Experience the best of Guilin
Guilin, in Guangxi, is a river town among steep limestone peaks, best known for the Li River and the karst hills of classical Chinese painting.
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Guilin lies in the north-east of the Guangxi region, where limestone peaks rise as steep green towers from flat fields and the Li River. The name means forest of sweet osmanthus, and the trees line its streets. In the city, Elephant Trunk Hill stands at the river's edge shaped like an elephant drinking, Reed Flute Cave glows with coloured light on its stalactites, and the Sun and Moon pagodas rise from a lake.
Boats leave for the stretch of the Li River down to Yangshuo, passing cormorant fishermen on bamboo rafts and peaks in a view once printed on a Chinese banknote. Yangshuo itself has cycling lanes among the hills. North-west of Guilin, the Longji rice terraces climb the mountainsides, shaped over centuries by Zhuang and Yao villagers.
Guilin rice noodles, served with braised meat in a spiced stock, are the usual breakfast across the city, and in Yangshuo the local dish is beer fish. Osmanthus flowers go into cakes, tea and wine. The terraces flood and shine in spring, turn green in summer and gold in autumn, and mist hangs over the hills in winter.
- Free cancellation on 83% of experiences
- 4.8 across the top 13
Top 9 attractions in Guilin
Number 1Li River (Li Jiang)
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Number 2Reed Flute Cave (Ludi Yan)
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Number 3Elephant Trunk Hill (Xiangbishan)
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Number 4Longji Rice Terraces
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Number 5Daxu Old Town
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Number 6Solitary Beauty Peak (Duxiu Feng)
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Number 7Fubo Hill (Fubo Shan)
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Number 8Seven Star Park (Qixing Gongyuan)
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Number 9Jingjiang Wangcheng City (Jingjiang Princes' City)
Guided tours in Guilin
134
Free cancellation
Outdoor and adventure activities in Guilin
19
Free cancellation
Go beyond Guilin
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Yangshuo · 59 kmWest Street (Xi Jie)
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Yangshuo · 59 kmImpression Sanjie Liu
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Nanning · 336 kmGuangxi Museum of Nationalities
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Nanning · 336 kmMt. Qingxiu
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Guangzhou · 384 kmCanton Tower
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Guangzhou · 384 kmPearl River (Zhujiang)
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Guiyang · 393 kmQingyan Ancient Town
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Guiyang · 393 kmQianling Mountain Park
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Zhangjiajie · 428 kmZhangjiajie National Forest Park
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Zhangjiajie · 428 kmTianmen Mountain (Tianmen Shan)
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Macau · 476 kmRuins of St. Paul
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Macau · 476 kmMacau Tower
Questions about Guilin
- What is there to do in Guilin?
- We list 414 experiences in Guilin. The largest groups are day trips (154), city tours (65).
- What are the top attractions in Guilin?
- Ranked by the experiences that visit them, the top attractions in Guilin are Li River (Li Jiang), Reed Flute Cave (Ludi Yan), Elephant Trunk Hill (Xiangbishan), Longji Rice Terraces.
- What is the most popular experience in Guilin?
- By number of traveller reviews it is "1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver", rated 4.9 out of 5 from 190 reviews.
- How long do tours and tickets in Guilin take?
- The typical experience in Guilin lasts about 8 hours; the middle half run between 6.5 hours and 18 hours.
- Can I cancel a booking in Guilin?
- The operator lists free cancellation on 83% of the 414 experiences we hold for Guilin. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.
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