The Jinkeng Rice Terraces - Site for Most Awesome Longji Photos

Overview

Jinkeng Rice Terraces, or called Jinkeng Red Yao Terraced Fields, is a significant part of Longji Rice Terraces Scenic Area in Longsheng County, Guilin. For years, the imposing Jinkeng scenic area has attracted numerous travelers, especially for photography and hiking enthusiasts, with its magnificent panoramic view of rice terraces.

Jinkeng Rice Terraces gets its name becasue of its shape - a natural formed pit, with Dazhai Village at the bottom and several other Villages like Tiantou Village at two sides. These villages are inhabited by the Red Yao ethnic group, a branch of Yao nationality. The Red Yao women with long and black hair always dress in colorful and traditional clothes, adding more colors to the rice terrace scenery.

Best Jinkeng Rice Terraces Tour:

Best Places to View the Scenery in Jinkeng

In the Jinkeng area, there are over 6 villages and thousands of terraces, thus Jinkeng is such a large area that you could hard to enjoy the whole scenic area at one glance. All the tourist cars and public coaches can only stop at Dazhai Poking Lot, where is also the entrance of the Jinkeng scenic area. Dazhai Village is the first stop of Jinkeng area. You can get to Dazhai from the entrance after about 10 minutes’ walk. Standing there, you can start your Jinkeng exploring trip from all directions. Usually, it is not enough to explore Jinkeng in a day, especially for the travelers who want an in-depth photography or hiking tour. To help you better plan a Jinkeng highlights tour, you are highly suggested to know the below four best viewpoints in advance.

Click to enlarge the Longsheng Terraces Map

No.1 Viewpoint - West Hill Music(西山韶乐)

The No.1 Viewpoint - West Hill Music is the highest viewpoint (about altitude 1,180 m; 3,870 ft) in Jinkeng Rice Terraces and is also widely known as the top 1 choice to enjoy the rice terrace view, especially for sunrise and sunset. About 90% of Longji Rice Terraces photos are taken there. It takes about 2 hours if you hike from Dazhai Village there, and about 1 hour hike from the Tiantou Village (田头寨) at the middle of the mountain, where most of Jinkeng’s hotels settle in.

West Hill Music

No.2 Viewpoint - Large-scale Thousand-Layers Terraces (千层天梯)

When you enter the Dazhai Village on the mountain foot of the Jinkeng scenic area from the parking lot, the No.2 viewpoint - Large-scale Thousand-Layers Terraces is almost at the top of the hill on your left side. Climbing up to this viewpoint takes about 1 hour. And hiking to Tiantou Village from there takes less than half an hour. Standing at the nine-story viewing platform there built for visitors, you can have a close view of numerous terraces spreading straightly down to the Dazhai Village. Besides, you can even admire the imposing terraces on the opposite mountain and the cable cars that climb slowly up to the No.3 Viewpoint – Golden Buddha Peak.

Large-scale Thousand-Layers Terraces

No.3 Viewpoint - Golden Buddha Peak (金佛顶)

Golden Buddha Peak gets its name for it looks like a Buddha Maitreya, from Tiantou Village that settles on the opposite hill. The Golden Buddha Peak is the only viewpoint of the whole Longji Rice Terraces that can be reached by taking direct cable cars. There, you can have a panoramic view of the spectacular rice terraces of the whole Jinkeng Scenic Area. On the left side of the viewing gallery, there is a small viewing platform that can enjoy “the eagle wings” formed by rice terraces, while at the right side of the gallery you can enjoy the “phoenix”. It takes about 22 minutes by taking the cable car from Dazhai Parking Lot and about 1-2 hours by hiking from Dazhai Village to the Golden Buddha Peak.

