A practical guide to Lugu Lake, showing you the most beautiful places in Lugu Lake, which can be visited all year round.
Preface
About Lugu Lake This guide will comprehensively cover: transportation, food, entertainment, food and accommodation. This super-complete summary will help you unlock the most beautiful Lugu Lake.
Lugu Lakecheck the details
Lugu Lake, known as the "Pearl of the Plateau," is a pristine, unspoiled lake nestled between Yanyuan County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, and Ninglang Yi Autonomous County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province. Its islands, each graceful and distinct, are lushly forested, creating a picturesque scene of verdant greenery. The lake's waters merge into a single, mirror-like, clear sky. The gently gliding pig trough boats and the gentle drifting of Mosuo folk songs add a touch of quaintness and tranquility to the scenery. This region is also known as the legendary Kingdom of Daughters. The Mosuo people, who have lived on the shores of Lugu Lake for generations, still maintain their matrilineal extended family structure, headed by women and carrying on the family line, as well as their matrilineal marriage system, which emphasizes "no marriage for men, no marriage for women, voluntary union, and free separation."
Recommended months: March to October
3495 recommendations, 3750 visits
Top 6 must-see attractions in Lugu Lake
1. Daluoshui Village
This area was the first to be developed on Lugu Lake. It boasts relatively well-developed public facilities, convenient transportation, and numerous affordable inns. From Daluoshui Wharf, you can take a pig trough boat to Liwubi Island or Luoke Island. This is a popular spot for dining and other activities, and it's quite lively.
2 leagues
Rige Peninsula is the most beautiful peninsula in Lugu Lake Bay. The island is surrounded by water on three sides and green mountains on the left and right. If you go to Lugu Lake, you must go to Rige. As the popularity of Rige Village increases, it is no longer quiet.
Although the commercial atmosphere has begun to become stronger, it is still a good choice to stop by and take photos. If such a beautiful place is completely undeveloped, the outside world will not know about it, so I think appropriate commercialization is reasonable.
There is a viewing platform on the Rig Peninsula, which is the best place for taking photos. Postcard angles are all taken here. Whether you have a SLR or a mobile phone, you can take great photos.
3. Lover's Beach
The name sounds like a romantic place, right? There are two Lover's Beaches, one in Sichuan and one in Yunnan, and the lake is jointly administered by the two provinces. The Sichuan Lover's Beach is located between Dazu Wharf and Wakua Wharf and is about 500 meters long. The Yunnan Lover's Beach is more open.
4. Caohai & Walking Marriage Bridge
The Caohai Lake, covered in reeds, appears endless at first glance, hence the name. In summer, it's a sea of green, while in autumn and winter, it turns golden. It's said that this is where Mosuo men and women meet, and that crossing this bridge promises a sweet and long-lasting love.
About Walking Marriage
Many people who visit Lugu Lake for the first time are very interested in walking marriage, imagining it to be very casual, where you can just climb through the window of any girl you like. Actually, this is not entirely true. Walking marriage is actually a form of marriage where couples work in their respective extended families during the day and get together in their own small homes at night.
Children born to wives are raised in their own maternal home, not by their fathers. This is because matrilineal families prioritize women, and children never leave their mothers' homes. Walking marriage is not as casual as some might imagine; most couples are monogamous and have fixed partners.
5 Goddess Bay
Goddess Bay faces the Gemu Goddess Mountain and is the most beautiful place to watch the sunset in Lugu Lake. If you stay in a B&B nearby, you can enjoy the beautiful sunset every day.
6 Luowa Wharf
To get to the back of Goddess Bay, you need to drive out of Goddess Bay to the main road and then drive in from the other side. You can take a boat from Luowa Wharf to reach Princess Island and the filming location of Dear Inn. Anyway, after filming this variety show, their place has become very expensive, with room rates around 3,000 per night. The public areas are usually open to tourists.
Lugu Lake must-see activities
Charter a car around the lake
This is probably the most common way to circle Lugu Lake. It is highly recommended if there are many people. You can rent a car for several people and the price is very good.
