Guilin China’s overlooked poster destination
Discover why Guilin China is the overlooked poster destination with breathtaking karst mountains and misty rivers that define China’s scenic beauty.
When people picture China, they often imagine Guilin, even if they don’t know its name. The city’s setting — jagged karst mountains rising from the Li River, mist hanging over the water — has been the subject of poems and paintings for centuries. Located in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, it is considered by many locals to be the most beautiful scenery in the country. The phrase “桂林山水甲天下” — “the scenery in Guilin is the greatest under heaven” — was carved into a peak by poet Wang Zhenggong in 1201. More than 800 years later, it still captivates visitors.
The Karst Mountains That Became a National Symbol.
Guilin‘s surroundings are so iconic that photos of them often serve as China’s visual shorthand. Yet floating on a bamboo raft beside fishermen, watching cormorants dive and water buffalo stride, is something no camera can fully capture. It is a place that truly must be seen to be believed.
The city sits in southwestern China, one of two provinces that border Vietnam. For foreign tourists making short trips, that location can be a disadvantage. Beijing and Shanghai are more convenient and better known. Yet neither city offers the natural representation of China that Guilin does, and the city itself still has plenty of authentic Chinese culture and modern city life.
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Why Tourists Skip It – and Why They Shouldn’t
Guilin is home to about four million people. The heart of the area is Riyue Shuangta Park, named for the sun and moon twin pagodas that stand in a lake. At night, one pagoda glows gold, the other silver. Retirees gather to dance to traditional folk music. Tourists sit at lakeside bars with a beer, watching the lights reflect on the water.
Nearby, Xicheng Road night market offers Guilin’s signature dish: mifen, or rice noodles. Diners start with a bowl of plain noodles and add their own toppings — spices, pickles, vegetables, meats, broths. Locals tend to load up on spicy pickled vegetables, slices of beef, a meaty gravy, and a boiled egg. The noodles soak up the flavors like little sponges, delivering a mix of savory, sour, and spicy in every bite.
Another local staple is pijiu yu, or beer fish. The dish features river carp with a crispy skin, served in a rich sauce made from tomatoes, spices, soy sauce, and beer. It is a communal meal, shared with bowls of rice and a few beers.
