About Guilin
What to see and do in Guilin
Weather in Guilin
Airport in Guilin
Visa
Guilin is a city in China, situated in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. The city has long been renowned for its unique scenery.
Guilin is a city in Guangxi Region, China. Guilin is a scenic town and one of the best-known tourist destinations in China. There are many scenic places within short traveling distance of Guilin. These include Longsheng with its famous Longji rice terraces; The Li jiang river, a scene of which is printed on the back of RMB 20 bank notes; Yangshuo, a small city downstream form Guilin; and much more. This makes Guilin an excellent base for exploring the northern end of Guangxi region. Guilin is a beautiful city. The town center is surrounded by two rivers and four lakes and studded with shear sided karst mountains. Outside the city center, the buildings are less well kept. The main industry in the city is tourism.
Guilin itself is like most other medium size Chinese cities, other than that it has a large number of western-style hotels, tourists and is relatively free of air pollution. Many Chinese domestic tourists also flock to this area. What makes it special is its proximity to many picturesque limestone mountains and formations
Get around Guilin
Getting a local map from a tourist guide or shop (for about RMB 5) is a good idea. This will show the location of most of the sights as well as details of bus routes. Buses are a 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 (& bus station) to many of the attractions. Bus fare are capped at RMB 1 per trip.
Taxis are also inexpensive and easily hailed within the city. Usually hard to catch during peak hours.
Reed Flute Cave, (about 5km west of Guilin. Catch bus 3 or rent bikes and buy a map for a pleasant cycle). 8AM-5:30PM. This limestone cave with impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations is worth a visit. An English-speaking guide will take you around the various artificially lit formations supposedly resembling lions, monkeys, old men, the skyline of Guilin, etc. You may have to wait a while for a large enough group to accumulate. Avoid the hawkers by taking the elevated path on the side of the hill, rather than the tarmac road. RMB 60.
Elephant Trunk Hill, (Within walking distance of the town center and near to bus routes 23 and 16), +86 773 2803000. This park on the banks of the Li River contains a hill with a large natural arch cut into it. This resembles the trunk of an Elephant dipping into the river. This scene is frequently used as a symbol of the city and so has developed some fame. RMB 33.
Fubo Hill, +86 773 2803000. A park in the northeast of the City on the banks of the Li River. The park contains historical stone carvings and Buddhist inscriptions. Fubo Hill itself is an impressive shear sided rock.
Yaoshan Hill Park, (Several km east of the city center. Bus routes 10 and 98 run nearby but still leave a lengthy walk to the park), +86 773 5864592. This is a large country park which encompasses the highest peak in the area. Foot paths run to the summit, however the chair lift provides an effortless way to attain the top and enjoy the scenery. There are extensive views of the surrounding area from the sumit. There is a toboggan run down part of the mountain. To access this, dismount the chairlift at the station half way down the mountain. A taxi to and from the park will cost about RMB 30 each way.
Jing Jiang Princes City Park, +86 773 2803149. In the center of the city lies a small forbidden city. Once home to the Princes of the area. The palace buildings are now a museum and park.
Ocean Aquarium, On Zhongshan Road (South of the city center. Bus routes 4, 11, 12, 19, 99 and 56 pass here. Next to the South Stream Hill Park), +86 773 3816822. One of the largest aquariums in Asia. This modern facility has a wide range of fish and other aquatic animals.
Longji Terraced Field (Longji Terraced Field), Longsheng Country. Longji Terraced Fields is in the Heping town in Longsheng, a 2 hours drive from Guilin. The terraced rice fields, like ladders, wind from the bottom of the mountain to the top. The elevation varies from 380 meters to 880 meters with a drop of 500 meters. First built during the Yuan Dynasty, these rice fields were built with the determination, sweat and blood of generations of people. It is a testimony to the ingenuity of agriculture in mountainous areas. These fields are often belt-shaped, narrow and long, most of which are only wide enough for two rows of crops. The largest patch is only one Mu. There are about 66 square kilometers of terraced fields in southeast Longsheng. RMB 50.
What to do in Guilin
River trip down the Li River ' A popular activity for travellers, though if you just want to get to Yangshou a bus is much cheaper. The boats are frequent and easily organised by any hotel in Guilin. Most tourists will go from Guilin to Yangshuo (a very picturesque smaller town downstream of Guilin). The river winds through some truly spectacular limestone formations and a slow boat trip there and back (with a stop in Yangshuo) will take a whole day.