There will also be time to stop and take photos, but some drivers will rush you to see the sights and get to the next stop in order to make more money. Before hiring a car, remember to communicate clearly which attractions you want to visit and how long you want to play. This way, you won’t be unhappy if something unexpected happens during the trip.
price:
The prices will vary in different seasons, and it mainly depends on your bargaining skills. Here is a reference range for you: chartering a car is generally ￥200-￥350/car, and carpooling is ￥80/person. If there are fewer people, it is recommended to carpool, which is more cost-effective.
Cycling around the lake
There are so many options now. If you feel uncomfortable sitting in a car and riding a bike is too tiring, you can arrange a bicycle and bike ride together locally.
When you are on a long road that is not suitable for cycling, you can put the bicycle on the roof. When you come across beautiful scenery and a good road, you can take the bicycle off and ride. You can fully experience the joy of cycling in the most beautiful and suitable places.
Because the road conditions in Lugu Lake are not very good, it is really too tiring to ride a bike the whole way. This way allows you to experience the fun of cycling and sit in the car to rest when you are tired.
Recommended Section 1: Sanjia Village to Sichuan-Yunnan Friendship Bridge, approximately 6 km, 30 minutes (the first half is along the lake, the second half is in the countryside)
Recommended section 2: Libai Lover's Beach to Luyuanya Water Outlet, about 6km, cycling time about 30 minutes (this section is mainly in Sichuan, and there is a section that is the most beautiful section around Lugu Lake. The terrain is flat and easier to ride)
Pig trough boat
A pig trough boat is a canoe made from a thick log that is hollowed out and pointed at both ends. It gets its name from its shape which resembles a long pig trough.
Price: The price of pig trough boats also fluctuates. You need to be able to bargain, especially in the off-season. The boatman will agree to a longer trip with less money. The approximate price range is: 50, 80 and 100 per person. The 50 yuan is for rowing to the middle of the lake for 40 minutes, and the 80 and 100 yuan can go to the island.
Lugu Lake Accommodation
The entire Lugu Lake is very large and is divided into the Sichuan part and the Yunnan part.
The Sichuan part is relatively more pristine, and I personally feel that the accommodation conditions and supporting arrangements are not as good as those in the Yunnan part; the Lugu Lake in the Yunnan part is more commercialized, and the accommodation will be better.
There are four main accommodation areas in Lugu Lake:
Lugu Lake Town
Located in Sichuan, the hotels are mainly distributed in villages along the lake and beside the highway. The advantage is that the price is very cheap, but the disadvantage is that it is not very convenient for travel and the facilities and decoration are a bit poor.
Big Fall
This place was developed the earliest, has strong reception capacity, good accommodation conditions and relatively reasonable prices. It is recommended to friends who like a lively place.
Luowa Wharf
This is the main accommodation area in the Sichuan section. The Marriage Bridge and Caohai are both here. It is not as commercialized as the Rige Peninsula, the price is not expensive, and the accommodation environment is good. For friends who plan to spend a day in the Sichuan section, I recommend you to stay here.
Rigg Peninsula
The scenery is absolutely stunning, and if you want quality accommodation, this is definitely recommended.
Personal experience accommodation recommendations
First, let me be clear: this isn't an advertisement. This is a real-life experience, specifically for those slum kids who want a lake view room with floor-to-ceiling windows and a good value. Many lake view rooms in Lugu Lake cost over a thousand yuan, which seems a bit too extravagant for a single person. After browsing the web for a few days, I finally found a lake view room that offered excellent value at a reasonable price.
Yanyuan Lugu Lake Hubei Latitude 27 Inn
Location: Shenshenwan Lakeside, Zhaojiawan Village, Luguhu Town, Yanyuan
Price: 200
Comparison of advantages: We stayed in a lake view king room with a great view, with a direct view of the Goddess Bay, which was very close! The room facilities were also very good, with a TV and electric blanket. The most commendable thing was the huge balcony, which was perfect for sunbathing and stargazing.
One drawback I must mention is that it's located at Goddess Bend, which isn't a very popular spot, but it doesn't affect the lakeside scenery at all.
Recommendation index: *****
Lugu Lake Natural Youth Hostel
Location: Dazu Village, Lugu Lake, Yanyuan
Price: 250
Pros: I really liked the room; it was very fresh and clean, with relatively new facilities. The decor was great, and the common areas were very comfortable. It was also quite quiet, and the location in Dazu Village was close to restaurants and attractions.
