"Guilin's mountains and rivers are the best in the world." I still remember the first time I heard this sentence. It was in a primary school textbook. Guilin's mountains and rivers formed by the unique karst landform were deeply imprinted in my mind at that time.
Guilin has always been a popular tourist city in China, making people yearn for its mountains and rivers, people's customs and leisurely and comfortable life. The mountains here are uprooted on the ground and in various shapes; the water of the Li River is winding and winding, as clear as a mirror.

In fact, the 3-day and 2-night trip will definitely be a very fulfilling one, but if you are in a hurry, you will always miss something. My trip to Guilin this time was in a hurry. If time allowed, I would still like to stay a day or two longer to go to more places that can deeply penetrate Guilin's scenery and culture.

In the afternoon when I arrived in Guilin from Shanghai, I felt the warm air here as soon as I got off the plane. On the way from the airport to the city by taxi, you can see all kinds of mountains in the distance, which is amazing.
I found a B & B on the side of the Li River and stayed in. You could see Xiaoyao Tower across the river. It was bustling with people. It happened to be a meal time. I was preparing to find a place to eat some authentic Guilin food, so I rushed directly to the Yanjie Market next to Xiaoyao Tower.

I felt a sense of intimacy when I first arrived at Yanjie Market. The design style here is similar to the Twin Towers Market in Suzhou. While retaining local characteristics and traditions, many trendy and Internet celebrity elements have been added to attract more people to check in.

Yan Street is a famous old street in Guilin. It was originally named after its specialty in the salt business. Yan Street has long been a very lively and pyrotechnic place, and it is also an indelible memory in the hearts of the older generation of Guilin people.

This market along the street continues the flavor of the past and brings together a variety of traditional delicacies here.
Generally speaking, Guilin will definitely be full of fans! Therefore, the most popular rice noodle shop here is still the most popular rice noodle shop. Someone told me that because Guilin is very humid, especially in summer, when it is hot and humid, it will greatly reduce people's appetite. Guilin people have found such a smooth, refreshing, delicious and belly-wrapped way to eat! Hearing this word, I feel very slippery!

Guilin rice noodles are generally served with secret brine and stewed vegetables, with or without soup, which can basically satisfy the appetites of all types of people and leave people with endless aftertaste. Some people may not be used to the taste of sour bamboo shoots and sour beans, but of course, many people just can't put it down!

What's even more interesting is that in this Salt Street Market, you can see the scene of hand-squeezed flour. Nowadays, a lot of food is rice noodles made directly by the factory, which is delicious and delicious. However, if you see this process, you will feel that this rice noodles are magical and delicious!

Originally, I only knew that Guilin had rice noodles, but only when I came here did I see so many traditional Guilin delicacies!
For example, eighteen brew. Since eighteen, some people would think that there are eighteen varieties, but eighteen is actually a function word that only represents a lot. However, I was busy eating but didn't write down what they were. There are tofu brew, eggplant brew, lotus root brew, egg dumplings, chili brew, etc., all of which are stuffed with meat in various ingredients to make the taste more diverse.

In addition to rice noodles, Guilin people drink Camellia oleifera all year round, morning and evening, which can also be said to be "beating Camellia oleifera". Why you say beating? You will know by seeing how it is done.
Camellia oleifera is made from old leaf grain rain tea, and most of them are boiled with ginger and garlic. This cooking process is to first beat the ingredients in a pot to stimulate and blend the flavors of the various ingredients, and then add salt and water to boil. It becomes Camellia oleifera.

Camellia oleifera will also be served with some small ingredients, such as fried glutinous rice flowers, fried peanuts or soaked soybeans, corn, fried rice, etc., with chopped green onion and salt to season. And be sure to drink it when it's hot and just falls. However, if you are not used to the taste of ginger, you may not be used to it, because the taste of ginger is indeed very strong. Why is it hot? Because the taste of Camellia oleifera is more bitter after it cools, and when it is hot, it is easier to expel cold and dehumidify.

If you want to try some different rice noodles, this place can also satisfy you. For example, horse meat rice noodles are all served in small bowls, eaten with one mouth and poured soup in one mouthful. There are also colorful dustpan powder, which is purple cabbage powder, spinach powder, and dragon fruit powder. Isn't it amazing? Dip it in turn with three seasonings, it is really delicious and nutritious.

I like to eat pastries, and I saw a cake here that looked very similar to Su style, but it was actually called Baba. The taste is sweet and salty, and it feels easy to be full after eating one serving. If you want to order a la carte, you must order the local specialty double extract duck tea soup! Originally cultured ducks, carefully stewed for more than 1 hour and served with good green tea, it is delicious!

Anyway, there are really all kinds of food here. I ate two bowls here in a row. After all, you can't finish too many things in one go, unless you have a big eater!
If you don't feel comfortable eating, there is also a gift shop here, where you can buy your favorite rice noodles, chili sauce, taro strips, camellia oleifera and other special delicacies to take home!

If you have enough food and drink, you can go to the nearby Dongxi Alley to relieve digestion. Dongxi Alley is a historical and cultural district in Guilin. There are many old houses and city walls. It is an old street integrating tourism, folk customs, culture, shopping, catering, leisure, etc. So there are also various delicious snacks here, but many of them are not traditional Guilin cuisine.

