Guilin 5 Days
Mountains & Waters Guest Lounge: A Hidden Luxury Journey in Guilin
Day 1:
Arrive in Guilin and take a 30-kilometer drive to check into a five-star art hotel by the Li River, designed by an Italian architect in collaboration with a local Guilin designer. In the evening, enjoy authentic cuisine at a themed restaurant adorned with goose-themed artworks by Guilin painters.
Day 2: Cruise to Yangshuo，Impression Liu Sanjie show(Approx. 40 km, 60-minute drive)
08:10-09:10 Depart from the hotel to the pier (approx. 24 km).
09:30-13:30 About 4-hour Li River cruise on a 4-star boat.
14:00-14:20 Upon arrival in Yangshuo, transfer to Yangshuo Sugar House Hotel (20-minute drive). This award-winning 5-star hotel blends restored historic architecture with modern design, nestled along the Li River.
15:00-17:00 "Sugar House Time" – Enjoy swimming, spa treatments, exploring the hotel, or capturing its beauty at leisure.
17:30-18:30 Dinner at Sugar House.
19:00-19:30 Transfer to Impression Liu Sanjie show.
19:40-20:40 Witness Impression Liu Sanjie, a breathtaking open-air spectacle set against the karst mountain landscape.
Day 3: Yulong River Countryside Tour – China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage(Approx. 80 km, 2.5-hour drive)
08:30-09:30 Guided bamboo bike ride through rice paddies, bamboo groves, and traditional villages—a scene straight out of a classic Chinese landscape painting.
10:00-10:30 Transfer to the Yulong River bamboo raft dock for a two-person hand-poled raft ride.
10:30-11:30 Yulong River Bamboo Rafting
Glide silently on a bamboo raft through a living painting—where karst peaks rise dramatically from emerald rice fields, punctuated by the occasional thrill of rafting down small weirs. A truly magical experience.
12:00-13:00 Lunch at Moon River, a one-of-a-kind spot in Yangshuo with breathtaking views of karst mountains and an untouched natural ambiance.
13:00-14:00 Transfer to Dongpu, a hidden pine forest along the Li River.
14:00-17:00 At a private viewing platform, enjoy the Li River scenery while practicing Chinese calligraphy, learning to paint a traditional landscape with a local artist, and sipping homegrown tea under the pine trees.
17:30-18:30 Dinner featuring Li River Beer Fish, a local specialty.
18:30-19:30 Head to the Li River to witness nighttime cormorant fishing.
19:40-20:30 Join the fishermen and their cormorants on a bamboo raft, venturing into the moonlit Li River for a full immersion into this vanishing intangible cultural heritage—once a vital livelihood along these waters.
20:30-21:30 Return to Sugar House Hotel for the night.
Day 4: Longji Rice Terraces – Traditional Stilt House Culture of Northern Guangxi(Approx. 150 km, 4-hour drive)
08:30-11:00 Transfer to the Longji Rice Terraces.
11:00-12:00 Visit the best-preserved Zhuang village in Longji. Experience authentic Zhuang traditions in a converted granary stilt house: learn to make oil tea, craft embroidered balls, and savor rare Chinese teas from the host's private collection. This hidden cultural gem remains unknown to most visitors.
12:30-13:30 Indigenous hearth lunch – gather around the firepit to enjoy organic local delicacies.
14:00-15:00 Drive to Dazhai Rice Terraces in Longji.
15:30-17:30 Leisure time at the boutique homestay. Sip coffee on the viewing deck while marveling at the spectacular terraced landscape.
18:00-19:00 Yao ethnic family feast featuring bamboo-tube rice, bamboo-tube chicken and other regional specialties.
Day 5: Rice Terrace Hike & Departure(Approx. 80 km, 2.5-hour drive)
08:30-09:30 Sunrise viewing at No.1 Observation Deck near the hotel (or enjoy a morning village hike), marveling at the breathtaking rice terraces at 1,000-meter elevation.
Around 10:00 Transfer to Guilin Liangjiang Airport for your onward journey (timing adjusted according to flight schedule).