preface

Living in a first-tier city in Guangzhou always has a sense of depression in a hurry. I work hard every day. Occasionally, I have the opportunity to escape the busy city of Guangzhou and want to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of a place with beautiful mountains and rivers, so I think of Guilin. This city is no stranger to me. It is like my second hometown, where I spent my most beautiful years during my 4 years in college. Unconsciously, I have graduated and left this city for 9 years! So I want to go back to this city, take a journey of slow life, slow down the pace of life, and gain the leisurely and touching travel in the ease and simplicity.

Stay in a hotel in landscape paintings-Guilin Venus Royal Hotel

I didn't want to take a quick look at the attractions when I came to Guilin this time. I just wanted to choose a quiet and comfortable hotel to enjoy the slow hours of the weekend. After being recommended by a friend of Guilin, I finally chose the Venus Royal Hotel in Guilin. The geographical location is unique. Riyue Twin Towers Park is on the side, and across the road is Elephant Trunk Mountain Park. It is a 10-minute walk to Zhengyang Pedestrian Street, East and West Alley, and Jingjiang Palace. Although it is located in a busy city, it is unique and comfortable. Whether you are in the lobby room or the restaurant, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Guilin's mountains and rivers outside the window. Even spending a day in such an atmosphere is still a kind of enjoyment!

It's the off-season for tourism now, and when checking in, the front desk upgraded it to a river view room. The room is spacious and bright, with oversized floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and the exquisite interior design combines modern, simple and European style with Chinese style. The bed is soft and comfortable, leaving people without a dream at night and sleeping soundly. The elephant with folded towel on the bed is very cute.

There are also two ultra-wide viewing terraces, which allow you to capture the beauty of the Li River landscape and the stunning scenery of the two rivers and four lakes!

On the side are the Twin Towers of Sun and Moon, and diagonally opposite is Elephant Trunk Mountain (but part of the mountain's nose is blocked by trees), but it does not affect the beautiful scenery! According to hotel staff, most rooms in the hotel can enjoy the attractions of the Two Rivers, Four Lakes and Xiangshan Scenic Area.

The room facilities are fully equipped, including in-room safe, TV, broadband Internet access, refrigerator, resting sofa and simple and generous desk.

Afternoon tea time in the scenery-Memory Coffee View Dining Bar

There are few sunny days in Guilin in winter. The rain always comes in bursts, the amount is not very large, and the duration is not very long. The temperature is 1-10 degrees. On rainy days, it is still cold and cold. Come to Yee Coffee on the 6th floor and enjoy afternoon tea. Because this is one of the best locations in Guilin City to enjoy Guilin's mountains and rivers. This is why my friend recommended staying at the Venus Royal Hotel.

On one side, there is a full view of the Li River: you can see the essence from Jiefang Bridge to Xiangbei Mountain; on the other side, you can see the Sun and Moon Twin Towers and the Lijiang Waterfall Hotel. The scenery on both sides has its own merits. There is a hazy beauty in rainy days. If you complement each other against the backdrop of good weather, viewing the scenery here will be pleasant!

There are two floors here. On the first floor, there are ultra-high floor-to-ceiling windows that allow you to view the scenery in rainy weather. There are also two rows of terrace seats outdoors, where you can view the Sun and Moon Twin Towers.

The view from the large terrace on the second floor is naturally the best, overlooking the entire Elephant Trunk Mountain and Twin Towers Park.

If you like to take photos, you must choose outdoor open-air seats. Although it is very cold, the results will be super beautiful. Instead of spending tens of yuan to take a boat to see Elephant Trunk Mountain, it is better to order a cup of warm coffee and cakes and enjoy the sunset and sunset on the rooftop.

Here I have to introduce Guilin's Chenghui Mountain-Elephant Trunk Mountain, located on the west bank of the Li River in the south of Guilin. Its unique karst landform natural scenic spot has been rated as a 5A-level tourist attraction by the country. The whole mountain resembles an elephant drinking water, so it is called Elephant Trunk Mountain. Between the elephant trunk and the elephant legs is a round hole with an area of about 150 square meters. The river water passes through the hole, like a bright moon floating on water. People who follow the Spring Festival Gala every year know that CCTV has set up a Guilin branch venue for the 2017 Spring Festival Gala. The background of the Spring Festival Gala is this Elephant Trunk Mountain. The main attractions of Elephant Trunk Mountain include: Shuiyue Cave, Elephant Trunk Rock, Elephant Eye Rock, Puxian Tower, Yunfeng Temple, Shelita Pagoda and the Taiping Rebellion Revolutionary Ruins Exhibition Hall inside the temple.

