When it comes to Guangxi, you naturally think of "Guilin's mountains and rivers are the best in the world." I remember that there was a text introducing Guilin's mountains and rivers in my primary school textbook. I have known Guilin since then. This time when I went out to play, I chose Guilin and Weizhou Island in Guangxi. After deciding on the destination of your trip, check the guide online, formulate your own travel route, and start booking air tickets, train tickets, and tickets to hotels and attractions. In the crisp autumn September, our plan finally came true, but due to limited time, we only selected some attractions that I personally thought were unique for this trip.
The total cost (2 people) is 14,956.00 yuan, including: Airfare and airport bus from Tianjin-Guilin, Nanning-Tianjin are 3,986.00 yuan, train tickets from Guilin-Beihai-Nanning are 452.00 yuan, direct bus from Yangsu-Jinkeng Dazhai to Guilin are 222.00 yuan, round-trip cruise ships from Weizhou Island are 600.00 yuan, a total of 1240 yuan for 10 days, scenic spots tickets and Lijiang cruises are 2246 yuan, meals, city fares, shopping and miscellaneous expenses are 6,210.00 yuan.
D1
At 7:00 in the morning, the plane took off on time, transferred in Nanjing, stayed for nearly an hour, and arrived at Guilin Liangjiang Airport at 12:00 noon. Walking out of the terminal, I saw the ticket office of the airport bus. After asking, I learned that the bus to Guilin Railway Station would get off at Swan Hotel. I bought the ticket, got on the bus, and arrived at Swan Hotel after more than 40 minutes. After getting off the bus, I found that roads were being built nearby. I asked several people, but they didn't know where the Hanting Hotel we booked was, or they wanted us to buy their Lijiang River ticket before they were willing to take us there. I checked the map online before and knew that the hotel I booked was not far from Guilin Railway Station and Passenger Station. Let's find the railway station first and talk about it. Say hello for the way to the railway station, and decisively walk to the railway station. It took about ten minutes to walk to Guilin Railway Station. I asked the local traffic police, but they didn't know. They had no choice but to call the hotel and continue to move forward in the direction instructed by the hotel front desk clerk. After walking for more than ten minutes, there was still no sign of the hotel. I had to dial the hotel again. This time, I told us where we were. Because the waiter's Mandarin was not standard, the communication was not very smooth, so I was not sure after talking for a long time, so I had to continue looking by myself. Fortunately, after walking for a while, Finally I discovered the symbol of Hanting.
After completing the check-in process, it was already 2 o'clock in the afternoon. We planned to go for dinner after completing the check-in procedures. After all this trouble, coupled with the hot weather in Guilin, we no longer felt hungry. We decided to rest for a while and then the first place we wanted to go after Guilin-Wangcheng. After asking for the way to Wangcheng in the hotel lobby, we set out. The hotel is located at the south gate bridge. Walking out of the alley, you will find the bus stop. There are buses to various attractions. In fact, the transportation is quite convenient. Take the bus to Wangcheng, get off at Jiefang Bridge Station, and cross the commercial street across the road-East and West Alley. Go to the ticket office to buy tickets for 120 yuan per person, which is 20 yuan more expensive than online. Since the itinerary for the half day after arriving in Guilin was not yet scheduled, I did not book online. Since you are here, it will be expensive. After buying the ticket, you have to wait for the guide at the door after entering. The ticket includes the guide fee, but you need to wait for more than a dozen people to enter together. Since most individual tourists came here in the afternoon, more than a dozen people gathered soon. At this time, the tour guide took everyone to visit.
Wangcheng, also known as Jingjiang Wangfu, is located at the foot of Duxiu Peak in the center of Guilin City. It is the vassal residence of Zhu Shouqian, the great-grandson of Zhu Yuanzhang. It was changed into Gongyuan during the Qing Dynasty, and now part of it has become the Wangcheng Campus of Guangxi Normal University. After entering, there will be a Nuo opera performance, where you can learn about Chinese opera culture. Walking inside, you can see tall banyan trees everywhere, and the environment is quiet. There are many stone carvings at the foot of Duxiu Peak, the first peak in Guilin. The sentence "Guilin's mountains and rivers are the best in the world" comes from an inscription here. The single word "Nantian Yizhu" is about ten feet wide and is the largest stone carving in Guilin. I think the most distinctive thing is a stone carving of "Fu", in which the side of "Fu" is like a dragon's head crutch. There is also a carved portrait of Confucius in civilian clothes, which is rare elsewhere.

Wangcheng Entrance

Nuo opera performance

Tall banyan tree

Stone carvings of Duxiu Peak-"Guilin's mountains and rivers are the best in the world"

Stone carving of Duxiu Peak--statue of Confucius in cloth clothes

Stone carving of Duxiu Peak-"Nantian Pillar"

Duxiu Peak Stone Carving--The Unique Character of "Fu"

Stone carving of Duxiu Peak--the word "Shou"
Then the tour guide led us to a cave called "Taiping Rock" and said that we could find our "original destiny" inside, so please bless us when we go home. This is the unique "Tai Sui" stone carving in China. During the Qing Dynasty, a local official presented Cixi's "destiny" to the Empress Dowager Cixi on her 60th birthday, and was promoted to the throne.

Taipingyan Entrance
Then I went to the Gongyuan and saw rooms only 1 square meter in size. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have all food and accommodation inside when candidates had to stay here for days and nights in order to gain fame. At this time, someone said that they could experience the situation of candidates back then, so they entered a small room and someone handed out an exam paper and had to answer it with a brush in two minutes. As soon as I looked at the papers, someone took photos one by one. I didn't know what was going on. As a result, when I went out, someone asked if I wanted photos and sealed them for 15 yuan each. Thinking about it, I took it all, but I was deceived for 15 yuan. Leaving the Gongyuan is going to pass through another shopping spot, and this time we go out directly through the door on the other side.

Gongyuan Entrance

gongyuan
After coming out of Gongyuan, I went to climb Duxiu Peak located in the royal city. It is an integral part of the Wangcheng Scenic Area. It has a towering peak, steep and majestic momentum. It is known as the "Pillar of the Southern Sky." Duxiu Peak is 66 meters high and is the highest peak in Guilin City. From the top of the mountain, you can see a panoramic view of Guilin City. It is said that the Guilin City government stipulates that the height of all buildings in Guilin City cannot exceed Duxiu Peak.

