Things to see and do Guilin 桂林

We arrive at Crown Cave, a cellar of stalagmites and stalactites (not provided for in the program), involving a 2-hour visit for a supplement of RMB 60. The trail on the bank is kept by young Miao in traditional costume welcoming visitors and by rainforests access to others… To access the entrance of the cave, you have to climb a long steep climb (under overwhelming heat in summer). Crown Cave is a very long cave (3 km) of stalagmites and stalactites lit with colour adore green, yellow, purple… On the bottom of the cellar flows a small river that you need to go down into a narrow hallways.

The last part is done by train. Back on the Li River, the landscapes are becoming increasingly magical with spurs mountain balls in form of sugar breads to evocative names such as Embroidered, Meunier at work, White Tiger Hill, the Grand-Father looking at an apple, the Lion is the sum of the Five Fingers Hill, the Turtle climbs the Hill Hill Hill Hill, The Eight Supernatural crosses through the river, the peak of the Tail of the Fish, the hill of the Nine Horses fresco, the Lion who looks at the hill of the Nine Horses mural, the Hill Hill, The Yellow Fabric in the river, the Camel crossing the river, the Carpe Hill, the Dragon heads hill… Apparently, Lijiang is shallow, and the water so clear that sunlight makes these aquatic grasses grow in the bottom of the bed of the river. As one moves down, the banks are lined with large bushes of bamboo from emerald green on deep blue sky and sugar bread. The surface of calm waters reflects these poetic landscapes sung for millennia by the greatest Chinese poets. They have such serenity that we want to stop to live here…

From Yangshuo, you can do the same cruise by going back the river to half way towards Guilin for much cheaper: 110 RMB (Guilin having the monopoly of operation of the entire Lijiang River, the Yangshuo organizations have the right only to go back to the village of Yangdi). So, for those who want to make savings, take the bus to go to Yangshuo and go up half the river from there. In any case, the most beautiful karst formations border the last half of the river.

Despite the admission price that is considered exorbitant for a natural site, if you have to visit at least one cave in Guilin, it is this one that must be chosen. Located north-west of Guilin on the south slope of Guangming Mountain, this limestone cavern measures 240 m long and contains 500 m of interior corridors. In front of the entrance of the cave, boulders were made with which flutes were made, hence the name straight from a fairy tale. Inside, erosion cut stalagmites and stalactites into columns, curtains and stone flowers, giving instead magical beauty and impressive diversity.

Already fascinating by its proportions, the cave becomes even more so thanks to the highlights, which recreate in each gallery a different atmosphere, but above all detach ensembles, forcing our imaginations to perceive particular shapes. Hence the interest, if you are large enough, to request an English guide for the visit. For in any case, the group visit and the guide will be imposed on you. Please note that the floor can be slippery, so we advise you to get in bed…

Located in the northeast of the city, Mount Hill, or the "Vagues de Waves", stands isolated, forcing the Lijiang River to slow down its race and form a deep pond. Apart from the pleasant panorama, we come to see the cave of the Restored Pearl, which is carved in the stone of Buddhist bas-reliefs.

This famous hill, at the confluence of the Lijiang and Yangjiang rivers, evokes an elephant plunging its cheater into water: It is the symbol of the city. A circular cave called «the Cave of Water and Moon» was formed between the cheating and the hill. On the full moon days, we can go by boat contemplating the reflection of the moon in the water. On the inner and outer walls, 50 sculptures in the stone of different dynasties. A small trail leads to the top of the hill where the Puxian pagoda stands, built under the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).