There are 2 ways to view Elephant Trunk Mountain:

1. Take a bamboo raft to the lake for about 5 minutes and see the elephant trunk up close!

2. Climb to the top of Xiangshan Mountain and overlook the entire Xiangshan Mountain. Climb the mountain for about 15 minutes!

With the arrival of the moonlight, the most beautiful side of the city of Guilin shines on its stage. There will be lights on Elephant Trunk Mountain and Sun Moon Twin Towers, which can be said to be very perfect. The Sun Moon Twin Towers are gold and silver. The night view is super beautiful, like visiting a fairyland. The water reflects, making it elegant and quiet. It is really a scene in the city, and the city is a scene in the scenery. In the middle, the city scenery blends together.

Attracted by this beautiful night view, he didn't want to leave, so he continued to have dinner here. Memory coffee dinner is mainly Western food. Taste the food, wine and life, blow the river breeze, and watch the rolling river flow to the sky! Spend the slow hours of the day quietly.

Night tour of the two rivers and four lakes-viewing the sun, the moon and the twin towers

Two rivers and four lakes are Guilin's business cards, referring to the Lijiang River, Taohua River, Shanhu Lake, Ronghu Lake, Gui Lake, and Mulong Lake. The entire line connects to form a water system for sightseeing around the city. It is called the Venice of the East and is an important tourist attraction in the upper reaches of Guilin. If you have time, you can travel by boat at night and feel the people on the boat, the boat in the water, the water in the city, the city in the scenery, and the scenery in the water. When the lanterns were first on, the lights were dim, and each step was a scene, like a dream.

The charm of the two rivers and four lakes at night lies in the quiet water at the moment, the nearby lit waterbanks, and the overlapping peaks in the distance, which form charming landscape paintings.

The two rivers and four lakes truly present us with the wonderful exquisiteness of "thousands of peaks standing around the wild, and one time embracing the city and flowing." It allows people to feel the harmonious unity of the city and the mountains and rivers. The most surprising thing is that it displays a colorful and beautiful artistic conception against the background of the night lights, allowing people to savor a true and beautiful state of mind in the wind and water language.

The big banyan tree in the ancient south gate, Guilin has many banyan trees and is very famous. Perhaps it is this big banyan tree outside the south gate since the Song Dynasty. This big banyan tree has gone through vicissitudes and is still protecting the city.

On the Yangqiao, you can see a conspicuous glass bridge standing on the Ronghu Lake. It uses crystal glass products with complex craftsmanship as building components, which embodies the level of modern glass craftsmanship. It is currently the earliest practical bridge to adopt special crystal glass load-bearing systems in my country. The bridge's shape is beautiful, generous and crystal clear. At night, the lights and transparent glass make it look like an exquisite and dazzling crystal on the Ronghu Lake, which is particularly eye-catching.

Riyue Twin Towers

Perhaps many people know the Leifeng Tower in Hangzhou because they have all read the legend of the New White Lady. However, Guilin's Sun and Moon Twin Towers are not known to every household. However, the Sun Tower of the Sun and Moon Twin Towers is known as the "World's No. 1 Bronze Tower". Then why is it not as famous as Leifeng Tower?

Because the original tower of the Sun and Moon Twin Towers was burned down in ancient wars, the new tower was built in 2001 on the basis of the original site. After completion, it became a new landmark in Guilin. The sun tower is 41 meters high and has nine floors, all decorated with pure copper and is resplendent; the moon tower is 35 meters high and decorated with glaze, making it solemn and elegant. At the same time, it enjoys the world's three largest: the world's tallest copper stupa, the world's highest underwater elevator tower, and the world's tallest copper building. It is also one of the best places to enjoy the night view in Guilin.

When I see in the water, I see that the Sun and Moon Towers are two unconnected towers. The Sun Tower stands in the middle of the water. So how can I pass through? In fact, they are connected through an underwater tunnel under the lake. The tunnel is 18 meters long. You can buy some souvenirs related to the twin towers in the tunnel, which is also very special.

Tickets for the Twin Towers of Sun and Moon are 35 yuan. Those who are interested in stone tablets and Buddhist relics can enter the tower to learn about it. If you are enjoying the beautiful scenery, it is recommended to enjoy it from a distance. The Twin Towers are at their most beautiful when they are blessed by the night lights. They are brilliant and beautiful.

The fir trees by the lake turn orange-yellow, and it also has a different taste under the impression of the fir trees.

