Guilin: Day tour of Longji Rice Terraces and Yangshuo

Very well organized, the driver first, punctual, friendly and friendly. In just one afternoon and one morning they organized everything to be able to visit the fully lit night rice fields, a show, and the next morning the canoe trip along the river with a spectacular landscape and the climb to the hill with stunning views. I recommend it.

We booked this tour for four people – myself, my boyfriend, and my parents – and overall, we had a good day exploring some beautiful places. However, there were a few things that took away from the experience. The day started with a visit to the Longji Rice Terraces. While the terraces were beautiful and worth seeing, the area we were taken to was much smaller than expected. There was just one short path to walk along, and unfortunately, we felt very rushed. Our guide walked ahead at a fast pace, barely giving us time to stop and enjoy the view or take photos – and even commented that we were taking too many. While we understand he sees the terraces often, this was our first time and we really wanted to take it in. It felt like we were constantly trying to catch up, which made the experience a bit stressful. The area was also very touristy, with street vendors persistently approaching us to buy souvenirs or take photos – even before we had exited the parking garage. We know this is part of the reality in tourist destinations, but it became uncomfortable, especially since they were very pushy and didn’t take no for an answer. We didn’t feel supported by our guide in managing these interactions, as he didn’t step in to help communicate our lack of interest. Due to this experience, we chose to skip a planned stop at the village of the "long-haired women," anticipating similar pressure to shop. The second part of the tour, a stop at a tea plantation (which was not originally on the itinerary), was a pleasant surprise. We enjoyed learning about the tea-making process and tasting different types of tea. It felt authentic and informative, and the tea itself was excellent. Lastly, we took a short cruise on the Li River. The views were stunning, even with cloudy weather, and we can only imagine how amazing it would be on a sunny day. There was a bit of confusion about the boarding location, as our guide asked us where we wanted to start – which was surprising, since we expected the logistics to be already arranged as part of the tour. After a few phone calls with Andy (apparently his boss?), we were on our way and enjoyed the peaceful ride. Our guide was nice, and the car rides were smooth, although the vehicle itself was a bit run-down – e.g. there were broken seatbelts in the back seat.