Longsheng Travel Guide, Plan a Longji Terraced Trip!

Facts of Longsheng

• Landforms: Mountainous areas
• Location: Northwest Guilin
• Distance: 87KM from Guilin
• Famous for Terrace Fields, Hot Spring, Clothing, and Wooden Houses of Ethnic Minority

1. Attractions, what to do and to see

Longsheng is the county contains the town of Longji, and Longsheng tourism contains two important parts, one is Longsheng hot spring, in the northeast of the Longji terraces, it takes 10-12 hours on foot from Jinkeng Dazhai; driving through Longsheng county, it takes 1 hour; the other is the Longji terraces, it includes three important parts, Longji Pingan village, Jinkeng Dazhai village, and Xiaozhai village, tourists often go to the Pingan village terraces and Jinkeng Red Yao terraces, the two most famous attractions in Longsheng.

The best attractions to visit in Longsheng

Ping'an Zhuangzhai and the terraced fields

Ping'an Zhuangzhai is a village inhabited by the Zhuang ethnic group, and the houses in the village are characterized by wooden hanging towers; the terraced fields in Ping'an Zhuangzhai have two famous landscapes: "Seven Stars Accompanying the Moon" and "Nine Dragons and Five Tigers"; the ancient Zhuangzhai village is a village in Ping'an village, 30 minutes walk from the village. The ancient village is a 30-minute walk from Ping'an Zhuangzhai and is a popular tourist attraction. More about Ping'an Village and the terraced Fields >>

Dazhai Village and Jinkeng Red Yao Terraces

Dazhai Village is a gathering place for the Red Yao people, who like to wear red costumes, especially during festivals, and the wooden hanging towers are also a special feature of this ethnic group. There are three famous scenic spots: "Xishan Shaole" and "Golden Buddha's Peak". There is a cable car from the entrance of the Dazhai Scenic Area to the No.3 viewing point, the Golden Buddha Peak, operating hours: 8:30-17:30. Longsheng Terraced Fields >>

Longsheng Hot Spring

Longsheng Hot Spring is located 32 kilometers northeast of Longsheng County by the Shorling Stream, which is 40 minutes away by car from the county. The water temperature ranges from 45°C to100°C and contains more than a dozen trace elements that are beneficial to your body, including lithium, strontium, iron, zinc, and copper. Longsheng Hot Spring is perfect for a stop after a long hike or for seniors to stay for a few days and explore the surrounding scenery while soaking in the hot springs. Hot Spring travel itinerary for your reference

Xiaozhai Village

Xiaozhai Village, a Pan's Red Yao minority settlement. The village has a history of several hundred years since it was founded in the Ming Dynasty. A small stream runs through the village, and a stone road runs up the Shuksi River, with traditional dry-rail wooden hanging houses scattered throughout. In the morning, smoke rises from the cooking pots, a tranquil scene of a paradise. If you want to experience the more original Longji and terraced fields, come and visit Xiaozhai village!

Huangluo Yao Village

Huangluo Yao Village is located in the Longji Scenic Area and is the only Yao village among the 13 villages in Longji, inhabited by a clear red Yao ethnic group. Since ancient times, Red Yao women have had the traditional habit of storing long hair. Among the 60 households in the village, there are 60 people with hair over one metre long, with the longest reaching 1.7 metres, and their long hair is coiled on their heads. The village has been awarded the "Guinness Group Longest Hair" and is known as the world's first long-haired village. You can go to Huangluo Yaozhai village before going to Ping'an Zhuangzhai village because it is a side trip.

Yinshui Dong Village

Yinshui Dong Village is 1.5 km west of Longsheng County, with a total area of 3,000 square metres. It is a Dong minority folk village with a unique style of wind and rain bridge, pavilions and corridors, and a four-sided, tile-roofed, tower-shaped drum tower with flying corners. If you go to Longsheng Hot Spring, then you can visit it on the way. More about Yinshui Dong Village >>

2. Cuisine, what to eat

For those who come to Longsheng, the first thing you want to do is to see the famous Longji Terraces, and then you can have a meal of Longsheng's specialties to make the journey perfect. What is the best food to try on a trip to the Longji Terraces? To give you a list of food worth tasting on a trip to the Longji Terraces, all so delicious that you won't want to leave.

What do you think is the most interesting dish?

