Life advice: You must visit the Longji Rice Terraces in Guilin.

The Longji Rice Terraces are as beautiful as a dream. The cascading terraces resemble a stairway to heaven, winding through the mountains. In spring, the water-filled fields are like silver mirrors, reflecting the sky and clouds. In summer, the verdant rice paddies undulate. In autumn, golden ears of rice sway, covering the mountains in gold. In winter, the terraces transform into a pristine, snow-covered world of curves. Each season offers its own unique charm. ✅⏰Best time to travel 🌸Late April–mid-June: Rainy season. The terraces begin to fill with water, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds like mirrors. This is the perfect time to capture stunning photos of the mirror-like terraces. 🌸Early July–early September: The rice is in its peak growing season, and the terraces are a vibrant green. 🌸Mid-to-late September–mid-to-late October: The rice has ripened, and the terraces are a golden yellow. This is the golden period for viewing and photography. 🌸Mid-to-late December–mid-to-late February: The terraces may be covered in snow, creating a silvery wonderland. ✅Transportation 🌸Various locations - Guilin: You can choose to arrive in Guilin by plane or high-speed rail. 🌸Guilin - Longji Rice Terraces 1⃣🚌Long-distance bus: Take a special bus from Qintan Bus Station. Tickets cost approx. CNY 50/person. 2⃣🚍Direct bus to the scenic area: You can contact your hotel to book a direct bus. The cost is approx. CNY 50/person. 3⃣🚗Self-drive: From downtown Guilin, head towards Longsheng. The roads are mostly winding mountain roads. Drive cautiously, control your speed, and pay attention to road conditions and fuel levels. Self-driving is not recommended for those unfamiliar with mountain roads. ✅Scenic area overview and tickets💴 The Longji Rice Terraces are located in Longji Town, Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County, Ping'an Village, Longji Mountain, 80 km from Guilin. The scenic area mainly includes the Ancient Zhuang Village Terraces, Ping'an Terraces, and Jinkeng Dazhai Terraces. Tickets cost approx. CNY 80/person and can be purchased on-site or online. Online tickets must be exchanged for paper tickets at the ticket office. ⚠️Keep your paper tickets safe, as they are checked at the entrance to each village! ✅Recommended attractions 📍Jinkeng Dazhai Rice Terraces: The largest and most spectacular terraces, with a cable car available. 🌸Viewing Platform 1, Xishan Shaoyue: High altitude and excellent views, suitable for watching sunrise and sunset. You can overlook thousands of ridges and the magnificent landscape formed by the mounds on the terraces. You can also see Mao'er Mountain in Xing'an and Fupingbao, the highest peak in the scenic area. 🌸Viewing Platform 2, Thousand-Layer Terraces: Spectacular terraces with numerous guesthouses. Here, you can see the breathtaking scene of the terraces stacked on the steep, winding ridges. 🌸Viewing Platform 3, Golden Buddha Peak: You can take the cable car directly to the top for stunning aerial views of the terraces. It's also a great place to watch the sunrise. From the opposite mountain, it looks like a big-bellied Maitreya Buddha. You can see the "Soaring Eagle" and "Golden Gourd" landscapes, as well as the sunset. 📍Ping'an Zhuang Rice Terraces Scenic Area: Famous for its "Seven Stars Around the Moon" and "Nine Dragons and Five Tigers" landscapes. 🌸Seven Stars Around the Moon: Consists of seven small hilltop terraces and one large hilltop terrace. Viewing Platform 2 offers the best views. 🌸Nine Dragons and Five Tigers: "Nine Dragons" refers to the nine small ridges branching off from the main ridge of Longji, and "Five Tigers" refers to five slightly protruding hilltops, all surrounded by terraces. This is the best location to admire the Ping'an Village Terraces. 📍Longji Ancient Zhuang Village Rice Terraces Cultural Scenic Area: The birthplace of the Zhuang rice terraces, with at least 430 years of history. The "Dragons Exploring the Sea" viewpoint offers steep mountains and densely packed terraces. ✅🚩Tour route planning 🌸One-day tour: Jinkeng Dazhai Rice Terraces👉Take the cable car to Viewing Platform 3, Golden Buddha Peak👉Overlook the entire terrace landscape👉Then head to Viewing Platform 2, Thousand-Layer Terraces, to enjoy different perspectives of the terraces. 🌸Two-day tour: Day 1: Jinkeng Dazhai Rice Terraces👉Visit Viewing Platform 1, Xishan Shaoyue, and Viewing Platform 2, Thousand-Layer Terraces👉Day 2: Go to Viewing Platform 3, Golden Buddha Peak, to watch the sunrise👉In the afternoon, visit the Ping'an Zhuang Rice Terraces Scenic Area to admire the "Seven Stars Around the Moon" and "Nine Dragons and Five Tigers" landscapes. 🌸Three-day tour: Day 1: Explore the Jinkeng Dazhai Rice Terraces👉Day 2: Visit the Ping'an Zhuang Rice Terraces Scenic Area👉Day 3: Go to the Longji Ancient Zhuang Village Rice Terraces Cultural Scenic Area to experience the ancient village atmosphere and its long history. ✅Specialty dishes 🎍Bamboo rice: Rice and seasonings cooked in fresh bamboo tubes, infused with the fragrance of bamboo. 🎍🐓Bamboo chicken: Local Longsheng chicken roasted in a bamboo tube. The chicken soup is delicious, and the bamboo aroma is captivating. 🥩Bacon: Famous local smoked bacon, stir-fried with bamboo shoots. Rich but not greasy. 🎋Bamboo shoots: Local specialty bamboo shoots, can be stir-fried or used in soups. Delicious taste. 🌾🦈Braised rice-field fish: Small fish from the rice paddies, tender and freshly cooked. 🍻Longji rice wine: Brewed using traditional local methods. Low alcohol content and smooth taste. ✅Accommodation recommendations 🌸Jinkeng Dazhai: It is recommended to stay near Tiantou Village, which is close to the viewing platforms and convenient for travel. Choose guesthouses with balconies for admiring the beautiful terraces. 🌸Ping'an Village: A variety of accommodation options are available. If you want to see the "Seven Stars Around the Moon" landscape, choose accommodation near Viewing Platform 2. ✅💕Travel tips Bring mosquito repellent and sunscreen in summer; bring a jacket in spring and autumn; bring heavy winter clothing in winter.