The first peak in Guilin-Duxiu Peak
After shopping in Wangcheng City for about an hour, other than the shopping spots, it was actually quite good.
After leaving Wangcheng and passing through East and West Alley, there is Zhengyang Road Pedestrian Street across the road. It used to be said to be a snack street, but in the end, there were no snacks, only shops. Of course, when you come to Guilin, you have to eat Guilin rice noodles. After searching on the pedestrian street for a long time, I ordered braised pork flour and sashimi sausage from a rice noodle shop next to Weixiang Restaurant to simply fill my stomach. A few days later, I ate rice noodles with different flavors. Personally, I felt that Guilin rice noodles were average and had no taste, but they were okay with the intestines, smooth and strong.

dongxixiang

Zhengyang Road Pedestrian Street

Guilin braised pork noodles
At the end of Zhengyang Road, you will find the Twin Towers of Sun and Moon with two rivers and four lakes. It was dark at this time, and the lights of the Sun and Moon Twin Towers were very beautiful. There are cruise ships to tour the two rivers and four lakes here. I thought I would take a boat to tour the Li River the day after tomorrow, so I didn't take a boat here. There are many people on the lake, and there are many travel agency buses that specially take tourists on night tours of the two rivers and four lakes. Strolling along the lake, taking a few photos, and taking a bus back to the hotel at Yangqiao, ending the first day of Guilin's trip.

Night view of the Sun and Moon Twin Towers
D2
I booked a one-day trip to Gudong Waterfall and Guanyan online in advance. I contacted the tour guide last night to determine the location and time of the ride. I went out to find a place to have breakfast at around 7 o'clock. As a result, most restaurants were not open yet, so I had to buy some egg cakes and the like at the roadside breakfast stalls to fill my stomach.
The car that picked us up arrived on time at 8:10. After getting on the bus, we had to pick up other people on the way, so it was already past nine o'clock to arrive at Guanyan Scenic Area. Since we had to take a battery car to enter the cave, our fare included the battery fare, and the tour guide asked us to wait for her at the entrance of the second floor. There were many people at the entrance, and it took about twenty minutes to enter the place where the battery car was riding. Battery cars have operating levers and have to control their own speed. Get on the battery car and look at the lush mountains on both sides. In a few minutes, you will enter the cave 200 meters. After entering the cave, you immediately feel cool.

Guanyan's battery car
Guanyan is a huge underground river cave, consisting of two parts: an underground river and a dry cave. Following the guide, we walked from the water bridge railing to the dock where the boat was located. It was dark and only the rumbling water could be heard. Walking through the underground river by boat, in the bright and dark lights, I saw many stalactites of different shapes hanging on the stone walls on both sides. I couldn't help but marvel at the magic of nature. After passing through a 700-meter-long underground river, after landing, there is a hall full of stalagmites and stone pillars of various shapes. Among them, one of the stone pillars stands straight to the climbing roof and is more than 50 meters high. It is a wonder in the world. After passing through the hall, the tour guide took us to the light rail tram stop in the cave, took a small train, and galloped in the underground canyon. We looked at the various stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars, and stone curtains around us, and sighed at the extraordinary craftsmanship of nature. After getting off the small train and entering the mysterious and winding dry cave, the scenery of Foxian Villa, Maitreya Buddha and other scenery were displayed in front of you. Under the flashing lights, they were all strange and strange, which attracted people's thoughts and couldn't part them. Finally, we arrived at the Sanhua Jiudong Tibetan Base, next to the unique domestic sightseeing elevator. You can take the elevator directly to the exit. Since the travel agency's car was waiting for us at the entrance of the battery car, we just took the elevator to experience it and sat back in the cave. After experiencing the cave tour by land, land and water, we took a battery car out of the cave.

cap rock

Guanyan--Sanhua Jiudong Tibetan Base

Sightseeing elevator in Guanyan
At noon, under the arrangement of the tour guide, I had a simple lunch and drove to the next attraction-Gudong Waterfall, a waterfall that you can climb.
After about half an hour's drive, we arrived at Gudong Waterfall at around 12:30. This time we were led in by a tour guide in the scenic area. After a fairly smooth mountain road, we arrived at the place where we rented helmets. Helmets are necessary equipment for climbing waterfalls. The basic equipment for information: helmets, straw sandals, waterproof shoe covers and waterproof mobile phone bags for 10 yuan each, and there is also a set with a disposable raincoat and towel for 15 yuan each. We brought our own disposable raincoats, so we bought them for 10 yuan each. You can store your replaced shoes for free here, but I suggest you bring them yourself, because your feet will hurt when you wear straw sandals on mountain roads. After changing his equipment, he headed for the waterfall. It takes about 5 minutes to walk from the place where the helmet is rented to the waterfall. It is very difficult to walk this part of the road wearing straw sandals. Because straw sandals are very abrasive, I suggest that everyone go to the waterfall and change their shoes.

Ancient East Falls

Ancient East Falls
Gudong Forest Waterfall is about 17 meters high and divided into 7 levels. There are iron chains on both sides for tourists to use as handrails when climbing. The waterfall and the mountain road next to it are interconnected at each level of platform, and the elderly and children can walk the dry road to watch the scenery along the road. Personally, I feel that wearing straw sandals is more comfortable to walk in the water. The first-level waterfall is the most difficult to climb, with a large drop and rapid water flow. I came here to climb the waterfall, of course I would. It doesn't feel very steep to be there, but water is poured down from it and you can't see anything clearly. Holding the iron chain in his hand, he groped up the first waterfall. The raincoat did not work at all and his whole body was soaked. After starting to climb the waterfall, no one was not wet. In the words of the tour guide, it was impossible to go to Guilin without getting wet. The later stages of waterfalls are much flatter, and the water flow is much smoother. In some places, children can play in them.

