South · DESTINATION GUIDE

Guangxi 广西

Guangxi extends from northern karst landscapes through river valleys and western border country to the Beibu Gulf coast. Nanning is the capital of this culturally varied autonomous region, while Guilin and Yangshuo anchor its most familiar scenic journey. Longsheng, Liuzhou, Chongzuo-area destinations and Beihai introduce other settings and food traditions. Choose whether the trip centres on rivers and terraces, southern city life, borderland heritage or the sea. Each option can support a substantial stay, with different gateways and local transfers rather than one continuous sightseeing route.

Location of Guangxi in China

About Guangxi

Guangxi at a glance

Population
49,890,000Year-end resident population, entire provincial-level administrative area · 2025Source ↗
Income per person
32,721Mean annual disposable income per person, all residents · 2025 · CNYSource ↗
Languages & dialects
Mandarin; Zhuang (壮语), Yue/Cantonese, Southwestern Mandarin, Pinghua, Hakka and other community languages.Source ↗
Geography
Southern border region of karst hills, river basins and the Beibu Gulf coast, adjoining Vietnam.Source ↗
Elevation
Most of the region is below 1,000 m; the highest mountain terrain remains below 2,500 m.Source ↗
Main gateway
NanningAutonomous region
Reed Flute Cave (Ludi Yan) · 芦笛岩
Reed Flute Cave (Ludi Yan) · Guangxi · Fremantle99 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Discover Guangxi

Choose the northern base for the landscape you want

Guilin provides a city base, while Yangshuo places more of the surrounding karst countryside within reach. Longsheng's Longji terraces form another journey through cultivated land, villages and water systems shaped by farming communities. Decide whether river scenery or terrace villages deserve the longer stay. Guilin rice noodles and a shared Yangshuo beer-fish meal also give the region a food dimension, so leave time for meals and ordinary streets between the landscape outings.

Discover other cities through their own food

Nanning combines the Three Streets and Two Alleys quarter with green space at Qingxiu Mountain and a distinctive sour-spicy noodle tradition in laoyoufen. Liuzhou is a separate food city closely associated with luosifen and fermented bamboo shoots. These bases broaden the picture beyond Guilin without needing to repeat the same scenic formula. Spend time in a neighbourhood and choose a local bowl on its own terms, rather than treating all regional rice noodles as interchangeable.

Keep the borderlands and coast as distinct extensions

The Zuojiang Huashan rock-art landscape near Ningming introduces human history along river cliffs, while Detian near Daxin is a different waterfall excursion. Beihai and Weizhou Island belong to a southern sea-oriented journey. Select one extension and allow for its actual transfers, including the island connection where relevant. Major-city rail access does not complete a trip to terraces or rural scenic areas, and Yangshuo's station is outside the town itself.

Explore Guangxi

Core places to explore, with English and Chinese names.

Guangxi local specialties

广西特色美食 · 144 specialties to discover

Photograph of Guilin rice noodles (桂林米粉).Guilin rice noodles 桂林米粉

The strands are smooth, carrying a concentrated savory sauce, while pickles and crunchy toppings add sharpness and texture. Each shop's brine has its own character.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: Flickr user gigijin · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo adjustments

EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.

Photograph of Luosifen (螺蛳粉).Luosifen 螺蛳粉

The bowl is sour, spicy and strongly aromatic, with slippery noodles and crisp or chewy toppings.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo adjustments

EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.

Photograph of Laoyoufen (老友粉).Laoyoufen 老友粉

The noodles are slippery and soft, with a sharp-sour broth and a pronounced fermented aroma from the bamboo shoots.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: 水餃喵 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo adjustments

EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.

Photograph of Yangshuo beer fish (阳朔啤酒鱼).Yangshuo beer fish 阳朔啤酒鱼

The flesh is tender beneath a rich, aromatic sauce; beer forms part of the cooking liquid rather than making the dish taste like a cold drink. Tomato or peppers may add freshness.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: Filipe Fortes from United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo adjustments

EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.

