🏛️ 5A National Attractions
Last verified 30 Jul 2025
Guilin packs five official 国家5A级 scenic areas into one karst-sculpted basin—river, city-lake loop, imperial peak, theme-park resort and the stone elephant that sells every Guangxi postcard.
1 Quick Metrics
Total 5A sites
5
UNESCO share
1 / 5 – the Li-River stretch forms the Guilin Karst component of the South China Karst World-Heritage site
Ticket window
Free lake promenades → ¥199 Li-River 4-star cruise
Real-name booking
Required for Li-River cruises, Elephant-Hill park & night-lake cruise (ID + health QR)
Subway / bus reach
All 5 within 90 min city bus; Li-River & Lemandi need shuttle/HSR hop
2 Why It Matters
Karst royalty – Li-River's misty towers anchor China's 20-yuan banknote and every landscape painting since the Tang.
Scroll-city come alive – the Two-Rivers-Four-Lakes night-cruise threads pagodas, bridges and Elephant-Hill spot-lights in a 90-min loop.
Peak-in-a-palace – climb Solitary-Beauty Peak inside a walled Ming princes' city for 360° karst panoramas without leaving downtown.
Theme-park contrast – Lemandi delivers coasters, water slides and forest golf just 60 km north—family buffer between river treks.
3 Pro Tips
1
Li-River cruise – book 4-star upper-deck for ¥480; Xingping bamboo rafts (¥120) open 7 days ahead in "桂林漓江预约" mini-prog.
2
Two-Rivers night boat – sunset slots (20 : 00) sell out first; choose right-side seats for Pagoda reflections.
3
Elephant-Hill dawn – park gates 06 : 30; catch sunrise through the Water-Moon cave arch before tour groups.
4
Lemandi shuttle – free bus 09 : 00 from Guilin North HSR (Gate 3); return 17 : 30.
5
Chrysanthemum crowds – visit Duxiufeng peak at 15 : 00; cruise ships dock then, hill trail empties.
4 Full 5A List
🚢
1 · Li-River Scenic Area / 漓江景区 · Yangshuo County
83 km karst cruise (Guilin → Yangshuo) • CNY ¥20 note viewpoint • UNESCO Guilin Karst.
🎢
2 · Lemandi Holiday World / 乐满地度假世界 · Xing'an County
Theme-park + water-park + 18-hole resort • lakeside cabins • opened 2000; 5A since 2007.
🏔️
3 · Duxiufeng-Wangcheng Scenic Area / 独秀峰-王城景区 · Xiufeng District
Ming Princes' Palace & Solitary-Beauty Peak (66 m climb) • view 360° karst skyline • night LED shows.
🏮
4 · Two Rivers & Four Lakes Scenic Area / 两江四湖景区 · Downtown
Li & Tao rivers + Shan/Rong/Gui/Mulong lakes • twin pagodas • 90-min night-cruise loop.
🐘
5 · Elephant Trunk Hill Scenic Area / 象山景区 · Xiangshan District
55 m hill shaped like an elephant drinking Li-River • Water-Moon cave arch • laser show 20:30.
Plot a two-day loop—river dawn to pagoda dusk, palace peak to Elephant-moon selfie—and Guilin's five legends are yours—No Tourist Traps. No BS.