This is why in Guilin, cultural festivals are not only popular, but events that create lifetime memories.  Each of the cultural festivals is animated with song and dance, and often, featuring performers dressed in colorful costumes that represent each of the ethnic groups.  Because of this, going to Guilin during the time when festivals take place is popular for tourists from around the world.  The following are a few examples of what you would experience:

  Dragon Boat Festival

 This cultural festival is held every three years on May 5 of the Chinese lunar calendar.  During the festival beautiful dragon boats sit on the Li River with the banks overcrowded with anxious spectators.  Throughout the event, special dragon boat songs are played, drums are beat, and bells rang.

Mountain and River Festival

This is another of the incredible cultural festivals held in Guilin, a time when the natural beauty of this part of China is celebrated and honored.  As a part of the festival, numerous sightseeing tours are arranged specifically for the Li River and mountains.  Locals share folk lore and entertain spectators with traditional dance and song.

Song Festival

This festival is held on March 3 of the Chinese lunar calendar, a celebration of the Zhuang people in which men and women of all ages gather to sing songs about a variety of things but most often, songs that tell a story of love.

Fireworks Festival

For the Dong minority group, the Fireworks Festival is a special holiday.  Depending on the exact part of the country, the day on which this cultural festival occurs varies, which could be anywhere from January to October.  Regardless of the location, three fireworks are lit to symbolize prosperity, particularly good fortune and healthy harvests.

Also check out Li River Cruise

These terraces start at the top of the hillside and spiral all the way to the bottom, using available land and water from the mountains.  Rice terraces have proven to be so successful that today, more than 40 miles of beautifully terraced fields are found in the Longsheng County alone.  The Longji Terraces were started during the Yuan Dynasty but not finished until the Qing Dynasty.

The Longji Terraces are comprised of numerous terraced fields, many that are often visited.  While all the terraced fields are beautiful and simply mesmerizing, one in particular that is seldom viewed is called the Jinkeng Rice Terrace.  This magnificent creation is only 30 minutes from Longsheng and well worth the trip to see.  However, even if you only make it to the primary fields, you will be impressed with the incredible network of terraces.

Getting to the Longji Terraces is easy by taking a bus from Guilin to the bus station in Longsheng.  From there, you would board a mini-bus to the Longji Terraces.  The trip is very inexpensive and reaching your destination takes little time.  Although many things should be seen by people going to Guilin, the rice terraces are without doubt an experience not to be missed.

No matter the time of day, the vision is stunning.  However, if you have the opportunity to visit the Longji Terraces in the afternoon when the sun is low in the sky, a certain golden glow moves over the fields of rice, creating one of nature’s finest shows.

Li River Cruise

 Elephant Trunk Hill

Elephant Trunk Hill – Located where the Li and Peach Blossom Rivers meet, this area has a magnificent park called Elephant Trunk Hill due to the hill being shaped like an elephant’s trunk, sipping cool water from the river below.  Between the legs and trunk is the Water Moon Cave.  Penetrated by water, this area creates a reflection in the shape of a full moon.  After arriving by boat, you can visit the Puxian Pagoda at the top of the hill, built during the Ming Dynasty.

Reed Flute Cave

Situated in the northwest part of Guilin near the Peach Blossom River is a wonderful reed cave so large it takes almost an hour to explore.  The name comes from the specific type of reed found growing freely by the cave’s mouth, reed used for making quality flutes.  Once inside, you will be mesmerized by stalagmites and stalactites, along with stone flowers, pillars, and curtains.  After spending time within the cave, venture out to enjoy the quant villages and lakes nearby.

Li River

Guilin is often associated with the Li River Cruise.  As the primary river system for northeast Guangxi, taking a day cruise will reveal some of nature’s most gorgeous accomplishments.  The river is surrounded by steep limestone cliffs that feature hidden caves and beautiful greenery along the way.  Whether traveling down the river on a sunny, cloudy, or rainy day, the experience is unrivaled.

Dragon’s Back

These terraced fields boast some of Guilin’s finest scenery.  During the day, sunlight reflects off water in the paddy fields, dotted with yellow ears.  The drive is about two hours from the city but the trip is worth taking.  The rice terraces are so well designed that they appear as winding ribbons all along the hillside.  While Dragon’s Back is a popular tourist site, these hills are an ingenious use of scarce land in China.

Daxu Ancient Town

On the shore of the Li River is Daxu, a traditional Chinese town that continues to display ancient architecture and stone paved streets.  Built more than 2,000 years ago during the Ming Dynasty, you will find several fascinating sites to include the Longevity Bridge, a 100-year-old dock, and wooden structures boasting colorful eaves and beautifully carved windows and doors.