Guangxi's karst country, famed as 'the finest mountains and waters under heaven'. Cruise the Li River 4–5 hours from Guilin to Yangshuo, drift down the Yulong River on a bamboo raft, cycle Yangshuo's villages, watch sunrise from Xianggong Hill and see Zhang Yimou's 'Impression Sanjie Liu' show on the water. In Guilin itself: Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, the Two Rivers and Four Lakes night cruise and Seven Star Park. The Longji rice terraces come with Yao and Zhuang villages. Don't miss Guilin rice noodles. No direct flight from Ulaanbaatar — connect via Beijing or Guangzhou. No time difference. Mongolian citizens need a tourist L visa.
🛂 Visa: Visa required · 30 days✈ Flight: 9h☀ Best months: April, May, September, October
Orange — daytime average, blue — night, grey bars — rainfall, green — sea temperature. Best months: April, May, September, October, November.
Things to see (12)
🧸 for kids
Li River cruise: Guilin → Yangshuo
Nature3-star boat ¥215 (Mopanshan Pier, lunch ≈¥30 extra); 4-star ¥358–360 with buffet (Zhujiang Pier); passport registration requiredDeparts ≈9:00–10:30, 4–5 h to Yangshuo
Guilin's headline sight: about 60 km downstream between green karst peaks, past the view printed on the 20-yuan note. Boats leave from piers south of Guilin and reach Yangshuo in the afternoon; return by bus or high-speed train. 4-star boats have roomier seating and suit families.
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goVisa, payment apps and internet — sort all three at home; book your Li River boat in advance.+
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Visa: tourist L visa
Mongolian citizens with an ordinary passport need a Chinese visa. Fill in the form on cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn, book an appointment and apply in person at the consular section of the Chinese embassy in UB. Fees: single entry $53, double $79, standard processing 4 working days. Attach a return ticket and hotel booking.
Tip: Mongolians are not covered by the 240-hour visa-free transit — you need a visa even when connecting via Beijing or Guangzhou.
3-star boats cost ¥215, 4-star ¥358–360 (with buffet). In peak season book on Trip.com 7 days ahead; every class needs passport name registration. The piers are ≈40 minutes from town, so a package with hotel transfer is easiest.
Tip: When the river is high (May–August) or low (December–February) cruises can stop or be shortened — check the day before.
In Guilin and Yangshuo even eateries, taxis, bike rentals and market stalls take QR payments. Download Alipay and WeChat, verify them with your passport and link a Visa or Mastercard. Verification can take a few days, so start early.
🛬Landing and getting to the cityLiangjiang airport lies ≈27 km south-west of the city; there is no metro.+
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Airport bus
Line 1 to the Civil Aviation Building costs ¥20, every 30 minutes, 60–70 minutes. Line 2 to the North Bus Station costs ¥25 via the West and North railway stations. A direct bus to Yangshuo costs ¥70, ≈90 minutes, every 2 hours from 10:00 to 20:00.
If you fly MIAT to Guangzhou, ≈80 trains a day run from Guangzhou South to Guilin, Guilin North and Guilin West; the fastest take ≈2 hours, second class ¥164–318. Book on Trip.com or 12306 with your passport.
On Chinese networks Google, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp are blocked. Foreign eSIMs such as Airalo or Holafly route data abroad, so these work without a VPN. Buy and install one before you go.
Tip: Signal is weak in the Longji mountain villages and on parts of the Li River — save maps and tickets offline.
China Mobile and China Unicom outlets at the airport and in town sell SIMs with your passport. Cheap and fast, but foreign apps won't open.
🚇Getting aroundGuilin has no metro — use buses and taxis; around Yangshuo cycling is best.+
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In Guilin: buses and taxis
City buses cost ¥1–2, payable with Alipay's QR code; some tourist lines starting with '5' are free. Taxis charge ¥9 for the first 2 km (¥11 at night), then ≈¥2 per km. Calling one on DiDi is easiest.
High-speed trains from Guilin to Yangshuo station take 20–47 minutes, second class ¥22–34. But Yangshuo station is at Xingping, ≈35 km from West Street, so you need a bus or taxi from there. Buses from Guilin to central Yangshuo take ≈1.5–2 hours, ¥25–35.
Rent a bike or e-scooter from your hotel or West Street shops to reach the Yulong River and Moon Hill. Ask for child seats and helmets. Take a taxi or DiDi to Xingping and Xianggong Hill.
💳Money and payments+
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Alipay and WeChat Pay — the main tools
Almost all eateries, taxis, ticket counters and small shops take QR payments. With a foreign card linked, Alipay and WeChat Pay charge no fee on small amounts and a small percentage on large ones. Big hotels take Visa/Mastercard directly.
Small raft and bike operators and village families at Longji sometimes take cash only. Bank of China and ICBC ATMs dispense yuan on foreign cards. If your phone dies you can't pay, so carry a power bank.
Tip: If a raftsman or driver offers 'extra services', agree the price first.
🍜FoodGuilin cooking mixes sour and spicy flavours; most dishes can be ordered mild.+
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What to eat
Guilin rice noodles (米粉) — a breakfast staple with broth, braised meat and pickles. Yangshuo beer fish (啤酒鱼), stuffed bamboo shoots and dumplings, and rice cooked in bamboo tubes at Longji. Say '不辣' for not spicy.
Tip: No tipping in restaurants.
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Where to eat
West Street is aimed at tourists and pricier — a street or two away local eateries are cheaper. In Guilin try Zhengyang pedestrian street, and local noodle shops open early in the morning. Choose by ratings on Dianping or Trip.com.
