Short answer
Guilin splits into three zones, and they are not interchangeable. The city holds the karst landmarks, the caves and the hills you climb for a view: half a day to two days. Yangshuo, 90 minutes downriver, holds the rafting and the note-in-your-pocket scenery. The Longji rice terraces, two to three hours north, need an overnight to be worth the journey.
City tickets are modest, and some sights are free with a reservation, Elephant Trunk Hill being the big one. Yangshuo rafting is the expensive line item at around ¥200-320 per two-person raft, and Longji the other once the cable car and shuttle are added.
Two bookings genuinely matter: Elephant Trunk Hill, and the popular Yulong River raft sections. Everything else can usually be handled the morning of.
The city sights
Elephant Trunk Hill (象鼻山)
The rock in the Li River shaped like an elephant drinking, and the city's emblem. Entry is free but comes with an online reservation, and the daily quota goes. The park runs from around 07:00 to 21:00.
Go in the evening. The 水月洞 arch under the trunk frames a semicircle of water, and with the lights on the reflection completes the moon. An hour covers the park on foot. A short raft ride round the base costs around ¥50 per person and is optional.
Two Rivers and Four Lakes (两江四湖)
The chain of lakes around the old city, joined by the Li and Peach Blossom rivers. Walking the shoreline and the 日月双塔 pagodas area is free and takes an evening. The lit-up night cruise is the paid experience and the one city sight better after dark; prices vary by boat class, so check the docking operator's channel.
Reed Flute Cave (芦笛岩)
A 500-metre lit walkway through a limestone cavern roughly 5km northwest of the centre. Inside sits at about 20°C year round, which makes it the standard midday refuge in July and August, and an hour is enough. Recent listings put adult entry in the region of ¥90-110; confirm on the scenic area's channel.
The city hills and parks
Folded Brocade Hill (叠彩山) and Fubo Hill (伏波山)
Two small peaks on the river, sold separately or as a joint ticket, and both are quick. The summit of 明月峰 gives a 360-degree view over the city and the river bend. Fubo Hill is a single peak with the 还珠洞 cave at its base, where a rock hangs without touching the ground and Tang-era carvings line the walls. Budget roughly ¥30-60 for the pair and check at the gate.
Seven Star Park (七星公园)
The largest park in the city, on the east bank: seven karst peaks, the Song-dynasty 花桥 Flower Bridge, the 七星岩 cave inside Putuo Hill, Camel Hill and more than 500 stone inscriptions. Park entry and the cave are ticketed separately, listed at roughly ¥55-95 combined in recent years.
Yaoshan (尧山)
The highest hill near the city at roughly 900 metres, with a cable car up and a toboggan down, each ticketed separately. On a clear morning the peak gives you the whole karst plain, and it is the quietest of the city viewpoints.
City attractions at a glance
| Sight | Approx. entry | Time needed | Best moment | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elephant Trunk Hill | Free, reservation required | 1 hour | Evening, for the lit reflection | Yes, quota-based |
| Two Rivers and Four Lakes | Free to walk; cruise priced by boat class | 1-3 hours | After dark | Yes for the night cruise |
| Reed Flute Cave | Roughly ¥90-110 | 1 hour | Midday or in rain | No, but busy in peak weeks |
| Folded Brocade + Fubo Hill | Roughly ¥30-60 combined | 2 hours | Morning for the view | No |
| Seven Star Park | Roughly ¥55-95 with the cave | 2-3 hours | Morning | No |
| Yaoshan | Cable car and toboggan ticketed separately | Half a day | Clear morning | No |
¥20-30. Treat every figure here as approximate and check the scenic area's own mini-program or ticket desk.
Downriver: Yangshuo and the Li
West Street (西街)
The pedestrian spine of Yangshuo: half a kilometre of cafés, bars and souvenir shops. It is free, loud after 21:00 and best used as a base rather than a destination.
Yulong River rafts (遇龙河竹筏)
The smaller river behind Yangshuo, punted by hand rather than powered, and generally the better half-day of the two. There is no entrance ticket; you pay for the raft only. Longer routes run roughly 90 minutes over nine low weirs at around ¥320 per two-person raft, and the shorter 水厄底 section about 40 minutes over four weirs at around ¥200 per raft.
Two rules matter. Rafts hold two people, and the price is per raft, not per person. Children under 1 metre, visitors over 70 and pregnant women are refused on the weir sections. Booking runs through the official mini-program, which releases slots days ahead in the evening; turning up at the dock early is the fallback. Wear quick-drying shoes and carry a dry bag.
Xingping, the 20-yuan view and Laozhai Hill
Xingping, 25km upstream from Yangshuo, is the village on the back of the ¥20 note. The matching viewpoint is a free short walk from town, and the better photograph comes from 老寨山, the steep hill behind the village: a rough, unmanaged staircase of roughly 30 to 45 minutes, no ticket and no railings in places, with the classic panorama over the river bend at sunrise or sunset. Bring a torch for the descent.
