Guilin useful travel tips (hotels, dining, top attractions and more)

Guilin is a popular holiday destination for Chinese and foreign tourists alike. Its beautiful and bizarrekarst peaks, like severed summits of mountains, scatter the broad plain upon which the city is built, the inspiration behind much of Chinese traditional art through the centuries.

While much of China submerges itself in its quest for modernization those hills, with their associatedlakes and caves, remain as a testament to those natural beauties that have inspired the nation since its inception and which continue to make the Chinese experience unique.

Hotels of Guilin
Though beyond the cosmopolitan rush of larger cities, Guilin's hotels cater well for all budgets. These are the pick of what Guilin has to offer.

High End
 Shangri-La Hotel
The Shangri-La Hotel is perhaps the most popular of Guilin's five star hotels. Overlooking theLi Riverand withlandscaped gardens, it lies a kilometre or so north of the city center. A variety of rooms are available, from the onepresidential suitedown todeluxe roomswith or without a view over the river,449 roomsin total.
Visitors find particularly praiseworthy the service, the standard of the food and attention to detail.
Cost:850-2500 RMB per night.
Address:111 Huan Cheng Bei Er Lu

Sheraton Guilin Hotel
Sheraton Guilin Hotel isa well-located five-star hotelon the west bank of the Li River, 10 minutes walk from Elephant Trunk and Seven Star Park (see below).
Its magnificent Romanesque hall and luxurious transparent elevators combine perfectly with elegant rooms and exterior.

There are 430 roomsin Sheraton Guilin Hotel, including deluxe suites and deluxe single rooms. Each room is equipped with satellite TV, refrigerator, and electric safe.
Facilities:Two restaurants, a coffee shop and the lobby lounge cater to clients’ cuisine and beverage requirements. There is also a beauty salon, a recreation center, and a disco hall. Transport booking and tourist services are offered in the hotel.
Cost:660–2,200 RMB per night
Address:15 Binjiang Road, Guilin

Lijiang Waterfall Hotel
More than just a pretty name, the Lijiang Waterfall Hotel is listed in theGuinness Book of Recordsfor the spectacular artificial cascade that falls from its roof on the city-square side of the edifice, some 75 meters wide and falling 45 meters. However, it tends to be turned off more often than it's turned on.

The opposite side of the hotel looks out over Guilin's exquisite city-centerShan Lakewith its twinsun and moon towers, highlighting one of Guilin's main attractions – the sense of being in the midst beautiful scenery even while in the center of the city itself.

Built around a huge, multi-story open space, the hotel is majestic indeed.646 rooms include a presidential suite,22 deluxe suites and 20 deluxe single rooms.
Cost:680-1700 RMB per night
Address:1 Shan Lake North Road

Mid-Market hotel
Guilin Bravo Hotel
Again located near Shan Lake and Rong Lake in the city centre, the Bravo has attractive views from its deluxe rooms and provides a solid four-star service.Western-style and Cantonese-style meals are a speciality. There are bars, a coffee bar, a swimming pool, a gym, a beauty salon, a sun lounge, and currency exchange.Conference roomsare also available.

There are 329 rooms in total including one luxury suite. Other rooms are classified as deluxe should they have a lake view, standard if not.
Cost:400-2000 RMB per night
Address:14 Ronghu South Road
Telephone:0773-2898888

Budget Hotel
Lakeside Inn
A very popular mid-range hotel, the Lakeside Inn is situated near Shan Lake in the city center, close to the Lijiang Waterfall Hotel. It's a great place to meet fellow travellers from all over the world and the hotel owner is particularly accommodating. There's hotel-wide Wi-Fi, a bar, a laundry service and they rent bicycles. The staff are particularly helpful with ticket-booking and trip advice, a useful service for the independent traveller. Many of the staff speak English.

