What's on in Guilin (Yangshuo), China through the year

Busy — Winter break (around Chinese New Year) in China, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Spring Festival

  15–23 FebLunar New YearClosuresCrowded

  Nine days in 2026. Domestic tour groups take the river cruise and the terraces at once, family restaurants shut, and prices in Yangshuo double for the week. Source ↗

Still on: Li River at its lowest (15 Nov – 28 Feb (usually))

Peak crowds — Spring Festival, Winter break (around Chinese New Year) in China

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Spring Festival (15–23 Feb), Li River at its lowest (15 Nov – 28 Feb (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in March.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Nature

  Longji terraces under water

  20 Apr – 15 Jun · usuallyHarvest

  The terraces above Longsheng are flooded for rice planting and hold the sky for about six weeks. It is also the wettest stretch of the year, so the mirror comes with cloud.

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Longji terraces under water (20 Apr – 15 Jun (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Longji terraces under water (20 Apr – 15 Jun (usually))

Busy — Summer break in China, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Busy — Summer break in China, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Busy — Longji terraces turn gold, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Longji terraces turn gold

  20 Sep – 15 Oct · usuallyHarvestCrowdedBook early

  One crop a year on slopes this steep, so the gold is a fortnight and no more. Ping'an and Jinkeng are booked out well before the National Day week lands in the middle of it.

• Nature

  Osmanthus in flower

  20 Sep – 20 Oct · usuallyWildflowers & blooms

  The city is named after the tree and for a couple of weeks in autumn the whole centre smells of it. Locals time walks along the two rivers around it.

Peak crowds — Longji terraces turn gold, National Day Golden Week

• Holiday

  National Day Golden Week

  1–7 OctCrowdedBook early

  The Li River boats run at capacity and the terrace villages have nowhere left to sleep. If you can only come in October, come after the 8th. Source ↗

Still on: Longji terraces turn gold (20 Sep – 15 Oct (usually)), Osmanthus in flower (20 Sep – 20 Oct (usually))

Busy — one of its best months for weather

• Season

  Li River at its lowest

  15 Nov – 28 Feb · usuallyHigh waterClosures

  The river drops in winter and the big cruise boats often start further downstream at Mopanshan or shorten the run. The bamboo rafts and the karst are unaffected.

Busy — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Li River at its lowest (15 Nov – 28 Feb (usually))