The Longji Rice Terraces from National Geographic are healing

The following is an in-depth travel guide for the Longji Rice Terraces in Guilin, Guangxi, combining the wonders of the terraced fields in all seasons, ethnic minority culture, and immersive experiences to help you unlock the visual feast of the "most beautiful curves on Earth"! 🌾🏞️ I. Introduction to Longji Rice Terraces Located in Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County, Guilin, the Longji Rice Terraces have a history of 650 years. They are an agricultural miracle created by the Zhuang and Yao ancestors and are known as one of the "most beautiful rice terraces in China." - 🌟Key Highlights: - Four Seasons Scenery: Spring is like a silver belt, summer surges with green waves, autumn is dyed golden, and winter is covered with snow (rare). - Ethnic Customs: Huangluo Yao Village (Long Hair Village), Ping'an Zhuang Village, experience the red-clothed Yao dance and Zhuang bamboo pole dance. - Hiking Paradise: The terraced fields hiking route connects cloud villages and is a light and shadow mecca for photography enthusiasts. II. Best Time to Travel - 🌸Watering Season: Mid-April to early June (mirror-like terraced fields reflect the sky, the best season for photography). - 🌾Harvest Season: Late September to mid-October (golden rice waves roll, the most beautiful week after the Mid-Autumn Festival). - 🍃Summer Season: July to August (terraced fields are green, but it rains a lot, so be careful of slipping). - ❄️Snow Season: December to January (low chance of encountering snow, pay attention to cold wave forecasts). III. Transportation Guide 1️⃣ Arrival by Major Transportation - ✈️Airplane: Guilin Liangjiang Airport → Chartered car to Longji Rice Terraces (2.5 hours, CNY 300–400/car). - 🚄High-speed train: Guilin North/Guilin West Station → Take a special bus to the scenic area (departs from Guilin Xiangjiang Hotel, CNY 50/person). - 🚗Self-driving: Guilin → Baomao Expressway → Longsheng Exit → Longji Rice Terraces (mountain roads with many bends, novices should be cautious). 2️⃣ Transportation within the Scenic Area - 🚌Scenic Area Bus: The ticket includes shuttle buses between the villages (Ping'an Village, Dazhai Village, and Jinkeng Terraces are interconnected). - 🚡Cable Car: Jinkeng Terraces (Dazhai) round trip CNY 100, direct to the "Golden Buddha Peak" viewing platform. - 👟Hiking: Stone slab roads connect the main scenic spots, travel light (wear non-slip shoes!). IV. Must-Visit Attractions and Experiences 1. Core Terraced Field Viewing Platform - Xishan Shaoyue (Ping'an Village): 🌄First choice for sunrise! The terraced field lines are like snail patterns, and it is like a fairyland when the morning mist is diffused. - Thousand-Layer Ladder (Ping'an Village): 📸The staggered terraced fields are like steps to heaven, and the reverse light shooting in the evening has an excellent sense of layering. - Golden Buddha Peak (Jinkeng Terraces): 🌅Sunset + sea of clouds in the same frame, cable car direct, a blessing for lazy people. - Seven Stars Accompanying the Moon (Ping'an Village): 🌙Seven small hills surround the central terraced fields, a classic promotional film location. 2. Ethnic Customs Experience - Huangluo Yao Village: 💇♀️"World's No. 1 Long Hair Village" to see the red Yao women's hair bun (hair length over 1.8m), participate in the bonfire party (CNY 80/person). - Ping'an Zhuang Village: 🏡Live in a stilted building, learn to make bamboo rice and oily tea, and watch the terraced fields with cooking smoke in the morning. 