The three days
- Day 1 — Li River cruise: Guilin → Yangshuo, 4 hrs by boat, ~$50. Sit on the top deck. Drop bags at your Yangshuo hotel and walk West Street at night.
- Day 2 — E-bike loop: Yangshuo → Yulong River along the country roads. Pass Moon Hill, water buffalo, and bamboo rafts. ~30 km, all flat.
- Day 3 — Longji rice terraces: Day trip up to Ping'an or Dazhai village (~2.5 hrs each way). Stay overnight in a wooden lodge if you can spare a fourth day.
Getting there
HSR to Guilin West from Guangzhou (~2.5 hrs), Shenzhen (~3 hrs), or direct from Beijing (~10 hrs — fly instead). Yangshuo is 1.5 hrs by bus from Guilin city, or take HSR to Yangshuo station and a taxi.
When to go
- April–June — green peaks, misty mornings, occasional rain.
- September–November — best overall. Cool, clear, harvested rice terraces glow gold.
- Avoid July–August — hot, humid, river too high for bamboo rafts.
What to skip
- Reed Flute Cave — overpriced LED light show. The landscape outside is the attraction.
- Impression Liu Sanjie — Zhang Yimou's outdoor show is fine but $40+ and packed.
Next steps
From Guilin, HSR direct to Shanghai (~9 hrs — fly), Hong Kong (~3 hrs), or back to Chengdu. See the month-by-month guide for timing.