Gudong Waterfall-the first-level waterfall
Walking while playing in the water, I climbed to the top of the waterfall without realizing it. I quickly found a place to change my straw sandals, and took a rest and prepared to go down the mountain from the back mountain. You can take a zip line down the mountain or walk down the mountain through a pontoon bridge. We chose to go down the mountain from the pontoon bridge and walk on the pontoon bridge. People swayed left and right with the pontoon bridge, which was another challenge for ourselves. On the stone steps of the way down the mountain, explanations of Guilin's local dialect and Mandarin are engraved. This way, watching while walking adds a lot of fun, reduces fatigue, and reaches the foot of the mountain in a short while.

Ancient East Falls

Ancient East Falls

Ancient East Falls

Gudong Waterfall--the floating bridge in the back mountain
After saying hello to the tour guide at the Ginkgo Plaza where we gathered, we went to the short shopping street we had passed through when we came. The fruits here are very cheap. Passion fruits are 1 yuan each, snow lotus fruits are 2 yuan each, green mango small ones are 10 yuan each, and large ones are 15 yuan each. We bought large green mango and snow lotus fruits. We asked the boss to help peel the snow lotus fruits and eat them while walking, which is very thirsty.
It was only past 4 o'clock back in Guilin City. After asking the tour guide, there was a Chunji roast goose near Nanmen Bridge and decided to eat the roast goose at night. Seeing that it was still early, I decided to go to the Taohua River to see if the raft worker who had chatted with him in the morning was still there. If so, I would take a bamboo raft to Xiangshan to have a look. When I went to the riverside, I found that it was not the raft worker in the morning. I asked for the price. It was 50 yuan every time. Sit on the bamboo raft, chat with the raft workers, while leisurely watching the scenery on both sides of the strait, and soon reach the foot of Xiangshan. Unfortunately, there is a dam blocking it and I can't get close to the Xiangshan Mountain. It's a pity that I don't see what the Xiangshan Mountain looks like in the pictures that introduce Guilin's scenery. After staying for a while, we returned the same way. After landing, I saw that it was past 5 o'clock and went straight to Chunji Roast Goose Zhongshan Road Store. There were many people in the store. I didn't realize that seats needed to be booked in advance when I arrived at the store. I asked if I could pack them, and decisively packed them and brought them back to the hotel to enjoy them slowly.

taohuajiang

Xiangshan silhouette

A dam next to Nanmen Bridge is said to have been built during the Qing Dynasty.

Chunji Roast Goose
D3
When I returned to the hotel yesterday, I saw a small shop selling Gongcheng Camellia oleifera. I wanted to try it this morning, but this shop was not open in the morning. I had no choice but to eat rice noodles. Today, we are going to take a boat tour of the Li River. We will come back after breakfast, check out, and wait for the bus to pick us up to the dock at the South Gate Bridge.
Get on the bus at 8:20, and it takes about 40 minutes to arrive at Mopanshan Wharf. The boat was originally scheduled for 10:00, but after communication with the tour guide, we quickly got on the boat. Maybe a boat trip to the Li River is the first choice for tourists coming to Guilin. After a while, the boat will be full, and before ten o'clock, the boat will set off. This fleet of about seven or eight ships is driving on the Li River in a majestic manner, and there are even fleets joining in. It is quite spectacular.
The Li River runs from Guilin to Yangshuo and is the most typical area in northeastern Guangxi where karst terrain develops. The Li River is the essence of Guilin's scenery. The most beautiful section is on the river course between the departure terminal and Xingping. The peaks on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are in thousands of shapes, but the cutest ones are the reflection of the mountains. The boat passing by on the picture of the reflection of the mountains really has the artistic conception of "the boat going up on the top of the green mountain". Every scene on the Baili Li River is a typical Chinese ink painting.
20 minutes after departure, visitors can move freely on the deck. Arriving on the deck, I listened to the introduction of scenic spots passed by from time to time on the radio, looking at the clear river water, the handsome and straight peaks on both sides of the bank, the lush shrubs and small flowers on the mountain, the phoenix-tailed bamboos swaying in the wind on the dam, and the reflection of the peaks in the river., either hazy or clear, it really feels like someone is swimming in a painting. We had lunch on the boat at noon, which was the standard for airline meals. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the boat arrived at Longtoushan Wharf in Yangsu.

Scenery of the Lijiang River

Scenery of the Lijiang River

Scenery of the Lijiang River

Scenery of the Li River-Luosi Mountain

Scenery of the Li River--Boy worshiping Guanyin

Scenery of the Li River-Yangdi

Scenery of the Li River-carp hanging on the wall
I wanted to go to Yinziyan after checking in at the hotel, but because I had taken the wrong way, it was already 3 o'clock when I arrived at Yangsu Park. There were only 30 minutes before the scheduled special bus to Yinziyan. I had to call the hotel owner and tell me to go to the check-in later. I went directly to the pick-up point of the Yinziyan special bus. After reporting the order number and mobile phone number, get on the bus and drive directly to Yinziyan Scenic Area.
The Yinziyan Cave is a typical karst landform. The cave contains various types of stalactites developed and grown in different geological times. It is oddly shaped and in various shapes. You can see colorful stalactite stone pillars, stone towers, stone curtains, and stone waterfalls everywhere. They are pure white and flawless, shining like silver or diamond-like light. Representative by scenic spots such as music stone screen, Yaochi fairyland, snow-capped snow-capped waterfalls "Three Wonders" and Buddha's Sutra Theory, Single Pillar Reaching Sky, and Mixed Origin Pearl Umbrella "Three Treasures", they are lifelike and lifelike.
There are no commentators here. You can get an interpreter at the entrance of the cave, which will explain synchronously as the person moves. Walking down the road, the scenic spots composed of stalactites are next to each other, making people dizzying under the illumination of various lights. When I came to the hall, I looked up above my head. It was tall and majestic and very spectacular. The Yaochi Wonderland is set against the pool of water in front of it, forming a reflection in the pool, which is beautiful. Arriving at the snow-capped mountain waterfall, the stone wall more than 20 meters high glistened due to the reflected or refracted strong light."The flying flow falls down 3,000 feet, and it is suspected that the Milky Way falls into the sky" is the best portrayal of it. Once again, I lamented the extraordinary craftsmanship of nature. Then you go up the stone steps to reach the rock top, which is about the height of a 16-story building. The masterpiece of nature is amazing. During the more than an hour of sightseeing, people can feel the charm of nature everywhere.

