Best Things to Do in Guilin (2026 Guide)

Top Attractions in Guilin

Li River Cruise, Guilin

Tap a landmark for its full 2026 guide — tickets, hours and how to get there.

Last updated: July 22, 2026. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you book a hotel or buy something through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep this site running, and I only point to things I would genuinely use myself. Thank you for the support.

Guilin is the face of China’s most famous landscape – the dreamlike karst mountains that appear on the back of the 20-yuan note and in a thousand ink paintings. Set in the northeast of Guangxi, the city sits among thousands of limestone peaks that rise straight out of the plains and river valleys, threaded by the emerald Li River and surrounded by terraced rice fields that ripple over the hills. For scenery alone, few places in the country come close.

The city itself is relaxed and green, laced with lakes and rivers, and it works best as a base for the real draw: cruising the Li River, cycling the countryside around Yangshuo, and climbing the dragon-backbone rice terraces to the north. With a new high-speed rail line and a growing visa-free transit policy for many travelers, Guilin is easier to reach than ever. Here is how I would spend the time.

Quick Cost Overview

Prices as of 22 Jul 2026 — rates change by season/demand, confirm current price before booking. Amounts shown are the official or gate-listed CNY (¥) price with an approximate USD conversion at ¥6.78 = US$1 (open.er-api.com, checked 22 Jul 2026).

Book Tours & Activities in Guilin

Cruise the Li River to Yangshuo

The Li River cruise is the definitive Guilin experience and one of the great boat trips in Asia. Over four or five hours, you drift downstream through a corridor of sculpted karst peaks, bamboo groves, water buffalo, and fishermen on rafts – the exact scene printed on the 20-yuan note appears near Xingping. Book a boat from Guilin’s pier and end in Yangshuo, and try to go on a clear day when the mist lifts off the peaks.

Base Yourself in Yangshuo and Cycle the Countryside

Yangshuo, at the downstream end of the cruise, is the beating heart of the Guilin region for independent travelers – a small riverside town ringed by some of the most spectacular scenery in China. Rent a bike or e-scooter and roll out along the Yulong River, past rice paddies and karst spires, or raft a quiet stretch on a bamboo punt. It is more relaxed and more beautiful than the city itself, and worth at least a night.

Climb the Longji Rice Terraces

Two hours north of Guilin, the Longsheng “Dragon’s Backbone” rice terraces coil around the hillsides in staggering green (or, in autumn, gold) contour lines – one of the most photographed landscapes in China. Villages of the Zhuang and Yao minorities cling to the ridges, and well-marked trails link viewpoints above the terraces. It makes a long but unforgettable day trip, or an overnight if you want the dawn light.

Explore Reed Flute Cave

On the edge of the city, Reed Flute Cave is a vast limestone cavern packed with dramatic stalactites and stone columns, all lit in shifting colored light that turns the chambers into something otherworldly. A guided path loops past a still underground pool that mirrors the formations. It is touristy but genuinely striking, and an easy add-on to a day in the city.

Climb Solitary Beauty Peak and See the Elephant

Right in the center of Guilin, a handful of famous hills reward a short climb. Solitary Beauty Peak rises inside a former Ming princes’ mansion, with a steep stairway to a sweeping view over the city and river. Nearby, Elephant Trunk Hill – a rock formation that looks exactly like an elephant dipping its trunk into the Li River – is the city’s enduring symbol and a classic photo stop.

Wander the Two Rivers and Four Lakes at Night

Guilin’s downtown is wrapped by a linked network of rivers and lakes, and after dark the shoreline path glows with lit pagodas, arched bridges, and the twin Sun and Moon Pagodas reflected in the water. A gentle night cruise or a stroll along the banks is the loveliest way to end a day – cool, scenic, and free if you walk it.

Book a Guided Tour or Day Trip

Guilin’s highlights are spread across rivers, caves, and mountain terraces that take some logistics to string together, so a guided tour or day trip earns its keep here – handling the Li River boat booking, the long drive to Longji, and the timing for the best light. A local guide also brings the minority villages and the region’s history to life in a way that is hard to get on your own.

Where to Stay in Guilin

Klook.com

Where you sleep depends on whether you want city convenience or countryside calm.

Central Guilin around the Two Rivers and Four Lakes keeps you near the pagodas, the pier for the Li River cruise, and the high-speed rail connections, with a full range of hotels within walking distance of the waterfront.

