China

Li River Cruise in Guilin China with Kids

Li River Cruise with Kids: Our Family Trip in Guilin

While it’s been a few years since we toured China with our five kids, while traveling the world full-time, and our amazing StroudInc Team, the memories are still vivid.  This fantastic part of the world can be difficult to access (the visa process alone requires some help and patience), but it is a magical world once you’ve gotten into it!

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When we visited the Li River cruise in China, which is located in the Guangxi Province, we didn’t know what to expect.  Our tour company designed our 17-day China tour, and we were a bit skeptical about a river cruise with five young children.  That is not always the most fun experience!  However, we loved it.  The kids did get a little bored, but the tour kept it fun with some interactive options, fun snacks, and tea service.  Every single time our memories of this amazing tour include this river cruise on the Li River and  how epic and astoundingly beautiful this river is! 

China is amazing.  It has an ancient and rich history; it’s no wonder that when we stepped into this country, we decided we wanted to visit important and historic landmarks. Like the Great Wall, for instance, we couldn’t go to China and not visit it! Or even pass up the opportunity to spend a full day with pandas — sooo cute! However, we also wanted to visit places that are not so popular (at least for foreign tourists) and that hold so much value. 

Let’s talk a little about the Li River, which is a gem in southern China! The Li River is known for its peaceful views and the dreamy Karst Mountains that look like they came out of a painting.  Their stunning green peaks provide a fantastic background to the river cruise. 

The river flows between the towns of Guilin and Yangshuo. It should be on top of the list for family travel in China.

Watch our family’s Guilin and Yangshuo trip film

This earlier film combines the long sightseeing cruise with our later resort stay and separate bamboo-raft ride. Prices, transport, activities and the guide’s explanations reflect that trip; use the current planning checks below for your own visit.

Our Guilin and Yangshuo family trip · Full film (16 min 45 sec)

▶Watch full film 16 min 45 sec

The sightseeing cruise and the bamboo-raft ride shown later were separate outings. Our family’s reactions and the services shown describe that earlier trip.

Watch our original trip film on YouTube

What to Expect on the Li River Cruise

When we visited this river cruise in China, we were in awe! We saw pictures when doing our research, but it’s still so breathtaking once you are standing there. The scenery was something out of this world: it’s simply epic. And our boat cruise was perfect, as it had enough space for sitting outside and also inside.

A tip for traveling in China: you might be surprised, as I was, to find that most of the tourists in China are Chinese.  Foreign tourists are a bit rare to see.   You are mostly going to see people from other parts of the country.  Similar to Americans touring around America, the Chinese enjoy their vast country and all it has to offer!

What does this mean for you?  It means that most of the tourists are going to know the customs and how things work in China while you’ll be a bit left in the dust!  We were constantly grateful for our tour guide in China.  The country is so large that each big city speaks its own language, essentially, as the dialects are so different.  We had a different tour guide in each city, and for good reason.  A “small town” in China can be two million people!  Large cities are more like 30 million.  The scale is large in a country with over a billion people!

The tea service on this river cruise is a great example.  We had no idea what the customs were for a Chinese Tea Service and were grateful our tour guide was there to help us.  It can be quite formal.

Our guide also explained how the meaning of a full or half cup could differ depending on whether tea or alcohol was being poured. I was glad to have our guide there to help us understand the service during that trip.

This is the explanation our guide gave us on that cruise, not a rule for every setting.

Listening to our guide during tea service · Scene from our film (41 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 41 sec

Another point to consider: when we were on the boat, our kids felt a little bit nauseous. Thankfully, our kids felt fine by sitting outside and getting fresh air. If motion sickness is a concern, ask a health professional about suitable options, especially for children. Do not assume that a motion-sickness product is appropriate for a child; medicines and patches have age restrictions and precautions.

If you’re booking a cruise that serves food, check the menu for your exact boat and ticket: meals vary by vessel and package, so do not assume there will be a buffet or particular Western, vegetarian, or allergy-friendly choices. If you have dietary requirements, confirm them with the operator and consider packing snacks for you and your kids, subject to the boat’s food rules.

Food may not suit every child, so plan around your ticket’s meal arrangements. Check whether tea, water, or other drinks are included or charged separately. Also confirm where you disembark and how you will get to your next stop: the main Guilin–Yangshuo sightseeing cruise is not a return trip to the same city pier. The official scenic-area overview describes departures from Mopanshan or Zhujiang and arrivals in Yangshuo.

Our separate bamboo-raft outing near the resort

After we reached our resort, Lucy and I went out on a separate bamboo raft. Chris and one of our children took another raft out as well. It was a different outing from the long sightseeing cruise, so check the details of each activity separately when planning.

Our later bamboo-raft outing near the resort · Scene from our film (24 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 24 sec

Choosing a Tour: Options for Families

When taking the Li River cruise in China, you have many options. And, of course, they all depend on your budget, type of trip, and if you (like us) have kids. Our boat tour was so much fun! Everyone enjoyed it in spite of the motion sickness some of our kids had. 

Prices vary by boat class, date, transfer, and package. These linked tour ideas are options to compare, not a record of the exact package our family booked. Check the current listing for the total price, cruise duration, departure pier, transfers, language, meals, and any separate show or activity tickets.

• Private Full-Day Li River Cruise and Liusanjie Show: If you’re looking for a more private guided outing, compare this option. Confirm which transport and guide services are private, whether the cruise itself is shared, and whether the show ticket is included or extra.
  
• Luxury Li River Cruise with Buffet Lunch: An onboard meal could be helpful with hungry kids! Check the current boat class, menu, duration, and total cost rather than assuming the buffet, a four-hour duration, or a lower price than another package.

