Li River raft or cruise?

Rafts run the Yangdi–Xingping highlight stretch — the scenery on the back of the ¥20 note. Cruises take about four hours and suit slow travellers, from around ¥210 (about $31).

Which Yulong River rafting stretch is best?

Jinlong Bridge to Jiuxian, about 1.5 hours. The 20-minute short runs are a different experience entirely. Rafts take two people and need advance booking.

Guilin North station or Guilin West station?

Guilin and Guilin North are close to town with more trains. Guilin West is far out — avoid it unless your train only goes there.

How do I avoid the beer fish pricing trap in Yangshuo?

Confirm the fish’s weight and the per-jin price (market roughly ¥80–120, about $12–18 a jin) before it goes into the wok.

How many days do you need for Guilin?

Four to five: the city and Elephant Trunk Hill, the Li River run, then Yangshuo and the Longji terraces.

When is the best season for the Longji terraces?

September turns them gold, April–May fills them with water like mirrors, and summer is a single deep green.

Guilin Travel Guide: Li River, Longji

By China On Arrival Editorial Desk · Checked and updated 2026-09-21 · Research basis: First-hand visit — photographed on location by the site owner

What is Guilin & Yangshuo known for?

Li River cruise
Yangshuo
Longji rice terraces

What do you eat in Guilin & Yangshuo?

Guilin rice noodles · Yangshuo beer fish. Guilin rice noodles and Yangshuo beer fish in a karst landscape.

How do you arrive in Guilin & Yangshuo?

KWL (Liangjiang) handle the international arrivals; Guilin West (main high-speed hub, most Yangshuo/Guiyang/Guangzhou trains) is the high-speed rail entry point.

Tips from our own trips to Guilin & Yangshuo

Into town: airport bus ¥20 or a ¥80 taxi. For high-speed arrivals use Guilin or Guilin North station — Guilin West is far out.
To Yangshuo the direct bus wins (¥27, about 1.5 h): the 22–30 minute train lands at a station 20 km from town plus a shuttle ride.
Yulong River rafts: take the Jinlong Bridge–Jiuxian stretch (about 1.5 h). The short 20-minute runs are a different experience. Rafts take two, need advance booking, and splash — bring a dry bag.
Beer fish: confirm weight and per-jin price (market roughly ¥80–120) before it hits the wok.
Rice noodles the local way: dry-toss first, add broth after. Old shops like Laodongjiang or Chongshan run ¥8–15.
E-bikes run ¥30–50 a day in Yangshuo — check the brakes before riding; the roads roll.
West Street rooms facing the street party until late — book the edge or the riverside, a week ahead in season.

From the site owner's own runs through Guilin & Yangshuo — photographed on location, updated 2026-09-21.

Where should you stay in Guilin & Yangshuo?

Elephant Trunk Hill / Two Rivers & Four Lakes is the default first-timer base — the city-sight core and night-cruise piers. Before paying, check the property's guest policy and, for smaller hotels, confirm the front desk can register a foreign passport — licensing rules still exclude some budget properties. Hotel-by-hotel picks: where to stay in Guilin & Yangshuo →

Area	Best for	The honest note
Elephant Trunk Hill / Two Rivers & Four Lakes	the city-sight core and night-cruise piers	ask for a lake-view room
Old town / Cross Bridge	food streets and night markets	budget picks cluster here
Yangshuo (outside the city)	karst-scenery days 2-3 of a 5-day route	many travelers skip Guilin hotels entirely

Area picks are editor research, verified 2026-09-21 — not sponsored placements. Book through the links below to support this site.

How do you get in from the airport?

KWL: airport bus to the center, 40-50 min, timed to flight arrivals. Guilin has no metro - buses and taxis cover the compact center; Yangshuo is a 25-min train or roughly 70-min bus away.

Plan your trip around these questions

🔍 Raft or cruise?
🔍 Longji day trip or overnight
🔍 The 5-day Guilin itinerary
🔍 Where to stay in Yangshuo
🔍 Landing at KWL: immigration, shuttle, late arrivals

Explore the Guilin & Yangshuo guides below, organised around the questions travelers ask before booking.

Which cities pair with Guilin & Yangshuo?

🔗 Chongqing — HSR about 3 h
🔗 Shanghai — flight about 2 h

Frequently asked questions about Guilin & Yangshuo

Li River raft or cruise?
Rafts run the Yangdi–Xingping highlight stretch — the scenery on the back of the ¥20 note. Cruises take about four hours and suit slow travellers, from around ¥210 (about $31).
Which Yulong River rafting stretch is best?
Jinlong Bridge to Jiuxian, about 1.5 hours. The 20-minute short runs are a different experience entirely. Rafts take two people and need advance booking.
Guilin North station or Guilin West station?
Guilin and Guilin North are close to town with more trains. Guilin West is far out — avoid it unless your train only goes there.
How do I avoid the beer fish pricing trap in Yangshuo?
Confirm the fish’s weight and the per-jin price (market roughly ¥80–120, about $12–18 a jin) before it goes into the wok.
How many days do you need for Guilin?
Four to five: the city and Elephant Trunk Hill, the Li River run, then Yangshuo and the Longji terraces.
When is the best season for the Longji terraces?
September turns them gold, April–May fills them with water like mirrors, and summer is a single deep green.