Your Burning Questions about Guilin

Followings are the frequently-asked questions with answers and Gatsby tips. Please feel free to let us know if these don't cover your owns questions.

• When is the best time to visit Guilin?
  The best time to visit Guilin is considered during the late March to May, and late September to early November. For more details, read on our  Best Time to Visit Guilin
• When is the best time for photography in Guilin?
  Photography tours in Guilin are mostly operated in Yangshuo and Longsheng. Best time to Yangshuo would be during spring and summer, namely March to July, late September to November; for Longsheng, rice terraces will turn gold during late September to mid-October; better to be there before the end of the second week in October, before the harvest ends.
• Can I use the 72-hour/144-hour visa free policy to travel in Guilin?
  This policy only works for transit passengers who are flying to a third international destination (including Hong Kong and Macau) and holding the passport of certain countries. You don't need to sumbit any application to the embassy, you can just apply for it upon arrival at Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL) and this is the only way to process. For more details you may contact a local agent or your own embassy.
• Can I fly into Guilin?
  Yes of course. Guilin is connected with most first and sencond-tier cities directly. So are some major Asian cities.
• How to get to Guilin from other Chinese cities by train?
  Guilin is connected by railway to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Beijing, Zhangjiajie, Kunming, Guiyang and major cities in China, both by high-speed trains or overnight sleeper trains.
• Can I take a train from Hong Kong to Guilin?
  Yes. High-speed train between Hong Kong and Guilin launched its first ride in September 2018, making the entire journey within 4 hours. Or, you can also run on the Kowloon-Guangzhou train (2.5 hours) to Guangzhou Dong and exchange at Guangzhou Nan for the high-speed train to Guilin.
• Can I get to Yangshuo directly from other cities by train?
  Not really. Over 80% travelers from other tourism cities need to transit once at Guilin and only a small handful inter-province routes get you to Yangshuo directly without a transit.
  And note that Yangshuo Railway Station is actually in Xingping Town, you will need to get a ride to Yangshuo Town upon arrival. The best way is to get a transfer (either a public coah or private car) from Guilin, which takes 2 hours compared to train and transit of over 3 hours.
• Are Guilin, Zhangjiajie and Huangshan similar in landscapes?
  Not exactly. Guilin is famous for the karst limestone formations along the Li River. Zhangjiajie and Huangshan are both huge national parks with numerous hiking trails up to the mountains, but rivers or boating are not their highlights.
  Being in Guilin is somewhat like being inside a traditional Chinese bush painting while being in Zhangjiajie and Huangshan conjures some wild and somehow-unreal fantasy seen in the movies.
• When is the best time to visit Longji Rice Terraces?
  If you are looking for a good hike, weather during late March and April is lovely and you get to see farms planting rice on the fields. For photographers, the golden rice terraces have always been the food of inspiration during late September to mid-October.
• How to get to Longsheng from Yangshuo directly?
  At the bus parking lot by Bilian Cave in Yangshuo, you will find the direct buses to Dazhai Village in Longsheng. The drive is about 4 hours, 5 times a day with the earlier at 0800am and the latest at 0100pm. For return trip, the earliest is at 0900am and the latest is at 0200pm. Fee RMB90 per person. Schedule changes during the low season.
• What is the best experience to have in Yangshuo?
  The best part of the Li River is in the countryside of Yangshuo, thus a bamboo rafting journey and a bike ride in the countryside would count as the best experience that one cannot miss.
• Is Guilin good for families with children?
  Yes. Besides beautiful natural landscape, there are a lot of family-friendly activities that you could make a wonderful day together: cycling, cooking class, Kungfu class, rock climbing, river drifting, kayaking and etc.
  Yangshuo is the best possible place for family vacation as there are a lot of hotels with big rooms, kids-friendly breakfast and swimming pool.
• How much does it cost to travel in Guilin?
  Travel cost varies to time and travel styles. During the peak season (April to June, September to November), it is about USD150 to USD200 per person with accommodations of 4-star, including sightseeing tours, activities, meals and transportation. Price will be half or 1/3 during other seasons.