You’ll hear a lot of glowing things about Guilin in China’s Guangxi Province if you’re traveling through Southeast Asia and central Asia. It’s a stunning place and definitely worth putting on your “must” list. Below are my personal top 5 things to see and do when in Guilin.
1. Seven Stars Park
Seven Stars Park is possibly the most important attraction in the city of Guilin though admittedly its least inspiring. Once inside you will realize it’s a long walk between the sights, which in all honesty are not exactly going to blow your mind, but I was clutching at straws so it makes the top 5.
2. River Cruises
If you go to Guilin and haven’t seen a river, you haven’t been to Guilin. You can also do bamboo rafting a lot further out of the city and down near Baisha, but head to the waterfront by the river in Guilin. The number of river cruises available are vast and are worth doing.
3. Fir Lake/Shan Lake
I was reminded of the Lotus Lake in Taiwan’s Kaohsiung when I arrived at Fir Lake (also known as Shan Lake). Needless to say I was completely inspired once again. I might be full of more hyperboles than you wish to hear but places like Fir Lake are stunning and so worth taking the time to them soak in.
Here you’ll find the sun and moon pagodas. The Moon Pagoda is octagonal and is joined to the Sun Pagoda through an underwater tunnel. The Sun Pagoda itself has a claim to fame in that it is the world’s tallest copper Pagoda and also one of the rare ones with a lift in it! It’s 40 RMB to visit.
4. Solitary Beauty Peak
Apparently it’s worth the 130 RMB entrance fee to see this university on a hill.
5. Elephant Trunk Hill
It’s a hill which has been declared “the shape of an elephant trunk”. It’s a 75 RMB entrance fee by day or 260 RMB at night due to a “spectacular light show”. I dare say my torch has been through better times.
Another thing I enjoyed was the street alongside the river, where we relaxed with a coffee, a great way to take in an afternoon.
Here is some video on Guilin:
Top photo credit only: plattphotography. com.
Jonny Blair is a self confessed traveling nomad who founded and blogs at Don’t Stop Living. He sees every day as an adventure. Since leaving behind his home town of Bangor in Northern Ireland ten years ago he has traveled to all seven continents, working his way through various jobs and funding it all with hard work and an appetite for travel. Don’t Stop Living, a lifestyle of travel’ contains over 1,000 stories and tips from his journeys round the globe. He wants to show others how easy it is to travel the world, give them some ideas and encourage them to do the same but most of all he aims to constantly live a lifestyle of travel. He is currently based in Hong Kong and on Twitter @jonnyblair.