NO. 1, Bamboo rice: rice soaked in mountain spring water, with ingredients such as bacon, fungus, and dried bamboo shoots, packed into a fresh bamboo tube, the mouth of the tube is stuffed tightly with fresh bamboo leaves and placed on the fire for grilling. The bamboo for the bamboo rice is cut back from the mountains behind the terraces in the early morning, with green skin, lightly covered with a layer of white frost. You might be interested in Bamboo Rice Making Experience.

NO. 2, Longsheng bamboo shoots: Longsheng produces a variety of bamboo species, with the largest production of Moso bamboo, asparagus, and pendulum bamboo shoots, which are sweet and crisp with a unique natural flavor of the mountains. Among them, Longsheng's bamboo shoots (called bitter bamboo shoots in medical science) have a local character and have the effect of clearing heat, eliminating dampness, and promoting water retention.More Bamboo shoots experience for your reference!

NO. 3, Fish sashimi: The freshwater of the Xun River in Longsheng is so sweet that the fish in the river is tender and does not taste fishy, so it is used to make fish sashimi, which is crisp and refreshing, and people in Longsheng will make their own fish sashimi to eat when guests visit or during the New Year holidays. The local grass carp is used in Longsheng's fish sashimi, and the dipping sauce is not the traditional mustard spice, but sour water made from rakkyo, which has a slightly spicy and sour taste.

NO. 4, Oil tea: Drinking oil tea is a custom of the Longsheng minority, and the people of Longsheng can hardly live without it. The tea soup is made from the finest old-growth cloud tea and is eaten with fried rice, fried fruit, peanuts, spring onions, ginger, and fish herbs. Sanjiang, Rongshui, Longsheng and other places of the Miao people especially love to drink oil tea, some places drink oil tea three times a day, drink morning oil tea, drink noon oil tea and then eat lunch, drink oil tea before cooking dinner.

NO. 5, The Three Treasures of the Dong Family (Sour Fish, Sour Meat, Sour Duck): In places where the Dong people live, such as the Longji Terraces in Longsheng, people have always maintained the habit of eating sour food, and almost all food can be made into sour. There are three main seasons when the Dong people make sour duck, the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, and before the Spring Festival, they make sour duck and sour pork.The Dong people make sour in three main periods: sour duck on the half of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, sour fish on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, sour duck and sour pork before the Chinese New Year, and so on, while sour vegetables are usually made according to the various seasons.

NO. 6, Water Wine: The water wine is made from the original juice of glutinous rice, sealed with a local brew, and then mixed with a sweet spring. The taste is sweet and refreshing, moistening the spleen and giving it a refreshing taste, but don't drink too much. It is said that the people of the 13 villages of Longji have rosy skin and live long and healthy lives because they drink wine all the time.

Zhuang rice wine is made from glutinous rice grown in the terraced fields and a wine malt made from herbs from the mountains of Longsheng.

Steps for making glutinous rice wine

• Step 1: steaming the glutinous rice in a wooden barrel over a wood-burning stove to make glutinous rice.
• Step 2: Pour the steamed glutinous rice into a bamboo sieve and spread it out until it is at the right temperature, sprinkle on the wine malt and mix well.
• Step 3: put the glutinous rice mixed with the wine quill into a clay pot and seal the mouth of the pot.
• Step 4: Place the pot with the glutinous rice in a place where it can be kept at a constant temperature. Two weeks later the fragrant, sweet and mellow Zhuang rice wine will have been produced.

NO. 7, Rice Dumpling: A single rice pole can tie two dumplings, a dumpling unique to Longsheng. There are two types of dumplings, pointed and square, each with different ingredients. The sweet ones are sweet but not too sweet, and the salty ones have a moderate taste and are made in almost every household.

NO. 8, Smoked Bacon: Bacon is made from fresh skinned pork, marinated in salt, black pepper, cloves, allspice, fennel, and other spices, then smoked and hung on the stove top or stored in the fridge; bacon is used to stir-fry chilies or bamboo shoots for a delicious meal; bacon is steamed with rice, making it a must-try for many.

3. Accommodations, where to stay

There are many boutique hotels in Longji Ping'An Village, but most are for domestic travelers; some are in the village, some are near the attractions, some are above the attractions and have beautiful views of the terraced rice fields from their windows; Bacchus Boutique Hotel, prices range from 90 to 150 USD per night; Ping An Inn from 20 to 40 USD per night; Li'An Lodge from 200 to 400 USD per night. These hotels have a lot of experience with foreign guests, although some boutiques may look very beautiful, they are lacking in foreign guest services and the experience is not too good.