Phoenix - Golden Buddha Peak

Seven Stars Accompany the Moon (七星追月)

At Tiantou Village, there is also a small viewpoint named Seven Stars Accompany the Moon (七星追月), which is looking similar to the “Seven Stars Accompany the Moon” (七星伴月) in Ping'an Rice Terraces Scenic Area. Standing at this viewpoint there is a big moon-like field surrounded by seven circular and small piles of rocks left when the area was developed. The looks just like seven stars accompany with a moon. For the travelers who missed the “Seven stars with month” in Ping'an, it is also a great place to enjoy the masterpiece of rice terraces carved by industrious Red Yao people.

Best Jinkeng Rice Terraces Tour:

▶ 5 Days Guilin Tour with Yangshuo & Longji Rice Terrace

▶ 6 Days In-depth Guilin Tour from Hong Kong

Seven Stars Accompany the Moon

Recommended Visiting Routes of Jinkeng Rice Terraces

● 1 Day Classic Tour by Cable Car & Hiking Line 1

Dazhai Parking Lot - (22 mins by Cable Car) - Golden Buddha Peak - (1.5 hrs' hiking) - Dazhai Parking Lot

● 1 Day Classic Tour by Cable Car & Hiking Line 2

Dazhai Parking Lot - (22 mins by Cable Car) - Golden Buddha Peak - (22 mins by Cable Car) - Dazhai Parking Lot - (2.5 hrs' hiking) - West Hill Music - (2.5 hrs' hiking) - Dazhai Parking Lot

● 1 Day Classic Tour by Cable Car & Hiking Line 3

Dazhai Parking Lot - (45 mins) - Large-scale Thousand-Layers Terraces - (45 mins) - Dazhai Parking Lot - (22 mins by Cable Car) - Golden Buddha Peak - (22 mins by Cable Car) - Dazhai Parking Lot

● 2 Days In-depth Route

D1: Dazhai Parking Lot - (22 mins) - Golden Buddha Peak - (22 mins) - Dazhai Parking Lot - (1.5 hrs' hiking) - Tiantou Village

D2: Tiantou Village - (1 h hiking) - West Hill Music - (1 h hiking) - Tiantou Village for lunch - (20 mins hiking) - Large-scale Thousand-Layers Terraces - (45 mins hiking) - Dazhai Parking Lot

Best Times to Visit Jinkeng Rice Terraces

Usually, the best time to visit Jinkeng Rice Terraces is from April to late October of every year. The scenery there changes according to seasons thus you can enjoy different kinds of rice terraces during different seasons.

● From mid-April to mid-June - time for the mirror-like watery fields and labor life.

Usually, water diversion for irrigation and rice seedlings planting are the theme work from mid-April to mid-June in Jinkeng. The local Yao people begin to irrigate the Jinkeng Rice Fields from mid-April, and it usually takes about half a month to full fill the fields by water. Another half a month after that, the locals begin to plant rice seedlings. Thus, if you go to Jinkeng during mid-April to mid-June, you can encounter with the mirror-like watery fields glittering in the sunlight and the local labor life of Yao nationality people.

Warm tip: The irrigation and planting time varies according to actual situation. In 2016, the irrigation work ended at the end of May, while in 2018 the irrigation work ended in the middle of June. You can contact us for the detailed irrigation time.

● From mid-June to mid-September - time for green rice plants filling the terraces.

Usually, the rice seedlings have been planted for about one month if you go to Jinkeng after mid-June. Thus, you can have a close experience of those grand rice terraces with mesmerizing green rice plants.

● From late September to early October - time for layers of golden rice plants.

This period of time is the peak season of Longji Rice Terraces. The “yellow sea” formed by rice terraces stretches to mountains and mountains of Jinkeng area. Standing at anywhere of Jinkeng, you can enjoy the marvelous layers of golden yellow rice plants.

Get to & around Jinkeng Rice Terraces

● From Ping'an to Jinkeng

There are two most popular ways to get to Jinkeng from Ping'an. One is by hiking, while the other is by car.

