Top Things to Do in Guilin: Guide to the Best Experiences

If this is your first trip to Guilin, don't try to see everything.

With only 2–3 days, your time is best spent on the Li River and Yangshuo. Add the Longji Rice Terraces if you have 4 days or more. Guilin's city attractions come last.

• 2 days: Li River cruise + Yangshuo
• 3 days: Li River + 1–2 nights in Yangshuo
• 4 days: Add Longji Rice Terraces
• 5+ days: Add Longji overnight or selected Guilin city attractions

That priority matters because Guilin is not a destination where every attraction deserves equal time. The scenery that makes the region special is outside the city.

If your trip is short, we still won't suggest sacrificing Yangshuo just to collect more attractions in Guilin City.

• First, Take a Li River Cruise
• Then, Stay Overnight in Yangshuo
• Add Longji Rice Terraces Only If You Have 4+ Days
• Should You Skip Guilin City?
• Top Guilin Itineraries from 1 to 5 days

Take a Li River Cruise: This Is the Experience to Prioritize

• Route: Guilin → Yangshuo
• Duration: About 4 hours
• Departure times: Normally around 9:00 AM
• Ticket price:
• - Three-star cruise ship: CNY 215 (accommodates around 120 passengers without lunch)
• - Four-star cruise ship: CNY 360 (ideal for first-timers, which offers soft seats and a simple lunch for only 80 passengers)

If you only have time for one major Guilin experience, take the Li River cruise.

The cruise carries you through the landscape that defines the region: limestone peaks, bamboo groves, fishing villages, water buffalo, and mist over the mountains.

The famous scenery comes toward the latter part of the journey, around the Xingping section, so don't spend the whole cruise in the cabin.

For a first visit, we recommend the 4-star cruise if your budget allows. It costs more than the basic 3-star cruise but gives you a more comfortable journey, and the difference matters when you are spending hours on board with dozens fewer passengers.

The main practical point is that the cruise piers are outside central Guilin, so you need to allow extra transfer time before departure.

If you don't want to deal with the early-morning transfer or pier arrangements yourself, we can arrange the cruise and private transfer together so your day starts smoothly.

Is a Bamboo Raft Better Than the Cruise to View the Li River?

We believe the best way to experience the Li River is by cruise.

However, if you have less than two days or don't want to spend four hours on a cruise, you can go to Xingping and take a one-hour motorized bamboo raft through one of the Li River's most scenic sections.

Be aware that motorized rafts can be noisy, and most operators only allow passengers between 6 and 70 years old.

For a real leisure and traditional experience, you should try the bamboo raft on the Yulong River, where the raft is propelled by a boatman, allowing you to enjoy a tranquil moment of peace while appreciating the stunning karst landscape and countryside scenery.

6-Day Hong Kong and Guilin Highlights Tour Hong Kong - Guilin

Stay in Yangshuo for at Least One Night: A Day Trip Is Too Rushed

Don't treat Yangshuo as just the place where your Li River cruise ends.

The biggest reason to stay overnight is time.

During the day, the main roads and scenic spots can be busy. Before 7:00 AM, the countryside is much quieter, giving you time to walk, cycle, or simply sit down for breakfast with the karst mountains in front of you.

You can:

• Cycle or take an e-bike through village roads.
• Take a bamboo raft on the Yulong River.
• Hike Xianggong Mountain for a panoramic view.
• Walk through rice fields and small villages.
• Stop beside the river and watch water buffalo grazing.

Looking for adventurous activities? You can also try:

• Via Ferrata: Suitable for beginners to climb safely along limestone cliffs using fixed cables and ladders, and rewards you with panoramic views that few have experienced.
• Rock Climbing: Yangshuo has become one of China's best-known climbing destinations, with hundreds of established routes suitable for both beginners and experienced climbers. Given the entry-level requirements for rock climbing, we recommend hiring a guide to facilitate smooth communication with the instructor.
• Cave Exploration: Unlike the well-lit Reed Flute Cave or Silver Cave, we offer tours that focus on exploration rather than sightseeing, including underground rivers, rope descents, and narrow limestone passages.
• White-Water Drifting: If you're visiting during the summer months from June to August, dare yourself to go Longjing River Drifting, which is incredibly thrilling and shows a completely different side of Guilin from the peaceful Li River and Yulong River.

Yangshuo works because you have enough time to slow down. If you only make a day trip from Guilin, most of that flexibility disappears into transportation and sightseeing stops.

