GUILIN, China, June 1, 2026 /CNW/ -- As global travellers increasingly seek slower, experience-led journeys, Guilin is emerging as one of China's standout destinations for nature, heritage and cultural immersion. International flight bookings to Guilin grew 75% year-on-year in Q1 2026, ranking Guilin among the fastest-growing cities in China among global travellers.
Trip.com Group highlighted the city's growing appeal this week at its "Guilin Night" event, which brought together more than 3,500 international guests from 78 countries and regions. This is alongside legendary actor and the Group's Global Ambassador for China Travel, Jackie Chan, who is shining a spotlight on the destination.
For generations, Guilin has enchanted travellers with its mist-covered karst mountains, winding rivers and timeless scenery. And beyond the postcard-perfect landscapes, the region also offers a rich tapestry of multi-ethnic cultures, where traditions from communities including the Zhuang, Yao, Miao and Dong peoples continue to shape local life, cuisine, craftsmanship and customs.
"Guilin reminds me that travel is not only about seeing famous sights, but about connecting with the culture of a destination," Jackie Chan shared. "The mountains, the rivers, the atmosphere, it feels like walking inside a Chinese painting. But what makes it stand out is that it slows you down in the best way. In cities like Beijing and Shanghai, life can move very fast, but Guilin shows another side of China that allows you to be more present."
A Wealth of Scenic Landscapes
For Jackie Chan, the highlight of any Guilin trip begins with the legendary Li River.
"The Li River is the soul of Guilin," he said. "You can sit quietly on the boat and just look around you. The scenery changes every minute."
The famous river cruise between Guilin and Yangshuo passes through dramatic limestone mountains, fishing villages, and the iconic "Yellow Cloth Reflection," a stretch of water near Xingping ancient town that is immortalised on the 20 RMB banknote.
Another sight among Jackie Chan's top three Guilin experiences is the Longji Rice Terraces, notably ranked #3 in Guilin sights on Trip.Best, Trip.com Group's AI-curated ranking list designed to help travellers select a destination's best experiences. The 600-year-old terraces transform through the seasons, from mirror-like flooded fields in spring to golden waves during harvest season.
"When you stand there and look across the fields, you realise how much history and human effort exist in this landscape," Jackie shared.
Visitors can also explore nearby ethnic minority villages, including communities known for traditional craftsmanship and cultural performances. This increasingly ties in with the modern traveller's hunt for experiences that offer local culture, slower exploration and meaningful connection.
As for travellers looking to experience Guilin's natural scenery beyond its rivers and mountains, Reed Flute Cave offers a unique underground perspective.
Known as the "Palace of Natural Arts," Reed Flute Cave offers a surreal underground world of colour and geology.
"The first time I entered Reed Flute Cave, I felt like I was on another planet," Jackie said. "The colours, the rock formations, the reflections, it's unbelievable. It's one of those places where photos don't fully capture how impressive it feels in person."
Inside the cave, travellers can explore illuminated stalactites, stalagmites and underground chambers shaped over millions of years.
The region also offers newer tourism experiences that combine thrills steeped in Guilin's natural environment.
Adventure seekers should head to Ruyi Peak, ranked #8 in Guilin sights on Trip.Best. This modern "aerial park" allows you to stand on cable cars, suspension bridges and panoramic skywalks, and look out over Yangshuo's dramatic limestone landscape, combining nature with adrenaline-filled exploration.
Cultural Immersion at Solitary Beauty Peak
For travellers wanting to combine history and scenery, the historical Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes' Palace site, located in the heart of Guilin, are must-visit sites.
Solitary Beauty Peak offers panoramic views of Guilin and remains one of the city's most famous scenic spots. While the latter is a former Ming Dynasty royal residence, where visitors can step back in time and wander the halls of the once-functional inner city, occupied by the nephew of the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty, the last imperial dynasty in China.
Immersion in A Performance Unlike Any Other
At night, the Impression Liu Sanjie performance comes alive. One of the world's largest natural auditoriums hosts 600 performers in traditional attire of the Zhuang, Miao, and Yao minorities, bringing to life the legend of Liu Sanjie, a famous figure in the region's folklore. This stunning show is set against the Li River, with the karst landscape as its natural backdrop.
"The mountains become part of the show," Jackie said. "You don't just watch it, you feel surrounded by it. It's very emotional and very Chinese, blending music, dance, light and local folklore in the best way," he added.
Directed by renowned filmmaker Zhang Yimou, the large-scale outdoor performance uses the Li River itself as a stage, featuring hundreds of local performers beneath illuminated peaks.
Growing Interest in Experiencing Culture
Trip.com Group said the Guilin showcase reflects broader travel trends across Asia, where travellers are prioritising slower-paced itineraries, nature-based tourism and immersive cultural experiences over traditional checklist travel.
For instance, during "Guilin Night", otherwise known as the Trip.com Group Envision Gala Dinner, the evening celebrated Chinese intangible cultural heritage through immersive workshops, traditional games and cultural performances.
Guests experienced ancient Chinese sports, including Cuju, an ancient Chinese football game, and Chuiwan, a royal bat-and-ball game, created traditional lanterns, practised Zhuang brocade crafts, and participated in lantern riddles beneath glowing lights.
The evening concluded with a large-scale drone show illuminating Guilin's famous skyline, a modern spectacle set against one of China's most timeless landscapes.
Guilin has become a place where visitors come not only to sightsee, but also to pause and connect with nature, whether that means wandering along riverside streets, discovering local flavours, or simply taking in the quiet beauty of the landscapes.
For Jackie Chan, that balance is what defines Guilin. "People remember the mountains and rivers, but they also remember how the place and culture make them feel," he said. Reflecting more broadly on travel in China, Jackie believes many international visitors only scratch the surface of what the country has to offer. "My advice is simple: don't rush. Many first-time visitors focus only on the biggest cities or attractions they see on social media, but China is a very large and diverse country, with so many different sides that you can barely uncover in a single trip. Be curious, throw away your pre-existing conceptions and come with an open mind."
About Trip.com Group
Trip.com Group is a global travel service provider comprising Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group is on the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world". Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com.
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SOURCE Trip.com Group
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