China is a Mission.
However if you managed the first time, it will open up a range of new typography of landscape which you cannot experience anywhere else in the world. A kind reminder many public transport as no english so having someone that can read Chinese will be useful.
Guangxi is known for its beautiful rivers, caves and towering karst formations. Boat cruises on the Li River connect Guilin and Yangshuo, cities punctuated by toothlike karst peaks. For your first time in this region I would recommend 2 nights in Guilin and 2 nights in Yangshuo for a more leisurely schedule. Although Easter is a decent time to come you will get a bit of rain and fog. The best time to come according to the locals is Autumn but please avoid any public holidays in China as it will get so unpleasantly crowded.
As the tourists sites span across 2 cities I will list them out as per my day to day schedule so you understand the flow of each day.
Transport
City Get Around: There are Taxis and Uber like apps in China which you can use pretty easily. More will be explained at the bottom of the page
Between Cities: The easiest way really is to hire a car for the day. We had a day by ourselves in Guilin and a private car hire for 3 days. The cost for the 7 seater was RMB 2500. This may change if you include LongXi Rice Field as it is further away in a different direction.
Day One (Guilin)
Inbound Travel:
There are direct trains from Hong Kong West Kowloon to Guilin West station daily, however they are only operates in the monring and it takes around 3.5hrs. If you are travelling in the afternoon you can easily transit in either Guangzhou South or Shenzhen North. If you book through an agent this will take around 4.5hrs as their standard is to allow 45-50 mins for transit, but according to our experience 20-30 mins is more than enough if you book by yourself. Reminder that physical tickets are not required as they are all linked to your travel documents (ID or Passport) so keep them close by to enter the gates.
Check-in @ Sheraton Guilin:
Guilin City has a relatively small city centre and most if the tourist sites can be reached on foot. Sheraton Guilin is pretty bang in the middle and I really have no complaint. The drive from Guilin West to Sheraton is about 40 mins.
正陽步行街 / 東西巷 ( Zheng Yang Walking Street / East West Lane)
By the time we settled down and rested it was already 7:00pm so we decided to head to Zheng Yang Walking Street for some street food. This is one of the main pedestrian street going through the middle of Guilin and its full of restaurants and seafood. You can start from the Sun & Moon Tower side and wonder towards the East West Lane area. East West Lane is an area composed of tradition Chinese alleyways and lanes. It is now full of trendy cafes, souvenir shops and live music bar. Note that Zheng Yang Walking Street only comes alive in the evening.
十里音樂酒吧 ( Ten Mile Music Bar)
Right next to the Sheraton Guilin is this local music bar with live band covering local and international songs depending on the crowd. Great vibes and perfect for a night cap. Note that you can only order via the app and there is a minimum of 6 bottles if you are getting beers. This is the same for most music bars in China.
Day Two (Guilin)
Today is a full day of Guilin sightseeing and we have decided on to hire the private car as most things are in walkable distance and we want to try if all our apps are working properly.
I also managed to sample some good Asian options as I was started to miss them after a week in Germany
秋福米粉 (Qiufu Rice Noodles Restaurant)
One of the most famous dish in the region is the Guilin Rice Noodle. They are in the shape of spaghetti and it could be eaten in 2 ways. The traditional way is that you eat them with your preferred condiments as dry stirred noodles, and then you top it up with soup to wash it all down. In the menu you can order the noodle according to the size you want (red writing) and the add on additional toppings (blue writing) such as Chinese sausage and eggs). If you want more meat thats the last option on the menu. This is one of the highest rated restaurants in the area and opens early.
象鼻山景區 (Elephant Trunk Hill)
One of the key visuals of Guilin is the Elephant Trunk Hill. As the name suggested it is a Hill that looks like an Elephant Trunk on the Li River. The most popular place to take pictures is across the pond and it is honestly hard to miss as you will see the sea of people miles aways. There is an option to go on to the hill itself and I certainly recommend it if you have time as you can get away from the crowd and truly take your time to explore this iconic natural beauty.
If you wish to take picture of the Cormorant Fishing this is also a good place to do it since it is a relatively unobstructed view. Most other places we been to are either in front of a banister or just not the best scene.
芦笛岩 (Reed Flute Cave)
30 mins drive away from Elephant Trunk Hill is the Reed Flute Cave. There are a few caves in the region and this is certainly the biggest one and the best one to get into. The drive is about RMB 20 and once you get there there is and option of paying extra for the tram. Also there is an extra cave you can do with moving visuals which is cool on video but entirely unnecessary. This is a 2-3hr thing.
獨秀峯王城景區 (Solitary Beauty Peak Prince City Scenic Area)
Situated inside the Prince City Park is another unique hill in the city center. It is a free-standing, steep-sided limestone peak with steps to the top, overlooking a Ming dynasty mansion.
日月雙塔 (Sun and Moon Pagodas)
The Sun and Moon Pagodas are twin pagodas located in Guilin, Guangxi, China. Originally built in the city moat of Guilin during the Tang dynasty, the pagodas were reconstructed in 2001 using historical records as the centrepiece of Riyue Shuangta Cultural Park, a park themed around the unity of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.
桂林·九月民谣 (September Folk Music) Another live music bar tuck inside the East West Lane catered to a seemingly younger crowd.
Day Three (Yangshuo)
Today is a relatively early start as we have to head to Yangshuo. Most tour guide will suggest pick up no later than 9:00am
杭州小籠包蒸餃 (Hangzhou Xiao Long Bao and Dumplings)
I was very much against western hotel breakfast whilst in China so I went behind the hotel and found a little takeaway bun place. All of the stuff is made freshly there by the door so I know it is good.