Memory of the History of the Ming and Qing Dynasties-East and West Alley

Every city with a story always has an alley that combines folk customs and modernity, and is culturally and fashionable. Beijing has South Tongluogu Lane, Chengdu's Kuanzhai Lane, Guangzhou's Yongqingfang, and Guilin also has East and West Alley.

Dongxi Alley is located in the downtown area of Guilin. It is the left and right alleys in front of the Zhengyang Gate of Jingjiang Palace in the famous scenic spot. Because the alleys run in the east and west directions, they are also called "Zhengyang Dongxi Alley." The east and west alleys are the only ones left over from the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Guilin. An ancient street has witnessed the history of Guilin City of more than 1400 years since the founding of the Tang Dynasty.

In the past, this place was just a site. Later, after renovating by the government, it not only restored the ancient Ming and Qing styles of the old Dongxi Lane, but also a comprehensive commercial street integrating tourism, folk customs, culture, shopping, catering, leisure and entertainment. It was renovated and reopened in 2016.

The entire East and West Alley includes Zhengyang Street East Alley, Jiangnan Alley, and Lanjing Alley. All the alleys in it are connected in all directions and gray and white. Red lanterns are used to set off the simple streets to be festive, there are many creative product shops of all kinds, the hand-woven cotton of old craftsmen, and the aroma of chopped peppers wafting from the alleys. Here allows you to feel the warm fireworks in the middle of winter. Stroll around shops and stalls one by one, making every tourist who comes to Guilin unforgettable.

This place forms a sharp contrast to the Zhengyang Pedestrian Street in the adjacent street. It is a modern business and an antique one.

Afternoon tea with picturesque scenery-Shangxijian Mountain House

It's great to have an old friend from Guilin who can always recommend different niche ways to play on demand. This is on the eighth floor of the top floor of the second branch of the Royal Venus Hotel.

This is a B & B with the theme of tea houses. In its reputation as a scenic spot in Guilin, there is never a shortage of beds hidden in the scenery. As soon as the elevator door opened, she was amazed by the antique style.

Zen, tranquility and peace, the essence of comfortable life is always revealed to you in Jianshanshe B & B. This is not only a tea house, but also a secluded landscape house. On the roof of the hotel, a unique and independent Chinese courtyard. The unique location dominates the scenery around Guilin's mountains and rivers.

Not only is the view outside the window good, but the room is also a surprise. The new Chinese decoration style is spacious and bright; the furniture is all solid wood, and there is still a touch of wood in the room. The bathroom has an oversized bathtub next to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

In the room, sit in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, read a book and sip tea, enjoy the beautiful landscape, or take a bath while making tea. You can see the blue sky and watch the moon and stars on a clear night. What a comfort!

Enjoy afternoon tea slowly in the beautifully decorated scene of the B & B. This place really matches the old saying,"Good mountains and good water should be matched with good tea." Drinking tea must have a sense of ceremony. Every visitor must sign in with a brush, and then clean his hands in osmanthus water to remove the meaning of worldly dust.

As the guqin sounded and the tea ceremony officially kicked off, the round arch in the courtyard slowly opened, and the tea artist began to display the tea ceremony and tea ceremony process.

When pursuing the enjoyment of beauty, we must also cultivate our own spiritual morality with tea. Coordinate interpersonal relationships during tea drinking activities, purify and reflect on one's thoughts, and communicate each other's feelings. Incorporate the essence of Chinese culture through tea drinking.

The warm afternoon sun leaked through the leaves, and on the mottled wooden floor for three years, every guest who arrived felt relieved. They put down their bags, tasted the tea carefully, and felt relaxed and relaxed.

Coming here from a busy city, stop, slow down your life, and return to the original flavor of life. Build a spiritual habitat and have more enjoyment of life. We live in a big city, and our work is like war. Sometimes we long for a place like this where we can stay quietly for a few days, cleanse our souls, calm our impetuous hearts before we can welcome new work.

A must-visit pedestrian street in every city-Zhengyang Pedestrian Street

Zhengyang Pedestrian Street is like Beijing Road in Guangzhou and Nanjing Pedestrian Street in Shanghai. All visitors are tourists.

The antique buildings of Zhengyang Pedestrian Street are very distinctive, with red turned green walls in various shapes. Some shops are decorated with beams and painted buildings. The lights are bright at night and there are many tourists, making it very lively.

Zhengyang Pedestrian Street is only 666 meters long, which means "Six Six Sons". It is a good place for Guilin citizens to take a leisurely walk. Many foreign tourists like to come and stroll and shop. There are many famous brand stores here, as well as some snack shops and small stalls.

