Guilin was my first trip in 2024. The trip lasted four days and three nights, and I visited the ancient towns of Huangyao, Yangshuo and Xingping.

Perhaps at a long-forgotten time I have visited Guilin proper with my parents. When I was growing up, Guilin was featured in one of the articles in my Chinese textbook as a place of iconic scenic beauty. As such, in those days of humble means, most Hong Kong people thought of Guilin as a wonderful travel destination. Most of the children in my generation would have visited Guilin before we turned teenage.

I retained no memory of that first trip in Guilin, however, and so I decided to see the magnificent landscapes of the surrounding areas of Guilin this time. There is an adventure element in this trip, as Huangyao was not a kind of place that common tourists go. I would certainly be seeing a face of Guilin that was not featured on my primary school textbook.

My itinerary was first day in Huangyao, then second day in Yangshuo, then finally the last day in Xingping. I returned to Hong Kong on the fourth day.

Some Preliminaries

Taking the High Speed Rail (HSR)

I would be taking the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Shenzhen North. I live in the North District in Hong Kong and so Shenzhen North is a much more convenient location for me. The ticket is also cheaper with a departure from Shenzhen (versus that of the West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong).

If you are travelling by HSR, be sure to book tickets at least a month in advance. While the tickets are open for booking only two weeks prior to the travel date, Trip.com allows you to book a little earlier (it puts you in a queue, so to speak). And even though I booked the tickets in December for the January trip, I had not managed to book the return trip from Guilin direct to Shenzhen North. Instead I had to stop by Guangzhou South before heading back to Shenzhen North.

I do believe that ticketing for the HSR is a hassle at any time of the year, therefore plan early.

In terms of how HSR works, there is no issued ticket now. What you do is to arrive at the station early for electronic check-in (please do remember that the auto check-in queue in the West Kowloon Station will not admit you if you try to get through less than 20 minutes before your departure time). At the machine, simply place your ID (either your Return Home Permit or your passport, whatever document you used to book your ticket), and the scanner should recognize you and admit you.

However, it has been very annoying that the ticket scanners at many of the mainland HSR stations did not recognize my Home Return Permit as Hong Kong resident. Please be prepared that this will happen when scanner fails, and what you do is simply approach the staff, who usually stand on the sides of the ticket scanners, for manual check-in.

E-Payment Apps

As I have discussed before, China is rapidly proceeding to a cashless society. E-payment has become a near-irreplaceable means in any kind of transaction. Some tourist venues no longer accept cash payments.

This trip was my first trip outside of the Greater Bay Area. Although my Alipay and WeChat Pay worked without issues in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, I did have to go through more confirmation procedures when I tried to use my payment apps in Guilin. The hiccups usually happen when I tried to pay individuals, and you most likely would run into that situation when you take a taxi or when you eat at very small restaurants or purchase at small vendors.

I guess my only advice for tourists looking to visit China is to do all confirmation and linking of these apps with your bank account and credit card before you go on the trip. You may still run into hiccups, and in that case you would just have to follow the instructions on the payment apps as they come. There was one occasion in this trip where I really had to use my cash. Be sure to prepare cash with you, and smaller bills would be more handy because usually it is with small vendors that glitches happen.

I also think that one must have both WeChat Pay and Alipay set up when they travel in China. WeChat Pay is generally more popular. Also, there are times when one does not work, but the other does. Therefore both e-payment apps are necessary.

China Mobile Phone Number

I do not have a China mobile phone number and at many points in my travel it was quite an inconvenience. For example, for all kinds of private car calling apps, you would not be able to even sign in without a China phone number. Also in many museums and ticketing sites, for pre-booking they only allow a China phone number for registration.

In my travels to Shenzhen, Guangzhou and this trip to Guilin, I did manage to survive without having a China phone number, but if I were to go farther still for longer trips (which I am planning), then acquiring a China phone number is necessary, both for the sake of convenience and safety.

For Hong Kong residents, the easiest way to go about getting a China phone number is by topping up your current mobile phone plan with your carrier.

Wifi and Mobile Data

Whenever I travel in China I simply purchase roaming plans with my existing carrier in Hong Kong. The data from my roaming plan works well but it is limited.

The problem with China networks is that VPN is necessary, especially with your phone. Without VPN, you would not be able to access the internet with the hotel wifi with your phone. For my laptop, however, there is no connectivity issue with hotel wifi.