yinziyan

yinziyan

yinziyan

yinziyan

yinziyan

yinziyan
On the way back to Yangsu County, the car passed the Shili Gallery, and you could see people riding from time to time. The beautiful scenery on both sides gave people the feeling of swimming in a painting. After checking in at the hotel, I took a short rest, and asked the hotel owner to help contact a half-day tour of Xanadu tomorrow morning. It was 65 yuan per person, and I hurried to West Street.
The hotel is not far from West Street, a ten minute walk away. The West Street at night is completely different from the day. The tranquility and comfort during the day are replaced by the noise at night. West Street is a foreign street full of exotic colors. It is the intersection of Chinese and Western cultures. Bars and coffee shops can be seen everywhere, as well as stalls selling snacks and handicrafts. It is a must-visit place when you come to Yangyang. Not only are Chinese doing business here, but foreigners can also be seen selling handicrafts on the roadside. Walking and strolling along the west street, while tasting special snacks, you can feel the petty bourgeoisie sentiment flowing in the strong rural atmosphere, giving you a different experience.

Quiet West Street during the day

The lively West Street at night

West Street at night
D4
In the morning, I had breakfast in the restaurant downstairs of the hotel. It was a buffet of 10 yuan. The restaurant owner heard that we were going to Xanadu in the morning, so he immediately introduced us to her family's beer fish, saying that her chef was very good at making beer fish. If she came back at noon and ate beer fish at her house, she could give us a 1.2% discount. Because I don't know when I can come back, I think I'd better come back at noon to make a reservation.
At 8:00, the driver came to pick him up on time. From Yangsu County to Xanadu, we had to take the road from Yangsu to Guilin. Because of the road being built, the car was driving very slowly. Arriving at Xanadu around 9:00, the driver gave everyone a small sign as a voucher to go back to the bus. He took us to the entrance of the scenic area, made a reservation to pick us up at 10:30, gave us a boat voucher and left.
Paradise is named after Tao Yuanming's "Peach Blossom Garden". It is a scenic spot that integrates ancient bridges, flowing water, countryside, old villages and aquatic ethnic villages, with many artificial traces. After everyone gathered, they boarded a cruise ship, surrounded the Lotus Pond and Swallow Lake, passed through Yanzi Cave and returned. On the way, we passed through Dong Township customs, primitive tribes and Yuanming Mountain Villa, where some people were performing, and finally landed in Yongxiang Dong Village. After entering the stockade, tourists can drink a glass of welcome wine and participate in hydrangea competition activities. Then we passed through a shopping spot selling ethnic jewelry and entered Yuanming Villa along the Fengyu Bridge. Here, there are free rubbings made on site that can be kept as souvenirs. We made two zodiac images on site here as souvenirs.

Xanadu

Xanadu-Yanzi Cave

Xanadu-Fengyu Bridge
At 10:30, the driver called to urge us to get on the bus, so we had to hurry through the shopping spot and return to the gate. The car sent us back to the hotel around 11:30. Thinking that we would have to drift in the Yulong River in the afternoon, we ordered a sword-bone fish unique to the Li River and a green vegetable tofu soup from the restaurant downstairs of the hotel. The fish was 1.8 kilograms. The boss gave us a 18% discount at the checkout time, totaling 116 yuan.

Beer fish--Lijiang swordfish
It's still early, so go upstairs and take a rest. We went downstairs at 13:30, and the car that picked us up arrived on time. We followed the road to Guilin and arrived at Jinlongqiao Wharf in about 30 minutes. I made an appointment with the driver to pick us up at Jiuxian Pier at 4 o'clock, then went to the ticket office to quote the order number to pick up the ticket, and went to the dock to board the bamboo raft. The bamboo rafts and pick-up vehicles for rafting in the Yulong River must be booked in advance. Since it is the off-season for tourism, there are not many people.
The Yulong River is a tributary of the Li River. It has beautiful peaks on both sides, lush bamboos and shady trees. It is also called the "Little Li River". There are 28 weirs and dams in the river, and crossing the weirs and dams is the most fun part of rafting. Someone took photos at the first weir. The raft union asked if he wanted to take photos. If he wanted to, he would say hello to the person taking photos. After getting off the weir, he could get printed and plastic photos for 20 yuan each. I couldn't take photos of the wonderful moments of going down the dam, and at the same time, it could increase the income of the raft workers. So I decided to take a few photos and selected 3 photos to keep them as souvenirs after going down the dam. There are still photos of the weir behind, but we haven't taken any photos. Every time we passed an attraction, the raft worker would explain it to us, and the raft worker chatted along the way and moved forward. Because the raft workers are too old and have a little physical strength, they paddle very slowly, so we can slowly appreciate the beautiful scenery on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Drifting on the quiet river, everything is so quiet and natural. Looking at the clear river water and the pastoral scenery on both sides, I feel relaxed and forget the hustle and troubles of the city.

Yulong River-a bamboo raft waiting for tourists to drift

Yulong River-Yulong Bridge, one of the filming locations for the film "Third Sister Liu".

