- destinations
- guilin
One of the most idyllic locations in China, walking through the landscape is like stepping through a traditional Chinese scroll painting. Triangular-hatted peasants drive water buffalos through terraced paddies and wily old fishermen deploy cormorants to catch their dinner. Drift by raft through the idyllic countryside surrounding Guilin and Yangshuo, famous for its tall, needle-shaped limestone pinnacles out of whose steep sides cling improbable forests. Created by the erosion of the limestone plateau, striking karst formations grace the embankments of the misty Li River, some harboring sparkling grottos within. This is a beautiful area to bike, meandering on trails across the valley floor between cultivated fields. Meet with homesteaders to share their lives and learn about their handicrafts. Time in this sublime scenery runs more slowly, allowing you to unwind.
guilin HIGHLIGHTS
A selection a some of the many incredible experiences that await you
The special touches like private lunches at the base of the limestone mountains in Guilin, to the private bamboo river rafting were spectacular. We will all remember these moments for the rest of our lives!
Custom Itineraries
Explore guilin through the eyes of a local
Guilin can act as a blissful foil for some of China’s urban destinations. After a few days in Shanghai or Beijing, it’s great to enjoy a restful change and immerse yourself in a stunning subtropical landscape for a few days.
We customize each of our itineraries based on your interests and traveling style. The itinerary below forms a base to start the conversation.
Luxury Accommodations
Many hotels are scattered through this picturesque area, but only Alila and Banyan Tree offer resorts catering for the international luxury traveler.
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Alila Yangshuo
By nature of Alila taking over an abandoned sugar refinery on the bank of the Li river, the architecture of this property is uniquely successful in marrying its Bauhaus factory heritage with the tenets of this design-focused hotel brand.
Banyan Tree Yangshuo
Banyan Tree took learning points from their trail-blazing foray into Lijiang and implemented them at this successful resort in Fuli, near Yangshuo. As a result, tasteful villas border the Li river bank and two storied town houses form the backbone of this pleasant resort.
Your Personal Traveling Concierge
Our China Hosts
Our China Hosts are part of what makes us unique; they help explain our success for over twenty years. Our China Hosts have been hand selected and expertly trained to provide you with the most unforgettable journey. From seamlessly ensuring flawless logistics, to deepening your cultural immersion, to effecting last minute adjustments, in the words of a guest, they take a trip "from excellence to perfection". Before you travel with us, it's hard to imagine what a China Host brings to the party. After, it's hard to imagine traveling without one.
suggested guide: Michael
Fine Dining & Authentic Cuisine
Experience the finest in Chinese and Western cuisine
Delicious rice noodles power this area, particularly for breakfast. Every eatery boasts the merits of its unique recipe for the soup, but nearly all incorporate soy bean, sour bean paste, scallions and chili oil in their flavored meat broth. With bamboo growing by the river, one cannot doubt the freshness of (Suansun Chao Rou) Stir-fried Pork with Sour bamboo shoots. Glutinous rice is used with chestnut, brown sugar and sesame for Yangshuo baba, a traditional sweet snack.
Demographics
- Part of the prefecture-level city in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
- Population: 4.7 m
- Literal Meaning of Guilin: Forest of Sweet Osmanthus
Brief History
- 314 BC – A small settlement is established along the Li River
- 221 – 207 BC – The first administration is set up near Guilin
- 111 BC – It grows to be named Shi An County
- 507 AD – The town is renamed Guizhou
- 1921 – It becomes headquarters for the Northern Expedition Army
- 1940 – The city is renamed Guilin
- 1981 – The government priorities the protection of Guilin’s historical and cultural heritage
Geography
- Guilin is located in northern Guangxi province, with topography famous for limestone karst formations and the beautiful Li River that flows through it.
- Altitude: 153m (502ft)
- Main River: Li River
- Total area coverage: 27,809 km2 (10,737 m
Recommended Destinations
After your time spent exploring guilin you may want to consider these other recommended destinations
Help Me Decide-
Chengdu
Home to the Great Panda, Sichuan cuisine & the location of the astonishing cultural relic "Sanxingdui".
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Dunhuang
A key city on the Silk Road, later to become an important religious center & the birthplace of Chinese figurative painting in the Mogao Caves.
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Huangshan
Black granite mountains pierce the swirling mists overlooking a region renowned for its ancient architecture.
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Xi'an
China’s capital for 11 centuries boasts the Terracotta Warriors and a Muslim quarter that dates to the time of the Silk Road.