Touts at stations and on West Street selling 'cheap Li River trips' usually mean small unlicensed boats or tours with forced shopping stops. Buy tickets on Trip.com or at official counters. Carry your passport — it is checked on boats, trains and at sights.
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Water, weather and hospitals
Always wear a life jacket on rafts and boats and keep children close. In the rainy season follow flood warnings; summers are hot, so drink plenty and bring mosquito repellent. English-speaking hospitals are rare — call your insurer's assistance line first.
🙏Manners+
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Village etiquette
The Longji and Yulong River villages are people's homes and farms. Don't photograph people, especially Yao women, without asking — some ask for a fee. Don't trample the terrace walls or walk into yards.
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Table and public manners
Tap the table with your fingers to thank someone pouring your tea. Never stand chopsticks upright in rice. Don't litter in the rivers and queue politely.
📱Useful apps+
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Payments and bookings
Alipay — all payments, the bus QR code and DiDi. WeChat — sight time slots, WeChat Pay and chatting with hotels and guides. Link both to a foreign card at home.
Google Maps shows wrong positions in China. Amap (Gaode) gives accurate bus, walking and cycling routes and has an English interface. Use DiDi for taxis.
Trip.com — Li River boats, Yulong River rafts, the Impression Sanjie Liu show and trains. For translation use Apple/Microsoft Translator, or Google Translate with a roaming eSIM; download Chinese for offline use.
From town take the airport bus (¥20–25), a taxi or DiDi. From Yangshuo a direct bus costs ¥70, ≈90 minutes, from 8:00 to 17:30. If you connect on a domestic flight, check whether bags are checked through to your final stop.
Guilin's 'three treasures' — chilli sauce, fermented tofu and Sanhua rice wine; also rice noodles, green tea and Zhuang embroidery. Put liquid sauces and spirits in checked luggage. Power banks go in hand luggage and must carry the 3C mark.
AI answer: double-check anything beyond our researched facts with an official source.
Yangshuo West Street
ShoppingFree24 hours (shops and cafés open late)
A 1,400-year-old stone street of 500-odd metres: souvenir shops, cafés, bars and street food. Yangshuo is the end of the Li River cruise and the base for cycling, rafting and the show. Busiest in the evening lights.
NatureRaft for 2: Shui'edi–Gongnong Bridge ≈¥190 (40–50 min), Jinlong Bridge–Jiuxian ≈¥300 (≈90 min); children under 1 m only on the shared Wanjing raftDaytime; booking opens only 1 day ahead
A clear river winding through Yangshuo's villages: a raftsman poles your bamboo raft and children love 'jumping' the small weirs. Rice fields, karst peaks and the old Yulong Bridge line the banks. Far calmer than the Li River.
Cycling the Yangshuo countryside: Ten-Mile Gallery and Moon Hill
NatureBike hire ≈¥20–50 a day, e-bikes more; roads freeDaytime
Ride the flat 'Ten-Mile Gallery' road south of Yangshuo past the arch of Moon Hill, villages and orange orchards, or follow country lanes along the Yulong River. Bikes with child seats and tandems are available.
Nature¥60; children under 1.2 m free≈6:00–18:00 (arrive before sunrise)
The most famous view of a Li River bend framed by karst peaks — a photographers' favourite near Xingping. 15–20 minutes up steps. Sunrise over the mist is spectacular; ≈50 minutes by car from Yangshuo.
CultureStandard ≈¥200, superior ¥240, VIP ¥320, super VIP ¥480; children under 1.2 m free≈20:00–21:10 daily (extra shows in peak season)
Zhang Yimou's open-air show using the Li River and 12 floodlit karst peaks as its stage — over 600 performers, fishing boats and light effects. No language needed. Raincoats are handed out on wet nights.
Kids¥90; children 1.2–1.4 m ¥45, under 1.2 m freeApr–Nov 7:30–18:00, Dec–Mar 8:00–17:30
A 240 m limestone cave in north-west Guilin: colour-lit stalactites and the 'Crystal Palace' hall, with inscriptions over 1,200 years old. A 40–60 minute guided walk on flat paths — good with children.
CityFree, with an online time slot booked 1–7 days ahead7:00–21:00
Guilin's emblem: a rock with an arch over the river that looks like an elephant drinking. It sits on the Li River bank, easy to walk to, with an evening light show. A short, easy visit with children.
CityAdults ≈¥190, children ≈¥125From 19:00 every 15–30 min, last boat 21:30; 60–90 min
A boat ride along the lit waterways linking the Li and Taohua rivers and four lakes in the centre. See the gold and silver Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas, the bridges and a cormorant fishing display. A calm evening outing children enjoy.
Culture¥80 covering Ping'an and Dazhai; children under 1.2 m free; Dazhai cable car extra ≈¥70–120Tickets 8:30–17:30; bus from Guilin 2.5–3 h, ¥50–60
700-year-old terraces covering the 'Dragon's Backbone' from summit to valley. Ping'an (Zhuang) village is the easiest, seen in about 2 hours; Dazhai (Yao, known for long-haired women) is higher and wilder. Water-filled fields in April–June, golden rice in September–October. Lovely for an overnight stay.
The city's biggest park: hills arranged like the seven stars of the Plough, Camel Hill, rock inscriptions over 1,000 years old and a monkey area. Seven Star Cave inside has lit chambers. A half-day for families.
One of Guilin's largest and prettiest caves: stalactites that glitter like silver, the 'Silver Waterfall' and 'Snow Mountain' halls along about 2 km of paths. ≈30 km south of Yangshuo near Lipu. Combine with Moon Hill and the Yulong River in one day.
