Guilin

Understand

thumb|Location of Guilin in China Separated from the center of China and the Yangtze River basin by the Nan Mountains, Guangxi has always been distinct from the rest of China. The Han Chinese empire first expanded into Guangxi in the 3rd century BC. The Ling Canal was cut around the time, allowing small boats to transit from the Yangtze to the south flowing Xi River via the Xiang River.

Trade grew along the canal and river routes. Guilin was founded as a trading post in the 1st century BC on the West bank of the Kuei River. During the Ming dynasty, a garrison was set up in Guilin and the surrounding area gradually civilised with the development of farmland. The city had a population of over two million at the time of the Second World War, but was utterly destroyed during the war. The population slowly recovered with post-war construction of several factories for the production of paper, chemicals and agricultural equipment. However, market forces have caused several of these industries to relocate out of Guilin.

Guangxi and Guilin are home to 12 ethnic minorities besides the Han Chinese. Guangxi is an autonomous region for the Zhuang ethnic group, rather than a province. See List of Chinese provinces and regions. Various other minorities, such as the Dong, are also found in the area.

Guilin is the third largest city in Guangxi, after Nanning and Liuzhou.

Get in

Visitors from ASEAN countries may visit Guilin for up to 144 hours (6 days) without a visa provided they join an approved group tour, enter and depart China through Guilin Liangjiang International Airport, and do not travel beyond Guilin, Yangshuo and Longsheng.

Get around

Getting a local map from a tourist guide or shop for ¥5 is a good idea. This will show the location of most of the sights as well as details of bus routes. Buses are an ideal way to get around Guilin on a budget. Many city parks and river spots can be accessed easily by bus. All the buses starting with 5# are free. A useful one is bus 58 which runs from the train station (and bus station) to many of the attractions. Bus fare are capped at ¥2 per trip.

Taxis are also inexpensive and easily hailed within the city. Usually hard to catch during peak hours (17:30-19:00).

Another inexpensive way for a day-trip to scenic spots in the city area of Guilin is to get a driver for a whole or half day. As of March 2012 (off-season) a whole day is about ¥100, half is ¥50. Most hotels or hostels arrange this service, also telling the driver where you want to go if one is not capable of speaking Chinese.

Buy

There is a big underground bazaar running from the train station all the way to the bus station selling clothes, footwear, accessories, bags, and many more. The second underground market is located underneath the city center selling food, bags, mobile phones and other electronic devices. Remember to bargain if prices are not openly displayed.

Branded luxury goods can be purchased from the departmental stores near Cross Street. Suncome has many branches throughout the city selling everyday necessities.

There is also a street market set up along Zhongshan Lu at night selling typical tourist trinkets.

Drink

Liquan beer and osmanthus tea.

Sleep

Guilin is a tourism city. There are many hotels, more than 30 five-star hotels, 100 four-star hotels, and 200 three-star hotels.There are plenty of B&Bs with great views to choose from. Whether you want to enjoy a magnificent sunrise or spend a peaceful weekend in a mountaintop homestay in the mountains, you will have plenty of options. You can choose a homestay nestled in a farmland on the outskirts of the city and soak up the peaceful countryside, or choose a homestay on the top floor of a high-rise building. Whether you prefer the tranquillity of nature or the bustle of the city, Guilin has a homestays waiting for you.

Stay safe

Guilin is quite safe by Chinese and international standards, but: The number of Westerners has engendered resentment by many of the club staff—and they are often aggressive and even violent. Watch your valuables very closely in the central city (money belt), as in many tourist locations pickpocketing is a common occurrence. The bus station is the most dangerous place in the city. Keep on guard when boarding and disembarking your bus. Never carry your wallet in your pocket. Organized gangs of pickpockets operate in this area and they will focus on you if you are of non-East Asian descent. Be careful of locals trying to sell "honey" at rest stops along the highway. They will have bags with honey smelling rocks and a part of a beehive and a knife with them and offer you a taste. According to a local it is not real honey and can be impure, made with wax, and unsafe to consume, and will make you sick. Western tourists may be approached by people who will introduce themselves as teachers, et al., but turn out to be selling tea or artwork.

Go next

Yangshuo - About 1.5 hours by bus from Guilin is the friendly and picturesque town of Yangshuo. This used to be a popular backpackers town, but now is full of Chinese tourists. It sits in a beautiful karst landscape. The full-day boat trip along the Li River will finish in this town. Getting there by taxi or bus and is also an option. Xingping - This town will probably become the next backpacker place, as Yangshuo becomes too commercial for backpacking types. It is a very peaceful, old town on the Li River's most beautiful landscape, halfway between Yangshuo and Guilin. Longsheng- An area near Guilin with hills covered with terraced rice fields. There are many organised tours from Guilin, many of which will allow you to visit the nearby ethnic Zhuang minority villages. June and September are good times to visit when fields are flooded. Chengyang - On the road towards Guizhou province, this mountainous minority village area is quieter and less touristy than Longsheng. Plenty of wonderful scenery with friendly locals, quaint bridges and drum towers. It is now accessible via a 30-minute high speed rail journey from Guilin to Sanjiang and then getting a minbus from there to Chengyang. Vietnam - There is a sleeper overnight bus from Guilin to Hanoi. It costs ¥390 leaving in the evening every day and arriving Hanoi next day. Or catch the afternoon train to Nanning (2½ hr with high speed train), stay overnight in a cheap station hotel and get the early morning bus in Langdong bus st…