Guilin is a city in China, situated in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. Guilin is a scenic town and one of the best-known tourist destinations in China. What makes it special is its proximity to many picturesque limestone mountains and formations. In 1981, this ancient city was listed by the State Council as one of the four cities (the other three being Beijing, Hangzhou and Suzhou) where the protection of historical and cultural heritage, as well as natural scenery, should be treated as a priority project. The Jingjiang Princes City is a royal complex dating from the Ming Dynasty that lies near the center of modern Guilin. It now functions as both Guangxi Normal University and as a tourist attraction. The city is magnificent and grandly walled, and once functioned as an 'inner city' occupied by the princes and their families.
Seven-Star Cave is contained within Seven-Star Park and both are popular tourist attractions. The cave has scheduled tours (about once an hour) which are conducted entirely in mandarin. If time permits, take a river trip down the Li River on a tour boat. The river winds through some truly spectacular limestone formations and a slow boat trip there and back (with a stop in Yangshuo) will take a whole day. There are many more activities nearby in neighbouring towns and villages, including: Longsheng and Longji Village, Longsheng Hot Spring, Moon Hill in Yangshuo, Guilin Shangri-la Park and the Butterfly Caves.