Scenery of Yulong River

Scenery of Yulong River

Scenery of Yulong River

Scenery of Yulong River-Jinchan Mountain

Scenery of Yulong River-Lion Mountain

Scenery of Yulong River-Yangti Mountain

Scenery of Yulong River-Yuanbao Mountain
After more than 2 hours of rafting, we arrived at the Jiuxian Pier, and the driver was already waiting for us on the shore. Back in Yangsu County, I went to West Street to buy some food, contacted the driver who would go to Longji Terrace early tomorrow morning, booked the boarding time and place, returned to the hotel early to rest, and prepared for tomorrow's trip to Longji.
D5
Today, we are leaving Yangsu for the Longji Terrace-Jinkeng Dazhai. There are buses to Dazhai in Guilin and Yangsu, but we have to book in advance. We booked the bus from Yangsu to Dazhai. In the morning, I finished breakfast downstairs and checked out. It was a few minutes 'walk to the scheduled pick-up place. It was a van with several people already on board. The driver kept calling people who had not yet gotten on the bus. Everyone was here just after eight o'clock. The car once again drove towards the highway in the direction of Guilin. To get to the Longji Terrace, we had to pass through the urban area of Guilin. This was the third time in two days that we had bumped on this road that was under construction.
After more than an hour, the car arrived at Xiangshan Hotel in downtown Guilin. After staying here for about ten minutes, a few more people got on and the car started again. After driving for more than ten minutes this time, I went to a parking lot to transfer to a bus and started heading for the Longji Terrace-Jinkeng Dazhai. After picking up a few people on the road in front of a bridge hole, he began to enter the mountains. The mountain road was relatively smooth at first, but then gradually began to climb uphill with many corners.
After driving on the mountain road for more than an hour, the bus reaches the entrance of Longji Terrace, where you can store your luggage. We each had a backpack and were ready to carry it up the mountain. Taking advantage of the time when others were storing their luggage, we got out of the car and stretched our bodies. After the person storing the luggage got on the bus, the car started again. There began to be some terraces and bamboo buildings on the mountains along the road. After arriving at the Longji Visitor Center, someone got on the bus and sold tickets for 95 yuan per person. After buying the ticket, the car started again. After driving for a while, someone got on the bus to check the ticket. After checking the ticket, the car started again. It would take more than an hour to walk the mountain road from here to reach the Dazhai Parking Lot.
After more than an hour of turbulence again, at around 13:00, we finally arrived at the destination of our trip-Dayaozhai Terrace Sightseeing Area, which is also the Longji Terrace-Jinkeng Dazhai.
Due to the steep terrain of Jinkeng, there are many terraces in strips, and the levels of far and near are also rich. What they present is a rough beauty that is shocking. There are two ethnic groups, Zhuang and Yao, living in the scenic area, with unique costumes and unique customs.

Longji Tourist Center

Wind and Rain Bridge in front of Dayaozhai

Dayaozhai

Start up the mountain from here
The Jinkeng Dazhai Scenic Area is divided into three landscapes: Xishan Shaoyue, Dajie Thousand Layer Stairs, and Jinfoding, which together constitute a cave heaven and earth on the Dragon Ridge that is far from the worldly world. We chose to live in Tiantou Village, which is relatively close to the No. 1 and No. 2 observation decks. We originally agreed with the owner of Qixing Tower Inn who stayed in to pick us up at Dazhai Parking Lot, but after we arrived at Dazhai Parking Lot, we contacted by phone and learned that it would take a while for the people to pick us to get to the parking lot, so we should follow the crowd into the mountains first. We first followed the crowd into the mountains. There were many small shops selling souvenirs on the roadside. After walking for a while, we saw a stone tablet of "Dayaozhai" on the roadside. After crossing the Fengyu Bridge, there were many fork roads. We called again. Contact the owner of Qixing Tower Inn. At this time, the person who picked us up arrived. After simple communication, she sent us a route map, saying that there was still something to do and asked us to go up the mountain first. Helpless, we had to follow the route map and go up the mountain by ourselves. We played while walking. The terraces on the roadside were stacked on top of each other. Some hills were filled with circles of terraces along the shape of the mountain, like pagodas, enhancing the beauty of the pastoral shape; some terraces looked like mountain eagles spreading their wings; The houses in the shanzhai are all Diajiao towers. The scattered and orderly shanzhai are integrated with the mountains. They are simple and elegant, giving people a feeling of returning to their original nature and returning to nature. Villagers walked by on the mountain road from time to time. We watched the beautiful scenery of the terraces and asked for directions. After more than an hour, we finally arrived at the Qixinglou Inn.

mountain path

the villagers passing by

Inn stayed in

Inn stayed in

Balcony of check-in room
Putting down our luggage and taking a short rest, we headed for the No. 1 Observation Deck "Xishan Shaole". Along the way, we saw many penthouse buildings under construction. About half an hour or so, we arrived at the No. 1 Observation Platform. From the Xishan Shaole Scenic Spot, we can see Maoer Mountain in Xing 'an and the highest peak of 1918 meters above sea level in Longji Scenic Area in Longsheng County. -Fuping Bao can overlook the terraced landscape of 40 to 50 square kilometers. This is a good place to watch the sunrise in the morning. Standing at the highest point of the terraces and looking around, the rice is ripe in the layers of terraces, and the golden rice waves are surging in like mountains and seas, presenting a rugged beauty that is shocking.

Observation Deck No. 1 "Xishan Shaole"

Observation Deck No. 1 "Xishan Shaole"

Observation Deck No. 1 "Xishan Shaole"
When it was getting dark, when we returned to the inn, we had already prepared the bamboo chicken and rice we had booked in advance. Personally, the bamboo rice is very delicious, which is mixed with the fragrance of bamboo and the salty aroma of bacon. The rice wine brewed by the owner has a sweet aroma, which cannot be tasted elsewhere. The taste of bamboo chicken is average. Drinking mellow rice wine and tasting sweet food, I ended the day with delicious food.

Inn restaurant

Bamboo chicken and bamboo rice
D6
At about 7:00 in the morning, I saw the sunrise on the balcony of the room. Due to the large number of clouds, the sun was blocked by the clouds for only a moment. But I still captured it with my camera. After a brief breakfast at the inn in the morning, we bid farewell to the innkeeper and prepared to go down the mountain.

sunrise

sunrise

sunrise
Today we decided to take another road down the mountain so that we could see a different scenery. After asking the boss about the way down the mountain, we set out. The mountain road here is very narrow, and in some places two people have to move sideways to pass through. The first thing to pass through is the Dajie Thousand Layer Ladder, where you can see layers of terraces leading to the clouds like stairs. The thousand-meter-high "pit edge" rises one after another, and the terraces that run straight into the sky are stacked on top of each other, like a meandering dragon. The road down from here is much easier. After going all the way down, passing through Zhuang Village, we soon reach Dayao Village. Looking back and looking into the distance, the layers of golden rice in the terraces are like scales, decorated with the continuous and steep mountains, which is intoxicating.

