Guilin

Travel Advice for Seniors: Guilin

Our final stop in mainland China before heading to Hong Kong was in Guilin. We had been traveling China for three weeks experiencing their unique culture and seeing awe-inspiring sights. Guilin was an excellent final stop.

Guilin sits on the banks of the Li River and is known for its dramatic landscape of limestone karst hills and the lush forests and caves surrounding its lakes and rivers.  The Shanhu and Ronghu lakes remain from a medieval-era moat that once surrounded the city. Everything here is connected by the water, and we spent a lot of time on the water exploring.

Our first stop was at a local tea plantation where we were provided with typical Chinese laborer hats and given a lesson on how to pick perfect tea leaves. It was interesting to see the plantation and be educated on quality tea, not to mention tasting it!

We followed our plantation visit with dinner at a restaurant specializing in beer fish, a local delicacy. As we arrived, we were shown a tub of fish and selected one for our dinner.  Then, the host put a fish in a bag and knocked it out in front of us, which was a bit alarming. However, the fish was very good, if a little bony and without much meat. The beer fish sauce was delicious.

Next day, our first stop was Red Flute Cave. The caves in this part of the world are well lit with colored lights that make the journey through them a kaleidoscope of color. This cave had many stalactites, stalagmites and other rock formations. There are inscriptions of poems and other writings in the cave, the oldest dating back to 792 AD.

That evening we were treated to a cruise on the Li River, Taohua River, Guihu, Ronghu, Shanhu and Mulonghu Lakes. The city is lit up at night and there are musicians that play in specific areas, making for a very enjoyable cruise.

Next day we had another Li River Cruise to Yangshuo, which is where the bulk of the Karst formations are located. On the way we were treated to scenes from local life: Fisherman with cormorants, with a leg tied to their boat (the cormorants dive into the water after fish and the fisherman pull the fish out of their mouths when they catch them), plus people doing laundry and farmers in their paddies, not to mention several water buffalo out for a drink of water. There were several locals out and about on the water in a large variety of boats. We were left wondering how many of the boats floated as they seemed to be composed of little more than a few large branches tied together with rope!

We took a drive through the countryside at Yangshuo which gave us more opportunity to see local life and culture in the area and learn about rice paddies and their growth cycle.

Later that evening, we attended a fantastic light show. The outdoor theater was among the karsts and strong lights and lasers were mounted at all angles. It appeared that the entire show was on the water, with over 600 actors involved. It was very well synchronized with dancing, music and the light show.  It was truly spectacular, and we highly recommend it.

Our final day in the watery paradise of Guilin featured a canoe ride through the Li Jiang Wan historic site. We did a bit of paddling, but it wasn’t too strenuous. There were local actors at several of the stops that were playing music and presenting different crafts native to the area. We also took a tour through the Li Pu Silver cave, which is the largest cave in the area, again lit up with multi-colored lights creating a unique view of the stalactites.

We wrapped up with a visit to the Shiwaitaoyuan historic site. The site features information about the life of minority groups including the Han people and their culture. It was a cloudy day, and the hills were shrouded in mist. The village was very pretty with its dark wood traditional buildings and Chinese style roof finials. It was a pleasant and informative boat ride and tour.

The final stop was Fubo Hill and Elephant Trunk Hill. Elephant Trunk Hill is unusual in that it appears that the mountain (elephant) is putting its trunk in the water for a drink. And Fubo Hill is a karst formation with a view of the entire city from its pinnacle.

As much as we loved our visit, It was time to say goodbye to China for now. Hindsight, I wish we could’ve fit in a cruise on the Yangzi and visit to Chengdu to see the Panda preserve. But that will have to wait until next time. Now, off to Hong Kong!

Where we stayed: Guilin Plaza Hotel, breakfast included.

How we got there: Flew from US to Beijing then private transfer to hotel.This was part of a five-and-a-half week private tour through China and Malaysia.

General Accessibility Information: Most large cities are somewhat accessible, particularly hotels, some transportation and some major sights. Outside of the major cities, accessibility is generally less frequent to find. Also, be prepared for curious onlookers. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements.See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.