Guilin: the city surrounded by mountains
The disorderly profiles of the houses and high buildings that cover the Guilin plain, crossed by the Lijiang river, are embraced by a crown of sinuous mountains that sway over the horizon. A mountain range, now formed by clusters of sharp limestone peaks, now by isolated mountains that emerge unrealistically from the plain.
The city itself has no attraction: it is an anonymous city that has been fortunate enough to rise in the midst of one of the most beautiful karst landscapes in the world, and that serves mostly as a base from which to start excursions on the River Li and the rice fields of Longsheng.
The centre is distributed over a composition of islands separated by lagoon arms of the main river. A half-hour stroll through the souvenir shops and restaurants in the centre is enough to give you an idea of the city centre. If you're staying in Guilin to explore the best known territory of the Guangxi region, however, there are a few city attractions worth a short visit.
RIYUE SHUANGTA CULTURAL PARK
A small park, where you can improvise a walk, runs along the river Li and an inland lake that houses the two Pagodas of the Sun and the Moon. These are two buildings, connected by an underwater tunnel, about 40 meters high, which tower over Lake Shan, and at night are illuminated by colourful lights.
ELEPHANT TRUNK HILL
In the Xiangshan Scenic Area, overlooking two arms of the Lijiang, a characteristic spur stands out against the water, pierced by a cave that gives it the shape of a giant drinking elephant. The park is full of tourists who come to take a symbolic photo, perhaps next to the fishermen who train the cormorants for fishing.
XIANGBI MOUNTAIN
The real name of the elephant-shaped mountain, which is home to a pleasant stepped walk that climbs to the top of the back of the pachyderm. Above, from some panoramic point that makes room between the thick vegetation covering the hill, you can see a magnificent view over the roofs of Guilin. You can see the plain covered by the city and can have a first idea of the kartsic crown that surrounds this valley. A smart tip: don't get stranded among the tourists who take pictures of the profile of the elephant, climb on it will offer you much more evocative views.