Dreams on Water, +86 773 2831040, 2888805, day and evening. A boat tour around the four lakes and two rivers of Guilin. At night, the scenery is spectacularly flood lit. At the mid point in the tour, there will be a demonstration of traditional cormorant fishing. Tours last between 60 and 90 minutes depending on the route purchased. RMB 100 - 200 per adult.
Something of Ethical, +86 773 2851279. A theatrical dance and music performance daily. The show tries to recreate the culture of the various ethnic groups around Guilin.
There are many more activities nearby in neighbouring towns and villages:
Longsheng and Longji Village, (About two hours drive to the north through twisty mountain roads. Ask your hotel about tour buses.). Longji means 'Dragon Backed Mountain'. The excessively large number of terraced rice paddy fields on this mountain has created an intricate pattern on the hill side. When the paddies are full of water in spring, it is said to resemble the scales on the back of a dragon. The fields are beautiful all year round as the rice grows and matures, changing colours as it does so. The village is high up on the mountain. The nearest road is narrow and twisty. Visitors by car must park at the bottom of the hill and take a minibus to the upper car park.
From the upper car park, you must ascend on foot. There are sedan chairs available for hire if you are not up to the climb. The path ascends rapidly through the paddy fields and houses. There are several view points along the way where you can rest and take photographs. A short hike through the village to the summit takes about 2 hours to complete, depending on fitness. Longer hikes spanning more than one day are possible and will allow you to access more beautiful and less touristy areas of the mountain. Longsheng is home to four minority nationalities: Miao, Yao, Dong and Zhuang. The Yao nationality live in Longji. They have distinctive clothing and hair styles which set them apart from other ethnic groups. Yao women are famous for having the longest hair in the world. They never cut their hair. Instead they wrap the hair in a bun on top of their head in a style resembling an Indian turban. Several of the houses in the village are new or recently rebuilt. There are many small restaurants in the village where you can rest, refresh and enjoy country style Chinese food. At the path side you will find some people cooking rice on an open fire. The rice is stuffed inside the hollow core of a bamboo along with some meats, vegetables and spices. The bamboo tube is sealed and placed on the fire to cook. This is a popular traditional meal for the local people. There are also hotels with panorama views of the rice terraces.
Longsheng Hot Spring. A naturally hot spring and spa. It is recommended that you visit in winter or spring.
Wu Pai River Drifting, (2 hours north of Guilin (in Zi Yuan County)), +86 773 4315888. White water rafting down the scenic Wu Pai River in Zi Yua county.
Guilin Shangri-la park, (Halfway along the road between Guilin and Yangshuo). Set in beautiful scenery, this ethnic theme park tries to introduce visitors to the wide range of local nationalities and their cultures. A short boat trip will take you around the butterfly lake. On the way, various performances are staged on the shore of the lake, demonstrating different aspects of the culture. The boat will drop you off at the 'village' where you can see displays of local crafts including weaving, embroidery, buffalo horn carving and calligraphy. These crafts are produced on site and you may watch them working.
Butterfly Caves, +86 773 8811466, 8811498, 8811469, 8829978 (silinj@glhdq.com, fax: +86 773 881498, 8829978). A pair of shear sided mountains surrounded by a butterfly themed park. One of the mountains has a cave running through the core of it. Inside this cave are many strange rock formations including stalagmites and stalactites. One particularly unusual formation is shaped like a butterfly, lending the hill it's name. A rope bridge connects from the cave's exit over to the other mountain. At the side of the bridge, a waterfall cascades down the mountain side. The path takes you around the summit of the second peak and down to the gardens below. A dance performance greets each tour party here. The final stage is a walk inside a netted area in which a large variety of butterflies may be observed.
The Guilin Merryland World Resort, located about 1 hours drive north of Guilin offers two attractions:
Golf Course, +86 773 6229898 (fax: +86 773 6229906). Beautiful golf course with 27 holes. A bit on the expensive side but well worth the money.
Theme Park.
The optimum time to travel in Guilin is from April to October. However, try to avoid the two golden weeks, namely May Day (1 May to 7 May) and National Day (1 October to 7 October), when all the people in China seem to move around. Also Spring Festival in January or February should also be avoided since more and more families take a trip rather than staying at home as before. At these times you can expect difficulties with hotel reservations, ticket booking and traffic conditions and prices are frequently much higher.