seven stars accompanying the moon

Thousands of layers of ladder

zhuangzhai
In Dazhai Parking Lot, take the 12:30 bus back to Guilin. After a bumpy journey, you arrive at Xiangshan Hotel in Guilin at around 3 o'clock. This time we still booked the Hanting Hotel. Since we were already familiar with the road, we arrived at the hotel quickly. Seeing that it is still early, book tickets online and go straight to Reed Flute Rock.
Reed Flute Rock is located in the northwest suburb of Guilin City. It has received many party and state leaders, foreign leaders and dignitaries. It is known as the "Guobin Cave." Arriving at Reed Flute Rock, I walked along the mountain road for more than ten minutes and arrived at the entrance of the cave. I was just able to issue tickets. Since it was afternoon, there were not many people. We waited at the entrance of the cave for a while, and the tour guide led everyone into the cave. Maybe it was to save energy. The cave was dark. The lighting of the landscape had to be turned on by the tour guide swiping his card and automatically turned off after a while. In this way, we could only follow the tour guide. Otherwise, we would not see any scenery. There are a large number of colorful and exquisitely carved stalagmites, stalactites, stone pillars, stone curtains, and stone flowers in the cave, which form the Shiling Morning Sunset, Hongluo Baozhang, Panlong Pagoda, Primeval Forest, Crystal Palace, Huaguoshan and other landscapes. Although there is no wonder here that Guanyan brings people, nor does it have the height and grandeur of Yinzi Rock, the Reed Flute Rock, an exquisite masterpiece of nature, is like pots of exquisite bonsai, which makes people admire it. Perhaps it was because it was approaching off-duty time, and the tour guide walked very quickly, so we could only take a quick look and reach the exit in about half an hour.

Reed flute cave

Reed flute cave

Reed flute cave

Reed flute cave
Coming out of Reed Flute Rock, we took a bus and got off at Xicheng Road, ready to go for a stroll on Xicheng Road Pedestrian Street. Compared with Zhengyang Road Pedestrian Street, it has a more market-oriented atmosphere and is a very down-to-earth night market. It not only has a variety of local snacks, but also shops selling local specialties and mobile vendors pushing small cars. This street is not long. After dinner here, we bought some Guilin specialties and prepared to take back.

Xicheng Road Pedestrian Street

Xicheng Road Pedestrian Street
D7
In the morning, we bid farewell to Guilin and took the train to the next city on the trip-Beihai.
The North Sea is surrounded by the sea on three sides. It was the port of departure of the ancient Chinese "Maritime Silk Road" and a well-known tourist and leisure resort at home and abroad. Since we were going to Weizhou Island the next day, we chose to stay on Yintan Road, which is very close to Beihai International Passenger Port. Most of the hotels here are converted from some sea view villas, and the environment is very good. After checking in at the hotel, walk to the passenger terminal to pick up your ticket, and then take the No. 3 bus to Beibu Gulf Square. There are landmark buildings in Beihai-the statue of "Nanzhu Soul". After taking a few photos here, we walked to Beihai Old Street-Zhuhai Road. It was a long walk to Beihai Old Street.

Beibu Gulf Square--Statue of "Nanzhu Soul"
Beihai Old Street is an old street with a history of more than 100 years. The arcade buildings along the street that combine Chinese and Western cultures carry the vicissitudes of time, and there are still many things to watch. People walking under the arcade can protect themselves from the wind, rain and the sun; the square pillars of the arcade are heavy and thick, quite in the style of ancient Roman architecture. This was once the most prosperous commercial district in Beihai, with rows of shops. With the passage of time, it gradually lost its former prosperity. Nowadays, walking on this old street that has experienced many vicissitudes and looking at the mottled exterior walls of the arcade buildings on both sides of the road, you can still feel its past beauty and its past prosperity. Nowadays, most of the old streets are shops selling pearl ornaments and tourist souvenirs, as well as some specialty snacks. Previously, I saw that the shrimp cakes at Aunt Li's Shrimp Cake Shop were very delicious online. We searched all the way and found that the shop was closed when we arrived in front of the door. There is also a shrimp cake shop not far away. I bought it and tried it. It tastes very good. I wonder how Aunt Li's shrimp cake tastes. I bought grilled oysters and grilled mackerel fish from a shop that sells raw oysters. They are very cheap. Six oysters are 10 yuan, and one mackerel fish is 8 yuan. The taste is not bad. We were shopping in the old street while looking for local snacks. Unconsciously, it was already dark in Zhongtian.

Beihai Old Street

Beihai Old Street

Beihai Old Street

Beihai Old Street
When I came back from Old Street, I went to Yintan on the way. It was dark and I could only hear the sound of waves. From time to time, I could vaguely see the silver light appearing when the waves surged. The sand in Yintan is very fine, and there are still many people playing in the water on the beach. After staying for a while, I found it boring, so I went back to the hotel to rest.
D8
Weizhou Island is surrounded by the sea on all sides. To travel from Beihai to Weizhou Island, you have to take a cruise ship at Beihai International Passenger Port, and you have to book ferry tickets in advance during peak season. Get up in the morning, finish a simple breakfast, and go straight to Beihai International Passenger Port.
Beihai International Passenger Port has fixed flights between Beihai and Weizhou Island every day. A large number of tourists pass here to Weizhou Island every day. Entering the waiting hall and walking through a corridor, you can see the "Beiyou 16" cruise ship we are going to take today. The seat we booked was on the 2nd floor. Due to the early booking, we had two seats by the window. After putting away the luggage, he prepared to go to the deck to have a look. He was told that the ship was completely enclosed and passengers could not go to the deck. At 8:30, the ship set sail on time. Looking out the window, there were many boats moored on the dock. In addition to cruise ships, there were also many fishing boats. The masts of rows of fishing boats are lined up, which is very spectacular. From time to time, small boats shuttle between fishing boats, making preparations before sailing.

Beihai International Passenger Transport Port

The cruise ship we took

The cruise ship we took

Fishing boats moored at the docks
When the boat left the Beihai Pier, you could still see several fishing boats that had just gone out to sea and returned from sea at first. In a short while, you could only see the nearby waves and the vast sea where the sea and sky were mixed into one color in the distance. After more than an hour of sailing, we can finally see the West Corner Wharf on Weizhou Island.

