Trip Planning Guide
Guilin is a very typical and easily understood Chinese destination for overseas tourists. Its appeal is direct: the mountain and water scenery, the Li River, karst landforms, the countryside of Yangshuo, and the charm of its roads and pastoral landscapes.
Who is Guilin suitable for?
Guilin is especially suitable for the following types of people:
1. First-time visitors to China who want to see classic landscapes
2. Those who enjoy nature, photography, hiking, and slow travel
3. Couples, friends, and solo travelers
4. Those who want to add a more relaxed and natural experience to their city itineraries
If you prefer a fast-paced urban lifestyle or a high-density museum-style trip, Guilin may not be the most exciting option; but if you want a more relaxed trip to China with high visual rewards, Guilin is perfect.
How many days should I spend in Guilin?
For most tourists:
2 days 1 night: Suitable for a quick experience of Guilin city + a section of the Li River/Yangshuo scenery.
3 days 2 nights: Highly recommended for first-time visitors, offering a more balanced pace.
4 days 3 nights or more: Suitable for adding the Longji Rice Terraces, more rural routes in Yangshuo, or a slower, more leisurely experience.
How to group the main areas of Guilin?
When planning your Guilin trip, you can simply divide it into 4 sections:
1. Guilin City
Suitable for: Arrival, overnight stay, viewing iconic city landmarks like the Two Rivers and Four Lakes and Elephant Trunk Hill.
If your time is limited, the city center is usually a convenient starting or ending point.
2. Li River Line
Suitable for: Seeing Guilin's most classic landscape.
Many tourists' imaginations of "Guilin" are actually concentrated along the Li River. This area is more suitable for a boat trip, riverside views, or a main route experience connecting to Yangshuo.
3. Yangshuo
Suitable for: Staying overnight, cycling, viewing pastoral landscapes and mountains, and slow travel.
Yangshuo is usually the part of Guilin where you can truly slow down, and it's also suitable for overseas tourists.
4. Longji Rice Terraces
Suitable for: Those with more time, wanting to see different landforms and ethnic minority villages.
If you only have 2-3 days, Longji may not be a must-see; but if you have 4 days or more, it will enrich your entire trip.
What are the best ways to travel in Guilin?
The most common ways to travel in Guilin are generally three:
Classic Landscape Travel: Guilin city + Li River + Yangshuo
Nature Slow Travel: Primarily Yangshuo, incorporating cycling, rural and pastoral routes
Multi-Location Combination Travel: Guilin + Longji Rice Terraces, or Guilin + surrounding Guangxi routes
What places can you combine with Guilin?
Guilin is great for combining with surrounding destinations:
Guilin + Yangshuo: The most classic and best for first-time visitors.
Guilin + Longji Rice Terraces: Suitable for adding depth and mountain scenery.
Guilin + Guizhou (partial natural route): Suitable for continuing the journey through mountains, rivers, and ethnic customs.
Food & Dining Guide
Must-try foods
1. Guilin Rice Noodles
Features: Guilin's most classic local breakfast and everyday snack, with a fragrant braised sauce, served with pickled cowpeas, peanuts, and scallions; approximately 8-20 yuan per bowl, commonly found in local rice noodle shops and breakfast shops in the old town.
2. Beer Fish
A representative dish of Yangshuo, the fish is cooked to order, with a fresh, fragrant, and slightly spicy flavor; approximately 68-150 yuan per serving.
3. Stuffed snails
Northern Guangxi cuisine is prepared in a unique way and tends to have a stronger flavor.Approximately 25-50 yuan per serving, available at local restaurants or traditional Guilin restaurants.
4. Taro and Pork Belly Stew (Lipu)
This is a classic traditional Guangxi dish. Taro and pork belly are steamed together, resulting in a rich and substantial dish. It costs approximately 38-80 yuan per serving, making it suitable for sharing among multiple people, but not ideal for one person to order too much.
Ordering Tips:
Guilin rice noodles are best enjoyed for breakfast or a light lunch.
Beer fish is more suitable for sharing with a group.
Eating around tourist attractions is convenient, but not necessarily the best value.
If you can't handle spicy food, it's best to mention it when ordering.
Getting There & Around
How to get to Guilin?
1. By plane
Most tourists arrive at Guilin Liangjiang International Airport. The journey from the airport to downtown Guilin usually takes about 40-60 minutes.
Didi (ride-hailing service): Approximately 80-150 RMB
Airport shuttle bus: Usually cheaper, but less flexible
2. High-speed rail / train
Guilin is a relatively mature tourist city. Common arrival points include:
Guilin Station: Closer to the city center
Guilin North Station: High-speed rail is more common here
Guilin West Station: Some lines stop here
From the station to the main areas of the city, it usually takes about 15-40 minutes, depending on where you are staying.
What's the most convenient way to get around locally?
1. Didi/Taxi: Taxis and Didi are common options between Guilin city and Yangshuo.
2. Charter a car/Day trip: If you plan to visit Guilin city, the Li River area, Yangshuo, and the Longji Rice Terraces in one day, chartering a car is usually smoother than repeatedly transferring.
How long does it take between key areas?
Guilin Airport → Guilin City: Approx. 40-60 minutes
Guilin Railway Station / Guilin North Railway Station → City: Approx. 15-30 minutes
Guilin City → Yangshuo: Approx. 1-1.5 hours
Guilin City → Longji Rice Terraces: Approx. 2-3 hours
Yangshuo → Xingping: Approx. 30-50 minutes
What's the most convenient way to get around locally?
1. Didi/Taxi: Taxis and Didi are common options between Guilin city and Yangshuo.
2. Charter a car/Day trip: If you plan to visit Guilin city, the Li River area, Yangshuo, and the Longji Rice Terraces in one day, chartering a car is usually smoother than repeatedly transferring.
How long does it take between key areas?
Guilin Airport → Guilin City: Approx. 40-60 minutes
Guilin Railway Station / Guilin North Railway Station → City: Approx. 15-30 minutes
Guilin City → Yangshuo: Approx. 1-1.5 hours
Guilin City → Longji Rice Terraces: Approx. 2-3 hours
Yangshuo → Xingping: Approx. 30-50 minutes
Practical Tips:
For your first visit to Guilin, deciding whether to stay in the city center or Yangshuo is more important than researching transportation options separately.
If your focus is on the Li River and Yangshuo, staying in Yangshuo is usually more convenient.
If time is limited, don't cram Guilin, Yangshuo, and the Longji Rice Terraces into one day.
Guilin is best experienced at a slower pace; the simpler the route, the better.
