Picturesque Guilin

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Guilin Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Today's Guilin weather forcast

Guilin Seasons

Guilin is in the subtropical and monsoon zone with four distinctive seasons.

Spring is warm with some rain. On rainy days, the rivers, pinnacles and the city itself can be shrouded in mist, which is especially enchanting.

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Summer in Guilin can be unpleasantly hot but the beauty is everlasting.

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Autumn is beautiful as the weather cools. Hills surrounding the city are blanketed by colors, forming a timeless beauty.

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Winter can get a bit chilly and moist. It snows occasionally. It's the low season so less crowded and cheaper to travel.

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Top 4 Guilin Attractions

Guilin History

Guilin Shire

Guilin City boasts a long history that can be traced back for 10,000 years. It was the time of the Zengpiyan People who were in the matriarchal clan society.

However, Guilin was not brought into the official prefecture until 214 B.C. when the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C.-206 B.C.) set up the Guilin Shire in this region.

Shian County

At the same time, due to the construction of the Ling Canal, Guilin became one of the gateways between the Central Plains and the Lingnan Region (current Guangdong, Guangxi and part Hunan, Jiangxi). Later, in 111 of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), the Shian County was founded in Guilin.

Three Kingdom Period

From then on, Shian (Guilin) was considered to be an important strategic spot for many ambitious schemers. During the tumultuous Three Kingdom Period (220-280), Shian was governed by the Shu State and the Wu State successively. Of course, Shian was developed to be a political center gradually.

Tang, Song, Ming & Qing

In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Shian was renamed Lingui County and built to be an impressive southern prefecture. Turn to the Song Dynasty (960-1127), the territory of this region was extended to the current Hainan Island. As for the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, the important position of the Guilin region both in economy and politics was unshakable.

Guilin Food

Guilin Dishes

Guilin Rice Noodles - The most famous local snack in Guilin, rice noodles are pliable but strong, fragrant and mellow, and cheap.

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Heye Fen Zheng Rou - A pork and rice power mixture is wrapped in lotus leaves then steamed, which infuses the rice power with a flavor of pork and the subtle aroma of lotus leaves.

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Yangshuo Beer Fish - Fish from Li river is cooked he local beer is the most popular Yangshuo. The catfish is simmered in delicious beer broth with some local vegetables.

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Stuffed Li River Snails - The snails are stuffed with minced pork and a small amount of vegetables and mint and the cooked in a light sauce. They're a little spicy.

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Gingko Stewed with Old Duck - The most important ingredients are old duck and baiguo (Gingko) which is famous Chinese medicine. Stewing makes the final soup tasty and nutritious.

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Featured Guilin Restaurants

Guilin Entertainment

Shopping

Being a major tourism nexus, Guilin is filled with souvenir buying opportunities though bargaining is a must since overcharging is common.

Clothes & shoes - The Zhengyang Walking Street close to the center square is overflowing with small boutiques. The market under the center square called "Little Hong Kong" is a maze of alleys with lots of stall offering clothes and accessories at very cheap prices.

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Souvenirs - Popular items include combs made from buffalo horns, scrolls, [painted fun] (/china-guides/chinese-culture/chinese-fun/) and [umbrellas] (/china-guides/chinese-culture/chinese-umbrella/), ethnic Zhuang clothing, bamboo carvings, jewelry and replica antiques.

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Nightlife

Nightlife in Guilin is as attractive as its natural beauty. From modern nightclubs, romantic night cruise to folk customs center on the Li River, travelers can enjoy and relax themselves thoroughly.

Guilin Map

Guilin Traffic Map

Click to view larger map

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Guilin Attraction Map

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Guilin Transportation

Get In

There are many ways to get to Guilin. Good air, train and bus services are available from most part of China and abroad.

Air - The airport is about 32 km west of Guilin. There are airport shuttles buses to the city and a taxi should be cost about RMB 80. The city has many domestic connections and some international flights.

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Train - Guilin is not well connected as Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, but has connected to most major cities. The station is located to the southeast of the city.

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Get Around

Bus - Short distance buses, such as to Yanghsuo or Xing'an, depart from the front of the railway station and the main bus station, which is north of the railway station.

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Taxi - Full size taxis are RMB 7. Most taxi rides around Guilin will be around RMB 20. Motorcycle taxis are around RMB 5 per trip.

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Bicycle - Bikes can be rented from hotels and the many bike shops lining the streets.

Elephant Trunk Hill - Shaped like a huge elephant drinking from the river with its trunk, Elephant Trunk Hill tops Guilin's hills. It's the symbol of Guilin landscape and one of the most visited attractions.

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Reed Flute Cave - Known as "the Palace of Natural Arts," Reed Flute Cave displays a spectacular world of rock formation in fantastic shapes with legendary and poetic names.

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Li River - Like a green silk ribbon with hills like jade hairpins, the meandering river takes you a past panorama of bamboo groves, sleepy villages, karst peaks and ...