You can also go to the Lijiang River, go to Jiefang Bridge, or walk upstairs. This area is the place with the strongest local flavor to me, many people are walking and resting, and some are singing and performing live broadcasts, etc.

Hongxi, a wild and fun place to play in the water

There is a scenic spot 40 kilometers away from downtown Guilin, called Hongxi, which is named because most of the river stones are red purple sand stones.

It is surrounded by mountains and water, lush forests, cascading waterfalls, and full of wild fun. It is a place where locals in Guilin like to check in on self-driving outings on weekends.

After the Yin and Shang Dynasties, the ancestors of the Shui nationality migrated south from the Suishui River Basin in the Central Plains and gradually integrated into the Baiyue ethnic group. They lived in the Hongxi area for more than a hundred years, leaving behind many Shuishu sites; later, they migrated from south to northwest due to war. This is: the aristocrat who came from ancient times-the Shui people.

Hongxi has high negative oxygen ions and is nature's oxygen bar. Walking on the mountain roads in the scenic area, the air is fresh and comfortable, and it is very quiet, and you can feel the scent of various birds and flowers.

Moreover, in the scenic area, there are various places to pray and solicit blessings. The copper bell I accidentally saw, a railing full of prayer belts, and an ancient bridge designed in the shape of copper coins are really a place where blessings are blessed.

In fact, the most important thing about Hongxi is the waterfalls here because of our climbing all the way. It is full of wild interest, and the scenic area also has a special waterway up the mountain. Entering from this dragon mouth and passing through the skeleton body, you can enjoy both the scenery and the excitement of adventure along the way.

There are many groups of Hongxi waterfalls, such as the Hongxi Long Waterfall with high mountains and flowing water, the Dragon Palace Waterfall where beautiful women dress up, the Yuanyang Waterfall where the shadows are inseparable, and the Xianti Waterfall that rises step by step.

When the water is abundant, the waterfall is really magnificent and spectacular. Recently, it is the dry season. The water volume is relatively small, but it feels very gentle. Like in summer, local people come here to play in the water, which is very happy.

Hongxi has distinctive seasonal characteristics and rich leisure and entertainment experience items: high-altitude zip ropes and forest glass slides are all special play items. When you reach the top of the mountain, if you don't want to walk anymore, you can take a slide line and take a glass slide. It takes only a few minutes to reach the foot of the mountain and feel the speed and passion.

You must pay attention to safety in this glass slide. There will be raincoats as gifts in the scenic area. The speed actually depends on the speed of the water flow. When you reach some corners in the lower half, you feel like you can throw people out if you are not careful. It's really exciting!

That's right! Tourists outside Guangxi are now free to visit scenic spots from 2020.11.1 to 2021.1.31! Come quickly ~~

Buni terraces full of flowers

When it comes to Guilin terraces, the first thing many people think of is Longji terraces. They are indeed famous and have beautiful scenery. However, in the past few years of development, commercialization has become more and more serious, and there are many tourists...
So this time I found a niche terraced field, and what I saw was not rice fields, but Buni terraced fields full of drunken butterfly flowers.

Buni Terrace Scenic Area is located in Zhoujia Village, Sishui Township, Longsheng County, 26 kilometers away from Longsheng County and 115 kilometers away from Guilin. The scenic spot is 400- 1,600 meters above sea level and has a total area of nearly 1,000 acres. The main landscapes are Huahai terraces and ethnic minority folk culture.
So in Buni Terrace, you can see not only the Huahai Terrace itself, but also the authentic Yao villages. Meijing Jiagu Village really has to be loved ~

In fact, if you want to take beautiful photos of the sea of flowers, it is best to come to Buni Terrace in the morning or evening. Because in the early morning, there is a layer of fog lingering here, which is more like a fairyland, and the sunset in the evening gently warms this sea of flowers.

The general way to play is to walk up the mountain from the entrance of the scenic area. This trip is expected to take about an hour. On the way to climb the mountain, as well as on the top of the mountain, are the best places to take pictures of the sea of flowers, but there will be relatively more people on the waist of the mountain.
Therefore, I suggest that you can take the cable car directly to the top of the mountain, first enjoy the scenery of the entire scenic area from the observation deck, find some walking paths with few people and villages, and go deep into the sea of flowers to check in. It will be more beautiful and interesting!

There is actually a Jiawu Waterfall here. You can see it from the top observation deck, through a Yao village and a mountain road. Halfway through, I also entered a Yao house and visited it. Walking in such a penthouse was a little scary. The village was isolated and quiet.
You can't get up by car, so horses are used here to do some moving work.

When I got closer, I could already hear the sound of water flowing from the waterfall. However, it was also due to the dry season, so the water volume of the Jiawu Waterfall was a little smaller, which was a little cute.

Look at Zizhou Island, which has the best scenery in Xiangbei Mountain

Zizhou Island, located in the core area of the Li River in Baili Gallery, is the most famous island on the Li River. It has been integrated with the Li River, Xiangshan and water moon and complement each other for thousands of years.

