Yangshuo Travel Forum

My husband and I originally planned to spend 2 nights in Xian then 2 in Yangshuo. We have heard that a trip to Longshen is also worthwhile and are now wondering whether we should only spend 1 night in Xian and save the other one for Longshen. We intend to fly out of Xian to Guilin Airport and to be picked up at Guilin airport to go directly to Yangshuo. We appreciate Any feedback on the best itinerary from Xian/Yangshuo/Longshen and whether or not we should squeeze in 1 night Longshen. After Yangshuo, we fly to Hangzhou. Thanks in advance for your help!

What is at Longshen? Do you mean the rice terraces? (Sometimes the locals say Rongshen, so I'm never really sure.) I think that's about a 3-hr drive from Guilin, and accommodation would be in local guest houses. Never actually been there myself, although I understand it is pretty.

I think you are trying to do too much in a very short time..you're not going to enjoy the ambience of either if you do it too quickly!! Longshen is north of Yangshuo..I haven't been there but have heard it is very picturesque. Part of the charm of Yangshuo for us was that we did take it easy and rode through the countryside rather than a "whistle stop" tour. Personally, I would stick to just Yangshuo.

Haven't bee to Xian so can't compare/contrast the two BUT if you're planning to visit Long-sheng/Long-ji/Dragons' Back Terraces, then it's best to book this AFTER visiting Yangshuo. In fact, it's better if you book in Yangshuo because my experience in Guilin is that there are a lot of scammers that overcharge for things. Yangshuo gets a lot more foreigners and the agencies there tend to be more honest whereas in Guilin, even the Chinese tourists get ripped off in a major way.
This way, also, you could return directly from Longsheng to Guilin's Airport. Guilin's accomodations are also more expensive than Yangshuo.
Longsheng would be pretty much a full day's journey but well worth it and if you overnight there, you get to stay in these massive wood 'chalets' that remind me of Switzerland. Pretty basic food and be prepared for cool to cold nights.

Thanks everybody for your feedback.

Just wanted to clarify: "Longsheng would be pretty much a full day's journey ."

This doesn't mean that it takes a full day to get to Longsheng/Longji. From Yangshuo it takes less than 4 hours, if memory serves so it would be quite a long day just as a daytrip. But that's also one of the reasons why I recommended to visit Longsheng after Yangshuo so that you'd be already closer to Guilin's airport. Would be great if you could overnight in Longsheng but might be expensive to hire a car and driver. Don't know what time your flight is to Hangzhou but if it's an early morning flight, then you'll have to be back in Guilin the night before. Cheers.

Sorry but the above sounds like a travel tout seeking your business.

Thanks for all your feedback (and the warnings). I truly appreciate your efforts guys!

SeaGypsy, my intention is to stay one night in Longshen. So my itineray should be: Xian (1 night), Yangshuo - 2 nights - via Guilin), drive to Longshen (1 night), drive to Guilin (preferably fly out of Guilin around noon to Hangzhou). I know my itinerary seems very loaded, but I don't have a lot of days off....Again thanks a bunch!

for my experience,i think you'd better think what is the best chioce in the short time to do so much things, and if it is possible. and also depent on when you arrive at guilin and when you will leave.
if you have a night flight, you can have full day in xi'an. and then arrive guilin lately, so you can stay one night in guilin.
next day you can join one day group tour(need 2.5 hours driving) to longsheng seeing rice terrace, and come back around 6pm. you can take shuttle bus form guilin to yangshuo (need 1.5 hours). so you can have 2 nights in yangshuo.【or you stay another night in guilin, next day you join the river cruise, then stay one night in yangshuo】
last day you take shuttle bus again(need 1.5 hours) back guilin. then taxi to guilin airport. this is more reasonable.
because yangshuo is in the south of guilin(1.5 hours). longsheng is in the north of guilin(need 2.5 hours), so from yangshuo to longsheng need 4 hours.i am sure that longsheng is close to airport which is in the northwest of guilin. but it's very hard to order a taxi and expensive.
if you really want to stay one night there it is ok, but i am not sure if you are easy to go to airport on time.
don't think everyone want make your money is wrong. in fact you lose small money and get more, save your money and worth for your whole trip.
hope can help you.
any question email me

this is save time, my email is hailang10282008@hotmail.com

This is a site run by a local guide who is from one of the ethnic minorities. She speaks good English too.

I think it's worth you checking it out since there's lots of travel info there too about Guilin, Yangshuo Longsheng etc:

www.guilin-yangshuo-guide.com