West Corner Wharf on Weizhou Island
After getting off the boat, we walked through a long corridor and arrived at the exit of the dock. The car that came to pick us up from the hotel was already waiting for us. I called in advance and asked the hotel owner to help us buy tickets to the island, so that we could save the time of queuing to buy tickets. There are no buses on Weizhou Island. The main means of transportation here are battery cars. The West Corner Pier is far away from the town. Hotels here all have pick-up services. You have to contact the hotel in advance, or you can take a taxi there yourself, which will be more troublesome. Through the check-in gate, we got on the car that picked us up and started our beautiful journey to Weizhou Island.
Weizhou Island is located in the Beibu Gulf. It is one of the top ten most beautiful islands in China and the largest and youngest volcanic island in China. The car was driving on the road. Looking around, there was dense vegetation everywhere. The hotel we booked was located in Dishui Village. About ten minutes later, we arrived at the hotel where we stayed. After checking in, the little girl at the front desk enthusiastically recommended us the tour route arrangements.

Stay in the hotel's pavilion

Check in the hotel restaurant

The total length of Weizhou Island's round-island highway is 34 kilometers, and various attractions on the island can be reached along the round-island highway. You can choose to charter a car or rent a battery car to play here. We rented a battery car at the hotel and started our tour around the island.

Weizhou Island's roundabout highway

banana forest

banana flower
Our first stop was the Catholic Church located in Shengtang Village, Weizhou Island. Shengtang Catholic Church is one of the "Four Great Catholic Churches in the Late Qing Dynasty". The entire building is built entirely from coral, rocks, lime mixed with sea stone flowers and bamboo and wood on the island. It has the style of a French Gothic church during the Renaissance., unique. Although it has been washed by wind and rain, it is still well preserved. The church is nestled in a green banana forest, and it looks quite imposing against the low houses around it. At the top of the main entrance is the bell tower, towering with Romanesque steeple. Entering the church gives people a solemn feeling. When we came here, we just happened to catch a couple taking wedding photos here. We also wish them a long and happy life together.

Shengtang Catholic Church

Shengtang Catholic Church

Shengtang Catholic Church

Newcomer taking wedding photos
After looking around the church, we had lunch at a small shop near the church and started to head for the next attraction-Shell Beach. Ride along the roundabout road, where there are large banana groves on both sides of the road. Next to a banana forest, an grandma is selling freshly picked bananas. It is a kind of millet coke that ripens naturally on the tree. It is very cheap, 6 yuan a handful, not big and very sweet. After chatting with the grandma selling bananas for a while, the grandma enthusiastically gave us directions and told us that there are some toll points set up by local people on Shell Beach. Don't enter from these toll points. You can reach the beach from some small roads next to it. After thanking our grandma, we continued to move forward and followed our grandma's instructions and entered the beach from the path not far from the toll point.

A banana variety on Weizhou Island-millet banana

Shell Beach is far away from the town and the dock. Tourists rarely come here, so there are relatively few people. Shell Beach, as the name suggests, has many corals and shells. It is easy to pick up beautiful small shells and corals. It was very quiet here, not as noisy as other beaches, and there was no noise from other beaches. Walking on the clean beach, watching the fine waves shining silver under the reflection of the sun, listening to the sound of the waves, forgetting the troubles in the city, the annoyance in my heart was swept away and replaced by peace and tranquility. We took off our shoes and walked barefoot into the clear water, enjoying this rare tranquility. Pick up beautiful corals at random and throw them back into the sea. After a while, they were washed up on the beach by the waves. We played to our heart's content on the beach, as if we had returned to the happy days of our carefree childhood.

Shell Beach

Shell Beach

Shell Beach
At two or three o'clock in the afternoon, the fishing boats returned to the port one after another. We had to go to the Nanwan Market in the town to buy seafood, and we had to reluctantly leave the Shell Beach. After asking around all the way, I finally followed a few older sisters who went to the seaside to pick up garbage to Nanwan Market. Before entering the market, I smelled a strong sea smell. Fishermen will bring the seafood they salvaged that day to sell here, including sea cucumbers, orchid crabs, sea shrimps, and many sea fish and seashells that we can't name. Most of the seafood is wild. This is the first time I saw live sea cucumbers here, still wild. It's cheap to buy seafood here and you can bargain. We bought sea shrimps, orchid crabs and scallops and some unknown small shellfish.

Nanwan Market

When you return to the hotel, you hand over the seafood you buy to the hotel kitchen for processing on your behalf. Hotels here can process seafood for a certain processing fee. After booking a meal time, we went back to our room to rest first.
At the scheduled time, we came to the restaurant, but for some unknown reason, the meal was not ready yet. There was no choice but to wait in the restaurant. I originally planned to go to Dishui Danping to watch the sunset after dinner, but after the meal, it turned cloudy. I couldn't see the sunset. Fortunately, my place of residence was only a few minutes away from the beach of Dishui Danping, so I decided to go to the beach first.
Following the village path to the seaside, it was already dark, and you could vaguely see the stone cliffs and silver waves on the seaside. There are many inns in the village, all decorated with their own characteristics. The hotel where we stayed had a pavilion that could cool off. After coming back, we sat in the pavilion for a while and then went back to our room to rest.

Inn in Dishui Village

The small road in Dishui Village
D9
When I woke up early in the morning, I found that the sky was gloomy and the restaurant didn't serve breakfast until eight o'clock. We decided to go out for breakfast. Riding on a battery bike, I found a breakfast shop at the entrance of the village. After a simple breakfast, we set out for our first destination of the day-Alligator Mountain Park.
To enter the scenic spot, you have to walk an uphill road. It is still early. There are not many people on the road and it is very quiet. Walking on the road, you can hear the sound of waves, and you can see the sea through the gaps in the vegetation along the road. In about twenty minutes, we arrived at the entrance of the scenic area. This is the only attraction on Weizhou Island that requires ticket checking, which is the ticket to board the island.
Crocodile Mountain Scenic Area is a great place to view volcanic rocks and wonderful sea views. The scenic area includes lighthouse, Moon Bay Square, coral sedimentary rocks and many other attractions. If you catch the low tide, you can also see the crater. The scenic area is visited in the form of mountain climbing. After entering the scenic area, the first thing you see is the lighthouse, and then you follow the quiet stone path down. In a short while, you will reach the crater and the sea.
As the only volcanic island in the country, there are many strange rocks and rocks here. After thousands of years of water erosion and wind erosion, the scenery is very beautiful. The dark brown volcanic rocks are set against the blue sea surface. Walking along the path at the foot of the mountain, the sea breeze blows slowly, and the waves beat the rocks, stirring up thousands of water. It is very spectacular. Stand on the reef and get in close contact with the waves. If you don't worry about it, waves will hit you and wet your clothes.

