One
of the distinguished ancient and cultural cities of China, Guilin has a
history, which can be traced back to over 2,000 years. The region was
inhabited by primitive people as early as 5000 BC. During 214 BC it spurt as
an significant town in south China when the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty
ordered digging a canal to link the Xiang River and the Tan River to connect
two of China's major waterways.
Today, Guilin crowns the glory of a bustling modern city with edifice, the
people and traffic charging the arena. But it’s the hills around the
city that magnetize the tourists more than anything else.
The City of Guilin is situated on the Li River about 400km from Guangzohou.
The city is bequeathed with nature’s extravagance with the river being
haunch by Limestone Mountains on both the shores. One can embark upon a
small boat cruise on the tranquil waterways and can also have a delightful
excursion through the backwoods on hired bicycles. Guilin is embellished
with the splendor of the limestone cliffs. The caves and the zoo in the
Seven Star Park are the most captivating sights.
Best Time to Visit
Autumn is the best seasons to visit Guilin city. April to October are the
most preferred months to plan your trip for travelling, during this time the
weather is quite pleasant inspire of its Semi-humid climatic pattern.
Guilin Temptations
Banyan Lake and Fir Lake:
Located at the heart of the city these are the two exquisite lake parks
famous for its picturesque location. The Banyan Lake, is encompassed by some
very old Banyan trees, including an ancient Banyan tree (800 years old) on
its northern shore. Fir Lake is located to the east, south of Shanhu Bei
Road, which is also, one of the most captivating sights.
Lijiang
River Tours: A boat cruise along the Guilin and Yangshuo ways is the
perfect way to encounter the picturesque splendor of the riverbanks.
Generally the tours comes out to be little expensive, normally taken one way
with a return trip by bus.
Yangdi Village:
It’s actually the way to Yangdi, which is more interesting than the
village. On your way along the Lijiang river, between Yangshuo and Yangdi
Village, you will come across the most beautiful and unique peaks such as "Crown
Rock", "Mandarin Ducks Play in the Water", "Nine Horses
Mountain", "Screw Mountain", "Mural Hill" that will
definitely take your breath away.
Elephant Trunk Hill:
Nestling on the bank of the Lijiang River, the hill has a unique appearance
of an elephant that makes it a major attraction for its visitors. It appears
as if the elephant is dipping its snout into the Lijiang River. Definitely a
visit sight.
Reed Flute Cave:
The cave showcases the most striking under ground vista of the country. The
natural rock formations in the cave contrived many breath-taking scenes
like- "Primitive Forest", "Crystal Palace", and "Flower
and Fruit Mountain" that forms the major source of attractions for the
tourists.
Folded Brocade Hill / Moon Hill
The Folded hill is an ideal place for undertaking some kind of adventures
sports. It offers the climbing opportunities up to the peak, its thin shape
and green boscage makes it look like folded brocade.
Moon Hill offers some splendid views. The natural round cave perched atop
the peak, from a distance, appears like a hole in the peak and bears
resemblance with the moon.
Ling
Canal:
The first Emperor of China constructed Ling Canal. It is a masterpiece of
ancient Chinese agrarian architecture and is one of the oldest canals in the
world. If one is curious in hiking or visiting ancient Chinese ruins, this
location is highly backed.
Seven Star Park:
The park comprises of seven peaks and several caves, including "Seven
Star Cave", which are quite famous for natural formations like
stalagmites and stalactites which resemble animals and landscapes. One of
the most spellbinding sight.
Mode of Transportation
By Air:
The city is well connected by the means of Airways. The Qi Feng Ling
Airport is 20 km from the city. There are direct flights connecting the city
to most major domestic cities as well as Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. Most
of the hotels operate shuttle services to and from the airport. There is
also the airport bus shuttle.
By Rail:
Guilin has train connections with all the important cities in the country.
Trains from Kunming and points west arrive and depart from the new Railway
Station in Northern Guilin, while trains from all points north arrive and
depart from the older Railway Station in the west of Guilin.
By Road:
An excellent network of highways and expressways in the city facilitates
Road transport. There are frequent deluxe buses running between the major
cities and nearby provinces.
Moving in an around the city
Taxis and tourist cabs are the best way to move around the city. One can
also use bicycles and motor bikes for the purpose. While commuting in taxis
and buses, always keep currency of small denominations.
Guilin as a Shopper’s Paradise
One
can go for souvenir shopping and purchasing of gems and traditional articles
such as bamboo and wooden carvings. Guilin doesn’t have any big
departmental stores or shopping malls but one can check out shops in the
area around Mopanshan Dock.
The city is also famous for some of its mouth-watering delicacies and
fruits like oranges and kumquats.
Specialty of the city are -- Bamboo and wooden carvings, gems, candies,
Sanhua alcohol, tea, watermelon powder, weaved grass craft-work and painted
Yangshuo fans.
Shopping Hubs: Mopashan Dock, Yangshuo.
Eating and Hanging out Joints
Guilin attraction also lies in its cuisine; the sweetness and delicate use
of spice and chili characterize Guilin Cuisine. Eating out in the city is an
awesome experience. Some of the delicacies of the city are Bamboo leaves
stuffed with sweet rice, Guilin snack and the Chicken Balls with chestnut
that are available all over the city.
There are number of hotels and restaurants in city. These are the most
preferred hang out joints for the locals as well as the travelers. The
Guilin Hotel Restaurant offers a congenial environment to savoir some of
this stuff. The Empire Garden Hotel Restaurant houses an incredible Japanese
and French restaurant.
Entertainment/ Nightlife
Jiefang Xi Lu and the surrounding streets are dotted with several theatres
that are thronged with lot of music lovers normally on Fridays, Saturdays
and Sunday nights. Performances of opera and traditional singing provide
good entertainment in Guilin.
For the night hangouts, the Dadu Hui Disco, on the corner of Yiren Lu and
Zhongshan Lu, and Gogo are the most preferred zones. The Ragazza Pub near
Yiren Lu is also the popular joint normally thronged by the visitors.
