Liuzhou

Getting there

Liuzhou is a major rail hub and has good connections with most areas of China. The small airport offers flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou etc.

By plane 1 Liuzhou Bailian Airport (柳州白莲机场), Yingbin Road, Liujiang District (柳江区迎宾路), ☏ +86 772 3201088. Domestic destinations (updated Jan 2020) The city-airport express bus departs from the airport to South Bus Station, with stops at Yufengshan and Lianhua Bus Station. The airport is also served by public bus route no. 21, which departs for the eastern end of Wu Yi Road. Bus route no. 21 operates from 07:10 to 18:15 and costs ¥2.

By train 2 Liuzhou Railway Station (柳州站), 6 Nanzhan Road, Liunan District (柳南区南站路6号) (bus routes 2, 5, 11, 14 (circle route), 16, 24, 27 (circle route), 29, 32, 33, 35, 40, 42, 55, 65, 92 (circle route), 99, 507, Express Bus 1, Express Bus 2, Express Bus 8, and Express Bus 9), ☏ +86 772 3922222. (updated Jan 2020)

By bus 3 Liuzhou Bus Terminal (柳州汽车总站), 3 Wenbi Road, Liunan District (柳南区文笔路3号) (bus routes 10, 11, 16, 25, 27 (circle route), 28 (circle route), 32, 33, 41, 45, 64, 65, 68, 71, 81, and 601), ☏ +86 772 3808400. (updated Jan 2020) 4 Liuzhou South Bus Station (柳州汽车南站, 柳州长途汽车南站 Liuzhou South Long-Distance Bus Station), 81 Fei'e Road, Liunan District (柳南区飞鹅路81号) (Bus routes 2, 32, 90, 99, Express Shuttle Bus 9 and the Airport Express Bus), ☏ +86 772 3670988. (updated Jan 2020)

Getting around

Liuzhou has an extensive bus service and some of the cheapest taxis in China. The city centre is easily explored on foot, but some of the parks, etc are a bit further out.

See

Museums and historical sites 1 Ho Chi Minh's Former Residence (胡志明旧居), 1-2 Liushi Road, Liunan District (柳南区柳石路2-1号) (Bus no. 53 stops just outside the building (get off at Yufeng South Road 鱼峰南路). Other buses that pass through the area include bus nos. 65 and 601), ☏ +86 772 3829412, +86 772 2821364. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. This place used to be an inn called the Nanyang Inn. Ho Chi Minh lived here from 1943 to 1944 following his release from prison. A museum inside the building explains the history. Free. (updated Jan 2020) 2 Liuzhou Industrial Museum (柳州工业博物馆), 220 Liudong Road, Yufeng District (鱼峰区柳东路220号) (On the eastern side of the Wenchang Bridge. Take bus no. 12 or 59 and get off at the Industrial Museum (工业博物馆) bus stop), ☏ +86 772 8853830, +86 772 3353293. 09:00-16:00, closed on Mondays. Displays various kinds of antiquated machines and vehicles from Liuzhou's past. Free. (updated Feb 2020) 3 Liuzhou Military Museum (柳州市军事博物园), Intersection of Hangwu Road and Hangyin Road, Liunan District (柳南区航五路与航银路交叉口) (The nearest bus stop is the Liuzhou Zoo (柳州动物园) bus stop, which is served by bus routes 25, 32 and 62), ☏ +86 772 2108507. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. Reportedly the largest military museum in southwestern China. The museum is on the grounds of the old Liuzhou Airport. The airport dates from the Second World War when it was an important base for the allied forces, including the American Volunteer Group (AVG), a group of volunteer American fighter pilots popularly known as the Flying Tigers. The Soviet Volunteer Group were also based here. Many of the wartime structures still survive and there are a number of old military aircraft on display. Free. (updated Feb 2020) 4 Liuzhou Museum (柳州博物馆), 37 Jiefang North Road, Chengzhong District (城中区解放北路37号) (Between People's Square and Liuhou Park. Bus routes: 2, 5, 6 (circle route), 10, 12, 19, 24, 25, 26 (circle route), 27 (circle route), 28 (circle route), 30 (circle route), 31, 31 (circle route), 38 (circle route), 39 (circle route), 69 (circle route), 54, 78, 82, 90, 105, Express Bus 1, Express Shuttle Bus 1, Express Bus 2, Express Bus 3, Express Bus 6, and Express Bus 8), ☏ +86 772 2831519, +86 772 2828455. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. Tells the history of Liuzhou from prehistory to the present. Has lots of Chinese ethnic minority displays. Free. (updated Jan 2020)

Religious sites 5 Liuzhou Confucius Temple (柳州文庙), 8 Fuzi Road, Yufeng District (鱼峰区夫子路8号) (About 500 metres east of the south end of Wenhui Bridge. The nearest bus stop is the Tianshan Jiayuan (天山家园) bus stop 500 met

Buy

Liuzhou Coffins. Miniature souvenir coffins. From the Chinese saying "Be born in Suzhou, live in Hangzhou, eat in Guangzhou and die in Liuzhou." Liuzhou used to be famous for its coffins which were made from the local high quality wood. Today, only miniature versions are available and are popular as good luck charms as the Chinese for coffin can be used as a play on words for "Gain Promotion and Increase Wealth"

Eat

Luosifen, 螺蛳粉, the local speciality. Rice noodles in a spicy broth made from snails. Instant versions are also available in shops for taking out. Chao luo, 炒螺, snails prepared in wok. Liang ban niu za, 凉拌牛杂, beef offal, cold and dressed with sauce. Yun pian gao, 云片糕, sweet, creamy pastry.

Sleep

1 City Comfort Hotel Premier, Jiahe Rd, ☏ +86 772 363 1111. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. River view rooms overlooking Liu Jiang. (updated May 2024)