Lipu Li River Bay Scenic Area

Lipu Li River Bay Scenic Area

The Lipu Li River Bay Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a national geopark.

Located in the southeastern part of Lipu County, Guilin, about 100 kilometers from Guilin city, it can be reached by taking a boat cruise along the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo, then transferring to a vehicle via a secondary road. The Li River Bay stretches 10 kilometers in length and 100 to 500 meters in width, covering an area of 500 hectares. It comprises strikingly shaped peaks such as Hawk Hill, Elephant Trunk Hill, Five-Finger Hill, Dragon Head Hill, White Stone Hill, Red Horse Hill, White Horse Hill, and the Li River — a tributary of the Pearl River — along with the ecological farmland scenery on both riverbanks. Here, the mountains feature unique shapes, dense peaks, karst caves connected with the landscape, and the river winding around the mountains like a jade ribbon, hence the name “Li River Bay.” In 1995, the Bagua Fairy Palace and Bagua Mountain Villa were opened to the public. From the Yuan Dynasty through the Republican era, many monks and nuns practiced here, and temples such as Shuiyue Nunnery, Red Rock Temple, and Guanyin Temple were built. The waters, 3 to 5 meters deep, are crystal clear. Currently, attractions include Elephant Trunk Rock, Bamboo Forest Oxygen Bar, experiences of ancient farming life, cruising a royal-style boat, viewing the “Green Mountains at Sunset,” watching fishermen and cormorants catching fish, Liu Sanjie’s riverside folk singing, celestial fairy performances, the charm of murals — a world wonder, traversing fields on land, traditional Chinese dragon boats, Lingzhi Fairy Pavilion, Shuiyue Nunnery, mountain-path charity projects, treasure hunts in Lingzhi Cave.

Li River Bay Scenic Area

Li River Bay boasts the reputation of being “water within water, mountains within mountains — the premier bay of Guilin’s landscape,” and is known as the “Nine Caves of the Cave World.”

In Li River Bay, you can explore the living sites of the earliest Yongsurui people (the earliest inhabitants of Lipu).

By boat, you can admire naturally formed cliff murals in the scenic area, including paintings of fairies descending to earth, divine dragons, and nude women. These murals are naturally created, vividly realistic, expressive, and rarely seen in the world.

Visitors can also take part in a grand folk event — the dragon boat race, the only one in China where tourists are allowed to participate.

Additionally, Li River Bay features the Tian Gong Yan (Heavenly Palace Rock), known as the “Nine Caves of the Cave World.” Tian Gong Yan has three wonders: first, the cave was formed due to a special geological fault structure, resulting in a spectacular underground ceiling spanning over 10,000 square meters that is low and flat — a rare sight in the world; second, countless level, colorful pools formed by underground water erosion resemble the beauty of Jiuzhaigou Valley, hence the nickname “Cave of Nine Caves”; third, an underground river flows through the rock, creating a massive waterfall at a drop point — a towering cataract ten meters high and over twenty meters wide, truly magnificent.

Transportation

1. Located in Qingshan Town, Lipu County, en route to Fengyu Rock (see Fengyu Rock transportation info).

2. Li River Bay is not far from Yinziyan Scenic Area, just 25 kilometers away, a 20-minute drive.

Address:

Dashigutou, Qingshan Town, Lipu County, Guilin City

Opening Hours:

March 1 – October 31: 8:00 – 17:30; November 1 – February 28: 8:00 – 17:00

Ticket Price:

60 RMB