Top things to do in Guangxi

Longji's famed rice terraces have been luring travellers to the region for decades to witness some of China's most spectacular scenery. Rising to 1000m, they are an amazing feat of farm engineering on hills...

The 1000-year-old village of Jiangtouzhou is tucked away among farmland 32km north of Guilin. The mostly abandoned village has layers of old-world charm, with its labyrinth of cobblestone alleyways lined with...

Detian Waterfall belongs to the Chungui River (春归河, Chūnguīhé), which flows between China and Vietnam. The river is only 30m across in this upstream section, which means that people on both sides can see each...

Located in Baise prefecture (百色市), Jingxi County (靖西县), the name of this gorge means 'Connected to the Spirit World'. You will certainly feel spiritual as you descend narrow flights of stairs down to a large...

This fine rooftop restaurant experience is one of Yangshuo's best. The view of Moon Hill isn't quite as amazing as it used to be – thanks to a neighbour building a stack opposite – but it's still sublime. And the...

Located 15km northwest from Leye is this geopark famous for its sinkholes set amid an environment of karst landforms, caves and underground rivers. From the ticket office, you're transferred to an electric cart...

A one-hour walking circuit loops you past limestone caves, primeval vegetation and an underground river in this sinkhole that reaches 312m in height. Trek to the sinkhole's bottom via an ethereal-looking cavern...

A 30-minute – extremely sweaty – climb up steps to the magnificent natural arch that adorns Moon Hill (380m) is rewarded with both lost calories and some exhilarating views of surrounding peaks and the tapestry...

With a prime riverfront location overlooking karst peaks, Demo's outdoor terrace is the perfect spot to come for a sundowner of quality craft beers. Its four beers on tap are all from Trip Smith microbrewery in...

This park is named after eight Danxia stone peaks that lie near the border with Hunan. Round, isolated, featuring ringlike troughs and leaning 45 degrees in the same direction, these spectacular formations...

In the district of Chengyang, around 18km north of Sanjiang, Chéngyángqiáo is the grandest of over 100 nail-less Wind and Rain Bridges in the area. This photogenic black-and-white structure (78m) was built from...

This 970m-long underground river cave shelters the world's largest collection of lotus-shaped limestone formations. While the artificial illumination spoils the natural beauty, giving the cave an unmistakable...

Bars that do not play C-pop or hire pole dancers have a hard time surviving in Yangshuo, which makes this 'Jamaica pub' an anomaly. Run by dreadlocked owner-DJ Topper, Kaya has reggae performances, to go with...

Simply gobsmacking views down the terraced fields to the scoop of the valley below.

At the southern end of Guilin where the Li River and the Taohua River converge is one of Guilin's best-promoted sights, Elephant Trunk Hill. Unlike other misshapen lumps of rock with tenuous names extracted from...

The scenery along this small river about 6km southwest of Yangshuo is breathtaking, and best enjoyed by bamboo raft. Though the set-up for the rafting has become very touristy and overregulated (it's now all...

Close to the Vietnam border, the enigmatic Hua Mountain Cliff Murals, 2000-year-old rock paintings of people and animals on sheer cliff faces, are one of the undisputed highlights of Guangxi. The red-painted...

A former market town on the Yong River (邕江, Yōng Jiāng), Yangmei was founded a millennium ago and flourished in the 17th century, earning the nickname 'Little Nanning'. Spend a couple of hours wandering the...

This fascinating village about 1.5km beyond Moon Hill is a treasure trove of traditional Qing dynasty architecture. Beyond the initial, slightly cheesy scenic area at the beginning, you reach the village proper,...

Tianmen (not to be confused with Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan) is home to proud cliffs, sharp ravines and dramatic waterfalls of Danxia topography, but also lush subtropical foliage, clusters of...