I visited Guilin, located in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China, as part of a press tour organized by the online travel site Trip.com Group. Guilin has long been praised with the saying, “Guilin’s landscapes are the finest under heaven.” It is a beautiful city surrounded by strangely shaped rocky mountains and rivers. According to Mr. Kou, our local Japanese-speaking guide who took care of us during this trip, here are the top 5 recommended sightseeing spots in Guilin! 1st Place: Li River Cruise
2nd Place: Terraced Rice Fields
3rd Place: Limestone Cave
4th Place: Coffee Break
5th Place: Bamboo Raft Ride “Wait, what’s this ‘Coffee Time’ in 4th place?” I asked. Apparently, “cave cafes”—which make use of natural limestone caves and caverns in Guilin’s karst terrain—are all the rage right now. Apparently, they’re a major trend, especially on social media, as “escapist retreats.” Unfortunately, due to scheduling constraints, I wasn’t able to experience this latest café culture this time, but I did visit plenty of the super-famous scenic spots recommended by Mr. Kou and thoroughly enjoyed Guilin’s mountains and waters to my heart’s content. This article is the first part of my highlights from Guilin.
Take in a panoramic view of karst terrain that looks like a fairy-tale world! Head to the Yangshuo Ruyifeng Scenic Area. The sightseeing boat on the Li River cruise arrives at the town of “Yangshuo,” where passengers disembark. From there, we took a bus to the “Yangshuo Ruyi Peak Scenic Area,” a hot spot that has recently gained explosive popularity on social media. First, we boarded the “Ruyi Cable Car” and enjoyed a 10- to 15-minute aerial ride (it was higher than I expected and super scary). At the arrival point, we were greeted by the Ruyi Suspension Bridge—a thrilling suspension bridge—and a walking path with a floor made entirely of glass. And from the observation deck located at the very top of Ruyi Peak, there’s an unobstructed 360-degree panoramic view! The sight of the strange, jagged rock mountains stretching endlessly into the distance looked just like a scene straight out of a fairy tale, as if immortals lived there.
© Source travel watch