Sven from The Real Traveler admiring the beautiful karst scenery in front of a bamboo raft and river cruise in Yangshuo China

Gliding down the Li River is one of China’s most iconic experiences, but should you choose the classic cruise or the more intimate bamboo raft? After extensive research, we’re breaking down the key differences to help you decide, and we share our personal experience at the end.

Drone picture of the river and karst scenery showcasing the city during sunset lights. — **HOW MANY DAYS** | 1 - 2

**BEST TIME TO VISIT |** Apr - Jun & Sep - Nov

**WHERE TO STAY |** Lifang Landscape Hotel
**TOP THINGS TO SEE |**
Li River Cruise, Bamboo Rafting, Longji Rice Terraces

**HOW TO GET AROUND |** Boat, taxi, bicycle

After exploring places like Khao Sok and Ha Long Bay, and spending nearly a year in Thailand, we weren’t sure if Guilin’s karst peaks would still impress us. But with so many travelers recommending the Li River, we decided to see it for ourselves and take a breather from China’s fast-paced cities. If you’re wondering whether Guilin is worth your time, this post will help you decide.

And once you’ve added it to your route, there’s one more big question: should you go for the Li River Cruise or opt for Bamboo Rafting? After weighing the pros and cons, we created this guide to help you choose the best option for your trip.

HOW MANY DAYS?

We recommend spending at least 2 full days and 3 nights in the Guilin/Yangshuo area. This is a place to slow down and soak in the scenery. If you’d like to explore further, like visiting the Longji Rice Terraces or taking a full day to bike through the countryside, consider adding an extra day or two.

YANGSHUO VS. GUILIN

Guilin is a well-connected city with convenient transport options, and offers a mix of nature and urban life. You can visit the Elephant Trunk Hill and Reed Flute Cave.

In contrast, Yangshuo is smaller and has a rural vibe with immersive nature, outdoor activities like biking and rafting, and scenic countryside views.

Guilin is ideal as a base to do most of the sightseeing and you can still find remote stays in nature a few minutes away from the city. Yangshuo is better for travelers seeking wanting to spend more days and only be in nature. If you are only here to do the sightseeing then Guilin is a better option.

bamboo rafts at the river waiting for tourists parked on the edge of the river in yangshuo china

WHERE TO STAY IN GUILIN?

This can be a tricky question. It really depends on the kind of experience you're looking for and what you’d like to see. There are plenty of stunning hotels with mountain or river views, but keep in mind that some of them are quite remote. For easy access to transportation, tour pick-ups, sightseeing, and dining, staying in central Guilin is the most convenient option. Other popular bases are Xingping, known for its scenic views, or Yangshuo, which has a more laid-back vibe.

When booking accommodation in China, we recommend using Trip.com — it offers a wider range of hotels than Booking.com and works more reliably within China.

BUDGET | We stayed at Guilin Yifang Landscape Lijiang Beauty Hotel and had incredible view of the river, were just a short walk from the ancient city center, had plenty of great dining options nearby, and the rooms and service at our hotel were truly outstanding. It had a delicious Chinese breakfast included.

COMFORT | Lijiang Xi’An Homestay is perfect for beautiful river views, a modern and spacious room, and the option to enjoy outdoor dining with river views.

ESCAPE | Stay at Lijiang Boyin Hotel for an incredible view of the Sun & Moon Pagodas it offers the best scenic views in the city.

HOW TO GET TO GUILIN AND YANGSHUO?

Getting to Guilin and Yangshuo is easy and convenient. You can take a high-speed train (HSR) from Chengdu (5–6 hours) or Guangzhou (around 2 hours) straight to Guilin. The city also has an airport with connections to most major Chinese cities and even to Kuala Lumpur.

Once in Guilin, getting to Yangshuo takes about 1.5 hours by car. You can book a private transfer, take a long-distance bus from Guilin Bus Station, or simply use Didi. There’s also a small high-speed train station near Yangshuo, but it’s located about 30 minutes outside of town.

AIR | Search for affordable air fares with kiwi.com here

TRAIN | Check HSR schedules and book your seat through 12go.asia here.

HOW TO GET AROUND?

Guilin is easy to explore on foot, especially along the scenic river promenades and in the city center. For longer distances, the most convenient way to get around is by using the ride-hailing app DiDi. If you're planning to visit the Longji Rice Terraces, consider hiring a private driver for more flexibility.