大圩古镇 (Daxu Ancient Town)
Located approximately 20 km southeast of Guilin, near the bank of the Li River, Daxu is noted for its well preserved ancient buildings, worn bluestone streets and traditional culture.
Though a quaint, off the beaten path village, Daxu offers many interesting sites to be explored. From ancient temples to stone streets to a historic market, Daxu is a paradise for lovers of history and antiquities.
The other famous old town is Xingping Ancient Town and to be honest if you are not too bothered which one you go Daxu could be a better option as it is well less crowded.
興坪古鎮 (Xingping Ancient Town) / Li River Tour
This is the disembarking point for most Li River tours and it will take you to most signature sites including the one featured on the RMB 20 Note. However as it was so crowded we didn't even bother going into the old town itself. We literally forgot and wanted to get out.
劉姐啤酒魚 (Liujie Beer Fish)
This is a place recommended by our tour guide right next to the port in XingPing. Although it is a chain, it is a solid option as he knows it is always busy so the fish will be fresh.
Check-in @ 陽朔水岸花園江景飯店 (Li River Resort):
I must say this is one of the best finds on the trip as the other hotel (Sugar House) we are staying at was way more expensive. This hotel is definitely catered to more international travellers but nonetheless it is 10 mins away from Yangshuo City Center and the view is just unravelled. The view below is from my balcony and for RMB 650 a night it is a bargain. The peace and quiet was a god sent after a full day of touristing.
陽朔西街 (Yangshuo West Street)
Yangshuo is definitely more happening than Guilin as it was pack over the weekend as it is a prime destination even amongst the local. West Street is the main area and its is very happening all around the area.
蜀大俠 Hotpot Restaurant
We actually wanted to go to 牛鼎記潮汕牛肉火鍋 but everything was sold out by 8:30pm so we had to go across the road to 蜀大俠 instead. The food was good but there was no aircon.
舒心足道 Food Massage
A relatively high rated massage parlour 5-10 min walk from West Street. I was very happy with my technician for the 2hr foot massage.
Day Three (Yangshuo)
Another big day in Yangshuo and we started our day at 10:00am. Note that the shortcut to our hotel actually have entry restriction between 11:00am to 3:00pm so we had to leave early anyways.
十里畫廊 / 大榕樹 (Ten Mile Gallery / Big Banyan Tree)
One of the more lack luster sites in Yangshou but we were there anyways we may as well. The Ten Mile Gallery is a strip of scenic man-made attractions aimed to give tourists something to do. The only thing I was really interested in was the Banyan Tree
如意峰 (Ruyi Peak)
One of the more scenic and interested attraction peaks in the region with cable cars and glass bridges. Certainly worth making a trip if you have time.
月亮山 (Moon Peak)
This is something you drive pass for the unique cavity in the mountain and it resembles a crescent moon depending on how you look at it.
拐哥鼎鍋飯 (Guaige Pot Rice)
One of the most popular restaurants in the area serving their fresh chicken and bamboo rice. Expect a queue of 30 min. You will get your number called first to order, and then wait again for the table. Tried their Scramble Egg with Tree Bark and their Chicken Two Ways (Bamboo Soup and Clay Pot Chicken).
遇龍河 (Yulong River Rafting)
A popular destination for Bamboo Rafting. There are many points where you can embark so ask your driver if you have a preference.
Check-in @ 陽朔糖舍度假酒店 (Aurua Sugarhouse Resort):
This was one of the highlights of our trip as this hotel was voted one of the most beautiful resort in the world. The name has changed a few times as there was a management change but for now it is Aurua. It was RMB 2600 a night which was very expensive for China. The only two complaints I have is that is is not really a relaxing hotel like the Li Resort as there was a lot of visitors and the breakfast lounge was busy all the time. The other is that unless you are staying in one of the Villas, the main accommodation building is actually by the main road. As beautiful as the building was you could hear each car going pass. It was not loud enough to stop me from sleeping but you can definitely hear it.
印象.劉三姐 (Impression Sanjie Liu)
Different from other shows in an enclosed space, the show - Impression of Liu Sanjie stages in the actual Li River which stretches 2 km (1.25 miles). The mist, moonlight, together with 12 Karsts peaks and their inverted reflections in the river all creates a spectacular natural backdrop. The large-scaled lights system, special smoke-effect system and the overwhelming sound system in harmony with the natural landscape presents a visual feast to audience. It is a thing to do and impressive but it was quite boring for me.
大師傅金牌啤酒魚 (Master Gold Beer Fish)
A well known spots serving Guilin specialities on West Street.
Day Four (Departure from Guilin)
We were going to do another peak but to be honest our hotel was so nice and the we already packed a lot in for 4 days, we have decided to stay at the hotel and enjoy the facilities before our late afternoon departure.
Note that there is actually a station in Yangshuo so technically you can leave from there (No direct trains to HK).
Housekeeping
To explore China, you will need to have the below apps before you even set foot into the country. Note that a lot of these are interlinked so not all are essential but what I recommend.
An spare phone charger is also essential as if you are basically useless without your phone.
Wechat: Some payment can only be made on Wechat and not AliPay so it is better to have both.
Alipay: Most payment will be made on this so link it to your credit card.
大眾點評: OpenRice for China
高德地圖: Google Map does not work in China so you will need to download this. It has it own venue ratings so 大眾點評 is optional. You can also book cars via 高德地圖 so need to link it to your Alipay or Wechat Pay.
CTrip攜程旅行: This is a platform for all your travel needs such as hotels and train tickets.
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