Ping'an Old Location Inn, price from USD20 to 50 per night with breakfast:

• Standard room, 2 single beds, 22 sqm
• Family Room, 1 double bed and 1 single bed, 25 sqm
• Deluxe Twin Room (With balcony), 2 double beds, 22 sqm
• Elegant Room (2 beds) (Balcony), 2 single beds, 25 sqm

Baike Boutique Hotel, price from USD90 to 150 per night with breakfast:

• Double room with balcony, 1 double bed, 45 Sqm
• Twin room with 2 beds, 45 sqm
• Family room with a balcony, 2 bunk beds, and 1 large double bed, 45 sqm
• Superior family room, 2 bunk beds, and 1 large double bed, 50 sqm
• Trip room, 3 single beds, 50 sqm

Li'An Lodge, price USD from USD200 to 400 per night with breakfast:

• Bluet & White, Standard Twin Room with 2 Twin Beds
• Terra Cotta, Standard Twin Room with 2 Twin Beds
• Double Happiness, Terrace View King Room with 2 Twin Beds
• Window, Terrace View King Room with 1 King Bed
• Rock, Terrace View King Room with 1 King Bed
• Harvest, Terrace View King Room with 1 King Bed
• Calligraphy, Terrace View Twin Room with 2 Twin Beds
• Melody, Terrace View King Room with 1 King Bed
• Celadon, Terrace View Junior Suite with 1 King Bed
• Four Seasons, Terrace View Suite with 1 King Bed, Extra Bed Available

4. Weather, when to travel

Longsheng is located in the subtropical zone and has a monsoonal climate with abundant rainfall and a pleasant climate, with an annual average temperature of 18.1°C. The lowest temperature of the year is from December to February. The temperature rises gradually in March, but in March and April, there are often 3 to 7 consecutive days of weather below 12°C. July and August are the highest months of the year, with the average monthly temperature above 26°C.

Historical temperatures in Longsheng.

• March-May, temperatures from 16 °C to 34 °C
• June-August, from 27 °C to 37 °C
• September-November, temperatures from 17 to 36 °C
• December-February, temperatures from 0 to 22 °C

When is the best time to visit Longsheng?

The best time to visit the Longji Terraces is from June to October before the rice harvest; the best time to visit Longji Hot Springs is from November to April. Avoid the National Day (1st-8th October) travel, which is crowded, and the cost of travel increases because hotels and other prices can go up a bit outrageously.

Every year from February to May, in addition to the rainy season, there are mountains of rape flowers in full bloom all over the terraces.

From the end of May to June, after the rainy season in March and April, the terraces are largely filled with water and the local farmers begin to plow in preparation for the rice planting, when the terraces are sparkling, with sunrise and sunset on sunny days, a sea of clouds and wind on rainy days and a starry sky at night.

From July to mid-September, when the seedlings are in the middle of their growth,

the whole terraced field is green and lush as far as the eye can see, giving a sense of hope. Farmers sometimes work in the fields, pulling out weeds and fixing the paths between the rice fields; this is a good time to escape the heat of the day and the coolness of the morning and evening.

From late September to mid-autumn in October,

the rice in the terraces grows full and golden; the whole terraces are a sea of gold all over the hills and the harvest season attracts visitors from all over the world; this is the peak tourist season and the cost increases accordingly.

In winter, there is little inside the terraces, but if it snows, it is a rare sight, a rare opportunity to enjoy the snowy terraces; the Spring Festival adds a cultural touch to the terraces in winter, as families prepare for the New Year.

5. Culture, festivals, what to experience

Longsheng is home to the cultures of the Yao, Zhuang and Dong minorities, as well as a wide variety of festivals and cultural activities.

• Huangluo Yaozhai March 3  Long Hair Festival (the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar every year)
• Ancient Zhuang Village Ploughing Festival (April-May every year in the lunar calendar)
• Ping'an Village Planting Festival (May-June every year)
• Jinkeng Dazhai Village Red Yao Clothes Sun-Dry Festival (every year on the sixth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar)

March 3 Long Hair Festival in Huangluo Yaozhai Village

• What to see: Watch the long hair-dressing performance
• When: Every year on the third day of the third lunar month
• Where: Huangluo Yaozhai Village, Longji Terraces

Highlights

• Red Yao sister-in-law's long-hair rice panning water recipe
• Ancient and mysterious rite of passage for young Red Yao girls
• Red Yao Long Hair Competition

March 3 is a great time to go out to the Longji terraces to see the greenery in full spring color. On that day, red Yao girls from all villages dress up in their festive attire and come to Huangluo Red Yao Village. The annual Longji March 3rd Longhair Festival is a colorful local folklore program.

