Skip to content Skip to footer

Brief Introduction

Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is called “Gui” for short with Nanning as the capital city. Located in the southern part of China, the region borders Vietnam on the southwest and the Beibu Gulf on the south. A basin ringed by mountains on four sides among which the highest peak is Mao’er Mountain, Guangxi has widespread expanses of limestone topography which covers half of its over 230,000 km² area. It is a multi-ethnic region with a population of over 50 million including 12 ethnic groups such as Zhuang, Han, Yao, Miao, Dong, etc.

Guangxi boasts rich tourism resources. First, it has charming natural scenery of waters and mountains, of which the Guilin Scenery is the most famous with its verdant mountains, limpid rivers, mysterious caves and fantastic rocks. Secondly, it has attractive marine scenery around the Beibu Gulf with blue sea, silver beaches and adequate sunshine, represented by the Silver Beach in Beihai, hailed as “the top beach of China”. Thirdly, it is rich in simple and unsophisticated local customs and lifestyle and blends customs of both Chinese and Vietnamese. All these tourism resources make Guangxi to offer not only a series of sightseeing tourism products, but also leisure tourism products and special tourism items. Now Guangxi has 15 leisure and holiday-making products, like the National Silver Beach Tourism and Holiday Resort in Beihai and drifting tour, convention tour, bicycle tour, local customs tour, forest exploration tour and hot spring convalescence tour as well.

With beautiful waters and mountains, charming beaches and colorful local customs, Guangxi will ensure you a happy and unforgettable time. 

Nanning

Being the capital city of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning is located in the southwestern part of the region and has a history of more than 1,600 years. It has such famous scenic spots as Qingxiu Mountain Scenic Area. Yiling Rock Cave Scenic Area and Phoenix Lake. Besides, there are Guangxi Museum, Guangxi Ethnic Culture Relics Museum as well as Guangxi Ethnic Square and Ethnic Culture Palace in the city proper. In the surrounding areas there are tourist attractions, like Huashan Cliff Murals of Ningming, Friendship Pass of Pingxiang, Xiaolian Town of Longzhou, Detian Waterfalls across the Sino-Vietnam border of Daxin and Longhu Mountain Nature Reserve of Long’an. 

Longhu Mountain Nature Reserve

It is located in the southern part of Long’an Town and is 80 km from the west suburbs of Nanning. It has a total area of 21 square kilometers. In the reserve there are 30 rock mountains, 14 hills, 17 valleys and 10 places of karst depression. The rate of forest coverage in the whole reserve is as high as 97.2%, boasting impressive and peculiar mountains, rivers, caves, rocks, forests, etc. Visitors can go climbing, boating, or exploring in the depths of forests. 

Huashan Cliff Murals

Huashan Cliff Murals are located on a pyramid-shaped rock mountain on the east bank of Mingjiang River, 25 km from Ningming County. Left by ancient Zhuang tribes, most of these brownish red paintings depict magnificent events of the Zhuang people’s life with bold and unrestrained lines and simple images. 

Friendship Pass

Located in the eastern section of Sino-Vietnam Border in the southwestern part of Guangxi and in a dangerous and critical low- lying place between two mountains, the Friendship Pass is 18 km from the city proper of Pingxiang and is one of the nine famous passes in China. Ever since its establishment the Friendship Pass has been the south gate of China and a bone of contention among warring strategists. The awe-inspiring three-storeyed pass tower is 22 meters high, and mountains on each side of which are equipped with many batteries. 

Detian Waterfalls

The waterfalls are located on the upper reaches of the Guichun River along the Sino-Vietnam Border in Daxin County. Coming from the north, the river pounds against mountains and drops from 50-m high cliffs, producing thunderous bellow, splashing spray and white mist. It is reputed as “Asia’s Biggest Cross-national Waterfalls”. 

Beihai

Located in south Guangxi, it is famous for its subtropical scenery. The Silver Beach is well known for the soft and fine sand, clear seawater and perfect tourism facilities, which make it an ideal tourism and holiday resort. Besides, there are other scenic spots such as Weizhou Island, with the reputation as “Fairyland in South China”, Mangrove National Marine Reserve, Xingdao Lake and Bailong Pearl Town. 

Beihai Silver Beach National Tourism & Holiday Resort

Located in Beihai, the Silver Beach is famous for the fine-quality sand, wide and flat beach, clear and non-pollutant seawater, abundant sunshine and fresh air. In the holiday resort there are villas and beach playgrounds, which cover an area of about 22 square kilometers. The Silver Beach is hailed as the “Top Beach of China”. 