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Dragon Back Rice Terrace - Built along the slope winding from the riverside up to the mountaintop, the Dragon Back Rice Terrace unfolds an amazing natural picture.

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Ling Canal - It is considered as one of China's three engineering marvels beside Great wall and Dujiangyan irrigation system. It once played a important role in ...

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Guilin Highlights List

Natural Scene

• Li River
• Diecai Hill
• Reed Flute Cave
• Fubo Hill
• Elephant Trunk Hill
• Crown Cave
• Seven Star Park
• Longsheng Hot Spring National Park
• Duxiu Peak
• Silver Cave
• Half-Side Ferry
• Pagoda Hill
• Yellow Cloth Shoal
• Snail Hill
• Forest of Odd-Shaped Peaks
• Wangfu Rock
• Merryland World

Historical Site

• Fengyu Cave
• Chengyang Bridge
• Mapang Drum Tower
• Ling Canal
• Daxu Ancient Town
• Tomb of Prince Jingjiang

Cultural Site

• Diecai Hill
• Fubo Hill
• Elephant Trunk Hill
• Seven Star Park
• Yangdi Village
• Dragon Back Rice Terrace
• Ping'an Village
• Duxiu Peak
• Yinshui Dong Village
• Pagoda Hill
• Mural Hill
• Snail Hill
• Merryland World

Guilin Highlights

Guilin FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. How is the climate of Guilin?
2. What is the best time to visit Guilin?

  Food

1. What should I pay special attention to in term of food and drink in Guilin?
2. Can I find western food in Guilin and Yangshuo?
3. What tour meals will be supplied?

  Shopping

1. Need I catch any cash?

  Travel

1. May I know more about Li River cruise?
2. What about the lodging in county-level scenic areas around Guilin City?
3. Will the shift between different scenic spots take a lot of time?

  Customs

1. Is there any taboo I need to pay attention to during my trip?

  Other Hints

1. What should be prepared about my apparel during the sightseeing of Guilin's mountains scenery?

• What is the best time to visit Guilin?

  Generally speaking, the best time to visit Guilin is between April and October, when Guilin exhibits her immortal beauty.

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• How is the climate of Guilin?

  Guilin has a subtropical monsoon climate. The most important thing to know about Guilin (and Yangshuo) weather is that it can get very hot, humid, and it rains a lot! The rainy season begins from April in Guilin City, so please carry rain gear with you. The average temperature for the year is 19.3 centigrade with a July average temperature of 28.3 degrees. The average rainfall for the year is 192.6 cm per month.

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• What should I pay special attention to in term of food and drink in Guilin?

  The local field snails are tasty and renowned. However, this snack fails to agree with everyone. Additionally, Malatang or chuanchuanxiang (a kind of spicy hot snack, somewhat like hot pot) is delicious but it should be avoided by tourists suffering intestinal tract disease.

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• Can I find western food in Guilin and Yangshuo?

  Can I find western food in Guilin and Yangshuo?

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• What tour meals will be supplied?

  Sour and spicy food dominates the tour meals provided by us and the rice serves as the main food. If you want to make some special requests, please make it clear beforehand.

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• Need I catch any cash?

  Yes. Sometimes you had better catch some cash because you can not get cash from your account through your bank card somewhere. You can ask help from the guides of our agency.

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• May I know more about Li River cruise?

  The low water period of Li River occurs from December to February of the year ensuing. During this period the Li River cruise usually starts from Yangdi to Xingping or begins with Yangdi to Dashuang and then return Yangdi.

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• What about the lodging in county-level scenic areas around Guilin City?

  The county-level scenic areas such as Yangshuo, Longsheng and Sanjiang are different from the Guilin City in term of the lodging places. The hotel accommodation is relative moist and is in a small scale, but the rooms are neatly.

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• Will the shift between different scenic spots take a lot of time?

  These scenic spots of Guilin are relatively near to another one, so you need not waste much time on the way and your sightseeing is leisurely. If you pay a visit to Yangshuo, Longsheng or Sanjiang area, it will take you more time on the way. However, you can feat your eye on the charming scenery.

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• Is there any taboo I need to pay attention to during my trip?

  The guides will inform you of the customs of ethnic groups inhabited in those scenic areas. Please respect the life and belief of the local people and avoid any conflict with them.

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• What about the lodging in county-level scenic areas around Guilin City?

  The county-level scenic areas such as Yangshuo, Longsheng and Sanjiang are different from the Guilin City in term of the lodging places. The hotel accommodation is relative moist and is in a small scale, but the rooms are neatly.

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• What should be prepared about my apparel during the sightseeing of the Guilin's mountains scenery?

  When visiting in Longsheng you may experience a mountain climbing. It is suggested that you choose a pair of suitable and comfortable and skidproof shoes. Moreover, you should climb according to your strength.

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