Short answer
Two days splits cleanly: day one in Guilin city, day two on the Li River. The city day takes in Elephant Trunk Hill, one of the karst hills for the view, and the Two Rivers and Four Lakes waterfront after dark. The river day is the reason most people came, and it runs one way, downstream to Yangshuo, with no return sailing.
That one-way detail shapes everything. The Li River cruise takes roughly 3.5 to 5 hours over about 60 km, leaves from Mopanshan or Zhujiang pier depending on boat class, and finishes at a pier outside Yangshuo town. Treat day two as the day you change base, not as a round trip back to Guilin.
The alternative, if a full cruise feels slow or the water level is low, is the Xingping section by bamboo raft. A raft from Yangdi to Xingping covers the best scenery in around 90 minutes, and the classic return trip from Xingping's Chaobanshan pier to Nine Horse Mural Hill takes roughly an hour. Raft prices start around ¥140 for the short return and run to roughly ¥255 per person for the full Yangdi to Xingping run.
The two shapes of this trip
Both plans use the same city day. They differ on day two.
| Plan A: full cruise | Plan B: raft and Yangshuo | |
|---|---|---|
| Day 2 morning | Transfer to Mopanshan or Zhujiang pier, board, sail downstream | Transfer by road to Yangdi or Xingping, raft the best section |
| Time on the water | 3.5 to 5 hours | 60 to 90 minutes |
| Cost per person | Around ¥215 three-star, ¥360 and up four-star | Around ¥140 to ¥255 depending on the stretch |
| Best for | Seeing the whole river once, with a seat and a meal | Time in Yangshuo itself, and photographers |
| Watch out for | Boats sell out; the pier is a long way from the city | Rafts are four seats; a small group pays for empty seats |
Day one: Guilin city
The city is small and flat, and there is no metro. Buses cost around ¥2 and taxis or ride-hailing are cheap for the short hops. The whole day below is inside a 15-minute radius.
| Time | What | Getting there | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Guilin rice noodles for breakfast, the local dish and one of the cheapest meals in China | Any neighbourhood noodle shop | None |
| 09:15 | Elephant Trunk Hill, the rock arch on the river that is the city's emblem. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours | Taxi or bus, 10 minutes from the centre | Ticket at the gate or on a booking app |
| 11:15 | Diecai Hill for the climb and the view back over the city, or Reed Flute Cave if a lit limestone cave appeals more | Taxi, 10 to 20 minutes | Both are ticketed; check the official channel for current prices |
| 13:00 | Lunch, then a rest. The middle of the day is the hot part | City centre | None |
| 15:30 | Zhengyang Pedestrian Street and the Sun and Moon Pagodas on the lakefront | Walk | None |
| 17:30 | Dinner, then back to the lake for the lights | Walk | None |
| 19:30 | Two Rivers and Four Lakes night boat, roughly 90 minutes on the water through the lit-up city | Boarding points around the lakes | Book the same day at the pier; sailings can sell out at weekends |
Elephant Trunk Hill is a 20-minute visit wrapped in a park, worth the stop mainly because it sits right in the city. Diecai Hill gives the better photograph: a short, steep climb to a terrace over the rooftops and the river bend.
Day two: the Li River
This is a morning that punishes a lie-in. Piers sit 40 to 50 minutes by road from the city centre, and a transfer is needed before anything else happens.
| Time | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 06:45 | Breakfast, check out, leave the bag in hotel storage or head straight for the station | Yangshuo Station is out at Xingping, not in town |
| 07:30 | Transfer to the pier: Mopanshan for three-star boats, Zhujiang for four-star | The two piers are about 6.5 km apart. The class is printed on the ticket |
| 08:30 | Arrive, collect the ticket if it has not been issued, board | Passport needed; the ticket is real-name |
| Morning | Departure. Sailings leave through the morning, most of them before midday; the exact slot is on the ticket | A three-star ends at Longtoushan pier, a four-star at Shuidongmen pier |
| On the water | Nine Horse Mural Hill, Yellow Cloth Reflection, the bend at Xingping | The upper deck is where the photographs happen; shade is limited |
| 13:00–14:00 | Arrive outside Yangshuo, transfer into town | The pier is not in the town centre; a shuttle or taxi covers the last stretch |
| 15:00 | Lunch in Yangshuo, then West Street and the riverside | West Street is the busy pedestrian strip; quieter lanes sit behind it |
| 19:30 | Optional open-air night show on the river, or an early night before the mountains | Ticketed and popular; reserve ahead in high season |
Plan B: the raft, and the rest of Yangshuo
The bamboo rafts are motorised pontoons with four seats, and they run on the most photogenic stretch of the river rather than the whole 60 km. Two routes matter.