The gongs and drums welcome the guests, the mountain songs are sung, and the ancient and mysterious rite of passage for young girls is performed, along with the original Red Yao songs and dances, the Yao boys and girls from various villages bring visitors wonderful dances, catwalk shows of red Yao costumes, robbing the golden chicken and catching the fish in the river and other folk performances. In the evening, young Yao men and women dance around a bonfire to bring the festival to a climax.

Can I join the festival? Yes, girls can rent a Yao costume from a local Yao family to wear on a photo shoot.

Ancient Zhuangzhai Village Ploughing Festival

• What to see: Bringing water into the fields, opening the plow and, moving the land
• When: April-May
• Where: Ancient Zhuang Village, Longji Terraces

Highlights

• Sacred altar offering ceremony
• Collective farming
• Catching fish in the fields

The Ploughing Festival begins after the Qingming Festival and the Guyu Festival when the mountain birds are crying, signaling the arrival of spring plowing. Deep in the mountains, the people of Longji choose a good day to offer incense to the god of the land, led by the village elder and the master of the village, to pray for the gods to bless the village with good weather and good harvests before the plowing begins each year. After the ceremony, a cannon goes off and the whole village opens a canal to divert water into the fields, starting the plowing process.

Can I join in: to get more involved in the area, the boys can try catching fish in the fields, which will be cooked for the dinner that evening.

Ping'an Village Rice Planting Festival

• What to see: Bringing water into the fields, opening the plow and moving the land
• When: May-June
• Where: Ping'an Village, Longji Terraces

Highlights

• Carrying the "mother of the rice plant" and setting up an altar to disperse the seedlings
• Rice planting
• Tug-of-war on the terraces

The Rice Planting Festival is a traditional folk festival in Longji County. At the time of the "Grain in Beard", the local villagers choose a good day to burn incense and worship the "Mother of Rice" at the edge of the "Mother of Rice" field, led by the village elder and the master of the village.

Can I join in: on the day of the rice planting festival, visitors can experience the fun of planting rice seedlings themselves. Planting green hope and looking forward to the golden autumn of Longji.

Red Yao Clothes Sun-Dry Festival

• What to see: Red Clothes Sunbathing, Real Red Yao Folk Wedding
• When: Every year on the 6th day of the 6th lunar month
• Where: Jinkeng Dazhai Village, Longji Terraces

Highlights

• Red clothes are hung all over the hanging towers
• Punching a wooden trough to punch a poop
• Watching a Red Yao Wedding

The annual Clothes Sun-drying Festival on the 6th day of the 6th lunar month is one of the grandest traditional festivals of the Red Yao minority in Longji, apart from the Spring Festival. On that day, the village is filled with guests, and daughters and sons who have married off and joined the family in other villages return to their in-laws' homes for a reunion dinner, carrying ducks, wine and gifts, and families wrap Rice Dumplings.

Can I take part: Girls can hire local Red Yao costumes and follow the long bridal procession to see off the bride and experience a large folkloric wedding with a thousand people giving away their bride. Young men and women who are planning to travel to get married can also sign up for this annual grand folklore wedding experience, which is definitely different from weddings in the city.

6. Travel Itinerary, how to plan a Longji Rice Terrace trip

The travel itinerary for Longsheng is relatively simple and can be roughly divided into villages such as Ping'an Zhuang Village, Ancient Zhuang Village, Dazhai Jinkeng, Xiaozhai and Longsheng Hot Spring. The hot springs are not in the same direction as the terraces, but in the same direction as the Yinshui Dong Village.

Longsheng Longji Terraces itinerary for your reference.

