You arrive in Guangzhou and go straight to a dim sum restaurant. It is 8:30 AM. The place seats 400 people and every table is full. Trolleys push through the gaps between tables. Women push carts of har gow, siu mai, cheung fun, egg tarts, and turnip cake. You flag one down, point at three things, and spend the next hour eating. The bill is ¥80 for two people. This is south China. It is completely different from Beijing and that is the point. For Guilin and Yangshuo in depth: Guilin and Yangshuo Guide.
South China Circuit: 10 Days
| Days | Destination | Why |
| Days 1-2 | Guangzhou | Arrive. Dim sum every morning. Canton Tower. Shamian Island. Pearl River night cruise. |
| Days 3-4 | Guilin | G-train 2.5h. Karst peaks. Reed Flute Cave. Li River cruise depart point. |
| Days 5-6 | Yangshuo | Li River cruise arrival. Cycling. Moon Hill. Yulong River. |
| Days 7-8 | Zhangjiajie (optional addition) | Fly Guilin to Changsha 1h, bus 3h. Avatar sandstone pillars. |
| Days 9-10 | Return to Guangzhou or fly Shanghai | G-train from Guilin back south, or fly north. |
Guangzhou: Cantonese Food First
Dim sum: the non-negotiable
Dim sum (called yum cha in Cantonese) in Guangzhou is not like dim sum anywhere else. The selection is broader. The quality is higher. The atmosphere, in a traditional teahouse with three generations of a family at the next table and trolleys circling the room, is irreplaceable. Go to a local establishment (Guangzhou Restaurant or Dim Dim Sum are well-regarded and accessible to foreigners). Go on a weekend morning for the full experience. Arrive before 9am or wait for a table. For the full food context: Chinese Food Guide.
Canton Tower and Pearl River
The Canton Tower (600 metres, Guangzhou’s signature structure) is best seen from across the Pearl River at night when it lights up. Take a Pearl River cruise (¥50 to ¥80, departs Tianzi Wharf) for the view. Shamian Island, in the western part of the city, is a small neighborhood of 19th-century colonial architecture that feels like a different continent.
Guilin and Yangshuo
The train from Guangzhou South takes 2.5 to 3 hours. As it approaches Guilin, the flat Guangdong plain ends and something extraordinary happens: vertical limestone towers begin emerging from the ground. Not gradually. They are simply there, rising straight up, dozens of them, as far as the view carries. The landscape that appears on the ¥20 note is ahead. Guilin is the transport hub. Yangshuo is where you actually want to spend your time. For the complete guide: Guilin and Yangshuo Guide.
Zhangjiajie Addition
Zhangjiajie (the original for the Avatar floating mountains) is a 1-hour flight from Guilin to Changsha, then 3 hours by bus. The sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie National Park are genuinely unlike anything else in China. Allow 2 nights minimum. Tianmen Mountain (cable car, glass-bottomed walkway) is the most accessible site. The Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was established in 1982 as China’s first national forest park.
Frequently Asked Questions
For Guilin and Yangshuo in depth: Guilin and Yangshuo Guide. For the high-speed rail connections: China High-Speed Rail Guide.