Guangxi · China
Where to stay in Guilin
Guilin is a city in Guangxi, China, home to about 4,931,000 people.
- Best months
- October and November
- Nearest airport
- KWL26 km · Guilin Liangjiang International Airport
- Currency
- CNYrenminbi
- Time zone
- Asia/Shanghai
- Language
- Chinese, Putonghua, Standard Chinese
About
About Guilin
Guilin (Chinese: 桂林 Standard Zhuang: Gveilinz), formerly romanized as Kweilin, is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is situated on the west bank of the Li River and borders Hunan to the north.
Separated from the center of China and the Yangtze River basin by the Nan Mountains, Guangxi has always been distinct from the rest of China. The Han Chinese empire first expanded into Guangxi in the 3rd century BC. The Ling Canal was cut around the time, allowing small boats to transit from the Yangtze to the south flowing Xi River via the Xiang River. Trade grew along the canal and river routes. Guilin was founded as a trading post in the 1st century BC on the West bank of the Kuei River.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Guilin
See
- Central Square
- Jingjiang Princes' City
- Official Residence of Li Zongren
- Sun and Moon Pagodas
- Eighth Route Army Guilin Office Museum
- Guilin Art Museum
- Guilin Guanshitang Chicken-Blood Stone Museum
- Guilin Museum
- Jade Culture Museum
- Museum of Guihai Stele Forest
- Ronghu Art Gallery
- Black Hill Botanic Garden
Do
- Li River Cruise
- Two Rivers and Four Lakes Cruise
- Dreaming on Li River Show
- Mountain Bike Rental
- Wupai River Drifting
- Guilin Shangri-la park
- Butterfly Cave
- Golf Course
- Theme Park
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Guilin to stay in
Guilin is a tourism city. There are many hotels, more than 30 five-star hotels, 100 four-star hotels, and 200 three-star hotels.There are plenty of B&Bs with great views to choose from. Whether you want to enjoy a magnificent sunrise or spend a peaceful weekend in a mountaintop homestay in the mountains, you will have plenty of options. You can choose a homestay nestled in a farmland on the outskirts of the city and soak up the peaceful countryside, or choose a homestay on the top floor of a high-rise building. Whether you prefer the tranquillity of nature or the bustle of the city, Guilin has a homestays waiting for you.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Guilin
16 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Atour Hotel Hi-tech Zone Guilin | 7.8 km | |
| Guilin Hongfeng Jingcheng Hotel | 3.6 km | |
| Guilin Plaza Hotel | 3.7 km | |
| Holiday Inn Express Guilin Center | 1.7 km | |
| Imperial DragonBay Purejoy Hotel(Xiangshan Park) | 1.6 km | |
| Lavande Hotel (High-speed Railway North Station of Guilin) | 6.5 km | |
| Lavande Hotels·Guilin Central Square Elephant Trunk Hill Scenic Area | 1.9 km | |
| New Kwangsi Style Hotel | 4.6 km | |
| Park View Hotel | 4.4 km | |
| Poltton Sum Ai Hotel (Guilin Wanda High Speed Railway Station) | 7.0 km | |
| Shangri-La Guilin | 3.5 km | |
| Shanhu Hotel | 1.5 km | |
| Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel (Guilin Liangjiang Sihu) | 1.8 km | |
| Vienna International Hotel Guilin Wanda Plaza | 7.0 km | |
| Windsor Holiday Hotel | 9.7 km | |
| Zhongshui International Hotel (Nanxishan Park) | 3.2 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Guilin
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Guilin are October and November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; June is the wettest, with about 369 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Guilin: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL), about 26 km from the city centre in a straight line; Liuzhou Bailian Airport / Bailian Air Base (LZH, 150 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Visitors from ASEAN countries may visit Guilin for up to 144 hours (6 days) without a visa provided they join an approved group tour, enter and depart China through Guilin Liangjiang International Airport, and do not travel beyond Guilin, Yangshuo and Longsheng.
Getting around
Getting a local map from a tourist guide or shop for ¥5 is a good idea. This will show the location of most of the sights as well as details of bus routes. Buses are an ideal way to get around Guilin on a budget. Many city parks and river spots can be accessed easily by bus. All the buses starting with 5# are free. A useful one is bus 58 which runs from the train station (and bus station) to many of the attractions. Bus fare are capped at ¥2 per trip. Taxis are also inexpensive and easily hailed within the city. Usually hard to catch during peak hours (17:30-19:00).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
KWL · Guilin Liangjiang International Airport
LZH · Liuzhou Bailian Airport / Bailian Air Base
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Guilin
Eat
Guilin cuisine is influenced by Cantonese and Hunanese styles, but with more use of fish and spices and often prepared using stir-frying or steaming. Restaurants often assume westerners do not like spicy food and will make your food bland as hell if you do not insist otherwise. Even then there is a chance they will not believe you. Guilin has some distinct local ingredients used in a number of dishes.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Guilin: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Guilin?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Guilin are October and November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; June is the wettest, with about 369 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Guilin?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL), about 26 km from the city centre in a straight line; Liuzhou Bailian Airport / Bailian Air Base (LZH, 150 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Guilin?
renminbi (CNY).
Nearby
Destinations near Guilin
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.