I’d heard a lot about Guilin - about the mountains, the river, and the pretty girls and boys of the Chinese minorities in the area. What I didn’t realize was that most of the sights were outside of Guilin city itself, and some only reachable by roads in such poor condition that a mere 30 km drive could take an hour. Still, the beautiful scenery was well worth the trip.

Much of China is temples, urban life, and historical sights. I travelled to Guilin in hopes of something that was not manmade. The beautiful sceneries of Guangxi province came delivering.

More specifically, I came to Guilin looking for the Longji Rice Terraces that I’d seen in photographs. And this sight, the first on our trip, was what won our hearts. It’d rained during our hike up the terrace but the drizzle passed quickly, leaving a mystical aftermath of fog and cloud that danced around the terrace. The rice terrace is beautiful all year around and with different colors during harvest season and in snowfall. I hope I can go back there in the winter.

After spending the day in Longji, we went to Yangshuo. Yangshuo county was a different scene altogether from Longji. On the Li River, Yangshuo was a sight of the river twisting and turning, hilltops upon hilltops for miles in sight, and quiet fishing villages. We took a bamboo raft as well as a bigger boat cruise on the Li River.

Everything was more mystical and more beautiful than I’d imagined. For those thinking of visiting Guilin, I highly recommend spending 1 night in Longji so you can catch the sunrise over the rice fields and 1 night in Yangshuo to soak in all the Li River has to offer