Maoming and Guilin, China in April -OR- July?
 

Hello,

We have been trying to figure out a family trip to China for a long time now. Two adults, two kids (5.5 and 9). We need to spend several days in the Maoming area involving a lot of driving, and then we would also have time to go to Guilin. We want Guilin to be a relaxing and enjoyable holiday for all of us after the car travel days.

-- We have school vacation in April or in July. Which would you recommend for the best weather? I read a trip report here about cool and drizzly weather in April in Guilin. Great for photographers, not so great for little kids who want to stand outside on the boat and swim in the hotel pool.
-- We'd fly U.S. to Guangzhou, drive to Maoming area (Gaozhou). What's the best way to get to Guilin after that? Return by car to Guangzhou and fly to Guilin?
-- I looked for hotels in Guilin in April 2013 on many websites and the entire region looks to be booked up. Is this possible?
-- Do we need a guide in Guilin if we stay at a high-end Western hotel? Our kids speak Mandarin (but they're kids, not interpreters) and none of us speaks Cantonese.

Thank you for any advice,
BMarieL

Drizzly cool or steaming hot. Your choice.

There is one daily direct train between Maoming and Guilin, taking 10 hours. May be an alternative.

No need for guide in Giulin. You can read about the geographical features befor departing; nothing the guide can tell you more about.

Hotels in China don't open up their reservations this early. Many only do so about 2-3 months prior.

Are you hiring a car/driver in Maoming area, or doing the driving yourself? You''ll need a chinese driver's license.

Tourists cannot drive in China.
No need for cantonese in Guilin, a foreign language there.
You are too early too book hotels. There is a Chinese holiday in April but that should not be the reason.
As said above, your choices are raining and cool in April or unbearably hot in summer.

Thank you all -- we'll have a driver/guide with us, a man we are familiar with from two previous trips (he is employed by our adoption agency and lives in GZ).