1. Hiking through Zhongliu Village

Hiking from Ping'an Village to Jinkeng via Zhongliu Village (中六村) is the most popular and wild hiking route in Longji Rice Terraces scenic area, especially for the hiking enthusiasts. This deep hiking route takes about 4-4.5 hours, including about 2 hours’ hiking from Ping'an to Zhongliu Village and another 2-2.5 hours’ hiking from Zhongliu Village to Tiantou Village in Jinkeng. Compared with Ping'an, Jinkeng is farther from the tourist entrance. Thus, travelers usually choose to stay at Ping'an Village for a night, and then visit the Seven Stars Accompany the Moon (七星伴月) and Nine Dragons and Five Tigers (九龙五虎) in the next morning before hiking from Ping'an to Jinkeng. After arriving at Tiantou Village, they will stay there for a night to relax themselves.

Warm Tip: You are highly suggested to wear long pants even in summer if you want to hike from Ping'an to Jinkeng for sometimes there may be snakes or mosquitos.

Recommended Tour:

▶ 6 Days In-depth Guilin Tour from Hong Kong

2. Taking Car from Ping'an Parking Lot to Dazhai Parking Lot

There is no direct bus from Ping'an Parking Lot to Dazhai Parking Lot. If you want to get to Dazhai from Ping'an by bus, you should make a transfer at Erlong Bridge (二龙桥) in the middle way. Usually, the buses make a departure every 1 or 2 hours, so you may need to wait nearly 1 hour at Erlong Bridge if you missed one.

● From Guilin to Jinkeng by Direct Coach

Jinkeng Rice Terraces Scenic Area is located about 76km north of Guilin, about 2.5-3 hours’ driving. Usually, Guilin Qintan Bus Terminal in the downtown area has the coaches to get there.

Warm tips: 1): Qintan Bus Terminal is located in the downtown area, thus you can take a taxi to this station. 2): The above information about direct coach may be changed according to practical situations. You can contact us for real-time help.

>> How to Get from Guilin to Longji / Longji to Guilin

● From Yangshuo to Jinkeng by Coach

Jinkeng is located about 145 km north of Yangshuo. Travelers can get from Yangshuo to Longji by coach or private car. The coaches usually depart from the Yangshuo Pantao Road Biliandong Tourist Parking Lot that next to Xijie Road (about 1km away).

Warm tips: 1): Considering of the long-time inconvenient coach trip from Yangshou to Longji, you are more recommended to back to Guilin first and then travel from Guilin to Longji. 2): The above information about direct coach may be changed according to practical situations. You can contact us for real-time help.

>> How to Get from Yangshuo to Longsheng / Longsheng to Yangshuo

Travel with China Discovery by Convenient Private Car

To travel Guilin, Longji and Yangshuo without any worry about the transportation, you can choose to enjoy our transfer service, and our local guide and driver would well arrange every step to provide you a comfortable trip from pick you up, escort you among the attractions and to send you off to your next destination or home. Therefore, you could pay more attention to the wonderful highlights on the way. If you are interested, please feel free to contact our professional travel expert for details.

Jinkeng Cable Car – the Most Relaxing Way to Enjoy the Rice Terraces

Among the whole Longji Terraced Fields Scenic Area, cable cars are only available between the Golden Buddha Peak (金佛顶) and Dazhai Parking Lot (大寨停车场). By taking those cable cars, travelers can conveniently go up or down the hill within about 22 minutes. Besides, travelers can have a clear panoramic view of the whole Jinkeng Terraced Fields Area when the cable cars move slowly up or down.

Warm Tip for Taking the Jinkeng Cable Car

The cable cars may be stopped for fault during the trip. Do not worry much about that and do not open the door while stopping, just sit calmly and wait for the worker’s arrangement.

Jinkeng Cable Car

Jinkeng Rice Terraces Price

The ticket price of the whole Longji Rice Terraces area is 80 RMB per person. Once you book the ticket, you can visit the whole Longji Terraced Field, including Ancient Zhuang Village Rice Terraces, Ping An Rice Terraces, Jinkeng Rice Terraces, etc.