However, be warned. This popular hotel has few rooms — book in advance.
Cost:Approximately 200 RMB per night.
Address: 1-1-2 Shan Lake Building, Shan Lake North Road
Telephone:0773-2806806

City Comfort Inn
Located in the area of thecoach and railway stations, this is the most convenient of two branches of a small hotel chain in Guilin. It offers LAN internet access within the rooms for those with their own computers and Wi-Fi access. A self-service breakfast and laundry service are also available. This hotel, though basic and with small rooms, has proved popular with budget travelers for the service it provides, its reliability, its comfort and convenience.
Cost:150-300 RMB per night.
Address:51 Zhongshan South Road
Telephone:0773-3566000

Dining
Throughout China western cuisine is available if that is your preference, but in Guilin you may find it more difficult to come by. Be prepared for it to be served with Chinese overtones. However,Rosemary'sis used to dealing with foreign customers, whileCharlotte, with an angle towards fusion cookery, has a wonderful atmosphere.
Rosemary's

Located off Guilin's central Zhengyang pedestrian street, Rosemary's is a lively but relaxing place to eat. It focuses almost exclusively on foreign customers and, in catering to their tastes, is second-to-none. The staff speak good English, and a wall decorated with customers' photographs and comments emphasize this as a foreigner hang-out where you can not only eat but also meet fellow travelers.

There are English books and works in other languages on hand, a wide selection of western means, desserts and side-dishes to choose from and occasionally their baker cooks up an excess batch of loaves so you can buy one and take a taste of home away with you.

Charlotte
Charlotte is particularly to be recommended for its ambiance. (Not wishing to spoil the surprise of its decor, a visit to the WC while you are there is highly recommended).

Located just off the central Zhongshan Road, Charlotte nestles in a quiet corner at the side of the Rong Lake. In spite of its substantial size it has a cozy feel, the chairs are of the kind you can sink into after a day's walking around the city and it is popular with Chinese and foreigners alike.

Water flows around the restaurant in artificial rivers populated with fish and there's a warmth about the place that is welcoming.

The English-language menu doesn't seem to offer all the dishes available, focusing rather on those more western, so if you want to take a chance on their fusion-style cookery take a look at their Chinese menu, find a photo of a dish that looks interesting and point.

Prices are reasonably mid-budget and you will find everyone in there from families on an evening out to business people who find it a pleasant place to meet.

Nightlife
Though Guilin is not the best city for nightlife, the local population like to let their hair down here as anywhere and, while you'll find little that caters specifically for western tastes in music and drink, there are places worth going to if you fancy a night out on the town. Most of these center upon the central pedestrian street,Zhengyang Road.

 Zhengyang Pedestrian Street
This busy, late-night walking street runs for some 600 meters parallel with Guilin's central Zhongshan Road, from Shan Lake's Lijiang River end to Jiefang East Road, half-way between the Zhongshan Lu crossroads and the Liberation Bridge.

Though predominantly a shopping street, it is populated withbars and nightclubsmaking it particularly vibrant in the late-evening and at night. Exploring it and mingling with other walkers makes for a good evening out as you check out bakers with western-style bread, souvenir shops, foreign delicacies unavailable elsewhere in Guilin and other delights. Some of the particular attractions along its length and in its wider vicinity include:

Baidu Bar
If it's flashing lights and a decent-sized dance floor you're after, then Baidu Bar is the place for you. The most popular of the Guilin nightclubs with local youth, Baidu has three levels featuring KTV rooms and a KTV club as well as the dance floor area itself with featured DJs. (KTV is the Chinese term for karaoke, something of a national obsession). A view out over the Li River from the KTV area adds to the atmosphere.
Though a mid-price establishment, Baidu may become considerably more expensive if you decide to take advantage of the wide range of Chinese and western liqueurs available.
Address:  18 Binjiang Road

Back Garden Irish Pub
The Back Garden Irish Pub is home away from home on the corner of one of the side streets off Zhengyang Road. This has proved a popular haunt with foreigners, both expats and tourists alike, for the care the manager has taken to make it foreigner-friendly, the reasonable prices and the friendly atmosphere it offers.

