Ultimate Travel Guide to Guilin and Beyond

We offer travel guide to first-timers wishing for top attractions and must-do things like Li River Cruise, Yangshuo, Reed Flute Cave and hills in the city, to families bringing children looking for fun, to people returning to Guilin looking for unique experience, to students visiting Guilin for culture exchange and practical experience like rock climbing, Chinese studying and cooking, to adventurers being into hiking, biking, photography and ancient towns.

Beyond Guilin, there is a lot of fun, too. Minority culture can be found in Longsheng County, Huangyao Ancient Town, Sanjiang and Guizhou Province. City highlights can be reached within only 2-3 hours by bullet train in Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Guilin Location

Guilin is located 109°E longitude and 24° N latitude in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The Guilin Government area covers an area of 4,195 square kilometers. It is in a basin surrounded by the Yuecheng Range, Ocean Hill, Jiaqiao Range and Tianping Hill. Guilin is located almost due west of Hong Kong and about 1 hour by air.

The Li River meanders through Guilin from north to south. Most of Guilin lies on the western bank of the Li River.

The main artery is Zhongshan Lu, which runs roughly parallel to the river on its western side. At the southern end of this street is Guilin Railway Station. Zhoangshan Lu is a rapidly developing stretch of tourist class hotels and retail shops.

The city center is dominated by the central square which is surrounded by a number of good hotels, shopping precincts and commercial buildings.

Guilin is built around its two rivers and lakes that are inter-connected. Many distinctive bridges crisscross the waterways.

Those who enjoy walking can spend many hours wandering the beautiful river and lakes make Guilin what it is.

Guilin Festivals

Guilin is home to 28 ethnic groups, each with their own traditions and celebrations. Locals observe both national holidays and ethnic festivals, often with unique customs. Even common public festivals are celebrated in different ways, making it fascinating for visitors to experience.

Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)

During the Spring Festival, towns and villages across Guilin—such as Yongfu and Yanshan—come alive with cultural activities. Opera performances, calligraphy and painting exhibitions, cockfighting, bird contests, basketball games, dragon and lion dances, and stilt walking all add to the festive spirit. Scenic spots also host themed events based on the year’s Chinese zodiac. In some places, staff even dress as the God of Wealth, handing out gifts and candy bags to visitors.

Despite the variety of activities, the central theme is always the same: bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new.

Zhuang People's Song Festival

Every year on the third day of the third lunar month, the Zhuang ethnic group celebrates their traditional Song Festival. On this day, young men and women dress in their finest clothes and gather in the mountains. They form groups and sing in an antiphonal style—one team singing a verse, the other replying with an improvised response. Most songs revolve around themes of love, starting with playful exchanges and gradually becoming deeper and more expressive.

The origins of this festival are linked to the beloved folk legend of Liu Sanjie, known as the "Song Fairy." According to legend, Liu Sanjie lived during the Tang Dynasty and was admired for her beautiful singing voice and courageous spirit. She exposed the crimes of corrupt landlords through her songs, which angered the rich. One day, while collecting firewood in the mountains, they conspired against her, cutting the vines she used to climb and causing her to fall to her death in a valley. To honor her memory, generations of Zhuang people gather every year on March 3rd, singing for three days and nights.

Longsheng Red Clothes Festival

Longsheng County is home to many ethnic groups, among them the Red Yao, a subgroup of the Yao nationality. The women of the Red Yao are easily recognized by their striking bright-red traditional costumes, which symbolize vitality and prosperity.

Their most important celebration is the Red Clothes Festival, also known as Zhaina, held every year on the 15th day of the third lunar month in Sishui Town. On this day, Red Yao families gather in the lively streets of Sishui to exchange agricultural tools and products, shop for daily necessities, and visit relatives and friends. Beyond the trading and festivities, the event also plays a key role in community life—young men and women use this opportunity to meet and, in many cases, seek a potential spouse.

Good to Know for Making a Guilin Travel Plan

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