Guilin Travel Guide

Guilin (桂林; Guì​lín) and the surrounding region are among the most scenic areas in China and the most popular tourist destinations both for Chinese travellers and the international backpacker set. Guilin is the hub for trips to the surrounding area's karst terrain, limestone mountains eroded into fantastic shapes. Apart from its sheer visual beauty that has inspired China's best painters for generations, karst terrain also provides many cliffs suitable for rock climbing and many caves. There are many scenic places within short traveling distance of Guilin. These include Longsheng with its famous Longji rice terraces; the Lijiang River, a scene of which is printed on the back of ¥20 bank notes; and Yangshuo, a small county downstream from Guilin. This makes Guilin an excellent base for exploring the northern end of Guangxi Province. Guilin is a beautiful city. The town center is surrounded by two rivers and four lakes and studded with sheer sided karst mountains. Outside the city cent

Getting a local map from a tourist guide or shop for ¥5 is a good idea. This will show the location of most of the sights as well as details of bus routes. Buses are an ideal way to get around Guilin on a budget. Many city parks and river spots can be accessed easily by bus. All the buses starting with 5# are free. A useful one is bus 58 which runs from the train station (and bus station) to many of the attractions. Bus fare are capped at ¥2 per trip.

Guilin is quite safe by Chinese and international standards, but:

Guilin is a tourism city. There are many hotels, more than 30 five-star hotels, 100 four-star hotels, and 200 three-star hotels.There are plenty of B&Bs with great views to choose from. Whether you want to enjoy a magnificent sunrise or spend a peaceful weekend in a mountaintop homestay in the mountains, you will have plenty of options. You can choose a homestay nestled in a farmland on the outskirts of the city and soak up the peaceful countryside, or choose a homestay on the top floor of a hig