• Day 1: Guilin to Ping’an Village, hiking to the Ancient Zhuang Village and exploring the rice terraces and villages in the afternoon. Back to Ping’an Village and overnight.
• Day 2: Visit the main sights Seven Star chase the Moon, Nine Dragons and Five Tigers and villages, then drive back to Guilin or overnight in Ping’an Village for 1 more night.
• Day 3: Hike about 4-5 hours from Ping’an Village to Dazhai Village in the morning, and make bamboo rice for lunch; Explore the three main scenic spots in the afternoon, overnight in Dazhai Village or drive back to Guilin.
• Day 4: Hike about 2 hours from Dazhai Village to Xiaozhai Village, overnight or drive back to Guilin.

• Helpful Longsheng Travel Itineraries for your reference

Experiences that you can put in your itinerary: Bamboo Rice Making, Oil Tea Making, Down on the Farm,  and Traditional Paper Making.

7. Transportation, how to get there

If you take buses instead of a direct car, the route is a bit complicated and time-consuming; it is best to find a few friends to share a car and take it directly to the ticket Office of Longsheng terrace fields scenic spot, which is convenient and time-saving.

Guilin Airport to Longji Terrace Fields Ticket Office: Airport-Downtown-Qintan Bus Station-Longji, take the Airport Bus Downtown Line 1 at Gate 6, T2 Arrivals Hall, get off at Southern Airline Building(南方航空大厦), walk to the Qintan Bus Station(琴潭汽车站) buy a ticket to Longji Terrace Fields(龙脊梯田). About 1 hour by bus from the Airport to Qintan Bus Station, abouand t 1.5 – 2 hours from the Bus Station to Longji Terrace Fields Ticket Office by changing to a van at the Longji junction(龙脊路口).

Guilin South Train Station to Longji Terrace Fields Ticket Office: about 10 minutes by taxi from the station to Qintan Bus Station, and buy tickets to Longji Terrace Fields, get off at the Longji Junction, change to a van to the ticket Office. The route: South Train Station/汽车南站 – Qintan Bus Station/琴潭汽车站 – Longji Junction/龙脊路口 – Ticket Office/售票处

Guilin North Train Station to Longji Terrace Fields Ticket Office: about 1 hour by taxi from North Train Station to Qintan Train Station, about 2 hours from Qintan Bus Station to Longji Junction, and 15 minutes from the junction to the ticket Office. The route: North Train Station/火车北站 – Qintan Bus Station/琴潭汽车站 – Longji Junction/龙脊路口 – Ticket Office/售票处

Guilin Downtown to Longji Terrace Fields Ticket Office: you have to get to the Qintan Bus Station and buy a ticket to Longji Junction,  and change to a van to the ticket office.

Guilin to Longsheng Hot Spring: Get to the Qintan bus Station, buy a ticket to Longsheng County at the Longsheng Bus Station that takes about 2 hours, buy another bus ticket to the Longsheng Hot Spring, and you will get off the bus at the entrance after 1-hour driving, and then you have to walk about 15-20 minutes to reach the place. The route: Qintan Bus Station/琴潭汽车站 – Longsheng/龙胜汽车站 – Longsheng Hot Spring/龙胜温泉

Yangshuo to Longji Terrace Fields Ticket Office: You might be able to find a direct bus by booking through your guide or hotel, a better way than get there via Guilin. Otherwise, you need to take a 1.5 hours bus from Yangshuo to Guilin Bus Station, and take about 40 minutes by taxi to Qintan Bus Station to buy the ticket.

Longji Terrace Fields Ticket Office to Hot Spring: Your hotel or guide may help you to arrange a shared direct bus to the Hot Spring, if not, you need to get down to the Ticket Office, take a van to Longsheng Bus Station and buy a ticket to Hot Spring by the way mentioned above.

Longji Terrace Fields Ticket Office to Sanjiang Chengyang Eight Villages: the best way is to hire a vehicle and shared with other travelers to drive to the destination directly thatt takes about 1 hour; or take a bus or van from the Ticket Office to Longsheng Bus Station and take a bus to Sanjiang County, then find a van to Chengyang Eight Villages which takes about 3-4 hours for the whole journey.

What experience would enrich my Guilin trip?

• Cultural experiences and outdoor activities such as Cooking, painting, taichi, family visiting, paper making, cormorant fishing, biking, helicopter, rock climing,cave explore, camping, etc.
• Longsheng Travel Itineraries from 1 to 5 Days for your Reference
• When is the Best Time and Season to Travel to Longsheng?
• What are the Best Attraction in Longsheng worth visiting?
• Just tell us your interests and we will Customize a Trip for you!