The ‘Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Spot’ refers to the round-the-city water system comprised of Ronghu Lake, Shanhu Lake, Guihu Lake, Wooden Dragon Lake, Lijiang River and Peach Blossom River, and makes the area comparable to Venice. It is the most beautiful scenery in downtown Guilin with an investment of one billion Yuan by Guilin government.
By taking a boat ride on the four lakes, you will enjoy natural hills, such as Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, Folded Brocade Hill, Old Man Hill and Baoji Hill, historical sites, bridges, trees, pavilions, towers, and exposition gardens. The highlights will be the lighting around the lakes, cormorant fishing on the Guihu Lake, and folk dance and singing on Wooden Dragon Lake.
Having a leisurely walk around the lakes is also a good choice. You will have closer look at the scenery: the Sun and Moon Pagodas, the Ancient South Gate, the Glass Bridge, the White Arch Bridge and so on. To see how the local people socialize together and spend their night time will be a different and interesting experience for you.
The two pagodas are located in the Shanhu Lake. The Sun Pagoda is made of copper, 4m high with 9 stories; the Moon Pagoda is glazed, 35m high, with 7 stories. They are connected with a 18m underwater aquarium.
The Great Dipper Bridge is located in the east section of Ronghu Lake, with Central Island to the east and the Ancient South Gate to the west. As the bridge is shaped like a dipper, it is named “The Great Dipper Bridge”. The bridge railings are all made of superior white marble. It is 126.25m long and the longest white marble bridge in Guangxi Province. The white marble railings are carved with auspicious patterns full of folk customs.
Located in the center of Ronghu Lake, the island is connected to the land by the Great Dipper Bridge. The white-marble dragon boat, old-style pavilion, a 5.6m moon gate made of granite, some strangely-shaped rocks, and the black swans are the best sights to see here.
The Ancient South Gate is a key cultural relics protection unit in Guilin, also known as Banyan Gate. According to record, it was built by Li Jing, the famous general of Tang Dynasty in 621AD, after pacifying Lingnan. It has a history of more than 1300 years. During the Lantern Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, a lantern show is held here for celebration. It is a recreational place for local people.
This parallel double-bridge adopts the style of the famous Chinese Tianbao Bridge in the Old Summer Palace. It is strengthened with corrugated steel, and its beautiful, smooth lines compete with the beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains. The single bridge is 30 meters long and 4 meters wide.
The Millennium Ancient Banyan Tree is in front of the Ancient South Gate. It is an 800 year old ficus microcarpa, 18.6 meters tall, with a crown diameter of 32 meters.
Located on the Ronghu Lake, the Glass Bridge is made of crystal glass products which are characterized by a complex manufacturing process and exquisite modeling. It profoundly reflects the level of modern glass technology as it is the first practical bridge adopting the special crystal glass load-bearing system in China until now. The bridge is beautifully shaped and with its glittering, translucent body. At night, it is even more gorgeous through the high-tech nightscape lighting.