Reed Flute Cave is located approximately 7 kilometers outside of the center of Guilin (a unique China travel destination that is more used as a jumping off point to get to Yangshuo). A 30 minute bus ride, or 7 minute taxi ride (20 yuan) will get you to the doorsteps of the cave. Being cheap but lazy, I paid the taxi to take me there. A 90 yuan entry fee later (~$13.24 USD) gets you in the door. The tour area of the cave is a one way walking path up and down throughout various beautiful stalagmite and stalagmite formations. Groups are taken in about 25 people at a time by Chinese or English speaking guides, although for the life of me could not find an English speaking guide so I went in with the Chinese groups. Anyone who has a basic understanding of cave formations can get by just fine without a guide, and it is nice to just wander on your own terms anyway.
The Reed Flute Cave was formed about 600,000 years ago, a period of time when it was still an underground lake according to some geological researches. As a consequence of the mountain's enhancement and the Earth's decline of the water level, the lake gradually turned into a cave, giving to the calcium carbonate in the rock a long course of dissolution and crystallization. Several years of deposit accumulations after, the cave was discovered by man and used as a secret and magical place. The more than 70 aged ink inscriptions discovered are a testimony of the cave's occupation already in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), a precious discovery giving to the place a tremendous fame in Guilin vicinity. Due to its main entrance anciently covered by reeds, the cave was used during modern times as a perfect hiding place for war times. During the World War II (1939-1945) and Sino-Japanese Wars (1894-1895, 1937-1945, Japan's invasions of China), local people used to hide in the cave, a natural and solid refuge where some newspaper, hospitals, and printing companies settled for more safety. This was only in 1962 that the cave was officially opened to public even though records already attest of the cave's tourist activity during the Tang. Since then, millions of tourists have visited the cave with the same wonder about its natural beauty.
| Opening Hours | Admission Fee | Recommended Time for a Visit: |
|---|---|---|
| 06:30 - 18:00* Scenic spots are open from 08:30 to 17:00. | CNY 120 * 4D show is stopped from 12:30 to 13:30 | Three hours |
| 07:00 - 17:00 * Scenic spots are open from 09:00 to 16:00. |