Hey there, future explorers! Have you ever seen a picture of a place that looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale, with giant, green, pointy hills popping out of the ground and a super calm river winding through them? That magical place is Guilin, in China! It’s like a real-life dragon’s playground or a giant’s garden. Grown-ups might talk about its "scenery," but for us, it’s one of the coolest natural adventure lands on the planet. Get ready to learn some amazing and fun facts about Guilin that will make you want to pack your adventure bag right now!
Imagine if you could look at clouds in the sky and see shapes of animals. Now, imagine doing that with huge, ancient mountains! In Guilin, that’s a daily game.
One of the most famous hills in Guilin is called Elephant Trunk Hill, or Xiangbishan. And guess what? It looks exactly like a giant elephant dipping its long trunk into the Li River for a drink! The story goes that this elephant was actually a magical one from the court of the Emperor of Heaven. It came down to Earth to help people and loved Guilin so much it decided to stay forever. A tall tower on its back is said to be the basket it once carried. So, when you see it, you’re not just looking at a rock—you’re looking at a friendly, stone elephant that’s been hanging out by the river for centuries!
But the fun doesn't stop with the elephant! Guilin is full of hills with fun names based on what they look like: * Wave-Subduing Hill (Fuboshan): This hill has a story about a mighty general who used his magic sword to subdue a river demon causing huge waves. It’s a hill of bravery! * Folded Colours Hill (Diecaishan): This one is like a pile of colorful rock pancakes! The rocks have different colored layers, and when the sun shines on them, they look like they’ve been painted. * The Camel Hill: Can you find the hill that looks like a grumpy camel resting? It’s like a "Where's Waldo?" but with mountains!
The Li River is the shimmering, green-blue ribbon that ties all the beauty of Guilin together. It’s not just any river; it’s a superstar!
The water in the Li River is famously clear. Why? Because the riverbed is made of limestone, and there isn't much mud. It’s like looking through a giant, liquid crystal. You can often see fish swimming and the reflection of the karst mountains is so perfect, it creates a whole upside-down world on the surface.
Have you ever seen a picture on a travel poster or maybe even on the back of a coin? There’s a very good chance it was a picture of the Li River winding through the mountains near a town called Yangshuo. This specific view is so famous that it’s printed on the 20 Yuan Chinese banknote! When you go, you can hold up the bill and see the real-life view right behind it. It’s like holding a piece of art in front of the real artwork!
This might be the coolest thing you’ll ever see on a river. For hundreds of years, fishermen in Guilin have used trained birds called cormorants to catch fish for them! Here’s how it works: The fisherman takes a cormorant (a black bird that’s an excellent swimmer) out on his bamboo raft. The bird dives into the water, catches a fish, and brings it back. But wait, why doesn't it just eat the fish? The fisherman puts a little tie around the bird's throat so it can't swallow the bigger fish. The fisherman gets the big fish, and as a reward, the cormorant gets to eat the smaller ones. It’s a perfect team! Seeing this at night, with lanterns on the boats, is like watching a silent, watery ballet.
What’s inside those giant, pointy hills? Sometimes, the most incredible secret worlds are hiding inside!
This cave has the most awesome name—Reed Flute Cave (Ludiyan). Long ago, people found reeds growing outside that they could make flutes from, and that’s how the cave got its musical name. But the real magic is inside. It’s a MASSIVE cave, sometimes called "the Palace of Natural Arts." Why? Because it’s filled with stalactites (which hang down from the ceiling like rocky icicles) and stalagmites (which build up from the ground like rocky towers). These aren’t just ordinary rocks; they’ve been lit up with colorful lights! You’ll see formations that look like crystal flowers, a lion, a forest, and even a giant carrot. It feels like you’ve walked into the treasure room of a dragon’s lair.
It’s all thanks to a little bit of magic called... science! The ground in Guilin is made of limestone, which is a soft rock that can be dissolved by slightly acidic rainwater. Over millions of years, the water dripped and seeped through the cracks, slowly carving out huge rooms and tunnels inside the mountains. The dripping water also created the stalactites and stalagmites, one tiny drop of mineral-rich water at a time. Some of them grow so slowly that it takes over a hundred years to grow just one inch!
Guilin isn’t just a place to look at; it’s a place to jump into and explore!
Want to see the best view ever? You can climb up to the top of some of these hills! One of the best is the Solitary Beauty Peak (Duxiufeng) right in the middle of the city. The steps might make your legs a little tired, but when you get to the top, you’ll feel like you’re the king or queen of a mountain kingdom, looking out over a sea of green peaks and the city below.
In the countryside around Yangshuo, one of the best ways to explore is on a bicycle! You can ride on flat, small paths right between the rice paddies and the giant karst mountains. You’ll ride past farmers with their water buffaloes and through tiny villages. It doesn’t feel like exercise; it feels like you’re pedaling right through the middle of a beautiful, living painting.
At night, you can see one of the most spectacular outdoor shows in the world. It’s directed by the same person who directed the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics! The stage is the Li River itself, and the background is twelve karst mountains. Hundreds of local performers sing, dance, and use lights to tell ancient folk stories. The mountains and water light up in incredible colors—it’s a real-life light show on a gigantic, natural stage.
All this exploring is going to make you hungry! The food in Guilin is just as special as the scenery. * Guilin Rice Noodles (Guilin Mifen): This is the most famous dish. You get a bowl of slippery, soft rice noodles in a tasty broth, and you can add your own toppings like peanuts, spicy chili, pickled vegetables, and crunchy beans. It’s a DIY meal that’s fun to put together! * Lipu Taro Looped Meat: This is a special dish that’s often served at big dinners. It’s made with taro (a root vegetable that’s a bit like a potato) and pork belly that’s been cooked until it’s super soft. It’s sweet, salty, and melts in your mouth. * Osmanthus Cake: Guilin is known as the "City of Osmanthus" because it has so many osmanthus trees. Their flowers are tiny, smell amazing, and are used to make a sweet, jelly-like cake. It’s a dessert that tastes like flowers!
So, the next time you see a picture of those amazing pointy mountains, you’ll know the secrets behind them. You’ll know about the stone elephant, the bird fishermen, the magical, colorful caves, and the tasty noodles. Guilin is a place where nature decided to show off and create the most fun, imaginative playground for everyone. Who’s ready for an adventure?
Copyright Statement:
Author: Guilin Travel
Link: https://guilintravel.github.io/travel-blog/fun-facts-about-guilin-to-share-with-kids.htm
Source: Guilin Travel
The copyright of this article belongs to the author. Reproduction is not allowed without permission.