Crocodile Mountain Park-the main road to enter the scenic area

Crocodile Mountain Park-Lighthouse

Crocodile Mountain Park

Crocodile Mountain Park

Crocodile Mountain Park

Crocodile Mountain Park

Crocodile Mountain Park

Crocodile Mountain Park

Crocodile Mountain Park

Crocodile Mountain Park

Crocodile Mountain Park

Crocodile Mountain Park--Moon Bay
It was nearly noon and the sky was getting darker and darker. As soon as we returned to the hotel, it started to rain. Fortunately, the rain stopped by 1 p.m. We came to Dishui Danping Scenic Area.
Dishui Danping Scenic Area, formerly known as Dishui Rock, condenses the natural landscape of Weizhou Island, including beaches, waves, reefs, sea erosion caves, volcanic lava tracks, etc. There are trees on the upper part of the cliff here, and water often overflows from the cracks between the layers on the wall, dripping down little by little, like a red curtain hanging. Go straight to the left of the beach and follow the foot of the mountain. There are several huge sea erosion caves at the foot of the mountain. Here, you can appreciate the flow and movement of the lava left behind after the volcanic eruption. Walking on the beach, one side is black-brown volcanic rock, and the other side is the endless sea. Layer by layer of surging waves are beating against your feet, bringing a happy mood.

Dishui Danping Scenic Area

Dishui Danping Scenic Area

Dishui Danping Scenic Area
Due to the bad weather, there are not many people here. We walked on the beach. There was soft sand under our feet, but there were many fine corals, which were more prickly in some places. The waves brought sand grains and fine corals to the shore layer by layer. While picking up beautiful corals, they stepped on the waves and played in the water. Time passed unknowingly. I spent an afternoon on the beach and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere here. Walking back, I found that the tide was low, and the volcanic rocks and reefs that had been submerged in the water were exposed to the water. The black-brown reefs were in various shapes and strange shapes.

Dishui Danping Scenic Area

Dishui Danping Scenic Area

Dishui Danping Scenic Area-Little Shark

Dishui Danping Scenic Area

Dishui Danping Scenic Area

Dishui Danping Scenic Area-Volcanic Rock Landform
After returning from Dishui Danping, I went to Nanwan Market to buy wild sea cucumbers, some unknown sea shells, as well as rare sea urchins. I came back and handed them to the kitchen to prepare to enjoy my last delicious meal on Weizhou Island.

Rare sea urchins

Unknown seashells
D10
I am leaving Weizhou Island today, and I am a little reluctant to part with it. It was still early. Following the path of Dishui Village, we came to the peaceful beach again.
The beach in the early morning is different from other times. Under the light of the morning sun, it carries a little mystery. The sun appears and appears from time to time in the clouds, shooting out light beams through the clouds and shining on the sea surface, shining with phosphorescence. Some early people walked on the beach, and there were fishing boats preparing to go out to sea in the distance. Everything was so peaceful and peaceful.

Dishui Danping Scenic Area in the morning

Dishui Danping Scenic Area in the morning

Dishui Danping Scenic Area in the morning
Weizhou Island, a peaceful and beautiful place, is a place that makes you feel that you will come again after coming.
At around 9 o'clock, the hotel's battery car took us to the West Corner Wharf. After a long corridor, with a reluctant mood, we boarded the "Beiyou 16" cruise ship again and prepared to leave Weizhou Island. The ship set sail on time at 10:15. An hour later, we arrived at Beihai International Passenger Station. After exiting the port, we took the bus directly to the railway station. There are few flights in Beihai, and most people who come to Beihai have to transit through Nanning. This time, we also booked a ticket back to Tianjin from Nanning. There are many trains from Beihai to Nanning. The train ticket I purchased before was after 3 p.m., but it was only 12 o'clock when I arrived at the train station. I changed my ticket to Nanning East at 12:55 and set foot on the last stop of the trip-Nanning.
Arrive at Nanning East Railway Station around 2:30 p.m., and it takes more than an hour to arrive at the hotel near Nanning Railway Station. It was already 4 o'clock after checking in. I originally planned to go to Qingxiu Mountain Park. After asking, I learned that Qingxiu Mountain Park would close at 5 o'clock. There was no time, so I had to wait until the next time I came to Nanning. We took a bus at the entrance of the hotel to Jinhu Square in NanNing City.
Jinhu Square, formerly known as Wuxiang Square, is currently the largest large-scale compound garden-style public open square integrating leisure and entertainment in NanNing City. The ground landscape project takes the Minzu Avenue as the central axis and is divided into two parts: north and south. It has distinctive buildings such as five-elephant fountain sculptures and bronze drum ground carvings.

Golden Lake Plaza

Golden Lake Plaza

Golden Lake Plaza
After wandering in front of the Five Elephant Fountain sculpture for a while, it was almost dark. We took a bus to Nanning's famous snack street-Zhongshan Road Snack Street. After getting off the bus, I found an antique building in the distance and decided to go and have a look first. Searching for things along the road came to the Yongjiang River, which turned out to be Nanning's famous Minsheng Square. After staying here for a short time, we returned to Zhongshan Road Food Street.

Zhongshan Road Snack Street brings together Nanning traditional snacks and local specialties. It is a favorite place for Nanning people to go for late snacks and a must-go for friends traveling to Nanning. The horseshoe cakes, old friends flour, roll flour, vermicelli dumplings, sour wild fields, etc. here are all delicious foods worth trying and cheap. I bought 2 Nanning traditional snacks-Rollover Powder at Liangji Rollover Powder. They are soft, smooth, refreshing and delicious. Coming to this street that is less than 100 meters away to find delicious food is also a good choice for this hasty trip to Nanning.

Zhongshan Road Snack Street--Horseshoe Cake

Zhongshan Road Snack Street--Liangji Roll Noodle

Zhongshan Road Snack Street

Zhongshan Road Snack Street
D11
In the morning, we took the airport bus to Nanning Wuwei Airport, boarded the plane back to Tianjin, and ended this pleasant trip.

October 2016