Guangxi Travel « China Travel Tips

Archive for the ‘Guangxi Travel’ Category

How to Visit Elephant Trunk Hill (Tips, Photos & Map)

Saturday, April 22nd, 2023

Elephant Trunk Hill Scenic Area

Standing at the confluence of Li River and Taohua River in Guilin, Elephant Trunk Hill (象鼻山）is one of the iconic landmarks of Guilin, a big draw for its first-time visitors.

The location of Elephant Trunk Hill (Google Map)

As far as I could remember, many years ago people could come here for a free glimpse of the hill which resembled an elephant drinking water by hist trunk.

Elephant Trunk Hill Scenic Area is recognized by Google Map as “Xiangshan Scenic Area”. “Xiangshan” here literally means “Elephant Hill”.

Xiangshan Scenic Area Address: No.1 Binjiang Road, Xiufeng District, Xiangshan District, Guilin
Tel： 0773-2235151;0773-2800315
Official website: www.glxbs.com
Entrance Fee: Free of Charge ( starting from Jan 31, 2022)

Best Place for a Bird’s-Eye View of Elephant Trunk Hill

So if you are only attracted to a look at the hole in a stone on a river during your Guilin tour, you have a delightful choice to head for the nearby hotel known as Jolie Vue Boutique Hotel 桂林璟象精品酒店 and go up to the roof-top patio for a glimpse of so-called Elephant Trunk Hill over a drink, more relaxing and comfortable. At night the Elephant Trunk Hill looks gorgeous!

Viewed from the roof-top patio at Jolie Vue Boutique Hotel (Image Credit: http://www.jvbhotel.com)

Jolie Vue Boutique Hotel Guilin 5-star hotel
Address: No. 8 Binjiang Road, Xiangshan District, Guilin, China
Tel: 0773-2325888

Today, the 55 yuan entry ticket doesn’t only allow you to have a glimpse of the moon-like hole in the rock hill, but also to hike the whole Elephant Trunk Hill along the stairs of stone steps to the top of the hill for panoramic views of Guilin city.

Folded Brocade Hill is a good alternative for a panoramic view of the city with much cheaper entry fee. But if you still want to invent your time, money and muscle at the Elephant Trunk Hill, well it is not a very bad idea though the entrance ticket is a bit exorbitant and the walk takes much longer time due to the size of the park.

Virtual Tour of Elephant Trunk Hill Park

Follow me to walk though Elephant Trunk Hill Park. There are three entrance gates – No.01, No.02 and No.03. Basically you’d better enter the park through the No.03 Gate which is closer to the hill itself, easier for you to climb up. If you only want to see the hole of the hill, you should go through either the No.01 or No.02 Gate.

Starting to hike up along the stone stairs of steps.

Looking at the west from the hillside, you can see Taohua River.

Looking at the north, you are able to see the confluence of the two rivers – Taohua on the left and Li River on the upper right.

Snap some pictures on the summit where you can have clear views of the Li River, karst hills and the city.

Li River on the south of Elephant Trunk Hill.

The apartment blocks below at a distance seen from the top of the hill.

You are also able to walk to the north side of the hill on the open top where you have the chance to look at Huo Hill and Folded Brocade Hill to the north of the hill.

Huo Hill and Folded Brocade Hill seen from the north of the hill.

Backtrack after hiking around the hilltop and walk down. Then cross Taohua River along the stone bridge linking the two banks. Continue to walk for a good spot where you can clearly see the Elephant Trunk Hill protruding from the bank of Li River.

Crossing Taohua River along the stone bridge linking the two banks.

You should walk across the stone bridge linking the two banks of Taohua River and move on to the place where you can clearly see the hole in the rock – Elephant Trunk Hill protruding from the bank of Li River.

Try to locate a good spot for an iconic photo of the hill.

A group of foreign tourists come afar for visiting the trunk hill.

Posed like a fishing man, grasping a bamboo pole with two cormorants and putting on a straw rain cap.

A complete picture of Elephant Trunk Hill.

The park is more attractive to the domestic tourists due to the added entertainment in the park.

