Skip to content
Guilin InsiderA river-led guide / Guangxi

Section / what to see

Guilin sights

The karst set pieces, the river towns, and the stops that earn their place in a short trip.

12 entries / reviewed for the 2026–27 river season

In this section

12

entries in the ledger

Guilin's sights are not equally worth a day. The Li River is the reason to come; the caves are weather insurance; a few famous stops are mostly photo opportunities. These entries are ordered by what we would build a trip around, with transfer times and trade-offs stated.

Field desk / updated 14 Nov 2026

Karst peaks along the Li River between Guilin and Yangshuo
Guilin → Yangshuo / the main event/ 01

The Li River cruise

Four hours of karst through the window, one postcard bend, and a lot of boat. Here is how to choose it well.

Duration: 4–4.5 hoursDeparts: 09:00–10:00
The Elephant Trunk Hill arch meeting the river in Guilin
Xiangshan / Guilin's emblem/ 02

Elephant Trunk Hill

The city's logo in stone: a quick, pleasant stop that is best treated as a walk, not a destination.

Time needed: 1–1.5 hoursBest light: Early morning or sunset
Colourfully lit limestone formations inside Reed Flute Cave
Ludi Yan / underground/ 03

Reed Flute Cave

A big, brightly lit limestone cave: impressive geology, theatrical lighting, and a short visit.

Time needed: 1–1.5 hoursDistance: ~6 km from centre
Terraced rice paddies contouring a hillside at Longji
Longsheng / two hours north/ 04

Longji Rice Terraces

A mountain of carved water and rice, best seen as an overnight rather than a day trip.

Distance: 2–2.5 hours from GuilinEntrance: ~¥80
Bamboo raft on the Yulong River with karst hills behind
Yangshuo / bamboo raft country/ 05

Yulong River

The Li's smaller, greener sibling: rafts, stone bridges, and rice fields within cycling distance of town.

Distance: 10–15 km from YangshuoRaft: ~¥240 per raft
The Li River bending around karst peaks seen from Xianggong Hill
Near Xingping / the viewpoint/ 06

Xianggong Hill

The panorama you have seen without knowing its name: a short climb to a horseshoe bend of karst.

Climb: 20–30 minutesBest light: Sunrise or sunset
Old riverside buildings and stone lanes in Xingping
Xingping / riverside old town/ 07

Xingping Ancient Town

A small, lived-in town with the twenty-yuan view at the end of the street and far fewer tour buses than Yangshuo.

Distance: 25 km from YangshuoTime needed: Half a day
West Street in Yangshuo with shops and pedestrians
Yangshuo / the main drag/ 08

West Street, Yangshuo

The most famous street in the region is also the most commercial. Go in with the right expectations.

Time needed: 30–60 minutesBest time: Morning or after 21:00
The natural arch of Moon Hill above trees near Yangshuo
Yangshuo / the arch/ 09

Moon Hill

A limestone arch with a view, a steep staircase, and a pleasant half-day out of town.

Distance: 8 km from YangshuoClimb: 30–45 minutes
Sun and Moon Pagodas lit at night on a lake in Guilin
Guilin / after dark/ 10

Two Rivers and Four Lakes

A landscaped water circuit through the city, best done on foot at night when the pagodas light up.

Time needed: 1.5–2 hoursBest time: Dusk to 21:30
Traditional palace buildings and walls at Jingjiang Prince City in Guilin
Guilin / Ming history/ 11

Jingjiang Prince City

A walled Ming palace compound with a climbable peak inside: the best history stop in the city.

Time needed: 2 hoursClimb: 15–20 minutes
Old stone street and wooden buildings in Daxu ancient town
Lingchuan / the quiet old town/ 12

Daxu Ancient Town

A riverside market town half an hour from Guilin, with old streets and almost no foreign tourists.

Distance: 20 km from GuilinTime needed: 2–3 hours