Guilin, Top Attractions(364 views)

Release date:2011-09-26 23:54:54

If Shanghai offers the best city life for tourists in China, Guilin offers the best greenery and village life in China. Guilin adds a feather to the cap of China by luring people from all continents. This piece of land is immensely blessed with breath taking scenic spots such as the Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave, Fubo Hill, Folded Brocade Hill, Seven- Star Peak, Li River and Yulong River. It is very convenient to move around in Guilin as most of the attractions are in either walking or cycling distance.

Li River, being the most important attraction is the favourite among tourists. During the seven to eight hours river cruise through Li River, you can see nature’s beauty that mesmerises any stone- hearted person. Li River cruise, which is 80 kilometres starts from dock, south of Liberation Bridge and winds up at Yangshuo.

The major tributary of Li River, the Yulong River is also an interesting diversion as there are beautiful karsts scenes in this area. Besides, villagers can take you for a raft ride for cheaper price. It is more peaceful here and if you want to see local village life, you can see it in plenty here.

Elephant Trunk Hill is the main landmark of Guilin and becomes an inspiration to artists from all around the world. It is in the shape of an elephant that drinks water from the river. The gap between the trunk and the leg is round and it creates a reflection on water and locals admiringly call it ‘Moon on Water’. There is a cave that is known as an eye of the elephant from which you can capture beautiful greenery of Guilin. On top of the hill there is a pagoda that was built during Ming Dynasty with a painting of Bodhisattva Puxian. When you view Elephant Trunk Hill from far, you get the image of an elephant carrying a big ceremonious vase on its back, just like how you see in Indian festivals. Other attractions in the area are Yunfeng Monastery and Aiqing Dao.

Reed Flute Cave is just five kilometres away from Guilin downtown and one of the famous spots in Guilin. You can see plenty of reeds grown outside the cave of which locals make flute, hence the name. Reed Flute Cave is actually a water eroded cave with plenty of stone formations, stalactites, etc… and the illumination inside the cave creates a paradise-like feeling. The famous stone formations are Crystal Palace, Dragon Pagoda, Flower and Fruit Mountain and Virgin Forest. There are poems and inscriptions inside the cave and they dates back to Tang Dynasty. There is also a small park with pavilions, ponds, trees and plants here. You have to pay 90 RMB for entrance fee and you can buy reed flutes from here.

Fubo Hill is yet another scenic wonder in Guilin. It has the height of 213 meters and blocks the water creating waves that retreat after hitting the hill. It got the name Fubo Hill due to a temple built honouring General Fubo during Tang Dynasty. There are caves on the hill such as Pearl Returning Cave, The Thousand Buddha Cave where to the end situated Sword Testing Rock. The Tingtao Pavilion is an ideal spot to listen to the lashing waves and the Viewing Platform while climbing narrow stairs is an ideal spot to get the panoramic view of Guilin.

Folded Brocade Hill that resembles folded silk cloth is the folded rock formations on the Hill. The main attraction on this hill where there are four peaks such as Bright Moon Peak, Crane Peak, Si Wang Peak and Yuyue Peak, is the Wind Cave. It is always breezy here and has plenty of stone inscriptions and stone carvings dating back from both Tang and Song Dynasties. The Bright Moon Peak being the highest peak where you can see the whole of Guilin City is the second important attraction here.

Seven- Star Peak, the largest park in Guilin City is also one of the top attractions in Guilin. Things to see here include Camel Hill in the shape of camel, Crescent Mountain with a crescent shaped rock on its side, Flower Bridge where flowers bloom in spring and summer, Guihai Stele Forest with 220 stone steles, Light of China Square where you can see stone-carving murals and famous Shi Ji Bao Ding, Putuo Mountain where Avalokitesvra Bodhisattva is venerated and Seven–star Cave with plenty of stalactites and stalagmites.

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