Guilin Stay Recommendation

Definitely do NOT stay in Guilin. Whether you are a tourist or a photographer, Guilin offers very little other than a train station and an airport. When you arrive get out to Yangshuo ASAP and stay out there.

I can recommend Sudder Street Guesthouse in Yangshuo

The Yulong Scenic area is close off for private vehicles except scooters/bicycles since sept 2017, u can rent electric scooter to gain access

Yangshuo's sky was hazy when I was there last week

Great, thanks. At which do I find the Cormorant fishermen that fish in their bamboo rafts(at sunrise)?
Hopefully the weather improves, but I know there are no guarantees

I land at Guilin airport at 21:10. Is it still possible to go to Yangshuo at that time by public transport? Perhaps better off staying that night in Guilin city.

As Chinese cities go, Guilin isn't base (Quite nice, in fact). It's just that what it has to offer (And it does have a few tourist attraction of it's own) aren't the things that draw people to the area.

I once did the boat trip down the Li River (On, it turned out, one of a fleet of massively oversized boats). It was awful and I learned later that the best idea is to rent a raft and "driver" in Yangshuo and go off up one of the Li River tributaries. There you might expect to see cormorant fisherman. I certainly don't recall seeing any on the "cruise" (I have seen cormorant fishermen at quite close quarters. But on the Yalu River that separates China from North Korea).

I've only ever stayed in hostels in Guilin and there are a number of good ones. But, perhaps, you're looking for something more up-market.

I believe there are tours that go to watch cormorant fishing.

Landing this late in the evening it maybe wise to spend a night in guilin. Guilin has a couple of very touristy night market/pedestrian malls which are filled with Chinese tourists

The Home Inn is a reliable chain of hotel in China