• Li River Cruise & Yangshuo Yulong River Biking Day Tour: This could be an option if you and your kids enjoy bikes. Check whether the advertised price includes the cruise and cycling, which route is used, and whether suitable bikes and child arrangements are available for your family.

Book ahead, especially for a large group or busy travel dates. Check the operator’s current weather and river-level notices, departure confirmation, and cancellation terms. Follow the crew’s instructions about outdoor decks rather than assuming a particular boat can operate in stormy conditions.

Things to Do While on the Li River Cruise

The children taking photos on the cruise deck · Scene from our film (16 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 16 sec

There is A LOT to see! Check the language arrangements for your exact boat and package: a live guide, recorded commentary, and self-service audio are different services. The scenic area advertises multilingual audio on some vessel categories, but that does not mean every ticket includes a private guide in your language. We were grateful to have our own guide helping us.

If you are not offered a guide or choose not to pay, I’d suggest you do your research on the Li River cruise in China. This will help you get an idea of what you’re seeing and its historical importance in this country.

If you take the bike ride tour, you can enjoy up close the picture-perfect landscapes of the Li River! Also the Karst mountains while you ride along the Yulong River Valley. But perhaps the most interesting part of these kinds of tours is that you get to see the rice paddies, tea plantations, local markets, and villages of Southern China!

What to Pack for the Li River with Kids

You’re bringing your kids to this riverboat adventure, just like we did with our crew. What should you bring to make this visit enjoyable?

• A basic first-aid kit and a motion-sickness plan: Pack the supplies your family normally needs, but do not treat motion-sickness pads as a substitute for medical advice. Ask a health professional before using motion-sickness medicines or patches for children, and follow the product’s age restrictions and instructions.

• Jackets for changing weather: Check the forecast and your operator’s current river-condition notices before departure. Rain, fog, heat, or high water can affect the experience and operations; a season label is not a guarantee. Consider jackets for yourself, your partner, and kids as conditions require.

• Entertainment or quiet activities: Your kids might get bored or tired. So, make sure to bring along a few games or activities so they can be entertained all throughout the tour. However, my kids were pretty entertained by the views, so your kids might be too!
  
• Portable chargers: We usually never leave without one of these. And trust me, during a river cruise, you will surely need it! If you’re like us, you will be taking lots of pictures and videos, and it will eat up all your battery. So make sure to bring a portable charger with you!

Accommodations and Transport to the Li River

Guilin can be a useful base, but hotel pickup is not automatic. Confirm the collection area, departure terminal, boarding time, and onward transfer with your exact operator before choosing accommodation.

Where to Stay Near the Li River

You can find many kid-friendly hotels in Guilin, which is the area we stayed in. It’s very practical to stay here! Many transport options are available to take you back to your hotel in case the tour does not provide it for you. Let me tell you about the best hotel options for visiting the Li River from Guilin!

If you’re traveling with a family, you’ll want to look for a hotel with many amenities. For example, the Guilin Village Creek Inn offers villas (for big families like ours), mountain views, and varied food options. Plus, you can ask for shuttle service and a cooking class at an additional cost. And if you know us, you know we love a cooking class during our trips!

You can also stay in the Guilin Osmanthus Tree Resort. This hotel has a kids pool, family room, and also offers lots of activities and culture classes! It’s near the Reed Flute Cave and the Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of the city of Guilin. Do not assume city sights such as Elephant Trunk Hill are included in the river cruise; check your itinerary separately. No matter what you choose, be sure to look for hotels near the Li River area.

How to Get to the Li River with Kids

Once you know where you’re staying, check the actual boarding terminal—not just the nearest riverbank. The main Guilin–Yangshuo cruise departs from Mopanshan or Zhujiang outside central Guilin and ends in Yangshuo, so a hotel beside the river is not necessarily within walking distance of your boat.

Other ways to get to the Li River River Cruise in China can include:

Private transport: Ask your hotel or tour operator whether a shuttle or private transfer is available and what it costs. Book the correct terminal and boarding time, confirm capacity for your group, and check whether the onward journey from Yangshuo is included.

Taxi or car ride app: Ask your hotel for help arranging the correct terminal if needed. An older transport estimate of $28 USD is not a current fare quote. Check the price, availability, vehicle capacity, and travel time for your departure; do not rely on an immediate car or a fast journey.

By bus: Check the current bus information and confirm that the service reaches your named cruise terminal in time for boarding. Do not assume a city bus reaches every pier or takes only 15 minutes: Mopanshan and Zhujiang are outside central Guilin. Allow for transfers and the operator’s check-in time.

Just make sure to leave early to avoid any delays! And also be mindful that when using a bus, you may have a bit of a challenge with the language.

Final Tips for Families Visiting the Li River Cruise

Lastly, let me give you my final tips for making your family visit to the Li River cruise in China a smooth and unforgettable experience! 

1. Choose your dates around conditions, not a promise of clear views. Spring or autumn may appeal to you, but neither guarantees comfortable temperatures, low rain, or no fog. Check the forecast and the operator’s river-level and departure notices, and use outside decks only as the crew permits.
   
2. We had two kids under five, and the cruise was a bit long for them. Age alone does not tell you whether a child will enjoy a long boat trip; think about your own children’s patience and needs. Check the exact operator’s child-ticket and onboard safety arrangements. A separate bamboo-raft outing can have different eligibility and safety rules from a large cruise boat.
   
3. Although you might be sitting the entire cruise, I’d suggest only packing the essentials. You will be hopping in and out of transport and boats. So, make sure to only pack your jacket, a few snacks, sunscreen, water, and your camera. You don’t want to have a heavy backpack the entire trip!

Additional Readings

Visiting the Great Wall of China With Kids

Visiting the Amazon Rainforest with Kids: Overnight River Cruise on the Rio Negro

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