Night Photography at the Cloud Restaurant

Situated between the Lijiang River on the east and Taohua River on the southwest, the heart of Guilin City is wedged amongst the Ronghu Lake, Shanhu Lake, Guihu Lake and Longhu Lake, with its signature karst peaks as the backdrop to the cityscape.

The Shanhu and Ronghu Lakes were artificial lakes with a history dated to the early Tang dynasty (621 A.D.), when the military strategist Li Jing had scored military advantage in the southern China area, including this part of now-Guangxi Province. In establishing the ancient South Gate (Gunanmen) in Guilin, Li Jing also constructed moats for the ancient fortification. The moats fell into disuse during their long history. They eventually became the lake area that is today.

Standing in the Shanhu Lake are two beautiful towers, the Sun Tower and the Moon Tower, that are lit up at night. The Sun Tower glimmers in gold, while the Moon Tower glistens in silver.

I did not want to spend more than 200 RMB on a cruise tour to see the two rivers and four lakes area. The main reason being that we were quite tired from the days’ travelling already. The enjoyment of a 1.5 hour boat ride, of which there are a few to do in Yangshuo and Xingping as well, would be diminished.

But it doesn’t do justice to a trip to Guilin if we hadn’t seen its proudest scenery. I figured then that I could visit a restaurant with views for our last dinner in Guilin. I found the Cloud Restaurant.

The Cloud Restaurant, in Chinese Yuanduan, is located at the Lijiang Poyin Hotel. I chose it because of the views that it offers. The restaurant overlooks the Shanhu Lake, and the Sun and Moon towers are clearly in sight. They were very beautiful that evening. What came as a super pleasant surprise was how good the food was. The restaurant serves a “new” kind of Chinese food, with creative presentation and wonderful flavors, but certainly not compromising on the traditional strengths of Chinese cuisine. You may dine by the lake views as al fresco dining is available at the balcony.




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Post by Helen Yu (Chestnut Journal) | Apr 14, 2025