In mid-October, a month after our wedding, my husband and I finally had time to take a holiday. The weather in Zhengzhou was cold and hazy, so we decided to go somewhere warmer with beautiful scenery and a relaxing atmosphere. We chose Guangxi for our honeymoon.

The flight from Zhengzhou to Guilin was very affordable at this time of year and only took 2 hours. Although it was cloudy and drizzling when we arrived in Guilin, it didn’t dampen our excitement for the trip. Our hotel was located next to the Li River and just a 10-minute walk from the famous and bustling Dongxi Alley. We enjoyed local rice noodles for lunch.

The next day, we took a cruise on the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. During the cruise, you can see the most essential sights of the Li River. The most famous one must be the scenery that is printed on the CNY20 paper currency. The boat ride to Yangshuo takes about 4 hours.

In the evening, we visited West Street. It was bustling and crowded as always, but a nice place to have some fun at night.

We rented an electric bike as our transportation in Yangshuo. It was wonderful to ride across the mountains, villages, and bridges with the sweet scent of osmanthus all along the way. We highly recommend bamboo rafting on the Yulong River. It offers a completely different experience from the Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo. The bamboo rafting is quieter and it feels like you are floating in a scenic picture!

Hiking to the top of Moon Hill takes about half an hour and the view from the top is spectacular.

We also spent an afternoon at Xianggong Mountain. It is a bit far, so you will need a car to get there. There is an observation platform at the top that offers the best view of the Li River.

The next stop on our holiday was PingAn Terraced Fields. Our hotel was located in the village halfway up the mountain. There are many stairs on the way, so it is not easy to get there with a suitcase. However, there are many locals who can help. They charge 30-50 RMB per suitcase depending on the size and weight. You may wonder how they manage to carry such heavy things up the stairs at their age. Trust me, they walk even faster than you while carrying your suitcase! I was so surprised!

We were very lucky to arrive in PingAn just two days before the golden rice was harvested. When the sun came out, the mist disappeared and the terraced fields revealed themselves. Thousands of layers shone under the clear blue sky. It must have taken more than a dozen generations of hard work to create this miracle!

Afterwards, we went to Sanjiang to see the Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge. The bridge is constructed with wood and stones and the surface is paved with wooden boards with railings on both sides. The builders did not use any nails or rivets. Instead, talented Dong people dovetailed many pieces of wood. Despite being several decades old, the bridge is still very sturdy. In a word, it is grand and looks like a brilliant rainbow crossing over the river.

We then returned to Guilin for our flight back home. Before our flight, we visited Reed Flute Cave. It is a typical Karst cave. Inside this water-eroded cave is a spectacular world of various stalactites, stone pillars, and rock formations created by carbonate deposition.

By Stella Ceoi -- Charmission Travel