After a good night’s rest, our first stop in Guilin was the famous Reed Flute Cave 芦笛岩. The moment we entered, it felt like stepping into another world. The cave is filled with towering stalactites and stalagmites, all brought to life with colourful lights that reflect off the still pools like glass.

It looked theatrical with the lighting highlighting the beauty of nature’s work over millions of years. The reflections on the water created a dreamlike scene, as if we were walking through a painting.

Outside the cave, the air was cool and fresh, surrounded by lush greenery and stone paths lined with red lanterns. For those who cannot walk far, there are friendly porters offering bamboo sedan chair rides, which my mum really enjoyed.

From the viewpoint above, we got a lovely panoramic view of Guilin’s landscape with misty hills, calm lakes and quiet villages below. A peaceful and enchanting start to our day.