With live folk music on offer from 9.00am, there's plenty of seating out on the street as well as inside. Tea and coffee are available. If you get peckish, the food on offer is reasonably priced, much of it catering to western tastes.
Address:Ming Chen Hotel, 6 Zhengyang Road

Paulaner Bar
Just over the side street from the Back Garden Irish Pub, the Paulaner Bar offers a more earthy atmosphere, particularly good for a lads' night out. It specializes in imported beers, wines and spirits and charges extra for such exotica, but in providing a wide range you should find something familiar.

There is some exterior seating, but this is mainly an indoor bar with a focus on sports, a favorite destination for those keen to see a football (soccer) match on the many wide screen TVs scattered around amongst football memorabilia. In the absence of a match, there's live music in the evenings.
Address:2 Zhengyang Road

Shangshui Street
 Delicious food in Shangshui Street
Shangshui Street is a lot on Binjiang Road, just off Zhengyang Road. Constructed in the style of traditional streets in the villages north of Guilin, Shangshui Street is a bustle of small eateries and food stalls catering for a wide range of tastes. Very popular – and very crowded – much of the eating is done on small tables arranged outside the dozens of specialist booths and shops that line the pavement.

This is an excellent place to come if you want to sample food from all around China as well as Guilin's own specialties, but you can also find hamburgers, pizzas and other traditional western snacks and meals along with one of Guilin's very few Indian restaurants.
Address:  15 Binjiang Road

Shopping
Guilin may not seem ideal for shopping, located as it is in China's backwoods, but there are local crafts and artwork not available elsewhere that serve as a unique attraction... if you know where to look.
Attractions

Most of Guilin's allure focuses on the hills that are its trademark attraction. Beyond the peaks, however, Guilin has much to offer in its many parks, a museum and a cruise around the city's lakes and rivers.

 The Li River
The Li River boasts the biggest karst landscape scenic area in the world. The Li is like a green ribbon winding among the green peaks, with its highlights concentrated on the 52-mile-long stretch from Guilin to Yangshuo, along which pinnacles, ponds, waterfalls, fishing villages are scattered.

It’s praised as a 100-li (50-kilometer) gallery by artists. The scenery of the Li River is characterized by its green hills, clear water, pretty rocks, and grotesque caves. The most famous attractions are Nine-Horse Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal, One-Side Ferry, and Crown Cave.

The Longji Terraced Fields
Longji has a magnificent momentum of flowing cultivated curves and minority ethnic culture.

Initially built in the Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368) and taking their present form in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), Longji’s terraced fields cover 60 square kilometers (23 square miles) with an altitude ranging from 300 to 1,100 meters (984 feet to 3,609 feet). The rice terraces are just like the scales of a huge dragon’s back (Longji means ‘Dragon’s Back’) as they proceed in tiers down the mountain ridges.
Longji is home to the Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups, who live in Ping’an Zhuang Terraced Field Scenic Area and Jinkeng Red Yao Terraced Field Scenic Area. It’s an ideal place for you to experience authentic ethnic minority customs during your Guilin tour.

 Yangshuo Countryside Scenery
Yangshuo is known to the world for its beautiful, idyllic landscape, especially its mountain and water scenery. Yangshuo’s Li River scenery was described as “The river is like a green ribbon, while the hills are emerald hairpins.” by Han Yu from the Tang Dynasty (618–907).

The highlights of Yangshuo’s countryside include Xingping Ancient Town, Moon Hill, and the Big Banyan Tree. Popular activities are hiking, biking, rock climbing, and Yulong River bamboo rafting.

Also read The Best of Yangshuo and Best Attractions in Guilin's Counties.

