My first and only visit to Guilin was to participate in the Solstice Hash On Tour (S.H.O.T.) which hashes twice a year on the weekends nearest to the winter and summer solstices, and always in a different, exotic location.

On arrival in Guilin at noon, we immediately got onto the bus for Yangshuo, our base for Shot#9. (In total, I spent less than 24 hours in Guilin over the 6-day trip).

At the hotel, we dropped off our bags and ventured out again. With the impression of dramatic hills and cliffs still vivid in my mind, I easily found the perfect spot to enjoy the jagged landscape every which way I turned.

The next day, we made good use of the free morning to explore the waterfront, the lake and the famous West Street.

Originating from Mao’er Shan (Mountain Cat) in Xing’an county, north of Guilin, the Li River winds its way south for about 437km, passing through Guilin City, Yangshuo County, Pingle County and Zhaoping County, and finally meets the Xi (West) River at Wuzhou.

Besides the Li River Cruise and bamboo rafting, other popular activities are biking and rock climbing.

Run#1 Xingping 🔛🔛

Our runsite was located at Xingping, a centuries-old picturesque village 40-minutes away by bus. The 8km route took us through footpaths and winding trails along both sides of the river, and a fishing village.

About 2km into the run, a surprise beer/water stop at a riverside terrace was most welcome as temperatures soared. Marginally refreshed, we gamely plodded on, stopping frequently to admire the varied scenery ranging from rocky outcrops to farming between karst peaks.

The paper trail led us over a mixed terrain of paddy fields, orchards, steep cattle path and a cave!

(At one point, I was eye-balled by three water buffaloes and lived to tell the tale)

The energy sapping climb finally brought us to the start of the home trail, a torturous 4km in the scorching mid-afternoon heat. At the finish, the final challenge was a river crossing in ankle deep water. Totally spent, I did not bother to remove my shoes, soaking them thoroughly as I waded through a tributary of the Li River.

Post-run, hashers cooled-off with ice-cold beer while the customary Circle was held, before descending upon the largest restaurant in the village for a well deserved Solstice feast.

(Four of us did not stay for dinner as we had a date with Zhang Yi Mou’s classic musical Liu San Jie Impression)

Impression Sanjie Liu

This amazing show is all the more remarkable as it is held at a natural theatre that uses the waters of the Li River as its stage, against a backdrop of mist shrouded hills. Each performance is an unique experience as natural elements like the wind, rain, moonlight and their inverted reflections guarantee an ever-changing background.

From my front row seat on a specially designed terrace, I was transfixed by the size and scale of the performance, executed flawlessly by a 600-strong cast (mostly fishermen by day). The lighting and vivid colours created a different mood for each scene, while the cool breeze and the gurgling streams enhanced the 3-dimensional sound effect.

Run#2 Hangover Run

The SHOT weekend culminated with a Pub Crawl on Sunday (aka Hangover Run) with a short run through the city with no less than 3 pub-stops.

The final stop was at an eatery, for On On and farewell circle. As we would be leaving immediately (for side trips to other regions) after lunch, I opted out and headed for West Street.

Today, West Street is also called ‘foreigners’ street as it is popular with foreigners and locals alike. It is the biggest ‘foreign language center’ in China where English is widely used besides the local accent of Yangshuo with most shops having bilingual signages.

While browsing through the myriad of shops, I was pleasantly surprised when a shop owner conversed with me in English. Curious at his proficiency, I was even more impressed when I learnt that he picked up the language by watching CNN news. At that time, I remember thinking that my lack of Mandarin would be less of a problem in future.

Between 2011-2013, I visited China three more times. With each subsequent trip, I was more and more amazed by China's swift advancement to achieve modern nation status, from its high-speed trains to global manufacturing powerhouse to sending astronauts to space.

By 2013, we had a tour guide who spoke excellent English and writes even better. Toilet facilities and hygiene practices had also improved. Environment preservation through sustainable development had been implemented at Zhangjiajie (2012) and Jiuzhaigou (2013) with the provision of 'green' buses to shuttle tourists to attraction spots. 

Guilin

On my last day before heading home, I managed to get a taste of Guilin cuisine and see a bit of the city’s nightlife. Our wanderings took us to Riyue Shuangta Cultural Park in the heart of Guilin City, after a satisfying dinner that included the famous duck tongue, a Chinese delicacy.

Twin Pagodas on Lake Shanhu

At night, the golden light of Sun Pagoda and the silver light of Moon Pagoda is reflected in the lake.

Guilin, a city in North Guangxi, China is a scenic town and one of the best-known tourist destinations in China with its natural beauty and historic treasures located within a 2-hour drive radius from Guilin. These include Longsheng with its famous Longji rice terraces; the Li River, which is pictured in the ¥20 bank note; Yangshuo, a small county downstream from Guilin; and much more. 

This makes Guilin an excellent base for exploring the northern end of Guangxi Province.