Preparing Gongcheng-style oil tea by pounding and stirring tea leaves, ginger and accompaniments in a pan.Oil tea 油茶

The drink is savory, tea-bitter and ginger-warm, while puffed grains, nuts or other accompaniments contribute crunch and body.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: Nan Ning Huang Sokaz 12 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo adjustments

EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.

Five-colored glutinous rice served for the Guangxi Shangsi festival, photographed at a Guangxi-style restaurant in Beijing.Five-color glutinous rice 五色糯米饭

The rice is sticky and gently aromatic, with subtle differences between the colored portions rather than five completely different sauces.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo adjustments

Resized proportionally to a maximum 640 px long edge, EXIF orientation applied where present, and encoded as WebP. No crop or subject alteration.

Wuming lemon duck · 武鸣柠檬鸭 · AI dish illustrationWuming lemon duck 武鸣柠檬鸭AI illustration · AI 示意图

The flavor is sour, savory and aromatic, with chili heat varying by kitchen. Duck skin and fat give the sauce body.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Piper-leaf pork rolls · 假蒌包肉 · AI dish illustrationPiper-leaf pork rolls 假蒌包肉AI illustration · AI 示意图

The filling is juicy and savory, while the dark-green wrapper adds a distinctive peppery-herbal fragrance and slightly chewy edge.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
All dish names · 全部菜名 (144)

Top sights in Guangxi

Trip.Best · Best Things to DoChecked 2026-09-20

  1. Detian Transnational Waterfall Scenic Spot · 德天跨国瀑布TOP1

    Detian Transnational Waterfall德天跨国瀑布

    Show on map
    大新县

    4.7 / 5 · Trip.com

    Detian Transnational Waterfall is a major waterfall landscape at the China–Vietnam border in Daxin County, within the Chongzuo area of Guangxi.

    View guide →
  2. Weizhou Island · 涠洲岛TOP2

    Weizhou Island涠洲岛

    Show on map
    北海

    4.4 / 5 · Trip.com

    Weizhou’s coastline exposes the meeting of volcanic rock and prolonged wave erosion. Around the island, cliffs, caves and rock platforms show how the sea has reshaped the volcanic landform; Crocodile Hill is one named area for…

    View guide →
  3. Elephant Hill Scenic Area · 象鼻山景区TOP3

    Elephant Trunk Hill象鼻山

    Show on map
    象山区

    4.5 / 5 · Trip.com

    Elephant Trunk Hill stands where the Taohua and Li rivers meet in Guilin. The limestone outline resembles an elephant lowering its trunk into the water, with a rounded opening beneath the arch. That opening is known as…

    View guide →
  4. Qingxiu Mountain · 青秀山TOP4

    Qingxiu Mountain青秀山

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    南宁

    4.8 / 5 · Trip.com

    Qingxiu Mountain is a wooded scenic area beside the Yong River in Nanning. Its rounded hills and subtropical planting create a landscape of shaded paths, rock features and changing views over the surrounding city. The plant…

    View guide →
  5. Li River Three-star cruise ship · 漓江三星游船TOP5

    Li River Three-star cruise ship漓江三星游船

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    灵川县

    4.5 / 5 · Trip.com

  6. Solitary Beauty Peak Prince City Scenic Area · 独秀峰王城景区TOP6

    Solitary Beauty Peak and Princes' City独秀峰王城

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    秀峰区

    4.9 / 5 · Trip.com

    Duxiufeng Wangcheng (独秀峰王城) is the walled former residence of the Ming-dynasty Prince of Jingjiang, Zhu Shouqian, standing below Duxiu Peak on the west bank of the Li River in Xiufeng District, Guilin, and listed in December 2022 among China's fourth batch of National Archaeological Site Parks.

