Rain and Umbrella - Guilin, China

Never crossed in my mind that someday I will go to here before coz its never on my list, but now I'm on the way to the highest population country in the world...

CHINA 

taken from Google image map

So since I never have a thought that I'll go to here I just vague about China tourist destination except the china great wall and other famous place. We don't want to go shopping but we looking for an exotic place that we don't see before. Lucky, I have two friends, one: is an origin from China and another one is working at China. I ask to them what place that I can visit and feel the ancient of China, not a big city, on budget and the most important is easy to go to Vietnam by train... they're recommended GUI LIN. I check at www.wikitravel.com , check the map and love it! OK, we go there! Gui Lin - Yangshuo - Nanning...

Our flight is a first flight also the only one flight to Guilin from Kuala Lumpur (KL) by AirAsia, it's 06.30am Malaysia time. After get lost at KL airport and feel tired, we finally can wake up in the early morning to prepare and go to the LACC airport.

When we arrived at airport I see alots of tourist sleeping at there and watch the EURO LEAGUE, we also watch it for a while coz the boarding gate not yet open. When we at the boarding place we looking forward for a drink at duty free and didn't realize that our name was called, last call for us from the plane...GOSH! We almost missed our flight...pffttt... Thanks GOD not happen.
At the plane pilot say that at Guilin the weather is cloudy, ok let's hope our flight will be ok and save...

hello sunshine from plane - Malaysia

We here...

After 3 hour we are on flight, finally at 10.30 am (no differences between Malaysia and China time) we arrived safe at Gui lin Liangjiang International Airport... YAY! and the massive rain welcoming us...:)

Guilin Airport

Someone from hostel that we booked already pick up us and bring the paper sign written ANDREW GEORGE :) She say wait in lobby but then she came driving a taxi and then we knew that she's a taxi driver... cool isn't? In Indonesia still rare have a woman taxi driver but in Gui Lin (or maybe in China) have a lots woman taxi driver maybe because majority population in China is a woman... go girl! 

traffic jam at main street - lots of bike with umbrella, DANGERS!

She take us to the hostel, How! hostel / Green Forest hostel that we booked at www.agoda.com couple month before. I can tell I LOVE THIS HOSTEL at the first time my foot step on their lobby...i love how the way they decorate this hostel, using a roof tile as a wall, used book as a counter bar...so creative!

took from HOW HOSTEL/GREEN FOREST HOSTEL

You know whats make it complete about this place? The price is on budget 3 night 2 person is only RMB 397,5 and you got a great view from your room window, Li river view. Their location is strategic easy to go to anywhere, bus, train even for walk. Last but not least, the staff is fantastic, friendly and very helpful, coz they can speak English.
So guys, How! Hostel/Green Forest Hostel is definitely HIGH RECOMMEND to stay if you visit Gui Lin.

The famous Li River - view from our hotel

that's monkey sitting at cozy restaurant drinking a beer in the afternoon

Day one, Rain: we are going to Seven Star Park at Qixing Gongyuan, to get there we need take a bus number 11 (pay 2 RMB)from bus stop at front our hostel and sit until last bus stop. Seven star Park is a big a scenic park, you can see a Flower Bridge, Putuo Mountain, Seven Stars Cave, Camel Hill, Crescent Mountain, Guihai Stele Forest and Light of China Square. This place is so refreshing the air make you feel that and unique. You can see the house build at the edge, at the top of the hills, a big cave with the small river until the hill looks like a camel. Good place for picnic and bring the family. Oh, you need all day to explore this big park ;) Ticket entrance 35RMB.

The gate of Seven Star Park

Umbrella bridge

the house at the edge

the cave

camel hill

the lotus lake

 

 






Day two, Still Rain: The Reed Flute Cave, the location is in northwest of the downtown of Guilin. Go to stop bus in front of hotel and take a bus number 3 and pay for 2 RMB then you arrive at there. The magic of the mother of nature, has been over 1200 years and became the most interesting attraction for tourist. Filled with the larger number of stalactite, stalagmites and rock formations in weird and wonderful shapes. Its a great place to visit and learn. Ticket entrance 90RMB.

pict. one

pict. there

pict.two

Day three, Raining Again: Two river and four lakes and Elephant Trunk Hill, to go there from HOW hostel just walking 'coz its near only follow the Li river and you will find the Elephant Trunk hill. The location is on the western of Bank Li river, why they named elephant trunk hill because the shape of the hill is like elephant drinking water from the river. But very too bad Li River was floating so the hill closed for tourist safeness.

Two river and four lakes located is around the city which includes Li river (the part within the city), Taohua (Peach Blossom) River, Mulong Lake, Guihu Lake, Ronghu Lake and Shanhu Lake. Every tourist who visit Guilin their tour guide always bring them to here, to see two pagoda they named it sun and moon. You also can go inside in pagoda and pay about 149 RMB. My advise go to there at night 'coz you will see amazing light around pagoda and the river, amazing view.

and this is some pict. in Guilin...

the bridge one

bridge two

The Thing That You should Know:  
Gui lin is a rain and umbrella city, everyday is rain and  umbrella become an iconic with this city. Wherever they go and even when the sun so bright they use an umbrella, walking or riding a motorbike (weird). Well if you want to do a business in Gui Lin, umbrella and raincoat will be a perfect business... :) 

Chinese people usually can't speak English, only some of them who can speak English, remember that! So you need be careful when you buy the ticket make sure you buy the right one.

Don't used or be careful with public restroom, it gross. Sometimes they didn't flush the shit. Just go to the mall or good restaurant or hold it until hostel.

Some people try to get benefit from you with take a picture of you from their phone cell, they asking for some money for that and sometimes they insist to do that... the weirdest thing that I ever know! 

But so far Gui Lin is the good place to visit, there are so many place that you can see and learn... I'm glad has a good impression in this rain and umbrella city, Gui Lin. 
SO next trip, we are going to Yangshuo...the small ancient scenic county... see you there monkies...

two silly monkey,
xoxo 

June 25-28th