Once you're in Yangshuo, it's all about slowing down and soaking in the scenery. The best way to explore the countryside is by renting a bicycle or electric scooter. It's safe, peaceful, and allows you to access hidden villages, rice fields, and viewpoints at your own pace.

As you might know, most of the apps we normally use don’t work in China. The country has a strict internet firewall that blocks most Western apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, Google, and YouTube. To get around and even make payments, you’ll need to download a few essential apps. We cover everything you need in our Chinese App Essentials post. We really recommend you to come prepared with an eSIM and a VPN. Having an eSIM is super convenient to avoid the firewall. We stayed connected with Saily eSIM and NordVPN during our trip and it was the best solution to keep using all of the apps you love and Chinese apps without any issue.

READ | The only apps you’ll need for your China holiday

Planning your next China holiday?

When you make a purchase through our links, you support us without any extra cost to you.

Your support means the world to us!

FIND HOTELS | Trip.com

FIND FLIGHTS | Kiwi.com

GET TRAVEL INSURANCE | HeyMondo (get 5% off)

BOOK TOURS & ATTRACTIONS | GetYourGuide

BOOK A BUS / TRAIN / TRANSFER | 12Go

a

A

Newsletter

Turn dreams into plans and get a monthly dose of wanderlust with our tips, guides & travel stories.

BAMBOO RAFTING VS. LI RIVER CRUISE

Li River Cruise

The Li River Cruise is a full-day experience that takes you from Guilin to Yangshuo over the course of 4–5 hours. Several companies operate this route, offering a range of comfort levels—from basic seating to deluxe options with more space, panoramic windows, and upgraded services. Some boats serve set meals, while others have buffet-style lunches included. The cruise boats also vary in style and age—some feel more modern, while others are a bit outdated.
If comfort matters to you, we recommend choosing a 4- or 5-star cruise, as they usually offer better views, quieter atmospheres, and a more enjoyable ride overall.

BOOK | From Guilin: 4 Star Luxury Li River Cruise with Buffet Lunch

PROS

Comfortable boats with indoor seating and onboard toilets
Lunch included on most cruises
Scenic views from the open top deck — perfect for photography

CONS

Large group tours (capacity of 100 passengers), which can feel crowded
Fixed departure times, less flexibility
Can be noisy, especially during peak season
Higher cost

Bamboo Rafting

Bamboo rafting in Yangshuo offers a more relaxed and personal way to take in the stunning karst landscape. It’s a great choice for those who prefer a shorter, quieter experience. You’ll ride on a traditional-looking raft (nowadays made of plastic for durability), which fits up to four people and takes between 1–2 hours depending on the section you choose.

While many online photos show wooden rafts with traditional props, most of these are set up for photoshoots. The actual rafting is run by an organized company using motorized rafts. We still really enjoyed the ride — just know it’s more structured and less rustic than it may appear in dreamy Instagram posts.

If your goal is to recreate those iconic shots with props and traditional outfits, some photographers in Yangshuo offer staged sessions. You can book those in advance through GetYourGuide.

BOOK | Yangshuo: Personalized Travel Photography Session - GetYourGuide

PROS

Max. capacity 4 pax
Flexible starting times
Ideal for couples or those searching a more calm experience

CONS

You might get wet if it rains
No English explanation

HOW TO BOOK

River Cruise

If you prefer to have everything sorted out in advance and want to secure your spot on the river cruise, we recommend booking through GetYourGuide. It’s a reliable platform and gives you peace of mind, especially during busy travel seasons.

However, if you have a bit more flexibility and time, you can also ask your hotel about local travel agencies. These tours are usually arranged and paid for via WeChat, often a few days in advance. Keep in mind that river cruise tickets are very popular and therefore can sell out quickly. Especially for the more comfortable or scenic options, you might have to compromise.

BOOK | From Guilin: 4 Star Luxury Li River Cruise with Buffet Lunch

Bamboo Rafting

You can buy your tickets directly at the wharf — just make sure you have Chinese payment apps like Alipay or WeChat Pay ready, as foreign credit cards are typically not accepted. We chose the section from Yangdi to Xingping, which is considered one of the most scenic stretches of the Li River.

For the bamboo rafting experience, it’s a good idea to arrive a bit early, as you may need to wait for your raft to fill up (max. 4 people per raft). If you’re short on time, you can pay extra to cover the empty seats and leave right away.