Tip: Hassle-free Guilin Guided Tours

If you don’t want to do a self-guided tour and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for organized tours to Guilin:

Guilin Tour
Guilin Private Tour
Guilin Group Tour
Guilin Layover Tour
Beijing Guilin Tour
Hong Kong Guilin Tour
Guilin Car Rental with Driver
Guilin Customized Tour

Location of Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge

Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge is recognized by google map as “Chengyangqiao Scenic Area” since the scenic area of the same name mainly includes Chengyang Bridge itself and the eight Dong minority villages in the area.

Chengyangqiao Scenic Area located 19km north of Sanjiang County (三江), 147 km northwest of Guilin and 104km northwest of Longji Rice Terraces Sceni Spot.

Entrance fee: 60 yuan.

ABC of Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge

Built in 1912, Chengyang Bridge, also knows as “Yongji Bridge”, is a covered bridge, an architectural wonder which features the unique blend of the bridge, the corridor and the pavilions.

The bridge has 3 piers, 2 platforms ( at the both ends), five tower-type pavilions with upturned multi-level eaves. Made of the cedar and stones, Chengyang Bridge is 64.4 meters long, 3.4 meters wide and 10.6 meters high above the river known as Linxi River.

Chengyang Eight Dong Minority Villages

Chengyang Bridge is one of the 5 wind and rain bridges in this Dong minority region which include eight Dong villages – Ma An Village, Ping Village, Ping Tan Village Yan Village, Dong Village, Da Village, Ping Pu Village and Jichang Village, collectively known as Chengyang Eight Villages.

Each village has an impressive drum tower and an opera stage. The drum towers are the social places in the villages built like magnificent pagodas with multi-level eaves. One tall drum tower represents the center of a village.

You will also see hundreds of wooden houses, paddy fields and rivers with water wheels, a typical Dong minority portrait.

Guilin – Sanjiang ( Chengyang Bridge) – Guiyang by High Speed Train

A visit to Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge Scenic Area is often included in your travel plan when you are either planning your Guiyang tour or Guilin tour since it is located in the mid-way between Guilin and Guiyang.

Now Guilin, Sanjiang and Guiyang are connected by bullet trains (Google Road Map)

Now Guilin, Sanjiang and Guiyang are connected by bullet trains, very convenient to visit the three places in one travel itinerary.

Virtual Tour of Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge

Follow me to have a glimpse of the Dong minority villages. The eight Dong minority villages are dotted in a large area, not easy for a day tripper to cover them all.

Basically people would visit Ma An Village which is just across Chengyang Bridge, and nearby Yan Village and Ping Village.

The photo of Chengyang Bridge taken from its west end and its east end linked to Ma An Village.

Crossing the bridge

The river under the bridge known as Linxi River, limpid water with water wheels flanked by paddy fields with a background of wooden houses, a typical Dong village scene.

The Drum Tower at Ma An Village

The Helong Wind & Rain Bridge linking Ma An Village and Yan Village.

The Drum Tower at Yan Village

The Yan Village with the river flanked by wooden houses.

The Drum Tower at Ping Village

The Ping Village

The wooden House and Rice Fields

The narrow lane in the Dong Village

How to get there?

1. Take the bullet trains to Sanjiang from Guangzhou, Guilin and Guiyang. Arriving at Sanjiang South Railway Station. Then you take bus from the station to Sanjiang West Bus Station where you connect the local buses heading to Linxi (林溪) and get off at the stop of Chengyang Wind & Rain Scenic Area ( 6 yuan).

2. Take buses to Sanjiang from Guilin, Longji ( Longsheng) in Guangxi or Congjiang, Rongjiang or Guiyang from Guizhou. Then connect the local buses heading to Linxi (林溪) and get off at the stop of Chengyang Wind & Rain Scenic Area ( 6 yuan).

Where to Stay?

You are highly recommend to stay at Dong Village Hotel, a wooden 4-story house by Linxi River, just standing by another Wind and Rain Bride north of the world famous Chengyang Wind & Rain Bridge.

Each room has a balcony with a clear view of Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge. Contact Michael Yang: 0772 – 8582421.