Guilin
Situated in the province of Guangxi in southern China, Guilin is a small city spread along the Li River. The landscapes of the Guilin region are among the most poetic in China. The blocks of limestone with unusual shapes, invaded by subtropical vegetation, embellish the city and the surrounding countryside. Its harmonious nature, a source of inspiration for artists makes this area one of the most touristic in the country.
Guilin is also the starting point for cruises along the Li River leading to Yangshuo where boats sail along the water through postcard-like landscapes. There are hundreds of small mountains in the shape of a sugar loaf that gently cut the landscape within a luxuriant nature, a succession of small peaceful villages and rice fields shaped by the hand of the man.
What to Visit in Guilin?
Guilin has some interesting sites to visit in the center of the city. Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, and Accumulated Color Hill offer beautiful walks and good viewpoints over the city.
On the cultural level, there are three museums in Guilin: the ethnographic museum housed in an old traditional residence, the museum of the history of the city, and that of the heritage of the Jingliang princes which conceals a beautiful collection of Chinese porcelain.
Around the city, The Reed Flute Cave is filled with a large number of stalactites, stalagmites, and other rock formations. This attraction might be discovered in the Tang Dynasty because there were more than 70 inscriptions written in ink inside that can be dated back as far as 792 AD.
20 km east of Guilin is situated the Daxu village, and it has old quarters, bridges, ports, and traditional houses. Halfway between Guilin and Daxu, the mausoleum of the Jingliang prince, designed on the same basis as the Ming tombs of Beijing in more modest proportions, represents the remains of the decentralization of power that took place in the area during the Ming reign.
How to Get to Guilin?
Guilin City has been open to tourism since the 1990s, so its infrastructure is very early, and it is very convenient to go to Guilin from all over the country. It takes about 8 to 10 hours from Shanghai, Beijing, or Kunming by high-speed train. If you come from Canton (Guangzhou) or Hong Kong, it only takes 3 hours.
The city also has its own airport with several daily connections to Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an, which reduce travel time to 3 hours.
When to Visit Guilin?
Although Guilin is suitable for traveling all year round, the best time to travel there is from April to October when the weather is comfortable, and the scenery is charming.
It has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate, with short, mild winters, and long, hot, humid summers. Spring is generally overcast and often rainy, while autumn is sunny and dry.
Share this article