Li River cruise
The Li River is the connecting waterway between Guilin and Yangshuo, which originates on a mountain northeast of Guilin.
The crystal clear Li River is sandwiched between sheer cliffs dotted with few cascades. A cruise down the river is one of the highlights of a holiday in China. From Guilin to Yangshuo, it winds its way through 52 miles of beautiful countryside, with some extraordinary peaks, bamboo groves lining along the riverbank, leisurely water buffalo and picturesque villages. Sometimes the visitor can see a fishing boat slip by with two or more fishing cormorants on board.
The Li River was an exceptional place to observe the native farmers as they go about their daily routines. There was much people activity all along the river. Farmers tilling land, duck herders watching over their flocks, people washing laundry in the river, fishermen and much more. Another special treat was seeing so many water buffalo.
A well-known Chinese saying is like this, "Guilin has the most beautiful scenery in China, and Yangshuo is the most beautiful part of Guilin."
Reed Flute Cave
Reed Flute Cave is located northwestern outskirts of downtown (about 4.5 miles). It is named after the reeds that once grew at its entrance, from which local people made kind of flutes. The cave is full of stalactites and stalagmites in various shapes and sizes, and equipped with a multicolored lighting system, which resemble a Chinese-version story of Journey to the Center of the Earth.
 A visitor will walk for some 550 yards through a zigzagging sea of stalactites and stalagmites in dazzling colors. Although the cave is also known as a Palace of Natural Art, man-made strategies use artificial lighting to emphasize the coincidental similarity of the rock formations to birds, plants, and animals. One grotto is called The Crystal Palace of the Dragon King--an area that resembles a miniature Guilin, where can comfortably hold about 1000 people.
Solitary Beauty Peak
 The 66m pinnacle is at the center of the town. The climb to the top is quite steep, but you will be rewarded a good view of the town, the Li River and surrounding hills. The nephew of the first emperor of Ming Dynasty built a palace at the foot of the peak in the 14th century, but only some stone slabs are original; the other buildings were ruined in wars. Now it is occupied by Guangxi Normal University.
Elephant Trunk Hill
At the southern part of Guilin, Elephant Trunk Hill is located at the western bank of Li River, which simply resembles an elephant dipping its snout into the river. With an elevation of 600 feet (200 m), the hill towers 165 feet (55m) above the water.
 A legend tells that an elephant, which belonged to the Emperor of Heaven, came down to earth to help the people in their work. This angered the Emperor of Heaven, who stabbed the elephant while it was drinking at the river's edge and turned it to stone. The cave between the body and the trunk of this elephant figure is of a particularly interesting shape and has inspired poets and other writers, old and new, to engrave verses on its walls. The poems of Lo You, Fan Chengda, and other poets from different dynasties are of inestimable literary and archaeological value. On the top of the hill stands the Puxian Pagoda, erected during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and shaped as the handle of the dagger with which the elephant was killed.
Nowadays Elephant Trunk Hill is regarded as the symbol of Guilin landscape.
Wave-Subduing Hill (Fubo Hill)
 Standing beside the western bank of the Li River, this peak offers a fantastic view of the town. Its name is variously described as being derived from the fact that the peak descends into the river, blocking the waves, and from a historical hero called General Fubo in Han Dynasty.
At the foot of the hill is Returned Pearl Cave. The legend goes that the cave was illuminated by a single pearl and inhabited by a dragon; one day a fisherman stole the pearl, but he was overcome by shame and returned it. Besides, on the cave wall, dozens of Buddha statues and inscriptions were engraved, which can date back to Tang Dynasty 1000 years ago.
Folded Brocade Hill (Die Cai Hill)
 Towering over Li River's west bank, Folded Brocade Hill lies in the northern part of Guilin city. The name is derived from its queer-looking rocks, which are broken horizontally. Folded Brocade consists of Yueshan Hill, Look-on-All-Direction Hill, Crane Peak and Bright Moon Peak. The Wind Cave runs from north to south halfway up the hill, with a cool breeze blows inside it in all seasons. It features 90 Buddha images of the Tang and Song Dynasties, as well as dozens of ancient stone carvings. After passing through the Wind Cave, you come to the Face-the -Cloud Pavilion, Over-the-River Pavilion, and finally the summit of Bright Moon Peak, where Catch-the -Cloud Pavilion commands a splendid view of tourist attraction was already famous back in the Tang Dynasty, or some 1,000 years ago.
