Guilin: A Painting by God

by chenomenon · Published February 8, 2007 · Updated July 19, 2013

Part 1 – Yangshuo

First stop in Guilin is Yangshuo. Before we get into any more details, there is one thing and one thing everyone must try in Guilin: Guilin Vermicelli. Like Pho is to Vietnam and Pad Thai is to Thailand, Guilin Vermicelli is regional and can be customized to individual’s liking.

Quintessential Guilin BREAKFAST!

I woke up at 7 AM one morning to catch a boat. Out of the corner of my eyes as I walk through the empty streets was a line of people by a steaming pot. Turns out they were all waiting for the vermicelli and also for the toppings bar, where you can choose to add 15+ different ingredients, all sauteed and diced up.

Tips:

When you find a cab driver you’re comfortable with, ask and negotiate for a daily rate. You can get their cell number and rely on them to pick you up at a set time and place. The women I met was very nice and I felt like I can trust her. She was also my lunch buddy who showed me some of their local dishes.
Cab drive/improv tour guide!

Try the dish “beer fish” and make sure you find a place with fresh fish.

People from all over the world travel to Yangshuo for rock climbing! You can spot them randomly with a zoom lens.

Book a raft guide through the hotels, in 2007 it’s about $100 RMB per person.

Back to the details. The moment I entered Guilin (by boat), I felt like Alice in Wonderland. The mountain formations are strange with peaks and bumps extruding from the flat land without much gradation.

Word on the street is that a smart person can find 9 horses in this mountain. Mao found 11. True story?

Between the peaks are rivers and streams of all sizes. It’s as if someone poured a bucket of water over the Grand Canyon and dabbled it in greens and greys.