    View guide →
  7. Longji Rice Terraces · 龙脊梯田TOP7

    Longsheng Rice Terraces龙脊梯田

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    桂林

    4.5 / 5 · Trip.com

    The Longji terraces wrap around mountain contours in a pattern of narrow fields and curving embankments. Their appearance changes with cultivation: flooded plots reflect the sky, growing rice turns the slopes green, and harvest…

    View guide →
  8. Tongling Grand Canyon · 通灵大峡谷TOP8

    Tongling Grand Canyon通灵大峡谷

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    百色

    4.5 / 5 · Trip.com

    Tongling Grand Canyon combines a deep, wooded gorge with a tall waterfall and limestone passages. The waterfall drops against the enclosing cliff, while the route through the gorge brings rock walls and dense vegetation much…

    View guide →
  9. Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Area · 桂林两江四湖景区TOP9

    Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Area桂林两江四湖景区

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    象山区

    4.5 / 5 · Trip.com

  10. Dongnayuwan Scenic Area · 峒那屿湾景区TOP10

    Dongnayuwan Scenic Area峒那屿湾景区

    Show on map
    大新县

    4.5 / 5 · Trip.com

View more on Trip.com →

Change your destination on Trip.com.

Ranking source & photo credits

The first ten entries of Trip.Best Best Things to Do. Rankings reflect platform recommendations, not counts of international visitors. Read on 20 September 2026; platform pages may use cached snapshots.

  • Detian Transnational Waterfall: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Weizhou Island: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Elephant Trunk Hill: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Qingxiu Mountain: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Li River Three-star cruise ship: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Solitary Beauty Peak and Princes' City: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Longsheng Rice Terraces: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Tongling Grand Canyon: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Area: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Dongnayuwan Scenic Area: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.

Our place guide directory →

EXPLORE THE NEXT LEVEL

Cities, counties & districts in Guangxi

14 areas belong directly to Guangxi.

14 areas

Prefecture-level city

Nanning南宁市

Nanning is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. It is known as the "Green City (绿城)" because of its abundance of lush subtropical foliage.

12 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Liuzhou柳州市

Liuzhou (; Chinese: 柳州, Standard Mandarin: [ljòʊ.ʈʂóʊ], Liuzhou Yue dialect: [liəu53 ʦəu44]) is a prefecture-level city in north-central Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.

10 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Guilin桂林市

Guilin, formerly romanized as Kweilin, is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is situated on the west bank of the Li River and borders Hunan to the north.

17 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Wuzhou梧州市

Wuzhou is a prefecture-level city in the east of Guangxi, China.

7 local areas →
View all 14 areasShow fewer areas
Prefecture-level city

Beihai北海市

Beihai is a prefecture-level city in the south of Guangxi, People's Republic of China. Its status as a seaport on the north shore of the Gulf of Tonkin has granted it historical importance as a port of…

4 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Fangchenggang防城港市

Fangchenggang is a prefecture-level city in the south of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.

4 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Qinzhou钦州市

Qinzhou (postal: Yamchow or Yen Chow, simplified Chinese: 钦州; traditional Chinese: 欽州; pinyin: Qīnzhōu, Jyutping: Jam1 zau1 (Canton/Ham1 zau1 (Local)) is a prefecture-level city in south-central Guangxi…

4 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Guigang贵港市

Guigang (simplified Chinese: 贵港; traditional Chinese: 貴港; pinyin: Guìgǎng; lit. 'Distinguished Harbour'; Zhuang: Gveigangj) is a prefecture-level city in eastern Guangxi in the People's Republic of China.

5 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Yulin玉林市

Yulin, alternately romanized as Watlam, is one of the fourteen prefecture-level cities of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.

7 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Baise百色市

Baise, or Bose, is the westernmost prefecture-level city of Guangxi, China bordering Vietnam as well as the provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan.

12 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Hezhou贺州市

Hezhou (simplified Chinese: 贺州; traditional Chinese: 賀州) is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.

5 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Hechi河池市

Hechi is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, bordering Guizhou to the north. In June 2002 it gained city status. Its capital is Yizhou.

11 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Laibin来宾市

Laibin is a prefecture-level city in the central part of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

6 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Chongzuo崇左市

Chongzuo is a prefecture-level city in the south of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region near the Sino-Vietnamese border. It is home to one of China's largest Zhuang populations.