Seven Star Park
 Located on the eastern side of the Li River, it is now the largest park in the city proper. The park takes its name from its seven peaks, which are supposed to resemble the star pattern of the Great Bear constellation. There are a few nice caves in these peaks, where visitors have inscribed graffiti for centuries. Other attractions include Camel Hill, in the small square in front of which former US President Bill Clinton gave a speech on environmental protection in 1998. A pretty bonsai garden and stone exhibition are situated nearby.
Yao Mount and Tea Farm
Yao Mount is located in the northeast of Guilin with an elevation of 909m, the highest mountain in the city. Different from most of other hills, it is covered with fertile soil and luxuriant vegetation. The visit is highlighted by a chairlift journey to the top and a speedy toboggan slide-down.
At the foot, 11 mausoleums of princes in Ming Dynasty were dotted in a 100-square-kilometer area, which is considered as the largest cemetery at its same level. Another major attraction is a fantastic tea farm about 2 km away, you will not only touch and see hundreds of hectares of tea trees, but also experience a traditional tea ceremony at no cost.
Yangshuo and picturesque scenery
 Set amid limestone pinnacles, Yangshuo is a small town over 1,000 years old, built during the Sui Dynasty (590 A.D.). It is famous for its spectacular scenery of hills and rivers. The Lijiang and Yulong rivers run by the town. It is a great laidback base for which to explore other small villages in the nearby countryside. Along a slab-floored street in the town see many western-style cafes, comfortable and popular among tourists. Native produce is abundant due to the fertile land and includes fruits such as oranges, tangerines, pomelos, chestnuts, and kumquats. Famous scenic spots in Yangshuo are numerous such as Moon Hill, Shutong Hill, Yangshuo Park, Fuli and Xingping Town.
Longsheng and Rice Terraces
 Situated 55 miles (87 km) northwest of Guilin, is home to a colorful mixture of Zhuang, Yao, Miao and Dong minorities. Its main attraction does not lie in the town, but not far out of town. Dragon Backbone’s Rice Terraces are located around 15 miles (25 km) away from Longsheng, where you will be rewarded feats of farm engineering going all the way up a string of 2400 feet (800 m) mountains. The 66-square-km network irrigation project was began by the ethnic Zhuang in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and finished by the Qing (1644-1911).
Further uphill Zhuang and Yao people two-story cabins are nestled against the breathtaking man-made wonder. The layout of the village mimics the terraces fields¡¯ symmetry, giving an appearance that the houses are stacked on top of one another- an integrated part of the land.
Sanjiang and Wind & Rain Bridge
 The same idea as that in Longsheng, you have to go out of town to seek new experience. About 13 miles (20 km) northeast of town Chengyang Wind & Rain Bridge and the surrounding Dong villages are so peaceful and attractive. The bridge is more than 80 years old, this elegantly-covered bridge is considered by the Dong to be the finest of the 108 such structures in Sanjiang county, and took the local villagers 12 years to build. If we have a panoramic view of this area, it looks out over a lush valley dotted with Dong villages and water wheels.
 Ling Canal
Built in the year of 214 B.C., Qin Dynasty, Ling Canal is one of the oldest canals in the world. It is located in a small county called Xing’an, 40 miles (65 km) north of Guilin. Ling Canal was once served as an irrigation and transportation canal. Now it still plays its role on irrigating about 2700 hectare of agricultural lands.
Ling Canal is divided into the northern and the southern sections, with a total length of 34 km. The dividing point is a V-shaped dyke in the east of the county, commonly known as Tianping (The balance). The sharp point of the dyke is called HuaZui (Plough Share), which bifurcates the water from the upper reach of Xiang-jiang River into two parts, of which one part, 30% of the whole flow, goes to the Li River, and the remaining 70% to Xiang River.
|