PRICE | 255 CNY | 30 € | 36 US$ per person

OUR EXPERIENCE

We weren’t quite prepared for the scale of mass tourism in China and found some of the local customs a bit intense, so we ended up loving the bamboo raft experience. It is a quieter and shorter experience. Honestly, the idea of sharing a boat with over 100 people, was too overwhelming for us. Plus, Ingrid had just had her appendix removed in Guilin and her diet was very limited. We weren’t really into the traditional food options on the cruise. If you also have dietary restrictions, like being vegan or vegetarian, we’d recommend to inform yourself about the food options in advance before booking.

Since we’ve already seen similar landscapes in Thailand and Vietnam, we felt the bamboo raft was the better fit for us. For us, the time spent gliding through the scenery on the raft felt just right. One thing to note, though: you're not allowed to stand up while the raft is moving, so unfortunately we couldn’t get any photos of ourselves during the ride. If it’s your first time seeing this kind of scenery, the river cruise might be the perfect way to fully take it all in and take some pictures of yourself on the upper deck.

If you're like us and have already been to Thailand or Vietnam, we’d recommend thinking twice about whether Guilin is worth including in your itinerary. While we did enjoy our visit, the time and effort it took to get there didn’t feel entirely justified and if we had to plan it again, we’d probably skip it.

If you’re a first-timer when it comes to karst landscapes, then we’d absolutely recommend visiting Guilin. The scenery is undeniably stunning, especially if you haven’t experienced anything like it before. It’s a great introduction to this unique part of Asia’s natural beauty.

ingrid from the real traveler posing in front of longji-rice terraces in a white dress in which you can see the mountains in the background and dry brown rice terraces

hiking path in the village in longji rice terraces

WHAT ELSE TO DO IN GUILIN?

Longji Rice Terraces

The Longji Rice Terraces, just around 2 hours from Guilin, are a stunning network of rice fields carved into the mountains by local minority groups over 600 years ago. With mind-blowing views, 13 traditional villages are now converted into hotels, and scenic hikes, it’s an incredible spot to admire many rice terraces.

If you are on a rush, you can ride the cable car at the Jinkeng (Dazhai) area of Longji Rice Terraces. It will take you to the Golden Buddha Peak, this is the most popular terrace due to its easy access. The easiest way to reach the Longji Rice Terraces is by booking a tour or hiring a private driver, since finding a ride back to Guilin afterward can be challenging—especially later in the day. This way, you’ll have a stress-free round-trip, and your driver can wait while you explore, then take you back on your schedule.

BOOK | Longji Rice Terraces: Full-Day Private Tour from Guilin

We did this as a day trip, but honestly, we regret not spending a night or two in the area to hike through the rice terraces. It looked absolutely stunning, and we can only imagine how peaceful it must be in the early morning or late afternoon when the crowds thin out. If you love being in nature or enjoy a good hike or simply want to stay in the middle of rice terraces, we’d definitely recommend giving yourself more time to explore and stay overnight.

COMFORT | Yunxi Shang Viewing Homestay (Longji Terraces Thousand-Floor Sky Ladder Observation Deck)

ESCAPE | Xia Tiruijing Homestay (Longji Jinkeng Daguzhai Terrace Observation Deck)

Reed Flute Cave

This cave really took us by surprise. Honestly, we were unsure at first as we’d already seen a few stalagmite caves during our full-time travels (year two and counting!), and weren’t sure we needed another one. We ended up going mostly because it was raining and we didn’t know what else to do. But wow! We are glad we went! We’ve never seen anything like it before. The colorful lights make the formations look absolutely surreal, and the whole experience felt more magical than expected. It’s definitely not your typical cave visit and maybe that’s exactly why we loved it. We were actually quite lucky during our visit as there weren’t any big tour groups around, so it felt like we had the cave almost to ourselves. That made the whole experience even more special and peaceful, which can be rare in popular places like this.

OPEN | 8:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.

TICKET | Book a discounted entrance ticket through Trip.com here

Elephant Trunk Hill

Elephant Trunk Hill is the symbol of Guilin, named for its unique shape that looks like an elephant drinking from the river with its trunk. Located where the Li and Peach Blossom Rivers meet, there is a Water-Moon Cave—a natural arch that reflects the moonlight on the water, creating a picturesque scene. You can climb to the top for panoramic views of Guilin or to explore cultural landmarks like Puxian Pagoda and Yunfeng Temple.