Li-An Lodge

Li-An Lodge is a 16-room timber lodge perched above the Longji, or Dragon's Backbone, rice terraces in Ping'an Village, part of the Longji Scenic Area in Longsheng County, Guangxi, roughly two to three hours by road from Guilin. The lodge was built using traditional tongue-and-groove timber joinery without nails, a construction method typical of the Zhuang and Yao ethnic minority villages that farm the surrounding terraced hillsides. Its elevated position gives most rooms direct views over the cascading rice terraces, which shift in appearance from flooded and mirror-like in spring to lush green in summer and golden at harvest in autumn. Rooms are offered as Terrace View, Standard, and Deluxe categories, simply furnished in keeping with the mountain lodge setting rather than a luxury resort standard. The restaurant serves regional Guangxi and Yao dishes using locally grown produce, and the small library and terrace areas give guests quiet spots to take in the views. Guided hikes through Ping'an Village and the surrounding terraces are a core part of the lodge's offering, typically led by local guides familiar with the trail network connecting Ping'an to nearby Zhuang and Yao villages such as Dazhai. Reaching the lodge requires a walk uphill from the village's vehicle drop-off point, as no roads reach the lodge itself.