Liuzhou: More Than Just Snail Noodles – A Complete Travel Guide
In the first year of the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty, Liuzhou was renamed Longcheng Prefecture, hence it is also known as Longcheng.
The Liu River flows through the city, wrapping the northern peninsula into a pot-like shape, giving it another nickname: Pot City.
Although Liuzhou is an industrial city, it boasts beautiful scenery. The Liu River embraces the city, green hills dot the central urban area, and peaks surround the wilderness. The phrase "a river embraces the city as it flows" perfectly describes Liuzhou's cityscape. Most of Liuzhou's attractions are near the city center, very concentrated, and many can be reached on foot. Public buses are also very convenient.
If you haven't been to Liuzhou yet, please keep this food and fun guide handy. It doesn't follow a strict timeline; you can pick destinations that suit your schedule and preferences.
When in Liuzhou, you must experience the 303-meter-high glass walkway at Yunding Tower. Stay at the Yunding Hotel, where the view from your room will immediately excite you. This is also a must-visit spot for photography enthusiasts.
This time I stayed in a Yunya Scenic View Room on the 70th floor, about 40 square meters with floor-to-ceiling windows and a wide view, perfect for portraits and cityscape photography. After resting in the room, you can challenge yourself on the glass walkway on the 76th floor. You might be a bit scared at first, but under the coach's guidance, you'll gradually overcome your fear. Whether you can capture a unique thrill-seeking photo is up to you.
Finally, dinner was at the Yunding Pavilion Restaurant on the 73rd floor, which specializes in Cantonese cuisine. The dining environment was extremely comfortable, as if sitting on the clouds, allowing you to enjoy the panoramic city view while savoring the food – absolutely worth it.
① Night Cruise on the Hundred-Li Liu River – Extraordinary No.1 Cruise Ship
The Hundred-Li Liu River winds through Liuzhou city, and the night views along both banks are incredibly romantic. Modern skyscrapers and antique buildings light up simultaneously. Boarding the cruise, the colored landscape, outlined by landscape lights, creates hazy lines – truly beautiful. Taking a summer night cruise on the Liu River is a pleasure, where you can enjoy the evening breeze, night scenery, and various city buildings.
Cruise time: 19:40-20:40
Ticket: 89 yuan/person
② Jiao Jie Snail Noodles & Guangya Wonton in Golden Fish Alley
Many Liuzhou locals grew up with Guangya Wonton. When mentioned, Guangya Wonton is definitely a top-tier breakfast choice in Liuzhou. The owner said Guangya Wonton was founded in the 1980s, with a history of about forty years, representing a generation's memories. Thanks to such snack shops, community bonds are strengthened. No matter where you are in Liuzhou, you'll find one there, like a tie that brings neighbors closer, drawing passersby into the small shop. A bottle of "6:30" soy milk, a bowl of crab roe wontons, and a serving of pan-fried dumplings – after eating and drinking your fill, you leave satisfied and continue your life story.
Business hours: 10:00-22:00
Average cost: 11 yuan/person
Address: Unit 1-2, Building 43, Golden Fish Alley, South Jiefang Road
Speaking of Liuzhou, snail noodles are inevitable. The Jiao Jie Snail Noodles I'm recommending today is an old shop that local friends have been eating at for nearly ten years. The broth here is famous for its strong flavor. Bean curd sheets, scallion oil, and oil bean curd are must-adds; pig trotters and duck feet are also good choices. Since it's quite spicy, be sure to order a bowl of iced mung bean sweet soup – it really helps relieve the heat. As business has grown, the owner has opened two more storefronts in the alley, accommodating more people to enjoy the noodles!
Business hours: 12:00-02:00
Average cost: 18 yuan/person
Address: No. 293, Yaru Road, Liubei District, Liuzhou City
③ Liuzhou Museum
To unlock a city, visiting its local museum is always the right choice. Here, one river, one car, and one flower can summarize Liuzhou's scenery and cultural connotations (Liu River, Wuling, and Bauhinia flowers). At Liuzhou Museum, permanent exhibitions include the History Hall, Ethnic Hall, Bronze Hall, Fan Painting and Calligraphy Hall, and Ancient Fossil Hall. Through dioramas and artifacts from different historical periods, the museum recreates Liuzhou's historical landscape.
The Ancient Fossil Hall on the first floor is similar to the previous Cave Science Museum, with a rich variety and large quantity of collections, very meaningful. The History Hall and Ethnic Hall on the second floor display different ethnic characteristics and scenes. On the third floor is the Fan Painting and Calligraphy Hall, which I liked the most – it's incredibly exquisite! Both the paintings and calligraphy are masterpieces.
Ticket reservation: Free, scan the QR code on site; ID card and health code required for entry.
Business hours: 9:00-17:00
Address: No. 37, North Jiefang Road, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
④ Bailian Cave Cave Science Museum
In Yu Qiuyu's "The Bitter Journey of Culture," the essay "Bailian Cave" records his visit there. The Bailian Cave Cave Science Museum was founded in 1985. Over time, it became old and outdated. I learned from research that it was recently renovated, with a new building constructed in the style of Tadao Ando's exposed concrete architecture. Large areas of cement gray walls, with light streaming in from different angles, create beautiful gradients of gray. The overall color is very clean, matching any outfit, making it great for photos. It has become one of the internet-famous check-in spots around Liuzhou.
Next to the museum is Bailian Cave itself, an underground karst cave that also contains bat caves. However, the cave facilities are currently under renovation and not open to the public.
Bailian Cave Cave Science Museum
Ticket reservation: Free, recommend booking in advance on the museum's official WeChat account.
Business hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:00-16:30 (last entry 16:00), closed on Mondays.