Weizhou Island

About 67 km to the southeast of Beihai, it is a well-known holiday resort. About 17 km from Weizhou Island is another small island named Xieyang Island. These two islands are renowned as “Large and Little Penglai Fairy Islands”. 

Mangrove National Marine Reserve

Located on the west bank of Yingluo Port in Shankou Town, Hepu County, it is also named “Submarine Forest”. After the ebb-tide in Yingluo Port, there appears amazing scene of primitive forest of mangrove with luxuriant crowns and intertwined roots. With rising tide, seawater submerges the tree crowns and people can go boating on top of green treetops, which is a unique pleasure. 

Wuzhou

Wuzhou is located in cast Guangxi and the Tropic of Cancer runs across the city proper. Wuzhou has a long history. Because of its convenient transportation on water, it is usually dubbed Guangxi’s “Gateway on Water”. In the city proper there arc such scenic spots as Baiyun Mountain Scenic Area and the biggest Snake Garden in Asia. In the surrounding area there are the Guiping West Mountain—a national historic and scenic area, the imposing Zhenwu Tower with unique architectural style in Rongxian County, the Dagui Mountain with beautiful scenery in Hezhou, G叩o Mountain Forest Park, the charming idyllic Fuchuan landscape and the Bishui Lake. 

Wuzhou Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Located in the Zhongshan Park, it is a magnificent building combining both the Chinese palatial and Western architectural styles. Built in 1930, it is the earliest Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in China. 

Guiping West Mountain Scenic Area

West Mountain in Guiping is reputed as the “Most Beautiful Mountain in south China”. The scenic area is one kilometer from the west of Guiping City. With the West Mountain as the center, within a radius of 35 km there are other tourist attractions scattering around, such as the Site of Jintian Uprising, Longtan National Forest Park, and the scenery complex composed of the Dateng Valley, the Baishi Cave, the Luocong Fairyland, the Yao Mountain of Zijing Town, the Tower of the Tropic of Cancer and the East Pagoda, etc. 

Guilin

Located in the northwestern part of Guangxi, Guilin has jurisdiction over five districts, 10 counties and two ethnic autonomous counties. It has a history of over 2,200 years. It is well known for the beautiful scenery, and its waters and mountains have been renowned as the “most beautiful under the heaven”. Yangshuo County in Guilin is also famous for the charming idyllic scenery with waters and mountains. In Xing’an County, 60 km from the northeast of Guilin, there are the Lingqu Canal —an ancient canal built in 214 B.C., and the Mao’er Mountain, the “Number One Peak in South China”. In Longsheng County, 87 km from Guilin, visitors can experience the customs and lifestyles of Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups, and enjoy the hot spring convalescence and fascinating Longji Terraced Fields. 

Lijiang River Scenic Area

The Lijiang River is a national key scenic area and the essence of Guilin scenery. Stretching from Guilin to Yangshuo, the Lijiang River is 83 km in its full length. If you go aboard at Mopanshan Dock or Zhujiang Dock, the journey is about 60 km, in which the most beautiful section is the 40 km or so from the starting dock to Xingping. Scenery along the Lijiang River is charming and attractive, which is famous for the green mountains, clear waters, peculiar caves and beautiful rocks. 

Elephant Trunk Hill

It is also named Elephant Hill located on the west bank of the Lijiang River in south Guilin. The hill looks like an elephant with its trunk dipping into the river for water and thereby gets its name. The large cave between the elephant trunk and the elephant body is called Water Moon Cave. When the water in the river rises, visitors can travel through the cave by boats. At night with full moon, the cave and its reflection in the water forms an image of full moon, which offers a fascinating scene of “elephant playing with moon in water”. 

Lingqu Canal

Located in Xing’an County, 66 km from north Guilin, it is one of the famous water conservancy projects in ancient China. First built in 214 B.C., it connects the Xiangjiang River and the Lijiang River, and joins the two great water systems — the Yangtze River and the Zhujiang River. It was the only watercourse from central China to Guangdong and Guangxi in ancient times. The superb craftsmanship of the Lingqu Canal project and beautiful landscape around may be rated as a perfect gathering of both natural scenery and cultural interest. 