5-Day Guilin Family TourEndless Fun in the Countryside

Add Longji Rice Terraces Only If You Have 4+ Days

• From Guilin: About 2–2.5 hours by private car each way.
• Minimum time: 1 full day.
• When to visit:
• - Mid-May to early June: Flooded terraces reflect the sky like mirrors.
• - Mid-June to mid-September: Vibrant green rice fields.
• - Late September to mid-October: Golden terraces before harvest around October 10th to 25th.
• - Late October to April: Nothing more than the brown empty fields (and maybe snow during the coldest days from December to February).

Longji is worth adding because it gives you something the Li River cannot: mountain villages and terraced farmland rather than river scenery.

But it costs you a full day, and half of it is on the road.

That is why we would skip Longji on a 2–3 day Guilin trip and spend that time around Yangshuo instead.

How Long Should I Spend in Longji Rice Terraces?

If you enjoy hiking, consider staying one night. 

Instead of arriving with the day-trippers and leaving after lunch, you can walk along stone paths between houses built into the mountainside, and see the terraces in the softer evening light and again the following morning.

However, if you only have one day for Longji and don't want to spend hours changing buses, we can arrange a private transfer from Guilin and time the visit around the best viewpoints and your walking ability.

Which Rice Terraces Should I Visit? Ping'an or Dazhai?

For a first visit, choose based on your priority rather than trying to see both.

Choose Ping'an if you want more hiking and classic terrace viewpoints with less touristy.

Choose Dazhai/Jinkeng if you want larger-scale terraces and easy access. Dazhai has a cable car option, which can save significant uphill walking when operating.

Don't try to squeeze both areas into a single day. They are not directly connected by a simple scenic shuttle route, so doing both can turn a beautiful day into a transportation exercise.

Treat Guilin City as a Half-Day Add-On, Not the Main Trip

We suggest putting Guilin City as the gateway to Guilin's landscapes, but not the destination itself.

This doesn't mean Guilin City is not worth visiting. The city's attractions are enjoyable, especially on your arrival or departure day, but they shouldn't replace the river and countryside experiences that define Guilin's rural theme.

Choose one or two of these rather than trying to visit them all.

• Elephant Trunk Hill (1–2 hours): This is Guilin's best-known city landmark and is easy to fit into a short itinerary. Since the scenic area is currently free to enter, to avoid the crowds, you can find a nearby rooftop café to appreciate it from a distance and have a wider view of the entire "elephant" shape.
• Reed Flute Cave (1–2 hours): Choose this if you enjoy caves or need a good rainy-day alternative, instead of every Guilin list tells you it is a "must-see." The cave is known for its stalactites and stalagmites, which are illuminated inside, great for families with children interested in geology.
• Two Rivers and Four Lakes (Best After Dark): Great for a stroll during the day, and even better for a 1-hour night cruise to see the illuminated bridges, pagodas, and waterfront. If you don't like the cruise, simply walking part of the route often gives you freedom to stop for photos.
• Jingjiang Princes' Palace (For History Lovers): Choose this only if you are genuinely interested in Chinese history. The site was a Ming-dynasty princely residence, and Duxiu Peak inside the complex gives you a panoramic view over central Guilin.
• Daxu Ancient Town (Half a Day): Daxu is a better choice if you want to see an old riverside market town rather than a polished tourist attraction. Its long bluestone street, old houses, and riverside docks reflect its history as an important trading town along the Li River.

4-Day Guilin Scenic and Ethnic Discovery The Landscape in Painting

The Best Guilin Itinerary Depends on How Much Time You Have

Only Have 1 Day in Guilin: Focus on Yangshuo

With just one day in Guilin, trying to see everything meaning exhaust yourself, rushing from sight to sight.

Choose one major landscape experience to see what Guilin is famous for, which is typically around Yangshuo, then leave room to enjoy it without rushing.

If You Have 2–3 Days: Best for First-Time Visitors

Having 2–3 days gives you enough time to explore both Guilin city and its defining landscapes without feeling rushed, and offers the best balance between sightseeing and relaxation.

If You Have 4–5 Days: Add Longji Instead of More City Attractions

You may only want to delve into Li River and Yangshuo with only 2-3 days, while Longji Rice Terraces can become a rewarding addition when your travel length stretches to 4-5 days.

Your itinerary continues the leisurely, relaxed pace, allowing you to experience the culture of the Yao ethnic minority and witness the spectacular agricultural marvel of the terraced fields.