Reed Flute Cave: tickets, hours and how to visit
A lit limestone cave in Guilin city; touristy but genuinely impressive.
Reed Flute Cave at a glance
A lit limestone cave in Guilin city; touristy but genuinely impressive. Plan on 60–75 minutes here, plus half an hour either side for entry, security and parking.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tickets | CNY 90. |
| Opening hours | 08:00–17:30. Last entry 60 minutes before closing. |
| Time needed | 60–75 minutes; the route is fixed and one-way. |
| City | Guilin, China |
What to see
Three things carry this sight. If you are short on time, do them in this order.
- The Water Crystal Palacethe largest chamber, reflected in an underground pool
- The coloured lightingdeliberately theatrical, not naturalistic
- The exit gardena small bonsai and rock display most people rush past
Tickets and booking
How the ticket works, and what foreigners usually get wrong.
Before you buy
- Price. CNY 90.
- Booking. This is a 40-minute guided walk in a fixed group with piped music and coloured lights — closer to a theme park than a cave. If you want wilderness, skip it. If you have an hour and it is raining, it is genuinely impressive.
- Payment. Most Chinese sights take WeChat Pay or Alipay only. Cash works at staffed windows but not at self-service machines; a licensed guide can pay on your behalf and settle with you at the end of the day.
Getting there and when to go
5 km north-west of Guilin city centre, 15 minutes by car. Bus 3 stops at the car park; taxis cost about CNY 25 from the centre.
08:00–17:30. Last entry 60 minutes before closing.. The first hour after opening is the quietest — tour groups arrive around 09:30. Late afternoon gives better light but the main viewpoints start clearing people out, so shoot early if that is your priority.
Public transport reaches Reed Flute Cave, but connections and waiting times add up. With luggage, older travellers, or two sights in one day, a car and driver removes the guesswork.
The one thing that goes wrong
Guilin local note
- This is a 40-minute guided walk in a fixed group with piped music and coloured lights — closer to a theme park than a cave. If you want wilderness, skip it. If you have an hour and it is raining, it is genuinely impressive.
Pairing Reed Flute Cave with
These are usually on the same day or the same trip.
Reed Flute Cave: questions travellers ask
Is it worth it?
How long does it take?
How booking works — three steps, itinerary before price
No deposit to get a plan, and nothing is locked in before you agree.
Send the brief
Dates, party size, how you arrive and what you want to see around Reed Flute Cave.
Get a route and a price
We order the stops by location and traffic, then quote per car per day with fuel, tolls and the driver included.
Confirm and travel
Only after you accept the route and the price do we assign the car and guide.
