Longji Rice Terraces In-Depth Day Trip with Lunch Guilin

Longji Rice Terraces, the Dragon's Backbone of Guangxi

The Longji Rice Terraces cover the slopes of Longsheng County, about 100 km north-west of Guilin, and their name means 'Dragon's Backbone': seen from above, the curving ridges of the fields look like the scales of a dragon. Zhuang and Yao farmers began shaping these mountains centuries ago, mainly from the Yuan dynasty onwards, and the work went on through the Ming and Qing periods. The terraces climb from the river valleys to well over 1,000 m, fed by springs and forest streams that run down through bamboo pipes and channels.

Is a trip to the Longji Rice Terraces worth it? For most travellers it is the most memorable rural landscape around Guilin, and it feels very different from the karst peaks of the Li River. The drive takes about two and a half hours each way, so this day trip is long but well paced, with real time on the terraces rather than a quick photo stop.

Ancient Zhuang Village and the ecological museum

Your first stop is the Ancient Zhuang Village at Longji, a quieter and less commercial settlement than the better-known villages higher up. Its houses are built in the traditional ganlan style: wooden homes on stilts, with the ground floor once used for animals and tools and the family living above. Stone paths wind between the houses, rice-drying racks and small vegetable gardens, and the terraces drop away below the village like a golden staircase in autumn.

Our guide takes you through the ecological museum, which explains how Zhuang families built and watered the terraces, their festivals, costumes and farming calendar. You then visit a local family in their home, see how they cook and store rice, and have time for questions. This unhurried hour is where the in-depth character of the trip comes through, before the hike begins.

The terrace hike to Ping'an Village

From the Ancient Zhuang Village you set out on a scenic hike of about an hour across the terraces to Ping'an Village. The path follows field edges and stone steps, with open views over the valley, small streams and the occasional water buffalo. It is a moderate walk with some climbs, so good shoes matter, especially after rain when the stones can be slippery. Along the way you stop to watch the Yao women's long hair performance, a song and dance in which the women unwind hair that is often more than a metre long and traditionally cut only once in a lifetime.

How to get to Longji Rice Terraces without a car is the question many visitors ask: public buses run from Guilin to Longsheng and then up the mountain, but the connections take time. On this day trip the coach, the tickets and the route on foot are all arranged for you.

Ping'an Village and its famous viewpoints

Ping'an is the oldest and most developed Zhuang village of the Longji area, with tall wooden houses stacked on the slope and narrow lanes between them. Lunch is served here: Zhuang dishes with bamboo-tube rice, rice cooked inside a section of fresh bamboo over the fire, which gives it a light, smoky fragrance. Tell us about any dietary needs in advance and we will pass them on.

After lunch the guide leads you up to the two most photographed viewpoints of the area. 'Seven Stars Accompanying the Moon' shows small hilltops ringed by terraces like stars around a moon, and 'Nine Dragons and Five Tigers' looks over ridges that fall away in every direction. You have time for photos and to sit and enjoy the view before the return walk to the coach and the drive back to Guilin in the early evening.

Best time to visit Longji Rice Terraces

The best time to visit Longji Rice Terraces depends on the look you want. In April and May the fields are flooded for planting and the water reflects the sky like mirrors. From June to August the terraces turn bright green, with lush growth but also the rainy season. Late September to mid-October brings the golden harvest, the most popular period for photos. In winter the fields are bare and sometimes frosty, and the villages are very quiet.

Mornings in the mountains are often misty and clear up later, which suits the timing of this day trip: you reach the high viewpoints in the afternoon. The terraces are open all year, and the villages are inhabited, so please respect private houses and fields. Bring layers, as it is usually cooler up here than in Guilin.