7 local areas →

Arrive, stay & get around Guangxi

交通枢纽、住宿与天气

YOUR ARRIVAL GATEWAY

Nanning南宁

This Guangxi entry uses Nanning as its selected gateway city. It does not describe transport coverage across the entire region.

Airports

Railway stations

Metro & city transport

GET AROUND BY METRO · 地铁出行

Nanning Metro Network 南宁轨道交通线路图

Zoomable map · 可放大

The metro connects the city’s main railway stations and urban areas. Use the operating map for the final transfer.

  1. 1Find your stations确认起点与终点站
  2. 2Check interchanges查看换乘线路与站点
  3. 3Follow exit signs到站后按站内标识出站
Nanning rail network diagram · 南宁轨道交通线路图Explore the full network查看站名、线路与换乘Enlarge map点击放大线路图

Check the legend for closed, reserved or future sections. 停运、预留与规划区间，请按图例辨识。

Map edition: 2026-05-06 · Diagram reviewed 2026-09-06

Map: Painjet · CC BY-SA 4.0

Map coverage & sources 图示范围与来源说明

Full operational metro Lines 1–5. Includes Line 4 east extension opened 2025-09-26. Wuxiang Railway Station is labelled to be opened, not an operating stop.

Rasterized or resized to supplied image; white background where necessary; lossless WebP conversion. Network content unchanged.

Official information ↗
Amap · 高德地图Apple Maps · 苹果地图

Coaches, ferries & onward travel

Transport reference review: 2026-09-06. Consult the operator for current services and timetables.

More about getting around

Guilin and Nanning make useful air and rail gateways, with trains linking major cities. Yangshuo's rail station is outside the town, so account for the final transfer. Terrace villages and southwest scenic areas need more road planning than the city network suggests.

Stay in Guangxi

Use Guilin for convenient arrivals, Yangshuo for rural exploration, and a terrace village for an overnight mountain experience. Ask about steps and luggage access before booking hillside rooms. In Beihai, choose between the old-city streets and a beach-oriented stay according to your priorities.

Find hotels on Trip.com →

Change your destination, dates and guests on Trip.com.

Nanning weather

The current-hour forecast loads when this section is visible. It uses MET Norway model data for the named city, not station observations.

Seasons & when to go

Warmth and humidity shape much of the year, with summer rain capable of changing river activities and rural journeys. Winter in Guilin can be damp and cool despite the southern latitude. Carry rain protection and leave flexibility for the principal landscape day.

Local life & communication

Rice-based breakfasts and bright sour flavors connect very different settings: cultivated northern hills, noodle-loving cities, Zhuang cultural landscapes and the Beibu Gulf coast.

Guangxi is home to Zhuang, Yao, Dong and other communities with distinct traditions. The Zuojiang Huashan rock paintings offer an unusually deep historical perspective on regional ritual life. In contemporary villages, treat festivals and agricultural work as residents' activities, not scheduled performances.

Language & communication

Mandarin is useful for ordinary travel arrangements, while Zhuang and other community languages remain part of local life. English support varies considerably outside the Guilin–Yangshuo corridor. For terrace stays, save both the village name and the property's Chinese address before departure.

Useful local tips

  • Do not confuse Guilin, Yangshuo and Longsheng when selecting accommodation. A scenic image may be far from the city named in a transport search.
  • Longji is a working rice landscape. Check the current crop stage and access route locally instead of relying on a photograph's golden or flooded appearance.
  • Make room for separate noodle meals in Guilin, Nanning and Liuzhou. Traveler comparisons show different preferences even within one city; ask about toppings and spice instead of treating a ranking as universal.
  • Treat Detian and Huashan as separate locations, and check the exact domestic visit arrangements with their operators. A border location does not establish permission to cross it.
  • Allow a weather buffer around Weizhou Island boat travel and confirm the actual sailing with the operator before setting a tight flight or rail connection.

Written by China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-09-07

Sources & useful links