How to Plan a Trip to Guilin

Located in the south of China, Guilin might not be among the must-visit targets for many people in their first times to China yet it rewards those with keen eyes. It lives up to expectations for nature lovers, photographers, outdoor enthusiasts and travelers who are in need for a break between a week-long (or longer) China trip. Planning it wisely is the key to make Guilin your own oyster, which involves weather information, accommodation and itinerary ideas.

The Best Time to Visit Guilin and How Long

The very first question is to tantalize timetable. The best time to visit Guilin falls during springtime to autumn. Weather during April to October is just lovely to explore natural landscapes, soak up in local lifestyles or simply laze off. This can also mean bigger crowds, though.

In my own case, I managed to beat the crowds during late October, which rewarded me with less-crowded sightseeings, great deals for accommodations and most importantly some authentic experiences with friendly locals.

As one of the best-developed tourism destinations, its well-around infrastructure makes it possible and enjoyable no matter when you decide to come. And China’s numerous (and mostly free!) travel tools (eg. Ctrip, China Train Booking app or online travel websites) take the load off for planning.

As for duration, I had 3 days in Guilin (2 nights in Yangshuo and 1 night in downtown Guilin city before departure) and I wish I had more. Believe it or not, I am already planning my comeback for 5 days now (ideally 2 nights in Yangshuo, 2 nights in Longsheng and 1 in Guilin). For travelers in general, 3 days and 2 nights will be totally sufficient.

Connection: Entry and Departure

I have to give it to China’s railway system: fast, punctual, comfortable and suitable for every budget range. This connects Guilin with Guangzhou, Zhangjiajie, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing and even the far-away capital Beijing without a hitch.

Although it is not a go-to option for international travels, some great deals for airfares can be found flying between Guilin and Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, Siem Reap and Nha Trang. A new airport terminal is under construction for the moment and more international routes will be added once it’s done.

As Guilin is often planned as a mid-travel stop, it makes perfect sense to fly down from Xi’an, Chengdu or Beijing and then connect international departures in Shanghai, Guangzhou and even Hong Kong. A new high-speed train running straight between Guilin and Hong Kong is to launch late September 2018; awesome news for those seeking airfare deals with transit in Hong Kong.

Accommodation Guide

There are three major choices for place to stay in Guilin: downtown Guilin, Yangshuo and Longsheng. Subject to specific travel focuses, they bring along different overnight experiences. Hotels, hostels and airbnb, you name it, Guilin has them all.

Downtown Guilin provides easy transportation for short trips within 2 days. 3 to 5-star hotels are mostly located around the river system (namely Liangjiangsihu, meaning Two Rivers and Four Lakes in Chinese) with prices ranging from USD20 to 120 per room per night.

For longer stay, 3 to 4 days for instance, take Yangshuo into consideration. Boutique resorts and stylish hotels with great views are partially what draw travelers to Yangshuo. Staying near Xijie (West Street) or by the riverside, somehow I found it hard to decide so I spent one night near the bustling West Street and 1 night in a quiet

family-run boutique resort near the Yulong River (Meeting-Dragon River in Chinese).

Got more than 5 days? Then don’t forget about Longsheng, a couple of nights at a hotel or resort above the rice terrace fields counts as a superb travel experience. 

Most accommodations are own and run by local ethnic minorities. Wood and bamboo construction yet equipped with air-conditioning and western-style bathroom, plus refreshing morning air and amazing views outside your window, what more would one ask for at a price less than USD80 per night (during the shoulder season, price doubles or even triples during October when the rice terrace turns gold).

With all the perks offered by Guilin, however, choice runs short for family travels especially during the peak season as most hotel rooms are only ample for a 2-person stay. Not all hotel prices include breakfast, and don’t expect too much for those do

include. Only a handful hotels, mostly in downtown Guilin, provide free airport shuttle transfer.

Pictures or facility details on booking.com are not always accurate; neither are the hotels’ websites (90% are in Chinese). Some professional assistance is still needed for certain special accommodating preferences.