In Yangshuo you trade city bustle for karst-peak views, riverside guesthouses, and easy access to cycling and rafting – the better base if the countryside is your priority.

What to Pack

Guilin is humid and green, with warm, rainy summers and cool, misty winters, so pack light layers, a compact rain shell, and comfortable shoes for cave paths and terrace trails. China runs on 220V outlets with Type A/C/I plugs, so bring a universal travel adapter to keep your phone and camera charged through long days on the river and in the hills. And because a Li River cruise plus a countryside cycle can run all day with nowhere to plug in, a slim power bank keeps your maps and camera alive from dawn light to the night pagodas.

Getting Around

Guilin is well connected: high-speed trains link it to Guangzhou, Nanning, and beyond, and Guilin Liangjiang Airport handles domestic and some regional flights. For the sights, the Li River cruise runs from the city pier to Yangshuo, buses and day tours reach the Longji terraces, and Yangshuo itself is best explored by bike or e-scooter. In the city, taxis and ride-hailing are cheap. Give the region two to three days to enjoy the river, the terraces, and Yangshuo without rushing.

Guilin Prices at a Glance — as of July 15, 2026 (USD)

All prices below were checked on July 15, 2026, shown in US dollars (local currency in brackets), converted at roughly ¥6.77 to US$1. See the Quick Cost Overview table near the top of this guide for the latest per-attraction admission prices, checked 22 Jul 2026.

Attractions & museums

The classic Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is about $32 (¥215) on a 3-star boat, or roughly $53–71 (¥360–480) on a 4-star boat, for a 4–5 hour trip. Reed Flute Cave is about $12–13 (¥82–90). Elephant Trunk Hill is about $8 (¥55) general admission (some 2026 visitor reports cite free QR-code entry – confirm on-site). The Sun and Moon Pagodas are about $20 (¥135, approx.) in the evening, Seven-Star Park about $9 (¥60), and the Longji (Longsheng) Rice Terraces about $12 (¥80).

Getting around

City buses are a flat $0.30 (¥2). The airport shuttle is about $3 (¥20) and a taxi from the airport about $12–15 (¥80–100) for the 40–50 minute ride; taxi flag-fall in town is around $1.50 (¥10, approx.). The bus from Guilin to Yangshuo is about $3.70–4.40 (¥25–30) over ~1.5 hrs. High-speed rail: Guilin–Guangzhou second class runs about $24–47 (¥164–320, ~2.5–5.5 hrs depending on train type) and Guilin–Nanning about $15 (¥100, ~1.5 hrs).

Signature activities

Beyond the Li River cruise, a Yulong River bamboo raft near Yangshuo is about $15–34 (¥100–230), and Guilin’s Two Rivers and Four Lakes night cruise is about $28–37 (¥190–250, varies by operator).

Food (per person)

A bowl of Guilin rice noodles is about $1.50–2 (¥10–15); street snacks $2–4 (¥15–30); a casual local restaurant $6–12 (¥40–80); mid-range dining $15–30 (¥100–200); and higher-end from about $44 (¥300+).

Accommodation (per night)

Hostel dorms are about $7–18 (¥50–120) a night; three-star hotels about $27–52 (¥180–350); four- and five-star about $59–118 (¥400–800); and luxury such as the Shangri-La from about $221 (¥1,500+).

Prices vary by season, day of week and demand — always confirm the current price before booking. The live Klook activity and hotel widgets above show up-to-date rates.

Where to Eat in Guilin (Updated July 15, 2026)

• Chongshan Rice Noodles (屈善米粉) — central Guilin; classic Guilin rice noodles (mifen). About $1.50–2 (¥10–15) per person. $
• Cloud 9 Restaurant (九霞云外) — West Street, Yangshuo; Yangshuo beer fish and local dishes, with cooking classes. About $9–18 (¥60–120) per person. $$
• Mrs. Xie’s Beer Fish (谢大姐啤酒鱼) — Yangshuo; 20-plus-year beer-fish specialist with grass carp. About $10–19 (¥70–130) per person. $$
• Xiaozhao Beer Fish (小赵啤酒鱼) — Yangshuo; beer-fish made with fresh local fish. About $9–18 (¥60–120) per person. $$

Related Guides

• Best Things to Do in Beijing
• Best Things to Do in Kunming
• Best Things to Do in Shanghai
• Best Things to Do in Qingdao
• How to Use DiDi in China
• How to Ride Taiwan's High-Speed Rail