Detailed information about the Average, Maximun and Minimum Temperatures and the rainfall in Guilin.
January 11 C to 4 C
February 12 C to 6 C
March 16 C to 10 C
April 21 C to 15 C
May 26 C to 19 C
June 30 C to 22 C
July 32 C to 24 C
August 32 C to 23 C
September 30 C to 21 C
October 25 C to 16 C
November 19 C to 11 C
December 14 C to 6 C
Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (IATA: KWL, ICAO: ZGKL), is the airport serving Liangjiang, about 28 km (17.4 miles) southwest from Guilin City, Guangxi, China
Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL) is about 28 kilometers (about 17.4 miles) from the city center. About 50 airlines connect Guilin with domestic cities as well as foreign countries such as Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, etc. In particular, airlines schedule several flights daily to and from major cities in China like Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Guiyang, Haikou, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Kunming, Macau, Nanjing, Nanning, Qingdao, Sanya, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Taiyuan, Wuhan, Xian, Zhengzhou, Dalian, Shantou, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Tianjin, Jinan, Wenzhou, Changsha, Fuzhou, and Zhuhai.
The airport shuttle bus runs between the airport and the Civil Aviation Mansion located at No.18 Shanghai Road and the bus fare is about RMB 20. The airport shuttle bus leaves for the city center following the flight arrivals. In the city center the airport shuttle bus leaves for the airport every 30 minutes from 06:30 to 20:00. Remember to take the bus two hours before your fight. It costs about RMB 80 for taking taxi. Ticket Office: Airport Terminal of Guilin Liangjiang International Airport. Ticket Booking Telephone (Enquiry): 0773-2152222
Airlines and other destinations of Guilin
International
AirAsia (Kuala Lumpur-Sepang)
Air Macau (Macau)
Asiana Airlines (Seoul-Incheon)
Bangkok Airways (Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi)
China Eastern Airlines (Seoul-Incheon)
China Southern Airlines (Hong Kong)
Dragonair (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Airlines (Hong Kong)
Domestic
Air China (Beijing-Capital, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai-Hongqiao)
China Eastern Airlines (Hangzhou, Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai-Hongqiao, Xi'an)
China Southern Airlines (Beijing-Capital, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Kunming, Nanjing, Nanyang, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Xiamen, Zhuhai)
East Star Airlines (Wuhan)
Hainan Airlines (Beijing-Capital, Haikou, Lanzhou)
Shandong Airlines (Hangzhou)
Shanghai Airlines (Shanghai-Hongqiao)
Shenzhen Airlines (Guangzhou, Kunming, Shenzhen, Wuxi)
Kunpeng Airlines (Nanning, Wuzhou)
Sichuan Airlines (Chengdu)
Spring Airlines (Shanghai-Pudong)
Xiamen Airlines (Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guiyang, Xiamen)
To be able to travel to Guilin you need to have a valid China Visa, issue from your local government at the China Embassy, Chinese visa fall into four types: diplomatic visa, courtesy visa, service visa and ordinary visa. Ordinary visa is further divided into the following 8 categories each marked with a letter:
(1) Tourist and family visit visa (L-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China for tourist purpose, family visit or other personal affairs.
(2) Business Visa (F-visa ) is issued to a foreign citizen who is invited to China for visit, research, lecture, business, exchanges in the fields of science, technology, education, culture and sports, or attending various kinds of trade fairs or exhibitions, or short-term study, intern practice for a period of no more than 6 months.
(3) Student Visa (X-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China for the purpose of study or advanced study for a period of six or more months.
(4) Work Visa (Z-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China to work and his or her accompanying family members, or to give commercial performances in China.
(5) Transit Visa (G-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who is to transit through China on his or her way to a third country (or region).
(6) Crew Visa(C-visa)is issued to crew member performing his/her duties on board an international train, or on an international airliner, to a sailor on board an international ocean-liner or freighter, and also to their accompanying family members..
(7) Journalist Visa (J-visa)is issued to foreign journalists. J-visa has two categories: J-1 visa and J-2 visa. J-1 visa is issued to resident foreign journalists in China and their accompanying spouses and under-age children, J-2 visa to foreign journalists who visit China for temporary news coverage.
(8) Permanent Residence Visa(D-visa)is issued to a foreign citizen who has been approved by China's public security authority to reside in China permanently.
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