On this page
Bottom line: You can visit Longji Rice Terraces from Guilin in one day without a car. Take the early bus from Qintan Station (¥60), pay the ¥80 entry ticket, and use the cable car or your legs to reach the viewpoints.
Quick answer
- What it is: A one-day bus trip from Guilin to the Longji Rice Terraces scenic area, visiting Jinkeng Dazhai and Ping'an villages.
- Best for: Travelers who do not want to rent a car but still want to see terraced rice fields in one day.
- Entry ticket: ¥80 per person (children half price). Covers Jinkeng Dazhai, Ping'an, Ancient Zhuang Village, and Xiaozhai.
- Bus from Guilin: ¥60 one-way from Qintan Bus Station to Dazhai Parking Lot, about 2 hours plus a mountain transfer.
- Cable car: ¥55 one-way to the top of Jinkeng Dazhai; round trip ¥100. Travelers report hiking down is more rewarding than riding both ways.
- Season: Spring planting (May–June) and autumn harvest (late September–October) are the most photographed seasons.
Overview
Longji — literally "Dragon's Backbone" — is a group of terraced mountains about 2.5 hours north of Guilin by bus. The scenic area includes several villages, but most first-time visitors focus on two:
- Jinkeng Dazhai (金坑大寨 / Jīnkēng Dàzhài): The largest village, developed for tourism, with a cable car to a panoramic viewpoint.
- Ping'an (平安寨 / Píng'ān Zhài): A smaller Zhuang village with more compact terraces and the famous "Seven Stars Around the Moon" viewpoint.
A realistic one-day itinerary covers one village well or visits both with tight timing. Based on traveler reports from 2025 and 2026, the most efficient public-transport plan is: early bus from Guilin → Jinkeng Dazhai → cable car or hike → local minibus to Ping'an → late afternoon bus back to Guilin.
How to get there
Step 1: Guilin to Dazhai Parking Lot by bus
- Departure point: Qintan Bus Station (琴潭客运站 / Qíntán Kèyùnzhàn), west of downtown Guilin.
- Bus name: Search for the "Guilin – Jinkeng Dazhai" direct line. In Chinese: 桂林–金坑大寨专线.
- Time: Buses depart early, typically 6:00–7:00 AM for day-trippers. The journey is about 2 hours to Longsheng County, then a transfer to a smaller minibus for another hour up the mountain to Dazhai Parking Lot.
- Price: ¥60 one-way, reported to include the transfer.
- Where to buy: At the station ticket window. Some travelers report receiving the driver's contact card, which helps arrange the return trip.
Step 2: Dazhai Parking Lot to the village
The bus stops at Dazhai Parking Lot (大寨停车场 / Dàzhài Tíngchēchǎng), just outside the ticket gate. Buy your entry ticket here: ¥80 per adult. From the gate, you can walk, take the cable car, or arrange a local transfer to your trailhead.
Step 3: Jinkeng to Ping'an
Local minibuses run between Jinkeng Dazhai and Ping'an. Travelers report a ¥15 ticket and a mid-afternoon departure around 14:00. Confirm the schedule with your bus driver or guesthouse in the morning — minibuses are not frequent, and the last return bus to Guilin leaves around 17:00.
Foreign-visitor navigation tips
| Destination | Search in Amap / Gaode |
|---|---|
| Qintan Bus Station | 琴潭客运站 / Qintan Coach Station |
| Jinkeng Dazhai | 金坑大寨 / Jinkeng Dazhai |
| Dazhai Parking Lot | 大寨停车场 / Dazhai Parking |
| Ping'an Village | 平安寨 / Ping'an Longji |
Google Maps is unreliable in this area even with a VPN. Download offline maps before leaving Guilin. Show the Chinese names to taxi drivers and bus-station staff — English is rarely spoken at Qintan Station.
What to expect
Jinkeng Dazhai: the big viewpoint
Most travelers start here because the cable car makes the upper viewpoint accessible without a long uphill walk. The viewpoint at the top is called Jinfo Ding (金佛顶 / Jīnfó Dǐng) and offers the classic layered-terrace shot.
- Cable car: ¥55 one-way, ¥100 round trip. Many travelers recommend taking the cable car up and hiking down, or hiking both ways if you are fit.
- Hiking time: The hike from the village to the top takes 1.5–2 hours depending on pace.
- Photography: Morning is best for light on the eastern slopes. Fog is common after 4 PM, especially in autumn and winter.
Ping'an: the classic terraces
Ping'an is smaller and more intimate. The main viewpoints are Seven Stars Around the Moon (七星伴月 / Qīxīng Bànyuè) and Dragon and Tiger (龙虎 / Lónghǔ).
- Route: Many visitors take the electric cart up to Dragon-Tiger Viewpoint, walk 20 minutes to Seven Stars Around the Moon, then hike down through the village.
- Hiking time: Allow 2 hours for the full loop.
- Village feel: You can walk through wooden stilt houses, rice paddies, and covered wind-rain bridges.
Combining both villages in one day
- Combining Jinkeng and Ping'an in one day is possible but requires an early start and strict return schedule.
- The risk is missing the last minibus between villages or the last Guilin-bound bus around 17:00.
- If you prefer a relaxed pace, stay overnight in Ping'an and catch sunrise from the terraces.
Cost breakdown
| Item | Price (RMB) | Approx. USD | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guilin → Dazhai bus | ¥60 one-way | ~US$8.50 | Direct-ish; includes transfer at Longsheng |
| Entry ticket | ¥80 | ~US$11.50 | Covers all villages in the scenic area |
| Jinkeng cable car (one-way) | ¥55 | ~US$7.50 | ¥100 round trip |
| Jinkeng → Ping'an minibus | ¥15 | ~US$2 | Limited afternoon departures |
| Electric cart in Ping'an | ¥30–50 | ~US$4–7 | One-way up to viewpoint |
| Lunch | ¥40–80 | ~US$6–11 | Local farm food; guesthouse restaurants |
| Total per person | ¥250–340 | ~US$35–48 | Without accommodation |
*USD estimates based on August 2026 exchange rates. Cash and mobile pay are widely accepted; foreign cards are not guaranteed at remote ticket windows.
Tips for foreign visitors
- Cash or mobile pay: Buy bus tickets at the station with cash or mobile payment. The cable-car ticket window usually accepts Alipay and WeChat Pay. International credit cards are not reliable in this rural area.
- Language: English is rarely spoken at Qintan Station, on minibuses, or in small guesthouses. Write key place names in Chinese characters to show drivers.
- Passport: Carry your passport. Hotels and some ticket systems require it for registration. The scenic-area ticket does not usually require a passport.
- Weather and clothing: The mountain is cooler than Guilin. Travelers report a 5–10°C drop, especially in the early morning. Bring a light jacket even in summer.
- Footwear: Trails are stone steps, muddy after rain, and steep in places. Hiking shoes or sturdy trainers are essential.
- Driving alternative: If you prefer not to take the bus, a private car or tour driver costs roughly ¥600–900 for the day from Guilin. We do not recommend first-time foreign drivers tackle the mountain road yourself — it is narrow, winding, and shared with farm trucks.
- Food: Guesthouse restaurants serve rice cooked in bamboo, river fish, and smoked pork. Prices are reasonable if you avoid the few tourist-trap menus near the main gate.
- Phones and signal: 4G signal is generally available at viewpoints, but bring a power bank. Long days of navigation and photos drain batteries quickly.