Zizhou has a long history of scenic development. In the Tang Dynasty, Pei Xingli, the governor of Guizhou and the observer of Guangxi, built Yan Pavilion on the continent. He set up a flying pavilion and planted flowers and trees in Guilin, setting the first in the overall planning of Guilin's landscape gardens! At that time, Liu Zongyuan, a famous litterateur in the Tang Dynasty, was demoted here and invited to visit Zizhou. He wrote the famous article "Zizhou Pavilion Notes", which described the scenery of Zizhou in detail. Therefore, in the Zizhou Island Scenic Area, you can see Liu Zongyuan's sculptures and poems, as well as ink pens left by other literati, which shows that Zizhou Island has a long history.

Zizhou Island is indeed the best place to view Xiangshan. You can see its shape vividly from the best perspective of the entire landscape. So in this viewing area, there are a lot of tourists checking in.

The most amazing scenery on Zizhou Island, in addition to the best angle to view Xiangshan, also includes the scenic scenery of "Zizhou Yanyu" and "Zizhou Red Leaf Guilin Autumn". If I wanted to enjoy the autumn scenery of the red leaves, I would probably see it at the end of November and the beginning of December. I still went a little early, which was a pity.

In fact, Zizhou Zizhou Island Scenic Area is also a popular place for locals to rest and vacation. Moreover, the Zizhou Island Scenic Area is covered with a lot of vegetation and there are many quiet trails, which is especially suitable for walking. Along the way, I also saw many local people who liked Tai Chi practicing Tai Chi.

If you come in the afternoon, not only can you visit the scenic area itself, you can also have a fresh and comfortable afternoon tea in the Fangye surrounded by towering trees.
Not only is it isolated from the noise, but it is also surrounded by green vegetation, which is very comfortable. Maybe you can come across a lost tree frog like me.

Afternoon tea here is also very cost-effective. 68 yuan includes entrance fee. You can have fruit tea, dessert cakes, and local specialties. You can choose the seat you like, bask in the sun, and chat. How comfortable it is.

There is actually equipment for city picnics here that can be rented out. Lying in the sun on a hidden lawn, having afternoon tea, and spending the weekend happily, it is so pleasant.
After all, the environment here is beautiful, so there are many couples taking wedding photos here! Especially beautiful!

If you are bringing children to play, in addition to afternoon tea, there are also stone paintings suitable for children to experience. After seeing the stones drawn by children, I really feel that they are innocent and have rich imagination. I don't even know how to create it on the stone...

The Zizhou Island Scenic Area is not only rich in vegetation, but also has a variety of pavilions, towers and ancient buildings, so it is also the best place to experience the atmosphere of literati.
Listen to the rustling of branches and leaves in the bamboo forest path, and go to Zijiazhou Pavilion and Liufang Pavilion for a rest when you are tired. You can also find a large lawn to lie on and bask in the warm sun.

Because of the rich vegetation, water needs to be watered every day. You see, I also came across this lovely rainbow.

Travel guide

3 days and 2 nights travel strategy:
Day1: Departure Guilin-Street Market-Dongxi Lane
Day2: Hongxi Scenic Area-Buni Terrace Terrace
Day3: Zizhou Island Scenic Area-Return Trip
This route of mine is indeed full of tradition, but also small and wild.

traffic
- There is a bus or a direct taxi from Guilin Airport to the city. It is expected to take about 1 hour to get there. During the peak hours, there will still be traffic jams for a while;
- If you live near Jiefang Bridge, you can actually walk to Yanjie Market and Zizhou Island Scenic Area, or ride a shared bicycle;
- To reach Hongxi, there are scenic tourist buses. The Guilin to Wantian bus at Qintan Station can directly reach the gate of the scenic spot;
- Buni Terrace is still quite far away. It is recommended to drive yourself or find someone to charter a car/carpool.

accommodation
I lived in a B & B designed by an old house on the bank of the Li River not far from the Jiefang Bridge in Guilin. I didn't expect that I could still experience such a retro style in Guilin.
This Yinxiang·No. 9 Courtyard is a high-looking and luxurious Republic of China style, and each room is also in a different style. There is also a Riverview Restaurant on the top floor, which is also very special to have breakfast here.

Seeing various photos of the boss going out and playing on the wall of the living room on the first floor, I knew that the boss was also a real traveler. If you have any local questions, you can just ask.

However, because it is on the roadside and the house is decorated with wood, the sound insulation effect is not very good. If you sleep lightly, remember to prepare earplugs. If you want to live in a quieter place, they also have a B & B in a community called Yinxiang·Spring Li.
When I first saw the photo, I couldn't believe it was actually a building in the community. After all, when I saw such a garden view, I thought it was a single-family villa or something.

This B & B will be much quieter, and the facilities in the room are very new and the lighting is good. It is suitable for lying here quietly for a day after being tired.

photographic equipment
The main shooting equipment is Sony a7m2, equipped with Zeiss 35mm f2.8 lens
The Sony zv1 was used to assist the shooting, and the DJI mavic mini was used for aerial photography