From Guilin to UNESCO cultural sites on a private day tour

One of the better known tourist destinations of Southern China, and indeed the whole of China, Guilin, which is a name that literally means Sweet Osmanthus, is a prefectural city that has a tourism sector driven by one of the best sights in the entire world, the Li River. With a very rich plant life that embodies far more than the dominant Sweet Osmanthus, Guilin is a region of Southern China which is sectioned off from main China by some naturally occurring boundaries, including the Nan Mountains, accounting for the logic behind its prefectural administrative status but this bodes very well for the tourism industry of the region. About a dozen small ethnic groups call Guilin home, which is part of the Guangxi autonomous region, with the Zhuang ethnic group dominating. Guilin is one of the three largest of the Guangxi region, coming in at number three, behind Nanning and Liuzhou.

The Ling Canal is one of Guilin’s hidden gems. It is China's second greatest canal. The Canal is a wonderful example of the engineering and architectural skill that existed in Chinese society more that 2,000 years ago. The Canal was built in the year 214 BC by First Emperor Qin of the Qin Dynasty. The canal system connects two rivers, Guilin’s Li River and the Xiang River. But, as these rivers are tributaries of the Pearl and Yangtze Rivers, the connection linked two of the largest river systems in China, thereby opening a huge area to allow travel and commerce to flourish. It was also an important political move as it unified north and south and allowed the Emperor to consolidate his power. The complexity of the project is more easily understood when we see the difference in water levels between the two rivers, which in some planes is around 6 meters. The project required a complex system of locks and dams to allow the two water systems to merge. At one point the two rivers are only separated by about 20 meters. It is fascinating to watch as the rivers flow in different directions.

Xing'an County[a] is a county in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. It is administered as part of the prefecture-level city of Guilin. Its area is 2,348 square kilometers (907 sq mi), with a population of 370000. Xingan County was set up in year 221 BCE. It is one of the 18 ancient counties in Jiangxi province.

Water Street in Xing’an is a one-kilometer-long market as well as a popular attraction. This site features the Qin and Han dynasties culture and architectural styles, highlights the culture of ancient bridge, ancient carving art, Lingqu canal, and Lingnan fold art. In this street, hanging buildings along the street, brand-honored shops in the ancient architectural style will be presented. Melody of traditional Chinese instrument can be listened when having a boat on the Lingqu Canal in this part. Local residences along the banks of Lingqu Canal form a picture of Lingnan Culture, Gray walls and black roofs with wooden carving windows and doors, each house will tell visitors a story of the past. It is totally different for walking in Water Street in the night. Shops in this street are all hanging the traditional Chinese red lanterns. This leisure atmosphere will let travelers feel relaxed.