Guilin

Guilin's landscape is the stuff of Chinese paintings come to life. The city and its surroundings are defined by dramatic karst peaks that rise like ancient sentinels from emerald-green rice paddies and winding rivers. A cruise along the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful river journeys in the world.

Yangshuo, a charming town at the end of the Li River cruise, has become a destination in its own right. Surrounded by towering limestone peaks, it offers cycling through rural villages, bamboo rafting, and the spectacular Impression Liu Sanjie — a large-scale outdoor light show directed by Zhang Yimou, set against the natural backdrop of the Li River.

The region is home to diverse ethnic minorities, including the Zhuang and Yao peoples, whose terraced rice fields at Longji (Dragon's Backbone) are among the most photographed landscapes in China. Guilin's cuisine features rice noodles as its staple — Guilin rice noodles are a beloved breakfast dish across all of southern China.