Ping'an villlage
Travel Guide
Nestled in the Longsheng Longji Rice Terraces, Ping’an Village is an off-the-beaten-path destination that you MUST visit whilst in China.
Just two hours outside of Guilin, this small village can be found about an hours hike up the Longji Rice Terraces. Spend a night or two in the village, eat the local food such as Bamboo rice (my fave!) and hike up to the different viewpoints of the rice terraces.
Accommodation
Budget: ¥50 is the starting price for private rooms in Ping’an budget hotels; hostels are not found here.
Midrange: ¥200 – ¥300 for a comfortable, clean hotel room with good view of the terraces. These are often more modern rooms with wifi and a balcony.
Luxury: ¥400 – ¥500 RMB for suites in hotels with spectacular views.
Transport: This is a walking village, remember to take a torch or phone with a torch app when going out in the evenings – don’t expect street lights!
Average cost of food:
Every hotel sells some form of food and expect to pay around 30 – 5o RMB per dish with beers costing around 10 RMB.
Small convenience stores can be found in the village with usual prices of items in China – a bottle of water costs around 4 RMB, a can of coke costs 5 RMB, a chocolate bar costs around 8 – 10 RMB.
Cost of Travel in China full guide
Ping’an Village and it’s surrounding terraces are beautiful all year round.
Visit in May and June for pleasant temperatures and waterlogged paddies whilst Summer brings a warmer climate and the terraces are at their greenest.
Visit in September through to October for a different experience; the gardens turn golden ready for harvest, offering colourful warm landscapes.
For a unique experience, you can visit in the Winter. The terraces have no rice left and will look like brown dirt tracks, but if you manage to visit during a snowfall, the views can be stunning.
Whilst planning your trip, you also need to avoid the Chinese national holidays – Golden Week runs during the first week of October and Chinese New Year lands around February, with a handful of long weekends throughout the year.
Budget:
Longsheng LongJi International YH is an incredibly affordable youth hostel that isn’t too far of a hike up the mountain. Private rooms with a shared bathroom cost 52 RMB whilst rooms with a private bathroom cost 113 RMB.
Meilin Hotel is another favourite with twin rooms starting at 78 RMB.
Midrange:
We stayed at Li Ru Yododo Villa and LOVED our stay! We paid 191 RMB for a deluxe room with a balcony and a stunning view of the terraces.
InYue Holiday Hotel is another great choice that we hope to stay in next time – rooms start at 290 RMB.
Top End:
In a stunning location, the Moonlit Inn offers gorgeous panoramic views with panoramic rooms costing 366 RMB.
China is a relatively cheap place to visit in the world but there are still ways that you can save even more money in the country, allowing you to travel for longer.
- Visit off peak – As we mentioned above, the Winter is cold. However, you can save some money on hotels during the colder months.
- Book in advance – There aren’t too many hotels to choose from in Ping’an Village but those available do vary in luxury and price. Book in advance to get the best value hotel and room available.
- Eat locally – Stick to the local food; this is predominately the only option but don’t be afraid of trying the food.
- Don’t tip – it is not expected in China.
- Buy snacks before arriving – You can buy snacks from the small convenient stores in the village itself. However, choices are limited and prices are slightly higher. Stock up on snacks in Guilin to save a bit of cash.
- Use CTrip – CTrip is an app and website which compares hotel prices. Generally, you can find cheaper prices on this app than any other comparison site for China.
- Pack light – To reach the village, you have to hike up the terraces. To save a bit of money, you should pack light and carry your own bag. There are options for a local to carry your luggage for you but they will charge a small fee for doing this.
Best things to do in Ping'an
Ping’an Zhuang Village
Longji Ancient Zhuang Village
Jinkeng Red Yao Village
Huangluo Yao Village
Seven Stars Around the Moon
Nine Dragons and Five Tigers
Bus/taxi – The best way to get to the Ping’an village is by car or bus.
From Guilin, you can catch a bus or book a taxi to take you to Ping’an Village Parking Lot.
This is where it gets a little tricky.
The easiest way to get here is by booking a taxi or Didi to take you to the parking lot. The roads are steep and windy. Once you are at the parking lot, you will then need to enter Ping’an Village via foot.
I would recommend packing light but also pay one of the locals for their help. At the parking lot, there are groups of women with wicker baskets, you can pay them a small fee (10-20RMB) to help you carry your bags to your hotel. Not only does this make the hike more enjoyable for you but also, they know where they are going!
There are lots of different routes and paths to take up the terraces but show the hotel name to the women and they can lead you straight there.
Like I mentioned before, Ping’an is a walking village. Be careful as you walk – steps and pavements can be uneven.
Also, bring a torch or make sure your phone as a torch app, when you are exploring in the evening – the village doesn’t have public lighting and gets dark very quickly.