Longji Terraced Fields

It is located in Heping Township in Longsheng Multi-ethnic Autonomous County, 78 km from Guilin. First built in the Yuan Dynasty (1206—1368), it has a history of more than 650 years. The terraced fields scatter between an elevation of 300 m to 1,100 m, and wind all the way to the top of the mountains with gentle and beautiful lines and melodic sense. 

Liuzhou

Located by the middle reaches of the Liujiang River by northeast of central Guangxi and lying against mountains and waters, it is a beautiful and charming place. It has such tourist attractions as Yufeng Mountain where The Third Sister Liu, a legendary earliest ancestor of Zhuang folk song, once lived; the Great Dragon Pond Scenic Area, which combines the architectural styles of Dong, Miao, Yao and other ethnic groups; and the Dule Rock. The Rongshui County, the Jinxiu County and the Sanjiang County are major ethnic customs and lifestyles tourism areas in Guangxi. 

Yufeng Mountain

It is located in Yufeng Park on the south bank of the Liujiang River in Liuzhou. On the mountain there are luxuriant trees, exquisite pavilions and towers and numerous caves. Besides, there are many places of stone carvings on cliffs from different dynasties. 

Great Dragon Pond

Located 4 km to the south of Liuzhou, anciently named Thunder Pool, it covers an area of 1.07 million square meters. The surface of the water in the pond is as clear and smooth as a mirror and the bottom of the pond can be seen. Around the pond there is green grass with tranquil paths winding through. 

Great Yao Mountain National Forest Park

Located in Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, it covers an area of 500 square kilometers. It is of the Danxia landform. With red mountains, clear waters and green trees, the forest park has magnificent and bewitching scenery. The average temperature in summer is around 20°C, which makes it a perfect summer resort and tourist attraction. 

Chengyang Wind & Rain Bridge

Located in Linxi Township, Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, it is one of the three ancient bridges in China. It was built by eight villages in Chengyang Township in 1916. This semi-permanent bridge with stone piers and wood beams looks splendid and imposing from a distance with layer upon layer of high structures linking with towers, which can be compared with Flower Bridge in Guilin. 

Baise

Located in west Guangxi, it borders on Yunnan, Guizhou and Vietnam through rivers and mountains with favorable geographical location and rich tourism resources, such as the Baise Uprising Memorial Hall, Chengbi Lake, Tongiing Grand Canyon and Sandieling Waterfall. All these beautiful scenic spots make Baise a colorful tourist attraction. 

Sandieling Waterfall

It is located in Hurun Town in south Jingxi City, 30 km from downtown area. The waterfall is over 30 meters high and over 30 meters wide and is composed of three layers. Visitors would be impressed by the cool air produced by the drizzling rain and the thunderous sound from the waterfall. 

Chengbi Lake

It is located in high mountains in Yongle Township, 6 km to the north of Baise City. The water of the lake fills up dozens of valleys, and the lake looks like a mirror dotted with green islands. 

Festivals and Celebrations

Nanning International Folk Song Arts Festival

Guangxi has long been known as the “Sea of Songs” and is the hometown of The Third Sister Liu, a legendary folk singer of the Zhuang nationality. Nanning International Folk Song Arts Festival grew out of “Guangxi ‘March 3rd’ Music and Dance Festivals”. In 1993 the name was changed to Nanning International Folk Song Arts Festival, which was held by Nanning from 1999. Every November famous artists from home and abroad get together in Nanning. Besides wonderful artistic activities, there are also activities concerning tourism and trade. 

Guilin Landscape Tourism Festival

With the Lijiang River running through and surrounded by mountains and waters, Guilin has bewitching scenery, which has been renowned as the “most beautiful scenery under heaven”. In order to provide visitors with an ideal tourism environment, the idea of holding Guilin Landscape Tourism Festival was put forward, with the first festival being held in 1992. Now it is held every year from the end of October to early November, on which there are opening ceremony, autumn moon lantern evening on the Lijiang River, bonfire evening on Love Island, singing and dancing performance of different minority nationalities, etc. At the same time, there are some special activities, like tour on the Lijiang River at night, visiting Guilin’s cultural heritage and hot spring bath in Longsheng. 