Guilin's specialties are also available here, such as sweet-scented osmanthus cake, horseshoe cake, chili sauce, grosvenori, sweet-scented osmanthus wine, etc. You can shop around. Some stalls are also decorated with very ethnic characteristics, with colorful handmade silk.

Sanhua Liquor is brewed and distilled from Lijiang River water and high-quality rice. It is a famous wine in Guilin. Its color is clear and transparent, its taste is sweet and elegant, it is soft on the entrance, and the aftertaste is refreshing. Xiangshan brand and Guilin brand are top grade

Momordica grosvenorii is a specialty of Guilin. It is known as the immortal fruit. The fruit is rich in glucose, fructose and multiple vitamins. It has the effects of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, resolving phlegm and relieving cough, cooling blood and relaxing bones, clearing lung and moistening intestines, and promoting saliva and thirst.

Guilin cuisine

Of course, you can't miss Guilin rice noodles for Guilin cuisine. You can basically taste the more authentic Guilin rice noodles in the streets and alleys of Guilin. Here are a few delicacies that I think are good.

Ten-year-old brand-Haitian Rice Rolls

When I was in school, I had to order one every time I came to Guilin City. I am used to eating Guangzhou rice rolls, why do I recommend this place when I come to Guilin? The taste of this rice roll really beats many rice roll shops in Guangzhou. It is a time-honored delicacy in Guilin for more than ten years.

This is not the prime time for meals. Here is a transparent stove, where you can see the entire process of making rice noodles. The price of rice noodles is calculated by item. The signature is barbecued rice noodles, which will be served with a bowl of free porridge. Every table in the store will put sweet peppers and chili sauce. I want to mention this chili sauce specially. It's really great. I usually don't like to put chili when I eat rice rolls for breakfast, but the chili sauce here is the kind that I can't stop adding when I really eat it. The store is located in the alley behind Smile Hall, and the per capita consumption is about 15 yuan.

Japanese Food Feast-Chrysanthemum and Cherry Delicate Cuisine

The top-ranked Japanese food in Guilin City had just arrived at the hotel, put down his luggage and was ready to go out for lunch, and found that the Japanese cooking wine was on the first floor of the Venus Royal Hotel. I decided to eat here because it was raining lightly outside.

The store is designed in a typical Japanese style, simple and generous. Most of the seats are private boxes, named after Japanese cities. Each private box also has a special wind chime hanging under the door number, which is very unique. There are tatami and dining seats inside. You can have a set menu or a la carte menu for lunch.

I recommend the eel rice set meal with golden sauce. The set meal is very large. The eel is fresh and delicious. In addition to eel, there are also crabmeat fillets and crab roe roasted with cheese. The side dishes include appetizing radish sauce, seaweed, miso soup, fruit and vegetable salad, and steamed eggs.

The sashimi platter ingredients are very fresh, and the salmon is cut thick enough and very solid. Shellfish taste the best. The plate is very exquisite, with customized fresh flowers and unique leaves on the background.

traffic strategy

1. Railway stations: Guilin has now built three railway stations-Guilin Station (the closest railway station in the city center), Guilin North Railway Station and Guilin West Railway Station (mainly trains, Guilin Station also stops trains), so friends who choose to take the train remember to see clearly which station their ticket is, especially on the return journey, it is easy to sit at the wrong station. This was what the driver told me on the way back and forth. As far as the surrounding area is concerned, there are still quite a lot of EMU trains in the direction of Chengdu (7 hours), Chongqing (5 hours), Guiyang (3 hours), and Guangzhou (3 hours). Guilin North Railway Station and West Railway Station are about 9-12 kilometers away from the urban area. It takes about 50 minutes to reach the center of Guilin City by bus. It takes about 30 minutes to take a taxi and costs about 25-30 yuan.

2. Guilin Liangjiang Airport has now opened direct flights to most cities. It is 28 kilometers away from the center of Guilin City and costs about 100 yuan by taxi. There are multiple airport bus routes to the city, including 20 yuan to Guilin North Railway Station, which takes 1 hour, and there is an average interval of 1-1.5 hours for urban transportation: Guilin does not have a subway, so you usually choose buses, scenic spots shuttle buses, taxis, and if convenient, you can also rent a car for a self-driving trip. It is also a good choice.

PostScript

Traveling is a pleasure. You don't have to rush to check in every attraction. Take a leisurely trip and give yourself a beautiful slow time worth remembering. Leaving is the end of this trip, but the beginning of the next trip. Guilin looks forward to seeing you again next time!