Backpacking Guilin with Less Than $20 a Day

Let’s be real: when you picture Guilin, you see those impossibly green, mist-shrouded karst peaks rising from the Li River, a scene printed on Chinese currency and travel posters worldwide. The assumption is that accessing such beauty must come with a premium price tag. I’m here to tell you that’s a myth. Guilin and its surrounding wonders are, in fact, a backpacker’s paradise, a place where the most profound experiences are often the cheapest. For twenty dollars a day, you can immerse yourself in this landscape, not just observe it from a luxury cruise ship. This is a guide to living the poetry of Guilin on a shoestring budget.

The Backpacker's Blueprint: Stretching Your Dollar to Yuan

First, the golden rule: Spend on experiences, save on everything else. Your $20 (roughly 140 RMB) daily budget is tight but absolutely workable with local savvy.

Budget Breakdown: The Daily Math

• Accommodation (50-60 RMB): This is your biggest fixed cost. Skip hostels in the city center. Opt for a bunk in a social hostel in the Zhengyang Pedestrian Street area or near the bus stations. Places like "Wada Hostel" or "Ming Palace International Youth Hostel" offer dorms for this price, often with free tea, simple breakfast, and invaluable traveler advice. Pro tip: Book directly for a possible discount.
• Food (50-60 RMB): This is where you win. Abandon the hotel restaurant. Your kingdom is the night market and the humble xiaodian (small restaurant). A hearty bowl of Guilin mifen (rice noodles) with braised pork is 6-8 RMB. Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) from a street vendor are 3-5 RMB. For dinner, hit the Zhongshan Road Night Market or the food stalls around Shangshui Food Street. Roasted river fish, choudoufu (stinky tofu), and chaoshou (wontons) will fill you for under 30 RMB. Drink local beer (Li Quan) or bottled water from convenience stores.
• Transport & Activities (30-40 RMB): This requires planning. Guilin’s public buses are 2 RMB per ride. The key is to use local transit to reach trailheads and villages. Your legs and a rented bicycle (15-20 RMB/day) are your primary vehicles.

The Itinerary: Priceless Views on a Peasant's Purse

Day 1: The Free Soul of Guilin City

Forget the expensive Two Rivers & Four Lakes boat tour. Start at Elephant Trunk Hill. You don’t need to pay to enter the park. View it perfectly from the opposite bank of the Li River (near the Zhuoyuan Hotel) at sunrise—a magical, crowd-free moment. Walk along the Binjiang Road promenade, a free gallery of Guilin’s iconic scenery. In the afternoon, hike up to Xianggong Hill (60 RMB? No!). Instead, locals and savvy backpackers head to Diecai Hill or Fubo Hill (entrance 20-30 RMB). The panoramic view of the city nestled among limestone peaks is just as stunning. End your day getting lost in the alleyways behind Zhengyang Street, where old men play chess and laundry hangs between ancient houses.

Day 2: Yangshuo on Two Wheels

Take the local bus from Guilin Bus Station to Yangshuo (25 RMB, 1.5 hours). This is the heart of the karst landscape. Upon arrival, rent a bicycle (15 RMB). Your mission: the Yulong River Valley. Ditch the organized tours. Follow the small paths through villages like Jiuxian and Xiangui. You’ll pass water buffaloes, farmers in conical hats, and bamboo groves with no one in sight. Find a safe spot to dip your feet in the river. The Yulong River bamboo raft (approx. 160 RMB per raft for two) is a splurge, but you can split the cost with a new friend from the hostel. It’s worth considering for the serenity. If not, the views from the Shili Huatang (Ten-Mile Gallery) road are free and breathtaking.

Day 3: The Ultimate Hike: Xianggong Mountain & Xingping

An early local bus to Xingping (10 RMB from Yangshuo) is your ticket to the most famous Guilin vista. The town itself is a postcard. Walk along the old street to the riverbank where you’ll see the 20 RMB note viewpoint. But the real adventure is Xianggong Mountain. A shared motor-tricycle (15 RMB roundtrip with bargaining) will take you to the base. The entrance fee is about 60 RMB—this is your one big splurge for the trip, and it will consume most of your day’s activity budget. The 20-minute climb rewards you with arguably the most spectacular view of the Li River winding through the karst peaks. It’s the view that defines Guilin. Return to Guilin by local bus from Xingping (approx. 20 RMB).

Embracing the Backpacker Ethos: Living Like a Local

The true secret to ultra-budget travel here is connection and slowing down.

• Travel in Shoulder Season: April-May or September-October. Fewer crowds, milder weather, and sometimes lower prices.
• The Magic of Mifen: Eat like a local. A different mifen shop for each meal is a delicious, cheap adventure.
• Talk to Other Travelers: Hostel common rooms are goldmines for splitting costs for group activities, like hiring a driver to Longji Rice Terraces for a day trip (if you pool 4-6 people, it can fit a stretched daily budget).
• Carry a Water Bottle & Snacks: Refill at hostels. Buy mantou (steamed buns) or fruit from local markets for hiking fuel.
• Remember the Hotspots: While avoiding tourist traps, understand why they’re popular. See the Liu Sanjie Light Show from afar across the river in Yangshuo for free. The mountains are the backdrop.

Guilin proves that the most valuable travel currency isn’t money; it’s curiosity, a willingness to walk, and the ability to find joy in a simple bowl of noodles on a plastic stool with a view of eternity. For less than the cost of a fancy cocktail back home, you can spend a day living inside a Chinese landscape painting. The misty peaks, the serene rivers, and the warm smiles in the villages aren’t for sale. They’re simply there, waiting for you to arrive, on your own two feet, with an open heart and a very light wallet.