- Xingping to Nine Horse Mural Hill, return. Leaves from Chaobanshan pier, takes around 60 minutes, and is the shortest way to see the scenery that ends up on the
¥20banknote. - Yangdi to Xingping, one way. Roughly 90 minutes through the classic stretch, and the route most people mean when they say the Li River raft.
- Yangdi to Laocuntou, return. Around 90 minutes with the raft doubling back, for anyone who wants to end where they started.
Rafts run on water level, and sections close for a day or two after heavy rain. Three to five days of notice is realistic peak-season booking, and a party of two pays a supplement on a four-seat raft unless the other seats are filled.
With the afternoon free, Xianggong Hill is the usual target: around ¥60 to enter, roughly 500 stone steps and a 15 to 20 minute climb to the platform over the river bend. No public transport reaches the base, so it takes a car, a scooter or a tour.
Getting back, and where to sleep
| Route | Time | Cost | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yangshuo to Guilin by high-speed train | 23 to 27 minutes on board, 2 hours door to door | Around ¥24–38 second class | Yangshuo Station is at Xingping, 25 km out, and the last leg takes 40 to 60 minutes |
| Guilin North to the airport | Roughly 40 minutes by taxi | Metered | Guilin North is the main high-speed station and sits well outside the centre |
| Central Guilin to the airport | Airport coaches through the day | Low, fixed fares | Confirm the day's departures at the airport bus desk |
Staying in Guilin on night one and Yangshuo on night two is the efficient split, and it matches the one-way river. Sleeping both nights in Guilin works only if day two is the raft, which leaves you on the city side.
What to reserve, and when
- Li River boat, or the raftThree to seven days ahead in the shoulder season, and earlier around the first weeks of May and October. Tickets are real-name, so have passport details ready.
- Pier transferAgree the pick-up the evening before and allow 40 to 50 minutes from the centre.
- Nights in YangshuoWest Street is loud at night; the lanes behind it are quieter.
- Train outBook on 12306 with the passport. The station is at Xingping, so a 09:00 departure means leaving town by around 07:00.
Frequently asked questions
Is two days enough for Guilin?
Enough for the city and the river, which is what most first visits are for. It is not enough for the Longji rice terraces as well, and it leaves only an afternoon and an evening in Yangshuo. Three days is the comfortable version.
Is the Li River cruise a round trip?
No. It runs one way, downstream from Guilin to Yangshuo, with no return sailing. Plan day two as the day you move base, or arrange a road transfer back to Guilin.
Which pier do I leave from?
Three-star boats leave Mopanshan and finish at Longtoushan pier in Yangshuo. Four-star boats leave Zhujiang and finish at Shuidongmen. The two Guilin piers are about 6.5 km apart and both take 40 to 50 minutes from the centre, so check the class on the ticket.
How much does the cruise cost?
Around ¥215 per person for a three-star boat with a simple meal, and from around ¥360 for a four-star. Reduced fares apply for children and older passengers. Prices change by season and channel, so check the official channel.
Cruise or bamboo raft?
The cruise covers the full 60 km in 3.5 to 5 hours, with a seat and a meal. The raft covers the best stretch in 60 to 90 minutes and leaves the rest of the day free. Photographers tend to prefer the raft.
What if it rains or the river is low?
Rafts are suspended first, and sections can close for a day or two after heavy rain. Cruises are usually only held up by high-water warnings. January to April is the low-water period, when shorter routes are modified.
Do I need to book the night cruise in Guilin?
Not far ahead. Tickets are usually available at the pier or on a booking app the same day, though weekends and holiday weeks are worth reserving earlier. Boats run in the evening for around 90 minutes.
Can I do this trip with luggage?
Yes, if it is left behind. Most hotels store bags after check-out, and the stations have left-luggage offices. Carrying a suitcase onto a bamboo raft is not practical.
Related reading
Cruise distances, sailing durations and pier names follow the published Li River cruise arrangements, with three-star boats at Mopanshan and four-star at Zhujiang. Boat and raft fares are quoted as approximate 2026 figures from official and major ticketing channels and change with season and class; confirm them on the official channel before booking. Train times and fares between Guilin North and Yangshuo follow China Railway schedules and vary by service. Opening hours, prices and departure times for city attractions and night cruises change seasonally and are not listed as fixed figures here.