Live Your Best Lives
If everyone has a bucket list of must-do destinations, Lijiang would definitely be on it. Wander the streets of the Old Town, find a tavern, listen to folk songs, chat with the owner, and all your worries will fade away. But what if we only know about the Old Town? Here, You Xiaoxia has compiled these hidden gems for you. Each one is truly amazing! Save them before you read on.
Airplane: Almost all major cities have direct flights to Lijiang. During the off-season, the prices are relatively low and the choice is more flexible.
Self-driving: Driving from all over the country to Lijiang is also a good choice. The scenery along the way is great, but the roads around Lijiang are mostly county roads.
High-speed train: High-speed trains have officially opened from Kunming, Yunnan to Lijiang or Dali, and the journey time has been reduced by half compared to trains (Kunming-Lijiang, the journey time is about 2 hours, and the ticket price is about 200 yuan).
Lijiang Sanyi Airport - Lijiang Old Town: A taxi ride takes half an hour and costs around 80-100 yuan.
Transportation in Lijiang Ancient City: Transportation in Lijiang can be achieved by renting or chartering a car, which is not very expensive. It is also very convenient to take a Didi taxi to visit a tourist attraction.
Both flights and trains are very convenient, but the train is generally recommended, which takes about 3 hours. It is cheap, but the trains are not frequent, so you need to buy tickets in advance.
Note: If you take the train to Lijiang, don’t miss the double-decker train, which has a unique “packaging design”.
Dayan Ancient Town, which we often call Lijiang Ancient Town.
Lijiang boasts three ancient towns: Lijiang Old Town (Dayan Old Town), Shuhe Old Town, and Baisha Old Town. However, for most people, there's only one Lijiang Old Town. The difference is that Lijiang Old Town is bustling, quaint, and packed with food, drink, and entertainment. Shuhe Old Town represents the Lijiang Old Town of 10 years ago, while Baisha Old Town represents the Shuhe of 10 years ago. Baisha is the most pristine and is preferred by foreigners.
Grab your backpack, put on your flat shoes, and you're ready to go. Strolling through the streets and alleys of the ancient city, seeing the famous small bridges and flowing water, admiring the vast architectural features of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the colorful cobblestone-paved Square Street, time seems to slow down as you walk through the ancient city.
Bar Street is Lijiang Old Town's most distinctive feature. Connecting Sifang Street on one end and the waterwheel at the entrance to the old town on the other, it's the city's most bustling spot. As night falls, you can sit here and enjoy a beer while listening to the crooning of wandering singers.
If you want to see the panoramic view of Lijiang, you can go to the Lion Rock Observation Deck or Wangu Tower. They are the best places to see the Dayan Ancient Town and take in the entire city. There is an entrance fee for Wangu Tower (28 yuan per person), but the Lion Rock Observation Deck is free all day.
The most lively areas are the Big Waterwheel and Sifang Street, as well as Bar Street and Lion Mountain. Although the prices of inns in Lion Mountain are generally higher than other places in the ancient city, it is recommended to stay here for a night to overlook the ancient city.
The area closest to local life is Zhongyi Market, where you'll find fresh fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices. The Mufu Palace (entrance fee 60 yuan, with an 80 yuan maintenance fee upon inspection) is also nearby. Free guided tours are available at the entrance, and a full tour takes about an hour. Zhongyi Market also offers many quiet courtyards, and the inns are pleasant and reasonably priced, offering the best value for money.
Finally, there is the quietest South Gate. There are fewer tourists in this area and the prices of inns are relatively low. If you like quietness, you can stay here.
You can take a bus or share a ride from the ancient town to Shuhe. There are minivans available from the waterwheel station for 5 yuan per person, which will take you to the entrance of the ancient town. If you take the bus, it's a long walk from the station to the entrance. Compared to Dayan, Shuhe Ancient Town is much quieter and smaller. I personally feel that while Dayan is a bit more commercialized, the ancient town's charm is still quite strong. Shuhe is worth exploring and staying overnight.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is an attraction that most tourists will not miss when visiting Lijiang. The ticket price is 130, the cable car is 182, and the Chaguwei is 80. You can go there by yourself. Most people take a bus from the ancient city to Red Sun Square. There are many vans going to the ancient city, most of which cost 40 per person. But I personally recommend joining a semi-free travel tour group. There is usually a tour guide on the bus. After the tour guide takes you to the attraction, you can tour it by yourself, and then agree on the meeting place and time.
