During his visit, former US President Nixon was inspired by Guilin's picturesque natural scenery and remarked: "I have visited more than eighty countries and over a hundred cities. I have found that no city can surpass the beauty of Guilin.”
Guilin City is in the center of two tourist honey pots (each about 1½ hours by bus): Yangshuo and Longsheng, which are renowned for their beautiful scenery. Yangshuo in particular has become a paradise for backpackers, with its idyllic karst countryside, its easy-going atmosphere, and its Western food and beer. Longsheng is famous throughout China, if not throughout the world, for the scenic beauty of its terraced rice paddies, and for its Zhuang and Yao ethnic culture.
Guilin is due west from Hong Kong, from which it can be reached by air in an hour. A tour of Hong Kong can be easily combined with a Guilin tour.
