Visiting Ping’An and the Longji Rice Terraces in Guangxi, China!

Some of the places I have most enjoyed visiting over the past few months have been the remote little hill towns which can only be reached by taking a minivan through a series of snake-like roads that take you round and round as you slowly ascend up the mountains. I’m not staying I enjoy getting there – that’s the part where I close my eyes, hold on to the front seat, and pray while the bus driver plays chicken with other vehicles, seemingly oblivious to the cliff on the lefthand side – however, once that is over and I am back on solid ground, these destinations are exactly my kind of place.

Remote Hillside Town

Like with many of the hillside towns I had previously visited (the Cameron Highlands and Sapa come to mind), getting to Longji wasn’t easy. Overturned trucks could sporadically be spotted on the side of the road and there were a few occasions where we nearly ran a pedestrian or two over. However, in spite of this, our tour guide insisted that we had nothing to worry about, “Your driver is master – 25 years driving experience!” Sure he is…

Well, we did make it to Longji in the end albeit I don’t have the photos of sweeping rice terraces to prove it. You see, by the time we finished visiting the Huangluo Yao Village (which is home to the women with the longest hair in the world!) it was high noon and the sun was scorching! Sam and I made it about halfway up the ‘dragon’s back’ (aka Longji) before we admitted defeat and settled for exploring the town which was at the halfway mark.

So today instead of rice fields, you get to see the little town of Ping’An.

Practical Guide: When to Go, Where to Hike and What to Know Before You Arrive

If your planning is better than mine — and given the noon-heat admission-of-defeat story above, that’s not a high bar — here’s everything you need to time your visit right, pick a hiking route that suits you, and actually reach those terraces in all their glory.

When to Go

Longji’s terraces change dramatically with each season, so timing genuinely matters.

Hiking Routes: Three Options

Download an offline map such as Gaia GPS before arrival — cell signal disappears between ridges.

Getting There

1. Guilin → Longsheng: Hourly buses (07:00–19:00) from Guilin Qintan Bus Station. Around 35 RMB, 1 hour 45 minutes.
2. Longsheng → Ping’An: Minivans park opposite the bus station and wait until 6–7 seats are filled. Around 15 RMB, 50 minutes along the switchback mountain road.
3. Gate to trailhead: You’ll be dropped at the scenic-area gate; pay the entrance fee, then take the shuttle another 20 minutes up to the trailhead.

Motion sickness is real on these roads — as the story at the top of this article confirms. Sit front-left, focus on the terrace horizons rather than the road, and peppermint oil or travel tablets help considerably.

Where to Stay

Accommodation in the scenic area is almost exclusively wooden stilt-house guesthouses. The standout property in Ping’An is Li-An Lodge — 16 individually designed rooms created by Keren Su, a renowned Chinese photographer and artist who first discovered the area on a photography trip and built the lodge without a single nail, using traditional tongue-and-groove joinery. Each room has a different theme drawn from Chinese folk art and culture; terrace-view rooms look directly over the Seven Stars With Moon viewpoint. The lodge also runs nightly slide shows of Su’s terrace photography. Confirmed on Trip.com with multiple 2025–2026 reviews, and available through international booking platforms.

For the Dazhai and Tiantouzhai side, budget guesthouses with dorm bunks and private rooms are available throughout both villages — search Booking.com or Trip.com filtering for Longsheng accommodation. If arriving after 18:00, arrange pickup with your host in advance; private cars are restricted in the scenic area at dusk.

What to Eat

1. Bamboo-tube rice (竹筒饭 zhútǒngfàn) — sticky rice mixed with cured pork, shiitake and taro, stuffed into a fresh bamboo cylinder and roasted over charcoal. Available at trail kiosks for around 20 RMB.
2. Laozao wine soup — sweet fermented-rice porridge topped with a poached egg; an ideal breakfast before a long climb.
3. Smoked chilli duck — Ping’An specialty; order before the hike, eat at sunset with a Tsingtao beer.
4. Wild mountain-herb tea — granny vendors pour from battered kettles for 3 RMB a cup; it genuinely rehydrates better than bottled water.

For vegetarian options, ask for sù shí (素食) dishes — stir-fried fern heads and pumpkin leaves are both excellent.

