Guilin

The Guilin to Yangshuo stretch is the famous one; its scenery is printed on the back of the 20-yuan note.

Suggested time

4.5 hours

Opening hours

3-star boats leave Mopanshan Pier at about 9:30, 10:30 and 12:05 and reach Yangshuo in around four hours.

Tickets & booking

Fares depend on the boat and deck. Tickets are in your name: you show your passport when booking and boarding, so reach the pier at least 30 minutes early.

Getting there

Mopanshan Pier is in Lingchuan County, about 30 km from central Guilin; shuttle buses run there from Guilin Railway Station.

Checked 2026-10-06

A small town ringed by limestone peaks. Spend a day cycling past rice fields and villages.

Suggested time

3 hours

Opening hours

The town and West Street are open all day.

Tickets & booking

Wandering the town and West Street is free.

Getting there

High-speed trains take about 24 minutes from Guilin to Yangshuo Station, 33 km from West Street; an official shuttle bus covers that in about an hour. Or take a coach from Guilin Railway Station straight to West Street in about 90 minutes.

Checked 2026-10-06

A calm tributary of the Li. Drift downstream on a bamboo raft past peaks mirrored in the water.

Suggested time

2.5 hours

Opening hours

Rafts run in the daytime and times vary by pier; we found no official timetable.

Tickets & booking

Rafts cost ¥160–320 each depending on the pier and stretch. Booking online with a passport: not yet tested.

Getting there

Rent a bike on West Street and ride upriver to Yulong Bridge in 20–30 minutes, or take the shuttle from Fengming Visitor Center to Shuiyandi Pier.

Checked 2026-10-06

Whole hillsides in Longsheng carved into terraces, climbing from the valley floor to the ridgeline.

Suggested time

5 hours

Opening hours

Open around the clock; last entry 21:00.

Tickets & booking

¥80 covers the Ping'an and Jinkeng (Dazhai) terraces and is valid for three days. If you book online, show the QR code and your passport at the ticket center for a paper ticket.

Getting there

Direct buses run from Guilin's Qintan Bus Station to the terraces in about two hours.

Checked 2026-10-06

Guilin's emblem: a hill shaped like an elephant dipping its trunk into the river.

Suggested time

1 hour

Opening hours

7:00–21:30 (last entry 21:00).

Tickets & booking

Free, but since June 2025 you need a timed booking in your name, up to seven days ahead on the official WeChat account or apps such as Trip.com and Meituan, or by scanning a code on site. Booking with a passport: not yet tested.

Getting there

Bus 2, 16, 23 or Sightseeing Bus 1 to Xiangshan Park stop.

Checked 2026-10-06