December 2007Our last stop in mainland China was Guilin, and every time we mentioned that we were going there to a Chinese, he/she would get excited about it. Guilin is known as one of the most scenic cities in the country and for good reason: unlike other big cities in China, usually dominated by endless blocks of concrete buildings, Guilin offers several parks and hills as well as boat tours that glide through the Li river and the string of lakes that meander through town.
Much to our relief, it wasn’t raining when we arrived in Guilin, but it was only 6 hours until the rain found us yet again. We then went underground to the Reed Flute Cave, a place that looks right out of “Alien” and certainly the most unique sight in Guilin. Huge stalactites and stalagmites adorn the cave, highlighted by colorful lights that enhance the strange formations. There’s a catch though: you’re supposed to follow a group, therefore the lights have a timer; once the lights go off, only tour guides are able to turn them back on. So if you want to do it on your own, at times you have to wait in the dark until a group comes by. The most impressive part of the cave is the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King, a large open area centered on an underground lake. Bluish lights illuminate the walls, the still waters of the lake create a perfect mirror, and at times, it looks like an ice world rather than a cave.
Beautiful though as Guilin is, the best of the region is near Yangshuo, one hour away. It’s a famous backpacker mecca and so far high rises and shopping malls haven’t reached it. It’s around Yangshuo that you find series of karsts (limestone mountains) sitting along the banks of the Li River, stretching as far as the eye can see. Yangshuo is a place to enjoy the outdoors, either rock climbing, biking, kayaking or simply drifting on a bamboo raft to one of the nearby small villages. Our initial plan was to spend 3 or 4 days there, but, you guessed it, it was raining and would continue so for at least another 3 days. And after one week of gray skies, fog, rain and chilly temperatures, we were fed up, cut our stay short and decided to look for sunny skies. So we headed to Hong Kong, but with a heavy heart –Yangshuo is a place that will keep growing on you the longer you stay. Some other time, some other time, hopefully with sunshine…
Much to our relief, it wasn’t raining when we arrived in Guilin, but it was only 6 hours until the rain found us yet again. We then went underground to the Reed Flute Cave, a place that looks right out of “Alien” and certainly the most unique sight in Guilin. Huge stalactites and stalagmites adorn the cave, highlighted by colorful lights that enhance the strange formations. There’s a catch though: you’re supposed to follow a group, therefore the lights have a timer; once the lights go off, only tour guides are able to turn them back on. So if you want to do it on your own, at times you have to wait in the dark until a group comes by. The most impressive part of the cave is the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King, a large open area centered on an underground lake. Bluish lights illuminate the walls, the still waters of the lake create a perfect mirror, and at times, it looks like an ice world rather than a cave.
Beautiful though as Guilin is, the best of the region is near Yangshuo, one hour away. It’s a famous backpacker mecca and so far high rises and shopping malls haven’t reached it. It’s around Yangshuo that you find series of karsts (limestone mountains) sitting along the banks of the Li River, stretching as far as the eye can see. Yangshuo is a place to enjoy the outdoors, either rock climbing, biking, kayaking or simply drifting on a bamboo raft to one of the nearby small villages. Our initial plan was to spend 3 or 4 days there, but, you guessed it, it was raining and would continue so for at least another 3 days. And after one week of gray skies, fog, rain and chilly temperatures, we were fed up, cut our stay short and decided to look for sunny skies. So we headed to Hong Kong, but with a heavy heart –Yangshuo is a place that will keep growing on you the longer you stay. Some other time, some other time, hopefully with sunshine…
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