I turned to an online travel agent for details of my preferred hotel as I desperately needed a room with a bathtub (understandable after a 15-day travel, right?) and they provided another option, which turned out to score. Some of them offer delightful packages of hotels and private day trips and this just saved me a fortune for planning and booking.

Itinerary Ideas

Featuring with idyllic countryside, colorful ethnic minority cultures, fascinating karst landscape and unwinding atmosphere, Guilin serves as a rest stop and also a treasure hunt for outdoor fans and photographers alike.

Travelers in general might refer to my own itinerary as below:

Day-01 Guilin arrival and overnight in Guilin

My flight from Xi’an arrived in the afternoon, good time for a sunset walk by the Li River after check-in. I stayed at the Lijiang Waterfall Hotel in downtown and took an hour-long walk along the Binjiang Road, featuring street-side bands, two pagodas casting reflection on the lake, distant look at the famous landmark Elephant Trunk Hill and also a great numbers of nice cafes and restaurants to soak up the coziness.

Day-02 Li River Cruising to Yangshuo and overnight near the West Street

I booked the 4-hour cruise through an online travel agent and the boat departed at 0900am. The pier is 40-minute away by car from my hotel. A simple lunch is included in the fare and the views change from cityscape to picturesque rural realm as the boat approaches Yangshuo. A on-boat English-speaking tour guide introduced the city, its history and names of the mountains during the cruise, which was an excellent intro for a first-timer.

I didn’t plan much for the afternoon yet lucky enough to pick up a cooking class near the West Street. The 2-hour session gave a comprehensive understanding to Chinese culinary, as well as some you-can-try-at-home recipes; tomatoes fried with eggs made it to my personal favorite dish.

Spent the night at a cafe chatting with the locals and foreigners. Night breeze in late October was truly intoxicating, I must say.

Day-03 Yangshuo countryside, bamboo rafting and overnight at a riverside resort

A guided biking trip was included in the package I got from the agent. The local guide, Tiger, was born and raised in Yangshuo and we took an hour to ride to his home in a small village by the Yulong River.

Farmers were busy with harvesting and so was I with photo-taking. Took a short break at a local farm house whose owner was my guide’s primary school teacher. The nice lady offered us some home-cooked meal, and Youcha (Oil Tea in Chinese, tea brewed from oil, tea leaves, ginger and other ingredients).

Took a short but fun bamboo rafting by the Yulong River before getting to the riverside resort. Nothing beats a cool night with stars over my roof.

Day-04 Guilin departure

After a leisure morning, I got back to Guilin, just in time for the high-speed train to Guangzhou. Perfect ending to my Guilin trip.

It might seem like a take-it-or-leave-it destination, yet Guilin’s charm exceeds beyond words. Planning it all by yourself is possible and choosing private customized services boosts up the experiences. Either way, you will not regret. 

The Famous Food to Eat in Guilin

Beside Guilin being the famous tourist attraction, food in Guilin is quite special and delicious. At Li River, fish is the most preferred diet by many people. Also the rice noodle is also famous in this city of Guilin. When you visit Guilin, do not leave the city without sampling some of the delicious food found there. The places where to find these Guilin rice noodle are such as shanghai and Hong Kong. 

Many visitors at Guilin must eat this noodle rice. The rice is made from rice flower and oil. The rice in cooked in broth then served in bowl with soup of pork, beef, pepper, garlic and peanuts.This rice is very cheap and it is staple food of these Guilin people. Many of the restaurants which sell these rice noodles; they are always full of people during meal times. 

Another famous food in Guilin is the Yangshuo beer fish. This food is made from fresh Li River fish. It is fried along with beer, pepper, garlic, onions, tomatoes, soy, sugar and celery. It is unforgettable experience when you eat Yangshuo’s beer fish. This is because it is delicious and the fish meat is tender and fresh. 