Across the river, 相公山 is the managed version of the same view, with a proper staircase, a small ticket lately around ¥60 and a short ferry. It is the reliable choice in low cloud or poor light.
The Li River cruise
The 4-hour boat from Mopanshan or Zhujiang dock to Yangshuo passes 九马画山 and the 黄布倒影 stretch. Three-star class is typically in the low hundreds of yuan per person, with four-star boats costing more. Book at least a couple of days ahead through the official Lijiang channel.
North: the Longji rice terraces (龙脊梯田)
Two to three hours north in Longsheng county, the terraces climb close to 800 metres up the hillside and are worked by Zhuang and Yao villages. The two main areas are 平安 Ping'an and 大寨/金坑 Dazhai or Jinkeng, separate valleys several kilometres apart. Dazhai has the bigger terraces and the cable car; Ping'an is more compact.
Headline prices: ¥80 per adult for the scenic area, with half-price tickets for children and seniors. The 金坑 cable car costs around ¥100 return or ¥55 one way, and the internal shuttle around ¥40. Direct buses run from Guilin Station (about 2.5 hours, roughly ¥50), from Guilin North or West (about 2 hours 45 minutes, roughly ¥65) and from Yangshuo (about 4 hours, roughly ¥90).
The reason to stay overnight is light: the terraces are best at sunrise and late afternoon, while a day trip puts you on the mountain at midday. Guesthouses in Dazhai and Ping'an are cheap but book out in the spring and autumn peaks.
Beyond the city at a glance
| Sight | Approx. cost | Time needed | Best moment | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li River cruise, Mopanshan to Yangshuo | Low hundreds of yuan, three-star class | 4 hours plus transfers | Morning departure | Yes, 2+ days |
| Yulong River raft, short section | Around ¥200 per two-person raft | 40 minutes | Early morning | Yes, sells out |
| Yulong River raft, long section | Around ¥320 per two-person raft | 90 minutes | Morning or late afternoon | Yes, sells out |
| Xingping viewpoint and Laozhai Hill | Free | 1 hour, or 2 with the climb | Sunrise or sunset | No |
| Longji terraces, Dazhai | ¥80 entry; cable car and shuttle extra | Overnight | Spring water-filling or autumn harvest | Yes for guesthouses in season |
How to put them together
- Two days: Elephant Trunk Hill early, a hill or Seven Star Park before lunch, Reed Flute Cave after lunch, Two Rivers and Four Lakes after dark.
- Three days or more: add a Yangshuo day trip with a Yulong raft if you get a slot, then a night at Longji and a night at Xingping.
Frequently asked questions
Which Guilin sights need booking in advance?
Elephant Trunk Hill, because entry is free but quota-based, and the popular Yulong River raft sections, released a few days ahead and gone in season. Li River boats are worth booking two or more days out, and Longji guesthouses need booking in the spring and autumn peaks.
Is Elephant Trunk Hill free?
Yes, entry is free but a reservation is required and daily numbers are capped. Book through the official channel for your date and carry your passport. The optional raft trip round the base of the hill is a separate charge of around ¥50 per person.
Is the Yulong River rafting better than the Li River cruise?
They are different experiences. The cruise is a 4-hour panorama from a big boat; the Yulong raft is 40 to 90 minutes on a handmade punt over low weirs, closer to the water and the fields, with a wet seat. If only one fits, take the raft.
Can children or older visitors go on the rafts?
Not on the weir sections. Children under 1 metre, visitors over 70 and pregnant women are refused, and this is enforced. The flat 富里桥 stretch has no weirs and suits families with small children; the Li River cruise has no equivalent restriction.
How do I see the 20-yuan note view?
Go to Xingping, about 25km upstream from Yangshuo. The printed viewpoint is a free spot a short walk from the village. For the wide panorama, climb Laozhai Hill behind the village, roughly 30 to 45 minutes up a steep, unmanaged path with no ticket.
Is Longji worth an overnight, or can I do it as a day trip?
Overnight, if the schedule allows. Day trips put you on the mountain at midday, hours from the light that makes the terraces worth the journey. A guesthouse in Dazhai or Ping'an for one night costs little and gets you sunrise.
How much should I budget for Guilin attractions in total?
Roughly ¥150-250 for a day of city sights including a cave and a hill or two, ¥200-320 per two-person raft in Yangshuo, and ¥250-400 per person for Longji once entry, cable car, shuttle and transport are counted. Add low hundreds of yuan for the Li River boat.
Related reading
Entry prices, cable car and shuttle fares for Longji follow the scenic area's published tariff and 2026 ticketing listings, quoted as approximate. Yulong River raft routes and prices follow the scenic area's booking channel and recent visitor reports, and Elephant Trunk Hill's free-reservation rule and opening hours follow the park's published notice. Confirm current prices and reservation rules on the operator's official channel before you travel.