Address: No. 472, Liushi Road, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
⑤ Longtan Park
As the backyard garden for Liuzhou locals, Longtan Park is close to the city center and very popular among citizens. The park is densely vegetated, integrating karst landscapes, subtropical karst plant scenery, and ethnic culture. It is a 4A-level free scenic spot.
If you have ample travel time, it's worth a visit. Photography enthusiasts shouldn't miss it – there are many photogenic spots in the park.
Business hours: 06:30-22:00
Address: No. 43, Longtan Road, Yufeng District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
⑥ Liuhou Park
Located in the heart of Liuzhou, Liuhou Park was built in memory of Liu Zongyuan, a great literary figure of the Tang Dynasty who served as the governor of Liuzhou. It is the only national key park in Guangxi. Established in 1906, it has a history of over a hundred years. Although the park is in the city center, it is not noisy; instead, it gives a sense of tranquility and peace, just like the poem describes: "All sounds are silent here, only the sound of bells and chimes."
Business hours: 06:30-22:00
Address: No. 60, Wenhui Road, Chengzhong District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
⑦ Five-Star Pedestrian Street
Five-Star Street is currently the most prosperous commercial pedestrian street in Liuzhou, integrating entertainment, shopping, leisure, socializing, culture, commerce, and dining. It has a strong vibe of local life, representing the commercial prosperity of Liuzhou, and is a must-visit for out-of-town tourists.
Address: No. 88, South Jiefang Road, Chengzhong District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
⑧ Snail Noodle Flying Camp
In the Snail Noodle Specialty Town, there is a highly experiential spot – the Snail Noodle Town Flying Camp on the hilltop. The camp area has stable air currents and wide views, especially suitable for beginners to experience flying. The base features continuous karst mountains with unique and beautiful scenery, with about 280 flyable days a year. When paragliding here, a selfie stick is essential, so adjust angles to photograph yourself (the camp provides GoPro with selfie sticks). Paragliding also depends on weather; if the wind is too strong or in the wrong direction, flying is not possible. The experience costs 580 yuan per person, including filming. After flying, the coach transfers the video directly to your phone for instant sharing on social media, making your Moments explode.
Business hours: 9:00-19:00
Average cost: 580 yuan/person
Address: Hilltop, Baile Bamboo Sea Scenic Area, Liunan District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
⑨ Ma'anshan Park
The sole purpose of going to the top of Ma'anshan Park is to see the sunset and city nightscape. From the summit, you can see the city lights surrounded by the Liu River, like an island in the river. There is a direct elevator to the top during the day, costing 20 yuan per person, but it only runs until 16:00. If you don't want to climb, you can take the elevator up in advance.
Address: Ma'anshan Park, Pingshan Avenue, Yufeng District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
⑩ Yaobu Ancient Town
The overall architecture of Yaobu Ancient Town is in the Huizhou style, recreating its rustic charm and reviving the past prosperity of Yaobu Pier. The ancient town mainly consists of the old commercial street area and the Dong ethnic cultural quarter. The commercial street is composed of Zhuang, Miao, and Yao ethnic streets, along with a waterfront leisure pedestrian street. It offers a full range of food, drink, and entertainment, making it a great place to visit.
Address: No. 9, Panlong Road, Yufeng District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
⑪ Luhan Xiangqiao Karst National Geopark
About a 1.5-hour drive from Liuzhou city center, you will arrive at Luhan Xiangqiao Karst National Geopark in Dazhao Village, Zhongdu Town, Luzhai County, Guangxi. It is a national AAAA-level scenic area known for karst landforms. Xiangqiao is famous for its geological wonders, integrating karst landscape and ecology. The park has rich vegetation, featuring Xiangqiao Natural Bridge, Xiangqiao Karst Gorge, Xiangshui Low Head Waterfall, which are fine examples of China's karst landscapes. Combining strange rocks, deep caves, and beautiful waters, this is a natural heritage gifted by nature, also called a "natural karst geology museum" by karst geologists. Highly recommended.
Ticket: 40 yuan/person
Business hours: 09:00-17:30
Address: Dazhao Village, Zhongdu Town, Luzhai County, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
⑫ Zhongdu Ancient Town
Zhongdu Ancient Town is one of the best-preserved ancient residential clusters near Liuzhou with minimal commercialization. Built in the mid-Qing Dynasty, the entire cluster features gray bricks, gray tiles, and wooden frames. Many well-preserved old shops, inns, and ancient residences remain, and there are still many locals living in the town.
Elderly people enjoying the cool, children swimming in the river, and women washing clothes by the bank – such simple folk customs. Although most buildings have been renovated, the old stone paths still bear witness to the town's history.
While in Zhongdu Ancient Town, you can also visit "Xianghe Xiangyun" to see lotus flowers and enjoy a lotus flower feast.
Address: Zhongdu Town, Luzhai County, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
⑬ SAIC-GM-Wuling Baojun Base
Located on the eastern outskirts of Liuzhou, the Baojun Auto City is a modern vehicle manufacturing base built by SAIC-GM-Wuling according to GM global standards. It has now become a AAAA-level tourist attraction. Visits require advance reservation and are for groups only, costing 50 yuan per person with six tour routes to choose from. Note that photos are not allowed inside the workshops.
In the hot summer, the colors in every corner of the park and the Baojun electric cars on the road are refreshing. I test-drove a Baojun electric car inside the park; acceleration and cornering were excellent, no less than a gasoline car, with ample driver space and a wide view. From the first visual impression to the comfortable ride, I was tempted.
Address: No. 8, Baojun Avenue, Luorong Town, Yufeng District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi
I hope this detailed Liuzhou food and fun guide plays a key role in your upcoming travel plans! With such a destination full of local flavors and beautiful scenery, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and hit the road!
