How to Avoid Pitfalls on Your Guilin Vacation? A Guide to Guilin Travel Scams

Guilin, as a representative of scenic landscapes, is certainly a great place to travel. Since I have relatives in Guilin and several college classmates in Guangxi, I go to Guilin almost every year for food, fun, and sightseeing. I’m very familiar with Guilin, but after walking many paths, I’ve inevitably stepped into some traps. Of course, as a place that has been planted in our minds since primary school textbooks, Guilin offers plenty of surprises beyond the pitfalls.

Let’s first talk about the “pitfalls” of visiting Guilin.

Jingjiang Palace is the most disappointing attraction in all of Guilin. It is connected to Guangxi Normal University and is a 5A-rated scenic spot, but the ticket price is outrageously high at 120 yuan. For comparison, the Forbidden City, also a 5A attraction, costs only 60 yuan. The high price would be tolerable if the site were worthwhile, but the core experience is lackluster. Many of the buildings are newly constructed; where is the promised Ming dynasty prince’s mansion? It looks nothing like an ancient residence. Secondly, the commercial atmosphere is overwhelming. Everyone is solely focused on making money, completely disregarding the original purpose of the site. After walking around, I spent money but ended up in a worse mood.

There are many temples in Guilin, and as everyone knows, many temples have become commercial businesses. Guilin’s temples are no exception—everything costs money. Lighting incense and bowing to Buddha costs money, touching all the thousand-year-old turtles costs money. In short, there are numerous paid activities, and it’s often hard to refuse. I’ll teach you a trick: pretend to be a Christian, which can help you avoid many of these temple-related traps.

Elephant Trunk Hill is a love-hate attraction. People love it because it is Guilin’s city emblem; generally, when you come to Guilin, you feel obliged to see it. Besides, its shape is so unique, and it served as the filming location for many scenes in the 1986 version of Journey to the West. What people hate is the exorbitant ticket price of 70 yuan. The entire scenic area is very small, offering poor value for money. It only takes a few minutes to climb to the top, where there is a Puxian Pagoda, similar to the “Heavenly King covers the earth tiger, pagoda subdues the river demon” kind of pagoda. Other than that, there’s not much to see—mainly just taking photos! Taking photos!

Many people go to the Ten-mile Gallery in Yangshuo. I recommend renting a bicycle and cycling along the Yulong River instead. That experience is far better than visiting places like the Big Banyan Tree, Moon Hill, or Butterfly Valley, because those spots are truly the worst of the worst. There’s also the “Shangri-La” scenic spot, which is just a village converted into a tourist attraction—I sincerely advise against going there.

After talking about the pitfalls, I must also mention Guilin’s pleasant surprises.

A cruise on the Li River is a must, otherwise how can you justify the advertisement in the Chinese textbooks? The most exquisite section for bamboo rafting is from Yangdi to Nine-Horse Fresco Hill and from Nine-Horse Fresco Hill to Xingping. The 20-yuan banknote background is located there. Giving a small tip to the raftsman is, in my opinion, worthwhile—it’s also an “unspoken rule.” Most importantly, he will explain the scenery along the way, chat and laugh with you, brightening your mood. He will also stop for you to take photos. Overall, it’s quite a good deal.

The Yulong River has always been a place I love very much. It has a delicate, feminine beauty, with clear water and several small slopes. Rafting on it is extremely enjoyable. The shoreline scenery is pastoral, with the sky high and clouds painting pictures—the vast sky allows free brushstrokes. The whole person becomes refreshed and clear-minded.

Guilin’s karst caves are also very famous. Seven Star Cave, Crown Cave, and Reed Flute Cave are all worth visiting. If you can only choose one, I recommend Reed Flute Cave, especially in summer. The cave is warm in winter and cool in summer, very comfortable. Reed Flute Cave was also the filming location for the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King in the 1986 version of Journey to the West (it seems Guilin has become the exclusive venue for Journey to the West).

In the evening, take a night cruise on the Two Rivers and Four Lakes—the night scenery is quite beautiful, especially for couples on a boat, very romantic. Then stroll along the famous historical and cultural street, Dongxi Lane. This street is quaint and ancient, somewhat like the market scenes in TV dramas. Buy some local specialties and handicrafts.

It is worth mentioning that there are many inns in Dongxi Lane that truly evoke the feel of an “inn” with a touch of the martial arts world. The Guilin Qingsanshe Inn, where I have stayed twice, is also there. It is an inn with great healing effects. The atmosphere of “leaning by the window listening to wind and rain, indifferent to the paths of the martial arts world” is palpable. The decor combines antiquity and beauty, with a clear and refreshing breeze. Brew a pot of tea alone, watch the smoke curl up, enjoy the fragrance of tea, and let your thoughts wander far away—many worries dissipate. Here, I recommend the Guilin Qingsanshe Inn to everyone.

Overall, Guilin is still a city well worth visiting. By avoiding those pitfalls, our travel mood will be more pleasant, and we will have a better time!