As one of the most popular tourist destinations in China, Guilin has both a wealth of amazing natural sights and consistent hoards of Chinese visitors. When the sea receded some 200 million years ago, it left behind a land of jutting limestone karsts which rise up from the patchwork of rice paddy fields and rivers like searching fingers. There are a number of famous hills, caves and waterways to explore, as well as a handful of cultural relics such as the Tombs of Prince Jingjiang. To add colour to the natural landscape are more than a dozen ethnic minority groups which have survived Chinese Han assimilation.

Double Rivers and Four Lakes
Guilin is a city blessed with some of the most picturesque waterways in the world, a feature which makes this area both beautiful and popular. The double rivers are the Li River and Taohua River, while the four lakes are known as Mulong Lake, Gui Lake, Rong Lake and Shan Lake. Hundreds of years ago, the city planners created an integrated network of 19 bridges which connect the two rivers and four lakes. In effect, the entire area has become a massive garden park full of flowers, trees, grassy spots and pavilions. Many of the bridges were modelled on famous bridges around China and abroad.

Elephant Trunk Hill
Although they call this a hill, it’s really the two caves which make Elephant Trunk Hill one of the most photographed spots in Guilin. Fortuitously situated at the confluence of the Taohua and Li Rivers, this spot boasts two natural archways which have been carved out of the limestone rock over the millennia. Moon-over-Water Cave forms an arch along the shore of the Li River, while Moon-through-Hill Cave creates the illusion of a moon in the sky, as it is perched higher up the hill. This is one of the landmarks of Guilin and should not be missed.

Ethnic Minority Performances
The best way to get an overview of the many ethnic minority groups who live in the area around Guilin is to go and see one of the song and dance performances held nightly at several centres around the city. The highlights of each ethnic group are conveniently exhibited, so you don’t have to travel around the region to their villages or wait for one of their local festivals.

Tombs of Prince Jingjiang
Although Guilin is primarily known for its natural attractions, it is noteworthy that this town has been a seat of imperial power since the days of the original Qin Dynasty. The best-preserved example in Guilin of the glory of China’s imperial past can be seen at the Tombs of the Jingjiang Family, which ruled this part of China during the Ming Dynasty from 1368 to 1644. Buried here in all their splendor are 11 princes descended from King Jingjiang, a nephew of the first Ming Emperor Taizu. In the ensuing centuries, more than 300 family tombs were built around the king’s palace at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak. This is a good site to explore both the natural world of Solitary Beauty Peak and the cultural highlight of the tombs.

Xiang Ba Dao (Grassroots Island)
To help ease the strain brought by the hoards of tourists to Guilin and neighbouring Yangshuo, the government opened this sculpture park halfway between the two towns in the middle of the Li River. The park showcases a number of China’s best-known contemporary artists with a truly engaging selection of both abstract and avant-garde pieces of sculpture. There is also a mediocre ethnic minority display, but the real highlight is the Renwen Shanshui exhibition, which showcases the relationship between Humanity and Nature from the Chinese perspective.

Xishan Park
The second largest park in Guilin is dedicated to the Buddhist element which existed heavily in centuries past, and still survives today despite the efforts of the Chinese government to eliminate religion in general. Once considered one of the most important shrines of Buddhism in China, there are five temples in the park, which is made up of two hills, Xi Hill and Yin Hill. This is the best place in Guilin to get a feel of Chinese Buddhism, as it is still actively used by locals. The small but informative Guilin Museum is also situated at the park.

Yuzi Paradise
The largest sculpture park in China is located just 30kms from Guilin and makes an excellent stop if you have any interest in art. Some 114 artists from more than 47 different countries have contributed their work to this amazing symphony of Mankind and Nature. The overriding concept in this sculpture park is to exemplify the potential harmony between life and art. Visitors can also make their own clay pieces of sculpture under the instruction of a local artist.

Climb Folding Brocade Hill, another of Guilin’s must-see mountains. Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful hills in Guilin, this spot was the favourite of painters and poets from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, whose visits were memorialised by dozens of inscriptions carved into the rock face. As Guilin’s highest peak, the scene at the top offers the finest unobstructed view of the Li River. Halfway up the hill is the mysterious Wind Cave, a natural tunnel which cuts all the way through the mountain and brings a constant cool breeze to the spot.

Take a cruise along the Li River. If there is one enduring symbol of Guilin it is the picturesque Li River, which makes up one of the main components of this region’s scenery. A must for every traveller to this city is a boat ride along the Li River from Guilin to the small town of Yangshuo. Journeying by river is the best way to experience the full extent of the natural beauty of this corner of China.

Explore Reed Flute Cave, which is located just 45 minutes from Guilin by a pleasant bicycle ride. The cave is one of the most impressive and popular in the region. When enough visitors have assembled at the mouth of the cave, a Chinese-speaking guide will lead you on a 40 minute tour of the cavernous interior, whose highlight is the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King. If the name sounds exotic, it should, because here you can marvel at the dense assemblage of stalactites and stalagmites which are reflected in the many pools of water illuminated by hundreds of coloured lights. Even with the somewhat tacky artifice of the lighting, this massive cavern is still incredibly impressive. The morning and late afternoon are the quietest times for a visit.

Be Amazed by Seven Star Park an its seven hills which resemble the Big Dipper constellation. Among the many highlights within this popular park is the massive Seven Star Cave, which is chock full of brightly lit rocks in a variety of bizarre shapes. It takes about 40 minutes to tour the cave and it’s well worth it. Other attractions include Crescent Moon Peak, where you can explore Dragon Darkness Cave and the Forest of Stelae, which is littered with thousands of inscriptions on stone tablets dating back over the past 1,600 years. The park is large enough to allow for some quiet, solitary strolls.

Check Out the Views at Solitary Beauty Peak. The most convenient way to get a supreme view of the gorgeous landscape that encompasses Guilin is to trek up the relatively easy hill of Solitary Beauty Peak. A set of steps makes the going as easy as possible up to the top where a pavilion offers panoramic views in all directions. Among the highlights which can be readily seen from the peak are Folding Brocade Hill, Wave Subduing Hill and Seven Star Crag. After you make the climb, you can explore the 14th century palace of the Ming Dynasty princes who ruled the region.