Guilin River Cruises
Guilin is set amid a fantastical landscape, often called the “best under heaven.” Soaring karst formations rise from the plains like countless domes, watching over the serene waters of the legendary Li River. Still today, fishermen on bamboo rafts train cormorants to dive into the river for fish, providing a snapshot of life in early Guangxi Province. Separated from central China and the Yangtze River by the Nan Mountains, Guilin and Guangxi had centuries to develop a distinct culture. In the 2nd century BC, the Han Chinese emperor ordered a canal built to link the Yangtze and the small rivers around Guilin, allowing trade to move more freely.