Spending an evening walking about Guilin‘s Two Rivers Four Lakes proved to be one of those “everything-just-clicked” sort of nights. It’s all a connected network of waterways running through the city, and then at night they lights the entire place up. I thought I was just going for some reflection shots.
Instead, spending a few hours walking the lake’s edge were time well spent. What drew me in most was Gold and Silver Pagoda. They’re truly spectacular at night and is a sight to see.
Here’s what seeing them up close and walking around surrounding lakes looked like for me.
My Walk at Two Rivers Four Lakes
Two Rivers Four Lakes
Apparently this place only comes to life after dark, and so that is how I got here. Right at dusk, the two pagodas called the Sun and Moon Pagodas sits directly in the middle of lake, lit up from the shore. When lit up, one looks cool and the other warm, and in calm conditions, the reflection are perfect.
I spent several minutes standing there observing as the slight breeze shifted reflections ever so slightly. It was an almost unreal scene, not in a heavy way but in a peaceful one.
One little thing that caught my eye while walking by lake was a stone frog sculpture resting on wet pavement. It had just rained and the wetness reflect each light double. Small details like this were all over the walk.
And the paths go right around water, with trees and archways all lit up along the path. There were some traditional gates lit up in different colors and some tree wrapped in green lights. There was this one section where entire walkway glowed blue and purple, and as you rounded a corner, it were all lit up in green.
It sounds like it could of been too much, but it wasn’t. Even though there were lots of other people out walking, it never felt crowded in the park.
As I continued walking, the pagodas just kept coming around corners. Whether it was seeing them frame each other via an archway or how long the reflection extended along water’s surface, every angle provided a new perspective. Passing beneath a totally illuminated green stone gate, I saw the two pagodas aligned side-by-side, all perfectly lined-up.
As we neared the pagodas themselves, I realized how intricate they were. They’re decorated with intricate details, which reflect sunlight at all angles. The taller of the two; called the Sun Pagoda, is filled with elaborate decorations.
It sits beside the nine-tiered Moon Pagoda, which were carefully constructed on each level. ) Up-close, the workmanship are simply incredible.
There are parts of the park where they’ve got rocks and boulders all set up naturaly and there’s this little stream going through them. It was just after the earlier rain that night so everything were still wet and entire area felt fresh. I went down one of the streams a ways to watch the water move and how the light from the park lit up on it.
It also had a nice sound, which were different than the usual city sounds.
There are points on lake from which you can see all of it, the city lights behind you. It reminded me that this wasn’t just an isolated park somewhere far removed, it was smack dab in the middle of Guilin. At times, however, while walking around by water, you’d almost forget about the city.
Everything is anchored by the pagodas. Wherever I walked, there would always be one or more in sight.
If you’d prefer to view the entire Two Rivers Four Lakes system from the water, there are boat cruises that will does so for you. I spotted the route map posted next to one of the docks, which made it look like a good option if you’re not up for walking around the entire circuit. While I stayed on footpaths, the boats was zipping around pretty regularly.
I returned to view the pagodas once more before heading out and circled back around to them. As I walked past this wall of lanterns early on, I stopped and looked at it properly. Looking at the pagodas from among trees with the fall leaves all around framed the view different than before.
And the thing is each angle altered the feeling just slightly, so I found myself discovering new places I wanted to stop and take it all in. I was glad I went for a stroll in the dark around Two Rivers Four Lakes because that was precisely the sort of low-key evening I’d been craving. While there are plenty of things to see, like lit trees, stone sculptures, and boat cruises, the pagodas (the Gold and Silver Pagoda in particular) are quite cool, and it’s easy enough to while away an hour or two strolling through surrounding parks and pathways.
Go with comfortabley shoes and, if possible, visit after dark to see everything all lit up. Have you ever visited Guilin? Is it on your list?