Lipu looped meat is also a famous food in Guilin. It is a traditional dish and served in a traditional way. This type of food is found during some festivals and events. It is made from Taro and it is combined with red pepper, pork, garlic, fermented bean curd, wine, honey and many others. 

The pork and taro are first dip fried into vegetable oil. The dish is very delicious and it is golden in color. All these Guilin food has health benefits and you can enjoy them to improve your health status. When you visit Guilin, do not miss out to taste some of these foods. Additionally, the homemade dishes such as fried beef with the bamboo shoot & steamed and minced pork with chestnut are worth tasting.

Local snacks

The rice noodles that are either flat or round, are most famous local snacks you can find. Thing that sets a dish apart from other is soup that is made from Lo Han Kuo, pork, steak, and different seasonings. That depends on ingredients that are used in soup, the rice noodles are divided in vegetable, 3 fresh and original soup, sour and spicy, beef as well as horse meat noodles. Horse meat noodles of the Huixian Lou are very popular.

Among more famous of the local snacks are the Guilin rice noodles (or mifen), chestnut glutinous dumplings, nun noodles, stewed duck with the gingko, stewed duck with the ginger and lotus-leaf duck. Some specialties of this region are been described below.

The stewed duck and gingko is the traditional dish and remedy for the lung problems. The gingko, duck meat cubes, ham slices or other ingredients are well steamed in the braising cups. Result is light and savory soup where tender duck meat will contrast pleasantly with smooth and slimy texture of gingko.

Things to know about Hiking in Guilin

If you are planning a Guilin tour in the near future, make it a hiking tour because you can enjoy many things - stunning views, the rural landscape, meeting the local people, savoring the local delicacies and so on. To start your hiking tour you can begin Guilin city, explore the local attractions like the Red Flute Cave, The Elephant Trunk Hill, Longsheng Rice Terrace, Li River, Four Lakes, Seven Star Park and then go for the hiking expeditions. Most probably, a Guilin guide will advise you to stay at one of the hotels in Guilin and then start the hiking tour the next day. There are many nearby villages in Guilin for hiking lovers. Every village in Guilin has interesting legends and you can note them when you hike. You can start your tour by visiting the Yandi village first.

Yandi village 

This is a picturesque village located just 46 kilometers away from Guilin city. A lovely little hill with two peaks serves as the backdrop for this village. There is an interesting legend says that the hill is actually a goat that belonged to the Jade Emperor's daughter. The daughter came down from heaven and became attracted to a young man playing the flute in the moonlight. She stayed back, however, her goat was changed into a hill. The two peaks of the hill are the hoofs of the hill. It is from this village that you can enjoy mystical beauty of the Li River and the charm of landscapes, the winding waters and captivating hills. In fact, this is the most beautiful stretch of the river.

Xingping Town

The largest town in Guilin and situated 63 kilometers from the main city, Xingping is worth a detailed hike. It will take you 3-4 hours to reach Xingping from Yandi. There are many beautiful hills bordering this town. You can hike along the Xingping Old Street and Fishing Village; both holding interesting history and tradition of a major town. Walking along the villages, enjoying the countryside and meeting with the locals, savoring a lunch with local delicacies are the attractions here.

Yulong River and the Moon Hill

The Yulong River located in Yangshuo county is largest part of the Li River. There are plenty of hiking trails in this picturesque rural countryside. You can ride in bamboo rafts to enjoy the scenery because the river is narrow enough for a boat. Once you get down from the bamboo raft, you can continue with the hiking. There are quiet and unique routes along the Yulong River, so you can choose those if you want.  An average hiking trail would take about 4 hours and the trail will take you to the Moon Hill.

The Moon Hill is one of the most important landmarks of Yangshuo. There is a huge cave/hill that runs through the hill and it has the shape of a moon, hence the name. The hill is 380 meters high and about 800 steps lead to top of the hill. When you get on top, you can enjoy a magnificent view.

