Attractions Nearby Guilin, Day Trips and Excursions

(Guilin, Guangxi, China)

The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China is filled with attractions and a number of day trips, short breaks and possible excursions are available in Guilin. Boat trips along the Li River are extremely popular in Guilin, together with trips to the attractions of nearby Guiping, Longsheng, Nanning, Yangshuo and Wuzhou.

Located to the far south of Guilin, the beachfront attractions within the port city of Beihai are to be found on China's south-westerly coastline, where regular ferries arrive from Haikou, in the Hainan Province. Overnight buses are on offer in Guilin and more frequent buses connect Beihai with Nanning, to the north-west. It is even possible to reach Hanoi, Vietnam's capital city.

Beihai

The main attractions of Beihai tend to be very much based around its gorgeous Silver Beach, which is known for its sparking silvery white sand and lies on the very outskirts of the city, stretching for no less than 1.6 km / 1 mile. Apart from Silver Beach, families will also enjoy spending time at the Oceanorama and the Underwater World.

Guiping

Guiping is situated to the south of Guilin, between both Nanning and Wuzhou. There are many quality attractions surrounding the town of Guiping, although most tourists come here to explore the Xi Shan Park and enjoy a fairly easy mountain climb. A mere 20 km / 12 miles to the north-west of Guiping is the Dragon Pool National Forest and Park, which is nothing short of a rustic wilderness and rich in native Chinese flora and fauna. To the north, Jintiancun may also be of interest and is where Hong Xiuquan (1814 to 1864) was born, the leader of the Taiping Rebellion.

Hanoi

Address: Vietnam
As the capital of Vietnam, the city of Hanoi is an enticing mixture of East and West, and is actually surprisingly close to Guilin and to the south-west. Those who are planning an excursion to Hanoi will be rather overwhelmed by the sheer size of the city and the quantity of the attractions on offer. Museums are especially plentiful and include the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, the Natural Museum of Vietnamese History and the Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution. Hoan Kiem Lake dominates the centre of Hanoi and is just a short walk from the city's Old Quarter. Shoppers will find the best selection of shops between the lake and the cathedral.

Liuzhou

The biggest city on the Liu Jiang (Willow River), Liuzhou can be found to the south-west of Guilin and serves as an especially important Chinese railway hub. Liuzhou has its roots firmly based in the Tang Dynasty and this modern town does offer a handful of appealing attractions, such as the very tranquil Liuzhou Park, the Fish Peak Mountain (Yufeng Shan) and the neighbouring Horse Saddle Mountain (Maan Shan). Just a short distance to the south-east of Liuzhou, the Boata Shan features two spectacular seven-storey pagodas, which are perched high upon its tall peaks.

Longsheng

A three-hour bus ride from Guilin and to the north-west, Longsheng contains a colourful history, with past cultures including the Dong, the Miao, the Yao and the Zhuang civilisations. There are two main attractions around Longsheng, both attracting large numbers of tourists each year. The hot spring known as the 'wenquan' is well worth checking out, as are the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces, which stretch throughout a series of 800-metre / 2,625-foot peaks. There are also some fascinating stone formations and forest reserves around Longsheng, which may well be of interest.

Nanning

Standing to the south-west of Guilin, the modern city of Nanning serves as a popular getaway for tourists visiting from nearby Vietnam and is a much-favoured summer retreat. The Guangxi Provincial Museum is a leading attraction in Nanning and offers the rare opportunity to see some 50,000 years of provincial history, along with the largest collection of bronze drums in the world. Nanning's especially scenic Qingxiu Shan area features a mixture of lakes, lush wooded areas and small mountain peaks of less than 200 metres / 655 feet, which can be easily climbed for some superb vantage points.

Sanjiang

Sited within the Sanjiang Dong Minority Autonomous County, where it is the capital city, Sanjiang has much to offer in the way of places to explore. On the northerly outskirts, the Chengyang Wine and Rain Bridge is reputed to be the finest attraction of its kind in the entire county, out of a total of 108 different bridges. The Chengyang Wine and Rain Bridge is actually 78 metres / 48 feet in length and took more than ten years to complete. Various trekking trails lead to and from the bridge, linking nearby villages.

Yangshuo

Yangshuo is a top backpacker destination and around 65 km / 40 miles to the south of Guilin. This popular tourist town is known for its laid-back attitude and mountainous backdrop, and is far from your traditional Chinese town. Many tourists enjoy exploring the caves and temples, or renting a bicycle for the day and cycling around the countryside. Thrill seekers favour Yangshuo for its rock climbing and mountain trails. Cruises along the Li River are quite renowned and available from the Yangdi-Xingping area. Close by, the Moon Hill (Moon Mountain) and its distinctive natural archway is worth finding.

Wuzhou

Wuzhou lies at the very confluence of both the Xijiang River and the Li River, and is a major riverfront city with much traditional Chinese architecture. The Snake Repository is one of Wuzhou's most unusual attractions and each year, more than one million snakes are exported from here, to reach the restaurants of Hong Kong and Macau, where snakes are considered to be something of a local delicacy. Overlooking Wuzhou, the Western Bamboo Temple is an impressive sight, as is the Dragon Mother Temple (Longmutai Miao), which is famed for its festivals during the fifth lunar month.