Guilin Travel Guide: Li River Karst Mountains, Yangshuo & the Longji Rice Terraces

The mountains around Guilin look like something from a Chinese ink painting — because for over a thousand years, they were the subject of those paintings. Razor-sharp limestone karst peaks rising from flat rice paddies, their reflections shimmering in the Li River below, mist curling around their summits at dawn. This landscape is printed on China’s 20-yuan note for a reason.

But Guilin rewards those who venture beyond the postcard. Cycle through bamboo groves in Yangshuo. Climb to the Longji rice terraces in morning cloud. Squeeze through a cave lit by coloured lights. Float a bamboo raft on the Yulong River in silence.

Table of contents

The Li River Cruise

The 83km stretch of the Li River between Guilin and Yangshuo is arguably the most beautiful river journey in China.

Your options

Option 1: Official cruise boat (4–5 hours) Large cruise ships run daily from the Zhujiang Pier (25km south of Guilin city) to Yangshuo. This is the classic tourist experience — comfortable, reliable, commentary on board.

• Tickets: ¥210–¥320 depending on boat class; book via Trip.com or your hotel
• The most scenic section is the final 20km approaching Yangshuo
• Departs ~9:30am, arrives Yangshuo ~2:30pm

Option 2: Private speedboat or bamboo raft More flexible, quieter, and you can stop where you like. Arrange through your accommodation.

Option 3: Cycling from Yangshuo Many travellers reach Yangshuo first (by bus from Guilin) and then cycle north along the river — the roads are flat, the villages are real, and the scenery is the same as from the boat. A much more immersive experience.

Yangshuo (阳朔)

The small town at the end of the cruise is the real heart of the Guilin experience. Surrounded by karst peaks on all sides, criss-crossed by rivers, it has a long-established backpacker infrastructure (cheap guesthouses, cycling hire, kayak tours) alongside an increasingly polished tourist district on West Street (西街).

Activities

• Cycling: the single best thing to do. Hire a bike (¥20–¥30/day) and cycle along the Yulong River — fields of sugarcane, water buffalo, ancient bridges, and barely another tourist in sight.
• Rock climbing: Yangshuo has world-class limestone climbing. Yangshuo Mountain Retreat and ChinaClimb offer guided climbing for all levels.
• Bamboo raft on the Yulong River: shorter, quieter, and more scenic per minute than the Li River cruise.
• Impression Liu Sanjie (印象刘三姐): An enormous outdoor night performance by director Zhang Yimou, staged on the Li River with the karst mountains as backdrop. One of China’s most spectacular stage shows. Tickets ¥218–¥998; book ahead.

Longji Rice Terraces (龙脊梯田)

Two hours north of Guilin by bus, the Longji terraces are among the most photographed landscapes in China — thousands of cascading paddy terraces cut into steep mountainsides by the Zhuang and Yao minority peoples over 700 years ago.

• Best season: June–July (flooded green terraces) and September–October (golden harvest)
• Ping’an Village (壮族, Zhuang minority): well-developed tourism, good viewpoints, easier access
• Dazhai Village (红瑶, Yao minority): harder to reach, fewer tourists, the women famously maintain 2-metre-long hair
• Staying overnight: recommended — see the sunset and the misty morning. Guesthouses on the terraces are basic but clean (¥100–¥300).
• Getting there: bus from Guilin North Bus Station (¥20, ~2 hrs)

Reed Flute Cave (芦笛岩)

A large stalactite cave 5km northwest of Guilin city, festooned with coloured lights that make the mineral formations look like an alien landscape. Kitschy but undeniably impressive.

• Hours: 8:00am–6:30pm; tickets ¥85
• Getting there: Bus 3 or DiDi from city

Practical Information

Last updated: May 2026