Other Festivals & Celebrations

China—ASEAN Expo: In the first ten days of November

Ziyuan River Lantern Festival: On the middle ten days of the seventh lunar month

Yao’s King Pan Festival: On the middle ten days of the tenth lunar month

Longsheng Red Clothes Festival: In the last ten days of September

Yangshuo Lijiang Fishing Lights Festival: In the first ten days of December

Dragon Boat Race: On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month 

Tourist Information

Catering

Thanks to wide selections of ingredients, fine cooking techniques, various kinds and unique tastes, Guangxi cuisine is characterized by being delicious, tender, fresh and smooth, mingling light and strong flavors. Among a variety of local snacks, the most famous are Old Friend Rice Noodles of Nanning, Spiral Shell Rice Noodles of Liuzhou, and Rice Noodles of Guilin, etc.

Nanning Cuisine: Old Friend Rice Noodles, Fried Duck, Boiled Chicken, Five-color Glutinous Rice, etc.

Liuzhou Cuisine: Spiral Shell Rice Noodles, Eight-treasured Glutinous Rice, Tea-Oiled Rice, Sanjiang Pickled Pork, Bean jelly, etc.

Guilin Cuisine: Rice Noodles, Duck Wrapped in Lotus Leaves, Yangshuo Beer Fish, Longsheng Rice in Bamboo Tube, Ziyuan Bracken, Lipu Taros with Meat, Youfeng Fish, Chicken in Clear Soup, etc.

Beihai Cuisine: Pearl Shellfish Porridge, Pig’s Trotter Rice Noodles, Hepu Beef, Fuling Cake, Crab Juice, Sandworm Soup, etc. 

Shopping

Brocade of the Zhuang nationality: Zhuang brocade is the traditional woven handicraft work of the Zhuang nationality, characterized by fine technique, unique and colorful pattern, and durability. It has typical ethnic features in theme, pattern, design and color.

Embroidery of the Yao nationality: Yao embroidery is the handicraft work of the Yao women. Because of its fine technique, novel design, bright color, durability and strong ethnic features, Yao embroidery can be widely used in clothes and its accessories, handkerchiefs, suspenders, curtains and gifts.

Shell Mosaic of Beihai: Beihai shell mosaic is a famous Guangxi handicraft work made out of shells from the Beibu Gulf with artistic technique. It covers a wide spectrum of themes and contents, well-known for delicate design, vivid form with strong three-dimensional effect and unique style. 

Transportation

Air

Civil airports are available in Guilin, Nanning, Beihai, Liuzhou and Wuzhou, with a total of more than 80 air routes. Guilin Liangjiang International Airport is the largest airport in Guangxi, where flights to Hong Kong, Macao, and Japan are available.

Railways

The Hunan-Guangxi Line is a major railway line linking the Beijing-Guangzhou Line on the east and Vietnam railways on the west. Express trains are available in the Guilin- Liuzhou-Nanning section of the Hunan-Guangxi Line. The Nanning-Kunming Line, the Nanning- Fangchenggang Line, the Qinzhou-Beihai Line constitute the way out toward the sea for Southwest China. Besides the capital Nanning, Liuzhou is also an important railway hub, connecting Guizhou (the Guizhou-Guangxi Line) on the north and Hainan (the Haikou-Zhanjiang Line) on the south.

Highways

In recent years, road constructions in Guangxi have made great strides, with the establishment of a road network characterized by five horizontal roads and three vertical ones. In addition, the Nanning-Liuzhou-Guilin Expressway, the Nanning-Qinzhou-Beihai Expressway and the Binyang-Nanning-Fangcheng- gang Expressway have been completed successively.

Climate

Guangxi is dry in winter and wet in summer with ample sunshine and rainfall. All seasons are convenient for tourism.

Average Temperature (℃) of Major Cities

City Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Nanning 13.5 15.5 17.9 22.5 25.6 29.3 29.9 28.1 26.9 23.7 19.4 15.2
Guilin 10.5 12.3 15.9 21.5 25.5 27.2 28.4 28.6 26.9 23.7 16.4 12.5
Beihai 19.2 20.1 21.0 25.1 27.3 29.8 30.1 28.5 27.6 25.7 24.0 22.0
Liuzhou 10.0 11.5 15.5 20.1 24.7 27.0 29.1 28.5 26.6 22.1 16.8 12.0
Wuzhou 13.3 14.4 18.0 22.2 25.9 27.4 28.7 28.4 27.2 23.7 19.2 15.2

Recommended Tourist Itineraties

The seaside and border itinerary around the Beibu Gulf

Nanning City — Qinzhou City (72 Streams, Malan Island, the Former Residence of Liu Yongfu, the Former Residence of Feng Zicai) — Beihai City (Silver Beach, Weizhou Island, Submarine World, Mangrove National Marine Reserve, Xialong Bay) — Fangchenggang City (Jiangshan Peninsular) — Dongxing City (Three Islands of the Jing nationality, the Jing nationality’s customs and lifestyle, Golden Beach, the customs and lifestyle in the Sino-Vietnam border area) — Shangsi County (Shiwandashan Mountain National Forest Park) 

