Reed Flute Cave, Guilin: What to See and How to Plan
Visit Guilin's colourfully lit Reed Flute Cave: 240 m of stalactite chambers, a route of almost 500 m, and how to combine it with the Taohua River.
Reed Flute Cave is Guilin's showpiece cave: chambers crowded with stalactites, stalagmites and stone curtains, lit in colour, on the Taohua River northwest of the city.[1] The drama here is underground, which makes it a good counterpart to a day on the river or among the karst peaks.
Inside the cave
The cave sits on the southern slope of Guangming Hill. It is 240 metres deep, and the visitor route is almost 500 metres long.[1] The Ministry of Culture and Tourism describes stalactites of endless shapes and calls the cave a "palace of natural art"; it is also known as the State Guest Cave.[2]
The formations are lit in colour, so expect a theatrical, glowing cave rather than raw rock in the dark. The lights turn the stone into animals, forests and palaces for the imagination.
Things to Do
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Plan the outing
Reed Flute Cave is part of the Lujia village and Taohua River area, and it was one of the first national key scenic areas, listed in 1982. The Ministry's autumn route runs from Lujia village to the cave and on to a farm, and recommends mid-October to mid-November. The starting village is 10 km from central Guilin, about 20 minutes by car, and bus 203 serves it.[1]
Pair the cave with a river or village stop on the same side of town, and agree your return transport before you set out.
For broader trip planning, see our China travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China: 金秋稻花香之旅. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- [2] Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China: 广西乡村旅游精品线路. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cave is 240 metres deep and the visitor route is almost 500 metres long. The 240 metres is the depth of the cave, not the length of your walk.
The route is short, so the cave itself fits into a morning or an afternoon. Add time for the trip there and back, and for any stop you pair with it.
Stalactites in many shapes, along with stalagmites, pillars, curtains and flower-like formations, which the Ministry of Culture and Tourism sums up as a palace of natural art.
No. The formations are lit with coloured lights, so the cave is a deliberately illuminated, theatrical sight.
Choose the cave for an underground visit built around formations and coloured lighting. Choose a river or mountain outing if wide outdoor views matter most. You can combine them on the same day if you plan the transfers.
The area lies about 10 km from central Guilin, roughly 20 minutes by car, and bus 203 serves it.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism recommends mid-October to mid-November for its autumn route through the Lujia village area.
