region's most incredible karst scenery. A favoured base with travellers wishing to get out and about to explore the surreal landscapes, Yangshuo has become a major attraction drawing visitors in their thousands. Although it's no longer the peaceful haven it once was there's still plenty to entice weary travellers from biking along the river to scaling the cliffs to watching local fishermen catch fish with their trusted cormorants. The preferred way to reach Yangshuo from Guilin is on the Li River by boat.

This upmarket Guangxi chain has a handful of outlets across Guilin and beyond all offering a tantalising array of authentic local country dishes including roast fowl, Li River shrimps cooked in a clay pot and spareribs accompanying sticky rice. The modern restaurant building on Wenming Road proves particularly popular thanks to its traditional design elements, large dining space and pleasant location surrounded by trees.

Meal prices: $$$

This small and cozy Western-styled cafe is a great choice for those in search of familiar grub. Located up past the Sheraton Hotel, the Little Italian offers international favourites including traditional thin-based pizza and pasta dishes with a good selection of lighter meals and cakes to complement the very good coffee. Prices are reasonable though the service can be a little slow due to the small kitchen and team of staff.

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The pedestrian street of Xichenglu comes alive each night with rows of stalls selling all manner of goods that make perfect souvenir gifts from locally-made handicrafts to ethnic textiles, bamboo carvings to paintings. There are also stalls selling modern consumer goods including leather belts and watches, and vendors specialising in local snacks and treats.

Guilin is served by the Liangjiang International Airport (KWL) located 28km southwest of the city centre which takes around 40 minutes by car. Just under 50 destinations are served from Guilin including non-stop domestic flights to Shanghai, Xi'an , Beijing, and Guangzhou. The five international destinations served are restricted to Asian cities including Bangkok and Seoul. Connections to all major overseas destinations are easily available through Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong for those looking to start or end their China tour in Guilin.