Guilin

Travel Notes

Summer Through Karst Mountains

We went to Guilin in summer 2026. Instead of focusing on the classic old towns and towers, we drove toward quieter places that felt wilder and more surprising, including a sinkhole and Da Mian Mountain.

Da Mian Mountain was a relentless climb, humid and exhausting, with mosquitoes everywhere. I probably came back with twenty or thirty bites. Still, the view from the top was worth it: layers of karst peaks, river bends, and light moving across the valley.

Guilin's landscapes felt almost like ink paintings. Among the places I have visited in China, I think Guilin now sits beside Tibet at the very top. The forecast showed rain every day, but somehow the sky stayed open whenever we reached the best views. Like our Seattle trip, this one felt strangely lucky; maybe the typhoon helped pull the rain away. I may still check the weather before future trips, but Guilin reminded me that forecasts do not always get the final word.