6 Days Guangzhou Guilin Tour: Explore Longji Rice Terrace & Yangshuo

Guangzhou City is the capital of Guangdong Province. As the third-largest city in China (after Shanghai and Beijing), bordering Hong Kong and Macao, Guangzhou is a major and only port city that has been opening and thriving for over 2,000 years. In this open and friendly Flower City, you can enjoy Cantonese Cuisine and explore Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Yuexiu Park, Nanyue King Mausoleum Museum, Beijing Road, Huacheng Square, Canton Tower, Pearl River, etc. freely on your own according to your time. Then your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel lobby, and escort you to the train station for your high speed train to Guilin (about 3 hours).

Welcome to Guilin, the most picturesque paradise in China! Upon your arrival at the train station in Guilin, the tour guide and driver will meet and greet you at the exit, and then escort you to the well-selected hotel in downtown Guilin. Your guide will help you check in at your hotel. Taking a walk along Binjiang Road and tasting the rice noodles are recommended activities for your leisure time. You are welcome to ask your tour guide for some useful tips to spend your free time based on your time and interest.

This morning, head to Longsheng County (108km, about 2.5 hours) via Huangluo Yao Village and Ping'an Zhuang Village, then hike to photograph the beautiful Longji Rice Terrace.

After 2 hours' drive from Guilin, you will arrive at the Huangluo Yao Village which is home to the Red Yao ethinic people. This village is famous as “World's Longest Hair Village”. You will marvel at local ladies' super long and pitch-black hairs (1.8 to 2.3 meters). The Red Yao women cut their hair only once in their lifetime and the secret to have Rapunzel-like long hair is inside the rice water. Then we will check in at Ping'an Zhuang Village.

In the afternoon, enjoy the hiking in the Longji Rice Terrace (Longsheng Rice Terrace) around Ping'an Zhuang Village which is commonly referred to as Ping'an Terrace. In fact, Longji Rice Terrace is a group of rice terraces, there are mainly three parts include Jinkeng Red Yao Terraced Fields, Ping'an Zhuang Terraced Fields, and Longji Old Village Cultural Terraced Fields. As one of the most popular gateways for visitors to explore the magnificent terraces, Ping'an Terrace is the most mature travel spot of the three. Across the cobbled paths, you can reach the famous Viewing Platforms of Seven Stars with Moon, Nine Dragons and Five Tigers, and so on.Take your time to find the best viewpoints to capture the beauty of the incredible terrace fields that exist since ancient times. After the hiking, go back to overnight in Ping'an Zhuang Village and have a good rest.

It's nice to watch the sun rise over the rice terraces and it offers great view on the Jinkeng Terraced Fields around Dazhai Village. So this morning you will get up early, with about 1 hour’s drive from Ping'an to Dazhai Village, you will have the chance to enjoy a memorable sunrise of Longji Rice Terrace around Jinkeng Red Yao Terraced Fields. There are less visitors here, you can appreciate the Jinkeng Terraced Fields and learn more about the folk customs of Red Yao Minority. The word "Red" is connected with the traditional hand-woven red jackets and shirts that women wear during festivals and carnivals.

As the marvel of agricultural art, Longji Rice Terrace is also called Dragon Backbone Rice Terraces. Because Longji means“dragon's backbone" and the endless rows of rice terraces dotted into the hillsides looks like the rippling scales on a dragon's backbone when filled with water. What's more, the amazing terraced rice fields were first constructed by the Yao and Zhuang ethnic groups 650 years ago, now it is still being used for quality rice growing by local Yao and Zhuang peoples. In Jinkeng Terraced Fields, you will understand more about the strong will for living and the wisdom and power of humans that are fully present on this land. After a half-day hike around the terraced fields, time to transfer back to Guilin City.

Longji Rice Terrace Photograph Tips:

1. In spring and early summer (mid-April to late June), it's time to photograph the mirror-like irrigated terrace and rice transplanting.

2. In summer and early autumn (Jul. to mid-Sept.), it's time to photograph the green terraces.

3. In Autumn and early winter (Sept. to early-Nov.) , it's time to photograph the golden harvest.

4. In winter (late Dec. to early Feb.), it's time to photograph the silvery terraces.

It is said that “The landscape in Guilin is the best under heaven”. Time for you to visit the place and check if it is really worthy of the reputation. After breakfast, you will go to explore the most stunning natural scenery along the Li River, which is famed as one of the “the world’s top 10 watery wonders” by National Geographic. Drive about 1 hour from your hotel to the pier and start a 4.5-hour relaxing sightseeing Li River cruise trip from Guilin to Yangshuo. Along the 84-kilometer scenic cruise, you will feast your eyes with endless Chinese paintings of winding rivers, numerous green limestone karst peaks, grazing water buffalo, farmers working in the fertile fields, and idyllic villages nestled at the bases of the hills. (Note: Lunch is served on the cruise with simple local Chinese cuisine.)

After arriving in Yangshuo, the driver will pick you up from the dock and drive to your hotel in Yangshuo town for a short rest. You can either try Chinese calligraphy or a Cooking Class (15:00-18:00) in the afternoon in Yangshuo Countryside. Or you can stroll leisurely along West Street, which is the most prosperous area in Yangshuo. Restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops along the street are always full of guests. It is a fusion of western culture and Chinese culture and it is the best place to spend your nightlife here. Whether you want to enjoy a cup of coffee, taste some local food or just throw yourself into the vivid atmosphere... all you can get.

In the evening you can enjoy the musical night show of Impression Sanjie Liu which is directed by Zhangyimou. This light show is actually performed on the Li River in Yangshuo showing the beauty of the folk songs and love story of Sanjie Liu.

Today you will explore Yangshuo Countryside by bike and experience the traditional bamboo boat along the Yulong River (Little Li River). It's a relaxing moment for an impressive exploration of the Yangshuo Countryside with its beautiful rural landscape.You can either hop on a bike (about 13km, 2hours) or rent an electric scooter to explore the postcard-like karst hills and rice paddies and pass by some tranquil villages. Let all the picturesque scenes please your eyes and your souls to the maximum for total relaxation.

In Yangshuo, you should not miss the Bamboo Rafting along the Yulong River. The Yulong River is a small tributary of the larger Li River. It is a unique way to sit on the bamboo boat and appreciate its beautiful natural landscape of Karst hills, clean and bright river, lush bamboo along the riverbank, harmonious villages, and quiet countryside. After enjoy the relaxing moment on Yulong Bamboo Rafting (about 40min), you will go back to hotel for a good rest. (Tips: Each Yulong bamboo boat can take 2 people. If there are 3 people, it means need 2 bamboo boats.)

After breakfast, transfer back to Guilin for further exploration. Start your visit to the Symbol of Guilin - Elephant Trunk Hill. Located on the intersection of Li River and Peach Blossom River, the Elephant Trunk Hill looks like a huge elephant drinking water in the river. And then you will pay a visit to the Reed Flute Cave, which is a classic scenic spot of karst landform. The amazing stalactites and stalagmites in the cave look like animals or plants. When the colorful neon lights are on, you will feel like walking in a crystal palace.

After the tour, it is time to end your 6-day tour. Your guide will escort you to the airport/train station for your flight or high-speed train to your next destination.

Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel for your China tour, and we are always here working for you and hope to see you again for your next trip to China/Asia.