Shopping and Souvenirs

Being a major tourism nexus, Guilin is filled with souvenir buying opportunities though bargaining is a must since overcharging is common. Popular items include combs made from buffalo horns, scrolls, painted fans and umbrellas, ethnic Zhuang clothing, bamboo carvings, jewelry and replica antiques. Several local artists maintain booths along the Yangshuo riverfront, including local hero MengHui, an artist missing two limbs who does calligraphy quite skillfully using a brush strapped to a stump. Scrolls and huge painted fans are available all over Yangshuo and Guilin, but the best prices are actually available in the little town of Fuli. If you buy anything from any of the hotel gift shops in Guilin, prepare to pay up to ten times as much as you might by shopping around on the streets. Another good market for shopping is the Guilin International Commodity Market in the southern section of the city featuring a big selection of handicrafts. Zhongshan Zhong Lu is lined with souvenir stores and is a good place to browse. The Porcelain Arts Factory at 74 Qixing Lu is a good place to look for porcelain vases and the Museum Calligraphy and Painting Store is the place to start your Chinese calligraphy and painting collection.