3. Hiking Route Recommendation - Light Hike: Ping'an Village → Seven Stars Accompanying the Moon → Nine Dragons and Five Tigers (1.5 hours, stone slab road). - Deep Crossing: Dazhai → Tiantouzhai → Golden Buddha Peak → Zhonglu Village (4 hours, secret place in the hinterland of the terraced fields). V. Itinerary Suggestions 2 Days and 1 Night Classic Tour - Day 1: Guilin → Longji Rice Terraces → Ping'an Village (Seven Stars Accompanying the Moon + Thousand-Layer Ladder) → Overnight in a stilted building - Day 2: Xishan Shaoyue Sunrise → Huangluo Yao Village → Jinkeng Terraces Cable Car → Return trip 3 Days In-depth Tour - Day 1: Ping'an Village Terraced Fields Hike → Overnight in "Yun Ya Qingxi" landscape homestay - Day 2: Jinkeng Terraces (Golden Buddha Peak + Thousand-Layer Ladder) → Explore the ancient Yao village of Zhonglu Village - Day 3: Huangluo Yao Village → Longsheng Hot Spring (relax on the way back) VI. Accommodation Recommendation - 🌟First choice for landscape control: - Jinkeng Terraces "Panoramic Building" (windows with thousands of acres of terraced fields, CNY 600+/night). - Ping'an Village "Longji Yundu" (starry sky terrace + independent viewing bathtub, CNY 800+/night). - 💰Cost-effective choice: - Dazhai "Tiantouzhai Homestay" (terraced fields when you open the window, CNY 200-300/night). - 🏕️Featured experience: - Yao stilted building (public bathroom, CNY 80-150/bed, feel the original ecology). VII. Food Recommendations 1️⃣ Bamboo Rice: 🎋Glutinous rice + bacon + shiitake mushroom bamboo tube charcoal grilled, CNY 15/portion, must try! 2️⃣ Longji Native Chicken: 🐔Stewed in spring water, the soup is fresh and the meat is tender, "Ameng's Restaurant" has a good reputation. 3️⃣ Glutinous Rice Wine: 🍶Zhuang homemade, sweet and slightly drunk, CNY 10/small pot. 4️⃣ Sour Soup Fish: 🐟Paddy field fish + tomato sour soup, appetizing and dispelling cold, CNY 50 per person. VIII. Tickets and Fees - 🎫Tickets: CNY 80/person (including all terraced field areas such as Ping'an Village and Dazhai Village). - 💰Average budget: - 2 days and 1 night: CNY 500-800 - 3 days and 2 nights: CNY 1,000-1,500 IX. Precautions 1️⃣ 🚗Self-driving Tips: - The mountain roads in the scenic area are narrow, and shuttle buses are required during peak season (CNY 40/person). 2️⃣ 👟Hiking Equipment: - Non-slip hiking shoes, raincoat, hiking poles (stone steps are slippery in the rainy season). 3️⃣ 📸Photography Notice: - Arrive at the viewing platform 1 hour before sunrise to take a seat, tripod is essential. 4️⃣ 🙏Respect Customs: - The long hair of the Yao village is a "symbol of life", do not touch it at will; do not sit astride the fire pit in the main room. X. Hidden Gameplay and Tips - 🌌Starry Sky Secret Realm: Stay overnight in a terraced field homestay and take pictures of the Milky Way arch at 3-4 am (avoid the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar). - 🌾Farming Experience: Participate in harvesting rice in September (contact the homestay for arrangements, approx. CNY 100/person). - 📜In-depth Humanities: - Visit the village elders to listen to the history of terraced field reclamation and learn to sing the Zhuang Duoye song. - Lunar June 6th "Clothes Drying Festival" (Red Yao drying brocade clothes, grand parade). ✨Ultimate Reminder: - Accommodation premiums are tripled during peak seasons (May Day/National Day/Mid-Autumn Festival), book 1 month in advance! - Go up the mountain lightly, suitcases can be stored at the scenic entrance (CNY 10/day). - Joint tour suggestion: Play in Guilin Yangshuo on the way back (3 hours by car), a double kill of landscape + terraced fields! The beauty of Longji Rice Terraces is the ingenious craftsmanship of the earth's sculpture and the millennium dialogue between man and nature. Take this guide and feel the shock of the "most beautiful curves on earth"! 🌾📸