Cultural Context Worth Knowing

• Zhuang minority make up around 60% of Ping’An’s residents. Their wooden stilt houses (diaojiaolou) are assembled without nails — the same construction logic as Li-An Lodge, refined over centuries.
• Red Yao women (whose cousins we visited in Huangluo earlier in the day) still wash their famously long hair in fermented rice water here too. If you notice locks drying on balcony rails, it’s polite not to photograph them directly.
• Drum towers and wind-rain bridges you pass en route serve as social hubs and were also built to funnel storms away from the terraced fields.

Knowing these layers turns what could be a “pretty view” walk into something considerably richer.

What to Pack

A Two-Day Sample Itinerary

Day 1

• 09:30 — Arrive Ping’An, drop bag at guesthouse
• 10:00 — Bamboo rice brunch, then hike to Nine Dragons viewpoint
• 13:00 — Continue to Seven Stars With Moon, circle back via tea fields
• 17:30 — Golden-hour views from the guesthouse balcony
• 19:00 — Smoked duck and taro hotpot dinner, early bed

Day 2

• 04:45 — Headlamp climb for sunrise timelapse
• 08:00 — Laozao breakfast, pack out
• 09:00 — Minivan to Dazhai; cable car up, 3-hour traverse across the Jinkeng bowl
• 15:00 — Soak feet in the river at Tiantouzhai, then bus back to Guilin — or stay an extra night for star-trails photography

FAQs: Ping’An and the Longji Rice Terraces

When is the best time to visit Longji?

Late April–June brings mirror-like flooded fields and neon seedlings; July–August is lush green with cool nights; September–October is the golden harvest and most photogenic period; November is misty and rustic; December–February brings occasional frost or snow and real quiet. Avoid China’s Golden Week if you dislike crowds.

How do I get to Ping’An from Guilin or Yangshuo?

From Guilin, take a bus to Longsheng then a shared minivan to the Longji Scenic Area gate and on to Ping’An or Dazhai. From Yangshuo, most travellers connect via Guilin or join a direct tour minivan.

Do I need a ticket for the terraces?

Yes. The Longji Rice Terraces Scenic Area requires an entrance ticket; internal shuttles cost extra. Keep your ticket for checks at village shuttles.

Ping’An vs. Dazhai/Tiantouzhai — where should I base?

Ping’An has the classic viewpoints, shorter loops and more eating options. Dazhai and Tiantouzhai offer wider amphitheatre vistas, a cable car, longer hikes and slightly fewer tourists. Both have atmospheric wooden guesthouses.

What are the best viewpoints near Ping’An?

Nine Dragons and Five Tigers (grand S-curves of terraces) and Seven Stars With Moon (terraces clustered like a constellation). Sunrise and late afternoon give the best light and shadow.

Are the hikes difficult?

Trails are stone-stepped and well-signed. Ping’An loops are easy to moderate at 2–4 hours. Cross-village routes such as Dazhai to Tiantouzhai are moderate at 4–6 hours. Steps can be slick after rain — proper shoes matter.

How many days do I need?

One day covers Ping’An’s two classic viewpoints. Two days allows sunrise and sunset and a fuller loop. Three days lets you combine Ping’An and Dazhai at a relaxed pace.

What should I pack for a day on the terraces?

Grippy footwear, sun hat and UV umbrella, rain shell, water and snacks, small bills in cash (no ATMs in villages), headlamp for early starts or power cuts, and layers — mountain weather changes quickly.

What local food should I try?

Bamboo-tube rice (zhútǒngfàn), laozao sweet rice-wine soup, smoked chilli duck, wild mountain-herb stir-fries, and taro hotpot. For vegetarian options, ask for sù shí (素食) — pumpkin leaves and fern tips are excellent.

Any lodging tips?

Book ahead for summer, harvest season and national holidays. If arriving after 18:00, arrange pickup at the shuttle stop — private cars are restricted inside the scenic area at dusk.

Are the roads and shuttles safe?

Drivers know the switchbacks, but motion sickness is genuinely common — as the story at the top of this article confirms. Sit forward, focus on the horizon, and bring mints or medication. Steps around the paddies can be muddy; watch your footing.

Photography and etiquette advice?

Golden and blue hour are when the terraces really sing; a mini tripod helps. Always ask before photographing locals, especially the hair-care rituals of Red Yao women. Drones may be restricted — check current rules and fly responsibly away from crowds and crops.