Things to do in Guilin ยท October 2026
Things to Do in Guilin: A Plan You Can Actually Follow
The best things to do in Guilin are the Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo (about 60 km, 4 to 5 hours), the Yangshuo countryside, and the Xianggongshan sunrise. Plan 2 days, book the cruise a day ahead with real-name, and stay in Yangshuo rather than the city for the scenery.
What Guilin is really about
Guilin's fame is karst peaks and the Li River; the headline experience is the cruise between Guilin and Yangshuo, about 60 km and 4 to 5 hours on the water.
The smart base is Yangshuo, not Guilin city. The cruise ends there, and the best scenery (Yulong River, West Street, sunrise hills) is all in the Yangshuo countryside.
The cruise sells a 3-star (about RMB 215) and a 4-star (about RMB 360) tier, both real-name and booked about a day ahead.
Two days covers the cruise plus a countryside day; add a third for Longji terraces if you want rice-field scenery.
Spend 2 days, in this order
Day 1, morning: board the Li River cruise in Guilin (real-name, booked a day ahead). The 4 to 5 hour ride ends in Yangshuo.
Day 1, evening: walk Yangshuo West Street and book a Yulong River bamboo raft for the next morning.
Day 2, early: go to Xianggongshan for sunrise over the river bend (about RMB 90 plus a shuttle), then raft the Yulong.
Day 2, afternoon: bike the Yangshuo countryside or visit Elephant Trunk Hill back in Guilin city if you return.
Book these before you leave home
Li River cruise: about RMB 215 (3-star) / RMB 360 (4-star), real-name, book about a day ahead. The 4-star tier includes lunch and a quieter deck.
Xianggongshan sunrise: about RMB 90 plus a shuttle; arrive before first light, so book the shuttle the day before.
Yulong River bamboo rafts sell by section; book the morning slot for calm water and low sun.
Elephant Trunk Hill in the city is a paid city park; no booking, but go early to beat the coach crowd.
Where to base yourself
Stay in Yangshuo, not Guilin city. The cruise ends there and the countryside (Yulong River, West Street) is the real show.
In Yangshuo, pick a hotel a short bike ride from West Street so you can ride the lanes at 7 am.
Only base in Guilin city if you must catch an early train; you trade scenery for a station.
Best time to go
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are best: green peaks, full river, and clear cruise days.
June to August is hot and the river crowds; the 4-star deck helps with the heat.
Winter is cool and the river lower, but the mist on the peaks is the classic ink-painting look.
The main things to do
Li River cruise
Guilin to Yangshuo, about 60 km, 4 to 5 hours. 3-star about RMB 215, 4-star about RMB 360; real-name, book a day ahead.
Sit on the right side going downstream for the famous peak views; the 4-star tier adds lunch and shade.
Yangshuo countryside
Yulong River bamboo rafts and the karst lanes around West Street. Bike the flat roads at opening for empty paths.
Xianggongshan sunrise
A hill with a paid view (about RMB 90 plus shuttle) over a river bend. The sunrise is the postcard shot; arrive before light.
Elephant Trunk Hill
A city park where the rock forms a trunk dipping into the water. Paid, quick, and best as a fill-in if you return to Guilin.
Reed Flute Cave
A lit limestone cave inside the city, cool and crowded, about 30 minutes from the core.
It is a rainy-day or filler stop, not the headline; skip it if the cruise and Yangshuo already filled your time.
Go early; the tour groups arrive by late morning and the lit paths narrow to a shuffle.
Getting around
The cruise is the main transfer Guilin-Yangshuo; after that, Yangshuo is bike and raft country.
Buses and trains link Guilin city to the station; the airport is outside the city.
A Longji terraces day trip is 2 to 3 hours out; only add it if you have a third day.
Practical notes for first-timers
Base in Yangshuo, not Guilin city; the cruise ends in Yangshuo and the city is mostly a transfer point with weaker scenery.
The 4-star cruise tier is worth it in summer heat for the shade and lunch; in cool months the 3-star is perfectly fine.
Yulong River rafts are priced by section; the longer upper section is the scenic one, the short lower one is the busy one near West Street.
Longji terraces are a 2 to 3 hour transfer; treat them as a separate trip, not a Guilin afternoon you squeeze between ferries.
The Li River level drops in dry season; the upper deck still reads well, but low water changes the famous bend.
Yangshuo's West Street is commercial; the real scenery is the Yulong River lanes a short bike away.
Elephant Trunk Hill is a quick city photo; skip it if the cruise already showed you the karst from the water.
A Guilin night cruise is optional; the daytime cruise to Yangshuo covers the headline view without a second ticket.
The cruise ticket tiers sell out on holiday peaks; book the 4-star early if summer is your window.
Yangshuo's bike lanes are flat and safe; a half-day loop beats a taxi for the countryside feel.
If you have one more day
Longji terraces are a 2 to 3 hour transfer; a full day if rice-field scenery is the goal.
A Yangshuo rock-climb or bike tour uses the countryside you saw from the raft.
A Guilin city night cruise is optional if the daytime cruise already covered the view.