Guilin Solo
Safe, Friendly & Easier to Meet People Than You Think

Worried about feeling lonely on a solo trip? In Guilin the most effective fix is to base yourself around West Street (西街) in Yangshuo, a backpacker town that began as a rock-climbing village and is still full of hostels, cafes, bars and travellers from all over. Many hostels have a common area, a bar and run group trips, so it is the easiest place to meet other travellers, with English-speaking staff who help you book tours and rent bikes. Walking the pedestrian street in the evening is busy and safe. It is the ideal base if you want both the karst scenery and a social traveller crowd.

The highlight of Yangshuo that is genuinely lovely to do alone is cycling or e-biking the Yulong River (遇龙河) countryside, on quiet lanes past green rice paddies and karst peaks rising straight up. Bikes are very easy to rent from hostels and shops in Yangshuo town, at around ¥20–50 a day. You ride at your own pace, stopping to photograph, rest by the river, or take a bamboo raft for a stretch, exactly as you like. It is an outdoor activity that is easy and safe to do solo — the rural roads are quiet and the views are good the whole way.

The image everyone has of Guilin is a Li River cruise (漓江) gliding past rows of karst peaks mirrored in the water. The classic route runs Guilin to Yangshuo over about 4–5 hours, and going solo is no problem at all, because you simply book a seat on the boat in advance, all in one ticket — the logistics are handled, with no need to form a group. Standard boat tickets run around ¥220–450 (~฿1,100–2,250) depending on the boat. You disembark at Yangshuo and carry on or stay the night. It is something you can sit and enjoy quietly on your own, and far easier than arranging the trip yourself.

If you want to base in Guilin city but still want a social hostel feel, Guilin Wada Hostel (桂林瓦当青年旅舍) is the budget pick many recommend — a hostel in the city centre, about a 10-minute walk from Guilin Railway Station, with a social common area, a bar and a multilingual library. Its standout is helpful English-speaking staff who arrange the Li River cruise and Longji rice terrace tours for you. Dorm beds from around ¥70 (~฿350) a night, and it scores 9.0/10 from real reviews. A good fit for a solo traveller who wants to keep costs down and have company built in.

The Longji rice terraces (龙脊梯田), stepping up the hillsides in layers, are one of the most beautiful sights in the region — but they are about 2 hours from Guilin city and fiddly to reach by public transport. For a solo traveller, a group day tour is the easiest and best-value way to go — transport, a guide and a pre-booked seat, with no working out connections yourself. Around mid-Apr to Jun the terraces become mirrors of water after planting, deep green in summer, and gold for the harvest from mid-Sep to early Oct, when they are at their best. A tour also means travel companions for the day.

In Guilin city itself, an evening that is lovely even done alone is the Two Rivers Four Lakes night cruise (两江四湖), a ring of water through the centre linking the Li River, the Peach Blossom River and four lakes, both banks lit after dark. The highlight is the Sun and Moon Pagodas, glowing gold in the middle of Shan Lake, and the variety of lit bridges mirrored on the water. It is romantic but quiet and beautiful done solo. Night-cruise tickets run around ¥150–230 (~฿750–1,150), or you can simply walk the lakeside for the view for free.

The city's signature dish is Guilin rice noodles (桂林米粉) — soft rice noodles in a secret marinade, topped with peanuts, pickled radish and crisp pork, served in a single bowl for just around ¥8–15 (~฿40–75). It is the easiest, cheapest meal to have alone, and there is a noodle shop on almost every corner. You usually order at the counter, point to pick your toppings, pay by Alipay and find a table yourself — nobody looks twice at eating alone. It is the way locals eat, both filling and cheap, and perfect for breakfast or a quick meal during the day.

Both Guilin and Yangshuo have cafes that are lovely to sit in alone, especially Yangshuo, with cafes overlooking the mountains and river in town and out in the Yulong countryside. Sitting in a cafe alone here is completely ordinary. Many have Wi-Fi and window seats looking out at the karst peaks, which makes them ideal for resting your legs after a day of cycling or walking, reading, planning the rest of your trip, or just having a coffee with a view. Order one drink and you can stay all afternoon, with nobody rushing you — a pause that suits the laid-back feel of a traveller town.

Near Yangshuo is an old Li River village called Xingping (兴坪) with a river bend that is the scene on the 20-yuan note — one of Guilin's classic photo spots, and easy to reach solo by bus or boat. You can wander the old street, walk down to the water to find your angle, or take a short bamboo raft to see the karst peaks up close. It is a half-day trip from Yangshuo that is quieter than West Street and easy to do alone, and locals and other travellers are happy to point you to the 20-yuan viewpoint.

Yangshuo is one of the best rock-climbing towns in China, with hundreds of limestone routes from beginner to expert. If you are travelling solo and want to try something new, there are half-day and full-day beginner courses with a guide and all the kit, and a friendly climbing community. Hostels and climbing shops in town (such as Climbers Inn, where foreign climbers tend to gather) can pair you with climbing partners and set up trips. It is an activity that gives you both a new experience and travel companions — but if you have never climbed, always go with a professional guide.