These are the major attractions when you are hiking along the Li river in Guilin. Of course, there are plenty more to see, but you need to spend more time and stay longer. 

For more Guilin information, see our Guilin travel guide here. 

Things to remember when travelling to Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the most populous cities of china and a very important financial district for its port is accountable for one third of China’s exports. Shanghai has much to offer to tourists from Night Street shopping to luxurious cruise on river Huangpu.

#1 Attractions in Shanghai
The Bund is one of the most noted architectural symbols of Shanghai. The Bund, or the waterfront, is surrounded by about 50 various buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. Shanghai Nanjing road is one of the longest road in the world which stretches for almost 5.5 kilometers. It has to offer from expensive western branded products to plush hotels and food corners.

Famous Yuyuan Garden
One of the most famous gardens in Shanghai is the Yuyuan Garden. It has been a popular tourist attraction since decades. It was built at first by Pan Yunduan as a private garden. A lot of local shops operate on the vicinity of the Yuyuan gardens which sell an assortment of local foods and other items.

Why you visit the Silk Factory in Shanghai
China is famous for its silk, visiting a silk making factory can be a unique and exquisite experience. There you can see many popular silk shirts and silk clothes. If you are interested in the traditional clothes, then you can spend some money to try some of them. It's the upper class clothes in ancient China. 

Taking a River Cruise on Huangpu
If one wishes to have a luxurious and soothing evening Huangpu river cruise is one of the most mesmerizing tours offered in Shanghai and is a good place for spending a romantic evening.

Eat as a Shanghainese eat
Shanghai cuisine is popular as Hu cuisine "Red cooking" is a popular style of stewing meats and vegetables. Beggar's chicken, lion's head  and Shanghai-style Niangua  are also unique to Shanghai, as are Shanghai fried noodles, a regional variant of chow Mein that is made with Shanghai-style thick noodle. Lime-and-ginger-flavored century egg and stinky tofu are other popular Shanghai food items. Seafood is very popular in the region. The most notable local delicacy is Shanghai hairy crab. A notable Shanghai delicacy is Xiaolongbao, sometimes known as Shanghai dumplings in English-speaking countries. 

About the weather of Shanghai
Weather in shanghai is mild and moist with shanghai receiving precipitation for about one third of a year. Shanghai has distinctive four seasons with cold winters and hot summers, however the best time to visit shanghai is during March to May.

Are you ready to explore this metropolitan? Now pick a tour to Shanghai. 

Something You have to know about Traveling in Guilin

If you are planning a trip to Guilin, then you must be aware of the following Guilin travel tips. It will help you enjoy your time in heaven descended on earth, as this city is commonly known as.

Where to Stay in Guilin

As Guilin is a popular tourism destination, you will have no trouble getting your accommodation. However, you have to book well in advance because Guilin is a very busy place during the high season; there are hotels providing comfortable stay at economic rates, inns offering homely stay, small guest houses with all the modern facilities and of course, five-star hotels with all the luxuries. Of course, as the comfort levels go up, the prices also rise and so will the view from the rooms. Some of the best hotels in Guilin are Guilin Bravo Hotel, Guilin Park Hotel, Lijiang Waterfall Hotel, and Sheraton Hotel.

Guilin cuisine

People visiting Guilin go back to their homelands talking about the nutritious food served here. The subtle balance of Hunan and Cantonese cuisine creating a special flavor, making all their dishes mouthwatering. Steamed Mandarin Fish, Gingo Stewed with Old Duck, Lipu Taro Looped Meet and Yangshuo Beer Fish are just a few of the dishes favoured by tourists. Of course, you get lots of western food too. If you are looking to eat some good food while in Guilin, then you can take a hike down West Jiefang Road Food Street, near the Central Square. There are restaurants fit to cater to the interests of everybody and anybody, including people who don't like to spend too much money on food.