Jinkeng Dazhai Accommodation

In Jinkeng area, hotels are mainly settled at Dazhai Village and Tiantou Village. The former village is at the bottle of Jinkeng area, while the latter is located at about the half way of No.1 Viewpoint - West Hill Music and No.2 Viewpoint - Large-scale Thousand-Layers Terraces (千层天梯). Aside from the two places, there are also some hotels near each viewpoint.

Most of the hotels there can provide with hot water, air condition, a TV, private washroom, etc. And some of them have free-wifi and private viewing balcony. All the hotels in Jinkeng area are externally in traditional looks, while inside of the hotel, there may be wooden ones or modern ones. You can choose the wooden guesthouses to experience the local life or the modern ones for a more comfortable sleep. The most modern hotel there is Quanjinglou (全景楼 'Panorama Lodge') that is next to the No.1 Viewpoint - West Hill Music (西山韶乐).

Tips for Visiting Jinkeng Dazhai Rice Terraces

1. Remember the viewpoint number in advance.

Guideposts in Jinkeng area are rarely and all in Chinese or number, so you are highly recommended to remember the serial number of each viewpoint in advance.

2. Can anyone do you a favor about your luggage?

For the travelers with heavy luggage, you can ask the locals with pack basket in the entrance of Jinkeng area for help. It may charge you about 40-80 RMB. For there may be language barrier, you can prepare the Chinese name of your destination in advance.

3. You'd better to follow the main roads.

There are a lot of spine-crunching gravel tracks around Jinkeng area. You are highly suggested to follow the main road, or you may get lost.

4. Stay a night at Golden Buddha Peak for sunset.

If you want to enjoy the sunset at Golden Buddha Peak, you are suggested to stay a night there. The cable cars are closed after 5pm and it may be dangerous to hike down the hill in the dark night.

5. Avoid arrange your Jinkeng trip on your last trip day.

You are not suggested to arrange your Jinkeng trip on your departure day or you may miss your flight, especially during the holidays like the National Holiday (10.1-10.7) and the Holiday of Labors Day (days around May 1st).

6. Better to take your raincoat, flashlight and antiskid shoes.

The weather changes quickly, so you are suggested to pack up your raincoat and comfortable antiskid shoes. Besides, please take your flashlight with you if you need to visit the rice terraces at night, though you are not recommended to do so.

7. Keep your ticket well.

If you want go to other rice terraces areas like Ping'an and ancient Zhuang Village, you should keep your ticket well. There are separate ticket gates and you should show your tickets if you want to go inside.

Recommended Tours to Visit Jinkeng Rice Terraces:

▶ 5 Days Guilin Tour with Yangshuo & Longji Rice Terrace

▶ 6 Days In-depth Guilin Tour from Hong Kong

Questions & Discussions

Following are latest questions and answers from our webusers and customers. You can learn many useful information from the discussion and cases. You can also join in the discussions or ask your own question. Our experts will help you ASAP.

Agnes Chan

Longji tickets

Planning to stay 1 night in Dazhai & 1 night in Ping'an. Setting out from Guilin by bus. May I know how many entrance tickets do I have to purchase ?

2019-10-20 13:49

Hi Miss Chan,

Thanks for your good question! You only need to buy one ticket! The whole Longji Rice Terraces Scenic Area, including Ping'an, Jinkeng (Dazhai) and Ancient Zhuang Rice Terraces, shares one same ticket and one major entrance. Your ticket is valid until you go out from the major entrance.
Once you get a ticket and go inside from the major entrance, you can go sightseeing around the whole scenic area. There is no strict limitation for the visiting days, meaning if you have a ticket you can stay in Longji as many days and even years as you like. If you travel from Jinkeng (Dazhai) to Ping'an, you won't have to go through the major entrance. Jinkeng (Dazhai) and Ping'an have their own separate entrances, and the separate ones are located inside the scenic area.
If you are interested, you could get more map info of Longji at https://www.chinadiscovery.com/guilin-tours/maps/longsheng-maps.html

Hope this helps and wish you a nice day!

Skye at China Discovery 2019-10-21 15:01