Everyone knows that Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven; but few know that the nightscape of Guilin's Two Rivers and Four Lakes is hailed as the 'Oriental Venice'. When you come to Guilin, besides cruising the Li River and visiting Yangshuo, missing the night tour of the Two Rivers and Four Lakes would be a truly regrettable thing. Because you would miss out on the history and beauty of Guilin's water city.
Guilin's 'Two Rivers and Four Lakes' refers to the Li River, Peach Blossom River, and Mulong Lake, Gui Lake, Rong Lake, and Shan Lake. The Two Rivers and Four Lakes connect Guilin city, with a ring water system spanning 7 kilometers. Guilin's water tours flourished in the Tang Dynasty and peaked in the Song Dynasty, when the city was dotted with lakes and ponds and had a developed water system. A small boat could take you to many scenic spots in the city. However, as times changed, the rivers and lakes were cut off, and water tours declined. After 2000, Guilin city re-excavated and dredged the Two Rivers and Four Lakes, rejuvenating the ancient lakes and making them a new tourism名片 for Guilin and an excellent evening destination for visitors.
Visitors by boat can not only tour three distinctive main scenic areas—the Chinese classical garden Rongshan Lake Scenic Area, the harmonious ecological garden Gui Lake Scenic Area, and the Song Dynasty historical culture garden Mulong Lake Scenic Area—but also enjoy the newly built Famous Bridge Expo Park, Famous Flowers, Trees, and Grasses Expo Park, Pavilion and Terrace Expo Park, and Sculpture Expo Park within the scenic area. Moreover, from the boat, you can also view over ten famous traditional mountains in Guilin, including Elephant Trunk Hill, Wave-Subduing Hill, Folded Brocade Hill, Yao Hill, Baoji Hill, and Old Man Hill. It can be said that a night tour of Guilin's Two Rivers and Four Lakes offers a panoramic view of famous mountains and great rivers, truly great value for money.
Source (Online): Si Hai Man You