Recommendation index: *****
How to get there
Depart from Chengdu
Take a train or bus to Xichang (a train takes one night, a bus takes 6 hours), then take a bus from Xichang to Lugu Lake (about 8 hours).
Price: Train: 78-214 yuan/person
Chengdu-Xi'an bus ticket: 173-224 yuan/person
Xi-Lu bus ticket: 109 yuan/person
Tips:
The journey was quite arduous! It felt like a winding mountain road. You could easily vomit. The road conditions were not very good, so it is recommended that those who are prone to motion sickness prepare motion sickness medicine in advance.
Depart from Lijiang
The current transportation from Lijiang is a newly built road with good road conditions. It only takes 4 hours by bus to reach the destination. Take the Lugu Lake tourist bus, which is suitable for friends who are traveling to and from Lijiang.
price:
Option 1: 58-80-118-230 yuan/person; the price range varies, and the price varies at different times and for different car models, so you can choose for yourself.
Option 2: Round trip fare 99 yuan/person (return trip has time limit, please pay attention to the selection)
Air travel
If you don't want to go through the hassle of traveling, you can fly directly and choose Ninglang as your landing airport. However, there are fewer airport flight options in small places, the prices are not cheap, and most of the flights require a transfer, so there is not much advantage in terms of time.
Lugu Lake must-eat options
Grilled dried fish
It feels a bit like grilled fish. It uses a fish called Bayu, a specialty of Lugu Lake. Unlike grilled fish, it is not coated with a lot of seasonings. This kind of fish mainly relies on the taste of the fish itself and is grilled and eaten. It has an excellent taste and is rich in nutrition.
Cold Salad of Water Hydrangea
Water lilies are Lugu Lake's signature flower. I had never heard of them before I came here. This dish is a Lugu Lake specialty, and nearly every Chinese restaurant offers it. Its scientific name is "sea lily," and the Mosuo people call it "cape." It's both ornamental and edible. It's served cold with just soy sauce and oyster sauce, and it's refreshing and delicious.
rice noodles
A trip to Lugu Lake is a must without trying clay pot rice noodles. It feels like rice noodles are the main dish of Yunnan. Since it's hard to order a large table of dishes every day when traveling alone, rice noodles are my go-to. The rice noodles here are smooth and crisp, not too greasy. Absolutely delicious!
Fire pit cuisine
Fire pit culture and its surroundings are well-known in the Lijiang area. However, the fire pits of the Mosuo people of Lugu Lake are less ostentatious and more down-to-earth. Fire pits are a crucial part of Mosuo life, essential for eating, worshipping, and heating. In the center of the fire pit is a hot pot, surrounded by barbecue areas. Hot pots range from free-range chicken to cured pork ribs. For barbecue, try Yunnan's wild mushrooms; they're incredibly delicious!
Best time to travel
If you have to choose the most beautiful season, you must ask when is the best time to visit Lugu Lake. The official answer is March to May or September to November. But in fact, Lugu Lake is beautiful at any time of the year.
July to September is the rainy season for Lugu Lake. When going to Lugu Lake, you must pay special attention to the conditions of the mountain roads. Landslides, collapses, mud and rock flows are prone to occur, making driving difficult. Please pay attention to safety.
Yunnan is located on a plateau, and the temperature difference between morning and evening is huge. Even in summer, you can wear short sleeves during the day, but you have to put on a coat at night. So girls must bring a shawl, which will look good in photos and keep you warm in the morning and evening.
Flowers bloom year-round along the shores of Lugu Lake, covering the mountains and plains like a natural garden. The main blooming seasons are: azaleas from May to July, sunflowers from August to September, and cosmos from October to November.
Conclusion
Today, Lugu Lake is no longer as obstructed and difficult to reach as it used to be. It has the best scenery of lakes and mountains and the bluest sky. Promise me not to miss it again.
Instead of lamenting that this place is too commercialized and that place is too commercialized, why not visit it when it's at its peak? I hope this guide will inspire you to take the plunge and leave behind wonderful memories.
