Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region travel guide

Since ancient times, the saying 'Guilin's landscapes are the finest under heaven' has praised the scenery of the Li River. The riverbanks are picturesque, and when you drift along the Li on a bamboo raft, you will feel as though you have stepped into a 360-degree ink-wash painting, with so many beautiful peaks and waters that you can hardly take them all in. If you happen to catch a light drizzle, all the better, since the 'misty rain on the Li River' is famously beautiful. Just try to avoid a downpour, though!

Yangshuo has irresistible charm and a strong foreign flavour. Anyone in Yangshuo, from elderly people in their seventies and eighties to children aged seven or eight, can speak at least a few words of fluent English. The atmosphere on West Street is somewhat like Sanlitun in Beijing. Its bars blend the best of Chinese and Western cultures, and even if you only drink tea rather than alcohol, you will understand what true enjoyment is there.

Nanning's distinctive feature lies in a single word: green. It truly deserves the name “Green City”, and the saying “half the city in green trees, half in buildings” is no empty boast. Every street has lush, leafy trees, and between the buildings there are verdant green belts. Most admirable of all, residents have answered the “Green City” call, and almost every household grows green plants on its balcony. Walking along Minzu Avenue, Nanning's most impressive and handsome boulevard, you are sheltered by greenery even under the blazing sun, and the plants here carry a romantic subtropical charm.

Beihai's air is fresh, with negative ion levels 50 to 100 times higher than in other inland cities in China. It is a natural oxygen bar.

Egret fishing is a scene unique to the Li River. These birds are the most common on the river, and they love to perch on the bows of fishing boats. Even in the cold river water of March, they keep diving in to catch fish. Visitors can watch them from Xiangshan Park.