The rice noodles is the one you must try if you are in Guilin. The rice noodles that are either flat or round. The tastes of noodles depends on ingredients that are used in soup, the rice noodles are divided in vegetable, 3 fresh and original soup, sour and spicy, beef as well as horse meat noodles. Horse meat noodles in Guilin are very popular.

Safety in Guilin

Generally speaking, it is very safe in Guilin. But while walking and shopping, you must be cautious.Sometimes, there are pickpockets around and they do their job so swiftly that you will hardly know what happened. You must also be careful with the public traffic in Guilin. There are too many self-drived electric bikes on the road. They don't always stop to let you go first. If you are not careful, you may be hit by some of them. So just be careful when you are crossing the road. 

Shopping in Guilin

In terms of shopping and memoirs Guilin has lot to offer from wooden carvings to handmade paper fans and umbrellas. Along with these souvenirs grass weaved handicrafts and landscape paintings are also very exceptional handicraft of local people. There are number of shopping centers all across the city such as the Zhenyang pedestrian street, West Street in Yangshuo, Guilin Dongxi Xiang and so on.

Nightlife in Guilin

Nightlife in Guilin has its own charms. Travelers can choose to enjoy themselves in modern bars and nightclubs, or relax on a romantic night cruise on the Li River. They could also pursue the delights of the Folk Customs Centre. Shows and Performances in Guilin are unique and represent the local history culture and heritage with most of the actors being local fishermen. Impression Liu Sanjie is amongst the best night cultural performances and is a must watch. 

What to see in Guilin
Guilin is famous for its  karst landscape. There are many parks you can visit in the city. Li River landscape is well known worldwide. Top attractions in Guilin are including The Li River,Longji Terraced Field. Reef Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, Daxu Ancient Town, Fubo Hill, Seven Star Park and so on. 

One Day in the Longji Terraces

   It is known that Longji Terraces is famous for its tremendous formation, flowing fluent lines, charming of variation and unique folk culture.In the autumn, we could see the yellow rice that makes the terraces like a golden sea.

   My colleagues and I went to the Longji Terraced Fields in Ping’an Zhuang Village in late October. But it was too late to see the golden sea. The weather is cloudy. The paddy fields have been harvested. But, we climbed to the fields top that we discovered the unusual, cloud-covered Longji. We could see the seven stars with the moon, counting the star one by one.Could you see the moon? The middle one with water is. 

   We had lunch in the Ping’an Hotel. The food are all local dishes. The bamboo-tube-cooked rice is very delicious and especial. It is worthy tasting.

   I had hoped to live in the village for a night. If living in the Longji Star-Wish Resort, I wanted to say my wish to the star and watch the cloud dance on the balcony. I hope that my wish could come true in next summer.
            
                    

Paintings on Rocks

Some of the lovely gifts we purchased lately 

China Highlights Operation Team's Dream Board

I got an idea from a training -  make a dream board for my team. 

The staff wrote their wishes or a certain thing they want, then hung it on the board, and i hope all wishes and dreams can come true someday. 

   
























Here are our wishes

......

and check it out what it is by your phone?

The summer in Guilin

I don't like summer. There are several reasons. It is very hot in Guilin during that period, I sweat frequently and set off an uncomfortable smell. It is easy to be found by the mosquitoes, they bite me and it makes me itchy. I am browned easily by the strong sunlight even though I used sunscreen cream. I still feel so hot while I turn on the electric fan.
I also like summer as I can taste many kinds of fresh fruits. This is a good opportunity to eat fruit which we can't eat in other seasons. Besides apples and pears, I can eat grapes, watermelons, passion fruit, longan, lichi, Chinese wampee fruit, and so on. When I think of them, I start drooling.
My father planted passion fruit and shaddock tree in our garden two year ago, we have a harvest every year. Now the passion fruit become ripe. I think It is more delicious than the ones are sold in market. In October we can eat the shaddocks.