We had a beautiful day with Andy our guide at Longji Rice Terraces! What an amazing landscape. All of the rice is already harvest at this time of the year, however, some of the terraces still have water in them and a beautiful golden color. It’s a perfect place to unwind and enjoy nature. Andy took us to a traditional bamboo rice and chicken restaurant in one of the villages, it was delicious! Then, after a nice walk Andy took us save and sound to our hotel.
We had a great time with this tour. Charles picked us up right at the start time from our hotel and drove us to the rice terraces. We were fortunate to visit the rice terraces just a few days before the harvest, so the hills were a spectacular sea of gold, with layers and layers of rice fields.
During the trip, he knew all the logistical tricks to avoid the biggest crowds and congested areas. He was also knowledgeable and passionate about his hometown, and gave us a lot of insight about the history and culture of the area.
This tour was a wonderful experience!
I told my guide Jerry I wanted to hike to the Longji rice terrace, and my request was granted. We hiked about 11+ km from the old village to the rice terrace. On our way back, we walked through Ping’an village.
The Ziyuan BajiaoZhai is not for the faint-hearted. There are many, many steps. However, reaching the top, where the two temples reside, makes everything worthwhile. The view was beyond spectacular.
Andy was an amazing tour guide and was flexible and made accommodations throughout the day. My kids had a blast and the rice terraces were one of their favorite trips!
We had a blast! Such nice trip in the most cultural and nature beauty places in Guilin. Andy was amazing to make sure we see everything from beautiful river views to amazing rice terraces. Andy was very kind, helpful and accommodating to our family. Very happy we chose that trip especially given that we only had one day we truly managed to see everything. Definitely recommend!
Beautiful scenary along the way...Dazhai show is must for understanding unique culture. It was unfortunately raining when we went there, so no good pictures of rice terraces could be captured. Nevertheless, it was good to breath the fresh mountain air. Jerry, our guide, is very attentive. He is an excellent driver, having to manoeuvre winding roads on mountain side to drive us safely to catch our flight.
We booked this tour for four people – myself, my boyfriend, and my parents – and overall, we had a good day exploring some beautiful places. However, there were a few things that took away from the experience.
The day started with a visit to the Longji Rice Terraces. While the terraces were beautiful and worth seeing, the area we were taken to was much smaller than expected. There was just one short path to walk along, and unfortunately, we felt very rushed. Our guide walked ahead at a fast pace, barely giving us time to stop and enjoy the view or take photos – and even commented that we were taking too many. While we understand he sees the terraces often, this was our first time and we really wanted to take it in. It felt like we were constantly trying to catch up, which made the experience a bit stressful.
The area was also very touristy, with street vendors persistently approaching us to buy souvenirs or take photos – even before we had exited the parking garage. We know this is part of the reality in tourist destinations, but it became uncomfortable, especially since they were very pushy and didn’t take no for an answer. We didn’t feel supported by our guide in managing these interactions, as he didn’t step in to help communicate our lack of interest.
Due to this experience, we chose to skip a planned stop at the village of the "long-haired women," anticipating similar pressure to shop.
The second part of the tour, a stop at a tea plantation (which was not originally on the itinerary), was a pleasant surprise. We enjoyed learning about the tea-making process and tasting different types of tea. It felt authentic and informative, and the tea itself was excellent.
Lastly, we took a short cruise on the Li River. The views were stunning, even with cloudy weather, and we can only imagine how amazing it would be on a sunny day. There was a bit of confusion about the boarding location, as our guide asked us where we wanted to start – which was surprising, since we expected the logistics to be already arranged as part of the tour. After a few phone calls with Andy (apparently his boss?), we were on our way and enjoyed the peaceful ride.
Our guide was nice, and the car rides were smooth, although the vehicle itself was a bit run-down – e.g. there were broken seatbelts in the back seat.
Longji Rice Terraces
5.0
(431)
Guilin
Know before you go
Ways to explore
How to get there
When to visit
The Longji Rice Terraces are a must-see for photographers and those looking for a rural escape.
Day trips to the rice terraces from Guilin last upwards of eight hours, and often include hotel pickup and drop-off from your Guilin hotel.
Wear comfortable shoes suitable for walking over uneven surfaces.