The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Scenic Area is divided into five core areas: Ganhaizi, Blue Moon Valley, Yunshanping, Yaoniuping, and Glacier Park. The "Impression Lijiang" song and dance performance features different activities and fees. Regardless of which area you visit, you'll need to purchase a 100 yuan per person mountain entrance fee. It's recommended to join a group tour for better value.
Tiger Leaping Gorge is located on the border of Lijiang and Shangri-La. During Lijiang's rainy season, the water surges and roars at Tiger Leaping Gorge, creating one of the deepest canyons in the world. The 17-kilometer-long gorge, punctuated by the surging waters, takes about two hours to reach from either Lijiang Old Town or Shuhe Old Town.
The rainy season in Tiger Leaping Gorge is concentrated in July and August, and rockfalls and landslides are prone to occur. Therefore, the best time to hike is from April to June and from September to November. Be sure to pay attention to safety when hiking, especially to falling rocks and slipping feet.
Lugu Lake is a must-see destination in Lijiang. Be sure to charge your camera beforehand, as it's incredibly photogenic and boasts numerous popular online attractions. You can also take a colorful pig trough boat, rafting across the lake and weaving through the reeds—it's truly romantic.
Lashi Lake Wetland Park is the largest plateau lake in Lijiang, attracting tens of thousands of waterfowl each year. The lake is surrounded by Naxi villages, each with its own horse farm, making it a popular destination for horseback riding, boating, and birdwatching.
Horseback riding is the main way to enjoy Lashi Lake. If you just want to experience the feeling of riding a horse, you don't need to choose a horse farm, just let the locals take you for a ride.
DAY1: Arrive in Lijiang in the morning - Shuhe Ancient Town - Baisha Ancient Town
DAY2: Dayan Ancient Town (Lijiang Ancient Town) - Sifang Street, Lion Rock, Zhongyi Market
DAY3: One-day tour of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
DAY4: Lashihai Tea Horse Road - Lugu Lake
DAY5: Tiger Leaping Gorge - Return at night
The central location makes it easy to get in and out, but it is close to the bar street, which has a large flow of people, is expensive and noisy. People who like lively places can stay here.
The view is good, and it is a good place to see the whole picture of the ancient city. Some people can watch the sunrise from the window. It is tiring to go up and down the mountain, and it is inconvenient to get in and out.
The street is full of quiet bars and small specialty shops, creating a bohemian atmosphere. Located close to Sifang Street, it offers easy access and a tranquil setting amidst the hustle and bustle.
It is located on the edge of the core area, very quiet, and I personally think this area is also very suitable.
Access is convenient, but most of the houses are newly built and lack the unique atmosphere of Lijiang Ancient Town.
We recommend InterContinental Hefu/Erhai Lake•Songyun Cliff/Snow Mountain•Shujia Yulu, with private driver pick-up and butler-style service, so you can have a wonderful vacation.
Be sure to check before your trip. Lijiang travelers typically choose to join a group tour, take a semi-independent tour, or go on their own. Choose your travel method based on your needs.
Once you sign up for a tour, you don't have to worry about anything else; just have fun. Many tours these days are purely for fun, with no forced shopping or anything like that, so don't worry. The tour leaders are also quite humorous, so if you're the type who doesn't bother planning a trip, then this is a great option for you.
It is suitable for friends who don't want to travel with a large group, nor are they bound by a prescribed itinerary, and want to go wherever they want and play wherever they want. Or if you are a travel planning expert and have made a complete travel guide before departure, and have arranged all the food, accommodation and attractions, then you can choose to travel independently.
Semi-independent tour is a kind of travel mode between the group tour of travel agencies and the independent tour of backpackers. The travel agency is only responsible for transportation and accommodation, while the tour itinerary, meals, etc. are all arranged by tourists themselves.
1. Be sure to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a parasol. Although spring and summer are the rainy seasons in Yunnan, the ultraviolet rays are still extremely strong. The sun may come out soon after a heavy rain, and sunburn is not impossible.
2. When you go to Lashihai Tea Horse Ancient Road, you should prepare a hat because it is inconvenient to hold an umbrella. If you go to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the temperature is relatively low, so you need to wear a down jacket, which you can rent on the mountain. Wear long pants.
You absolutely have to visit Lijiang once in your life! Here, you'll find endless sights, endless delicious food, and a leisurely pace of life. You might even run into someone on the street who looks shabby and unkempt, yet possesses elegant conversation and a refined demeanor. You could spend hours chatting with them, as they'll have so many stories to share.