The Itineraries of Landscape & Ethnic Customs around Guilin

Guilin — Yangshuo — Xing’an — Ziyuan — Longsheng — Sanjiang — Rongshui — Liuzhou — Jinxiu

Guilin City (the landscapes of Lijiang River, scenic spots in the city proper) — Yangshuo (idyllic landscape, Xijie customs and lifestyle) — Xing’an County (Lingqu Canal, Merryland)

Guilin City (the landscapes of Lijiang, scenic spots in the city proper) — Ziyuan County (Octagonal Village, Zijiang River drifting) — Longsheng County (Longji Terraced Fields, Hot Spring, the Red Yao nationality customs and Lifestyle)

Liuzhou City (Great Dragon Pond Park, scenic spots in the city proper) — Sanjiang County (Dong villages, Wind & Rain Bridge) — Rongshui County (Beijiang River, horse riding at the Miao region) — Jinxiu County (Great Yao Mountain, the customs and lifestyle of the Yao nationality)

Nanning City (Qingxiu Mountain Park, Guangxi Ethnic Cultural Relics Museum) — Liuzhou City (Great Dragon Pond Park, scenic spots in the city proper) — Rongshui County (Miao villages, Beijiang River, the customs and lifestyle of the Dong nationality) — Longsheng County (Longji Terraced Fields, the Red Yao nationality customs and lifestyle) 

The Border Itinerary in the South of Guangxi

Nanning City(Qingxiu Mountain Scenic Area, scenic spots in the city proper) — Chongzuo City (Zuojiang Rock Forests, Chongzuo Leaning Tower, Nongguan Ecological Park) — Ningming County (Longjiang Huashan National Scenic Area, Huashan Cliff Murals, Longrui Animal & Plant Nature Reserve) — Pingxiang City (Friendship Pass, Jinji Mountain Ancient Cannons, Dalian Town) — Longzhou County (Xiaolian City, Memorial Hall to the Eight Red Army, Ancient Border Cannons, Sino-Vietnam Boundary River scenery) — Daxin County (Detian Waterfalls-Guichun River scenery, Mingshi idyllic scene) — Long’an County (Longhu Mountain Nature Reserve) 

The Historical, Cultural and Religious Itineraries in the East of Guangxi

Wuzhou City (Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Dragon Mother Temple, Snake Park) — Gulping City (West Mountain, Xishi Nunnery, Longhua Temple, Dateng Valley Scenic Area, the Site of Jintian Uprising of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom) — Yulin City (Yuntian Palace, Fozi Mountain Tourism & Holiday Resort) — Beiliu City (Goulou Cave) — Rongxian County (Zhenwu Hall, Duqiao Mountain) — Luchuan County (Xielu Villa, Hot Spring)

Guilin (the landscapes of Lijiang River) — Zhongshan County (Lotus Pond idyllic scene, Bishui Rock) — Hezhou City (Gupo Mountain, Dagui Mountain National Forest Park, Hezhou Hot Spring) — Fuchuan County (Guming Town and Xiushui Village scenery, the customs and lifestyle of the Yao nationality) — Zhaoping County (Huangyao Old Town) 

The Itineraries of Following the Tracks of Deng XIaoping and wonderful Landscape

Nanning City — Pingguo County (modern industry sightseeing) — Baise City (Yuedong Hall, Baise Uprising Memorial Hall, Chengbi Lake)—Lingyun County (Naling Cave, Shuiyuan Cave, Tea Mountain) — Leye County (Dashiwei Hollow, Buliu River) — Napo County (the customs and lifestyle of the Heyi Zhuang nationality) — Jingxi County (Tongling Valley, Gulong valleys, Goose Spring, Jiuzhou — the birthplace of Xiuqiu, a ball made of rolled colored silk)

Nanning City — Dahua County (Qibainong Scenic Area) — Bama County (Longevity Ecological Tburism) — Donglan County (Lenin Rock, Kuixing Pavilion) — Nandan County (the customs and lifestyle of the Baiku Yao nationality, Hot Spring) — Hechi City (“Lesser Three Gorges” scenery) — Yizhou City (Xiajian River scenery)