China has no shortage of natural splendors, from Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan, which inspired the world of Avatar, to the spectacular waterfalls of Sichuan’s Jiuzhaigou Valley. One could spend a lifetime exploring the hidden corners of each of its 22 mainland provinces, but Saigoneer recently traveled to Guilin, an area becoming increasingly popular with Vietnamese tourists. There we felt a comforting sense of familiarity.

Situated in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin has long been famous for its limestone karsts, caves, cliffs, and valleys. These landscapes are strikingly similar to those of Ninh Binh, which lies relatively close at a distance of about 700 kilometers, though visitors may incorrectly assume the two are geologically and tectonically related.

The difference is also evident in scale, with the tallest karst in Guilin stretching 300 meters into the sky, about 100 meters taller than those in Ninh Binh. This scale also frames the rivers and plains below, which are best appreciated from both their highest and lowest points.

The highlight of Guilin is undoubtedly the Ruyi Peak Cableway Scenic Area. A cable car brings visitors 240 meters to the tip of a karst, where a suspension bridge, glass skywalk, and cloud-top observatory offer sweeping views of the verdant valley below, the Li River and a seemingly infinite sea of karsts.

In the valleys, particularly a 66-square-kilometer stretch in Longji, rice terraces have been cultivated by farmers since the Yuan Dynasty over 600 years ago. Visiting the plots of rice that resemble dragon scales, one can take in the scenery while better appreciating the grueling work of the farmers. Their use of analog plows and hoes to aerate their fields reminds one that in China and across the globe, rice terrace farming remains a largely unmechanized process. The experience may lead one to appreciate not only the natural beauty of the area, but also the farmers who are often taken for granted and deserve more appreciation than as elements of the scenery in travel photos.

Humans also add a cultural layer atop the natural beauty, again with a sense of familiarity. The Red Yao people, whose women are known for their Guinness World Record-setting long hair, have an entire museum dedicated to their sacred follicles, which are also the subject of many of the group’s traditional dances. They also share a linguistic connection with the Mường, as both are Tai-speaking populations.

Culture and landscape merge at the celebrated Impression Sanjie Liu show, the brainchild of Zhang Yimou, best known internationally as the director of the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. The Li River and surrounding karsts serve as the setting for the show, which features hundreds of local Zhuang people. Zhang and his team created what can only be described as an epic interplay of light, with projections cast onto karsts many kilometers away, across the river in the foreground, and even onto the performers’ costumes.

The urban core of Guilin, meanwhile, has its own unique heritage, spanning both ancient and modern eras. The city prospered during the Tang and Song dynasties and later became home to Chinese intellectuals and artists fleeing the Japanese occupation of China’s coastal cities during World War II. 

Guangxi Normal University is of particular importance, occupying the grounds of the Jingjiang Princes’ Palace. The palace, which predates Beijing’s famed Forbidden City by over 600 years, was converted into a university in 1932 and features a globally renowned chemistry department. It also doubles as a park and tourist attraction, representing the city’s intellectual soul not only through its facilities, but also through its artifacts. At the center of the palace lies Solitary Beauty Peak, which features stone inscriptions and poems dating back to the Ming Dynasty.

It is here that one will find a poem attributed to Southern Song Dynasty official Wang Zhenggong containing the phrase “桂林山水甲天下” or “Guilin’s scenery is the best under heaven.”

Though it’s a highly subjective take, after taking in Guilin and its environs, it’s hard to come up with a counterargument to Zhenggong.