Ping'an village homestays
Sleep inside the terraces and be on a viewpoint at sunrise instead of sitting in a car.
Longji Rice Terraces
The terraces are one of the few landscapes in China that still rewards walking rather than viewing: the paths between villages are the actual experience.
- Ticket
- Full ticket CNY 80 (per 市价检〔2018〕21号); group CNY 78; half-price CNY 40. Scenic shuttle CNY 40; Huangluo Yao village performance CNY 80; Jinkeng cable car CNY 100 return / CNY 55 one way.
- Reservation
- required before you go
- Opening hours
- Open 24 hours, year-round.
- Last entry
- Ticket office hours vary — buy online in advance.
- Time needed
- A full day from Guilin (estimated)
- Best time
- Apr–May (water-filled terraces) and Sep–Oct (golden harvest); the 2026 Jinkeng rice harvest falls on 1 November.
- Closed days
- Open year-round; no fixed closure days.
- Accessibility
- Steep stone paths; not suitable for wheelchairs
Reservation and passport rules
Reservation: required before you go
- Passport: not confirmed — check the official site
- Book ahead: Book ahead: the official site accepts bookings until 24:00 three days before the visit; daily capacity 32,000 (instant 28,000)
- Channels: Official Longji website; Official WeChat mini-program; Licensed OTAs (Ctrip / Meituan)
The scenic area runs a full reservation system; entry stops when the daily or instant capacity is reached. Passport acceptance is not explicitly stated — confirm when booking.
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Chinese address card
Chinese address card · 中文地址
龙脊梯田（龙胜各族自治县龙脊镇）
广西桂林市龙胜各族自治县龙脊镇
Ask for 龙脊梯田 (Longji); the drive from Guilin is about 2–3 hours (estimated).
Address precision: district
Why visit
The terraces are one of the few landscapes in China that still rewards walking rather than viewing: the paths between villages are the actual experience.
The Ping'an and Dazhai areas feel different; two nights is how people who love it do it, not one day.
Autumn gold and spring water are the two seasons worth rearranging a trip for.
How to get there
- Private driver / day tour — The practical option from Guilin. Agree the departure time the night before; note that mountain roads are slow after dark. (2–3 hours each way (estimated))
- Public bus — Buses towards Longsheng exist but require a change; slower and not well signed in English.
Before you go
- Do not try to visit the terraces and catch an evening train back to Guilin: the mountain roads at night are slow and the last transfers leave early.
- Carry cash for village extras and snacks; signal is patchy on the paths.
Best time and crowds
- Late spring after the fields are flooded is the classic view; autumn gold is the other peak.
- National Day is packed — the paths bottleneck and buses queue on the single access road.
- Winter is bare and quiet, and some homestays close.
Hotels near the entrance
Distance to the gate matters more than the star rating. Compare both options before booking.
Guilin city
Simpler as a day trip, but you spend six hours of it on the road.
Nearby
- Li River Cruise — A different day entirely — the river is south-east, the terraces are north-west.
Questions
Can I do the Longji terraces as a day trip from Guilin?
Yes, but it is almost entirely a driving day: three hours each way plus three or four on the terraces. Staying one night in the villages is much better value.
When should I visit the terraces?
Two windows: when the fields are flooded in spring and when the rice turns gold in autumn. Summer is green; winter is bare brown and some places close.