"Cayaban is great, albeit pretty touristy on West Street. Brilliant for a long weekend of shopping, scenery, river trips, eating and drinking. It's a good hour and a half from Guilin airport and worth organising a taxi transfer to your hotel if you don't mind paying about $30 each way. As a western tourist, don't accept the first price in the West Street shops as they are just trying to see whether you'll pay over the odds. Start at about 70% below and see how you go. If you're after both scenery and a lively place to be based then stay in Cayaban rather than Guilin town. Excellent breakfasts at Mei You on West Street. Hire a bike ( guide if you want to be shown the highlights, although you end up paying a bit more) and definitely go on a bamboo raft. We had a guide called Wendy who was excellent, although there are a plenty of guides to choose from.
