The area around Laibin holds two very different traces of time: the find known as “麒麟山人” is dated to the Late Paleolithic, while remains from the Southern Song Dynasty lie on 蓬莱洲时光岛. The island’s tourism resort complements this historical trace with geological features and prehistoric fossils. When planning your trip, you can choose how to balance your interests in early human history, geology, and the island’s history.

The “麒麟山人” Find and Its History

The find known as “麒麟山人” is dated to approximately 30,000 years ago and assigned to the Late Paleolithic, or Late Stone Age. This age is an estimate and does not refer to the modern discovery date. On January 14, 1956, a fragment of a human skull base, designated “麒麟山人,” was discovered in Gaitou Cave on Qilin Mountain. This distinguishes two different dates: the approximate age of the find and the exact date of its discovery.

The fossil is housed at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; a copy is kept at the Guangxi Museum. In February 1963, the site was designated a cultural heritage site of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Understanding this archaeological trace therefore involves several distinct reference points: the find site near Qilin Mountain, the fossil and its copy at two museums, and the site’s designation. This distinction helps place the discovery and the find’s subsequent history in context.

Geology and History on 蓬莱洲时光岛

蓬莱洲时光岛 offers a different historical perspective. The island lies in the Hongshui River and is home to historical remains from the Southern Song Dynasty. It is also the location of a “Golden Spike,” described as the world’s fourth. Thus, a historical trace from a specific dynasty and a geological designation exist side by side on the island. Compared with the “麒麟山人” find, dated to approximately 30,000 years ago, the remains from the Southern Song Dynasty belong to a much later period.

A 2025 report places the 蓬莱洲（时光岛） tourism resort in Chengxiang Town, Xingbin District. It describes it as a national 4A-rated scenic area and gives its distance from Laibin’s urban area as 16 kilometers. At the resort, visitors can explore geological features and learn about prehistoric fossils.

In the area around Laibin, you can distinguish between two different historical subjects: the story of “麒麟山人” leads to an early human find, its dating, and its discovery. On 蓬莱洲时光岛, the river island and remains from the Southern Song Dynasty take center stage; the visitor experience also includes geology and fossils.

Discover more destinations: Bose, Chongzuo, Nanning, Qinzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Liuzhou, Guilin

For the main travel overview: Guangxi.