Guilin

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Bamboo raft on Li River, Guilin, Yangshou, China

Getty Images/RooM RF

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Overview

Guangxi's second-largest city, Guilin (桂林, Guìlín) has the hallmarks of most Chinese megalopolises, but it feels much more relaxed given its spectacular setting among the jagged-peak limestone karsts that surround it. It was China's first city to develop tourism after 1949, and for decades, children's textbooks proclaimed 'Guilin's landscape is the best under heaven' (桂林山水甲天下). It was the darling of Chinese politicians, the star city proudly presented to visiting dignitaries. Today Guilin's natural endowments still amaze, yet, thanks to imperfect urban planning, there is a pervasive feeling that the city is past its prime.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Rong Lake

Guilin

Rong Lake (literally, Banyan Lake), named for an ancient Chinese banyan on its shore, and its adjoining Shan Lake are an oasis of calm in the urban hub of…

Bajiaozhai National Geopark

Guilin

This park is named after eight Danxia stone peaks that lie near the border with Hunan. Round, isolated, featuring ringlike troughs and leaning 45 degrees…

Elephant Trunk Hill

Guilin

At the southern end of Guilin where the Li River and the Taohua River converge is one of Guilin's best-promoted sights, Elephant Trunk Hill. Unlike other…

Jiangtouzhou Ancient Town

Guilin

The 1000-year-old village of Jiangtouzhou is tucked away among farmland 32km north of Guilin. The mostly abandoned village has layers of old-world charm,…

Sun & Moon Twin Pagodas

Guilin

Elegantly embellishing the scenery of Shan Lake, the Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas, beautifully illuminated at night, are the highlight of a stroll around…

Guilin Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area

Guilin

Tianmen (not to be confused with Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan) is home to proud cliffs, sharp ravines and dramatic waterfalls of Danxia…

Folded Brocade Hill

Guilin

Folded Brocade Hill affords some of Guilin's best views, complemented by restored pavilions, some originally dating from the Ming dynasty. Climb the stone…

East Gate

Guilin

About 1km north of Folded Brocade Hill is the partly reconstructed East Gate, flanked by sections of the original wall. To reach the gate, it’s a short…

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