Region

Guangxi

Spend 3–4 days in Guilin/Yangshuo for karst scenery; add a day in Nanning for city life and transport hub.

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Key facts · China

Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Chinese yuan (CNY / RMB, ¥)
Language: Mandarin in Simplified characters
Plugs: A · C · I · 220 V
Time zone: UTC+8 nationwide

Rules in force · 10

East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.
South China ↗Typhoon season runs May–November, peaking July–August; coastal flights, ferries and rail can be cancelled for a day or two.
South China ↗Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card is the practical way to pay; set it up before you fly.
South China ↗Swim only at busy, lifeguarded beaches; jellyfish and other hazards are present in warm coastal water.

Guangxi’s draw is its karst landscape, especially around Guilin and Yangshuo, plus a city hub in Nanning. Base yourself in Guilin/Yangshuo for scenery (3–4 days) and add a day in Nanning for transport links and urban life.

Where to sleep

3 places in this region

GuilinCity guide
Base for Li River karst tours; many hotels within 10 min walk of riverfront.
Best Apr–May, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Guilin →
YangshuoCity guide
Popular for bike and river trips; hostels and guesthouses clustered near West Street.
Best Apr–May, Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Yangshuo →
NanningCity guide
Transport hub, high‑speed rail, and gateway to Vietnam.
Best Mar–Apr, Oct–Dec
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Nanning →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

4 nights: Guilin 2 nights, Yangshuo 1 night, Nanning 1 night
6 nights: Guilin 2 nights, Yangshuo 2 nights, Nanning 2 nights (extra day for border crossing or day‑trip to Liuzhou)

Dog‑meat festival in Yulin (June) draws controversy; many travelers avoid the city during the event.
Border area near Vietnam sees higher police activity; keep passport and travel documents handy.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Yangshuo	Guilin	45 min	mid‑evening	River cruise or bus; sights close by 5 pm.
Liuzhou	Guilin	120 min	check	Famous for luosifen noodles; train is fastest.
Longsheng	Guilin	150 min	check	Visit Longji Rice Terraces; early start recommended.

Bags between cities

Luggage forwarding between Guilin, Yangshuo and Nanning is widely available; expect next‑day (D+1) delivery with most hotels accepting parcels.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go1 partSeasons

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Guilin	ok	ok	ok	go	go	×	×	×	go	go	ok	ok
Yangshuo	ok	ok	ok	go	go	ok	×	×	go	ok	ok	ok
Nanning	ok	ok	go	go	ok	×	×	×	ok	go	go	go
South China (country-wide)	ok	ok	ok	go	go	–	–	–	–	go	go	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Nanning Wuxu International Airport	Nanning city centre	Airport shuttle or taxi	~45 min door‑to‑door	Main gateway for domestic flights; connects to high‑speed rail.
Guilin Liangjiang International Airport	Guilin city centre	Airport bus or taxi	~30 min door‑to‑door	Closest airport to Li River karst area.
Beijing or Shanghai	Nanning or Guilin	High‑speed rail (Beijing–Nanning ~10 h, Shanghai–Nanning ~9 h)	9–10 h	Book tickets on China Railway website; check for sleeper options.

Regional passes

Verdict first

China Rail Pass (nationwide)

skip

Not cost‑effective for a short Guangxi stay; individual tickets are cheaper.

Guangxi Regional Rail Pass

check

May cover Nanning‑Guilin and Nanning‑Liuzhou routes; verify 2026 pricing.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Rice noodles (粉)	Guilin, Liuzhou, Nanning	Price ¥6–15 per bowl; try Guilin mifen and Liuzhou luosifen.
Dog meat (controversial)	Yulin (June festival)	Dish is controversial; many travelers avoid it.

Go next

Vietnam (Nanning border crossing)

planned

Train or bus from Nanning (~6 h)

Visa can be obtained at Nanning consulate.

Kunming (Yunnan)

Rail from Nanning ~5 h

Scenic mountain route.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids1 partIn numbers

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 3 bases
Day trips: 3, 45 min to 2 h 30
Nights suggested: 4–6 nights
Ways in: 3 listed

Explore South China Up to South China

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

secondaryWikivoyage: Guangxi, revision 5276765 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ask about Guangxi

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